regional

BENSON -- A major federal grant will help equip Swift County firefighters with new emergency radios. The Swift County Board of Commissioners were told Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security is providing a $521,197 grant to be used...

WILLMAR -- Hazardous driving conditions are reported on roads in western Minnesota, including a section of state Highway 28 near Morris that has been closed. According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, travel is not advised because of drifting snow. Highway 28 is closed...

ST. PAUL - People should avoid drinking Pepin Heights Orchard brand apple cider because of the presence of a mold toxin. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture issued the advisory this afternoon. There's been no illness associated with consuming the cider, but long-term consumption...

OLIVIA - A 19-month-old child is in critical condition this morning and a suspect is in custody at the Renville County Jail in connection with the incident. Law enforcement officers received a 911 call around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday that a 19-month-old child was unresponsive. The child...

Update 5 p.m.

LITCHFIELD -- Meeker County got an early visit from Santa Claus. Highway Engineer Ron Mortensen on Tuesday told the county commissioners the county will receive $291,000 from an additional federal grant for a two-year project to grade and overlay a 2.8-mile section of Highway 27...

GROVE CITY -- New signs with solar powered flashing beacons have been installed on state Highway 4 near the Atwater-Cosmos- Grove City High School in Grove City. The signs identify a school speed limit of 35 miles per hour within the school zone when the beacon lights are flashing,...

BENSON -- Contract negotiations are continuing in Swift County between union employees and the county commissioners. So far there's been no agreements reached with any of the unions representing county employees. The county is currently offering a "slight increase" in salaries in...

LITCHFIELD -- Meeker County has finished its union negotiations with employees, agreeing to a zero increase in salary for the next two years. The contracts for the highway department, jailers, dispatchers and assistant county attorney were approved Thursday by the Meeker County Board...

WILLMAR -- Area school districts might be able to improve efficiency and even increase opportunities for their students in the future, but there's a possibility that emotional ties to local districts could get in the way of it. The Willmar School Board discussed an ongoing study...

OLIVIA - A reward is being offered for information in the theft of a semi trailer and its cargo that was stolen earlier this month near Olivia. The Renville County Sheriff's Office is investigating the theft of a black tandem axle flatbed trailer with a hoist. The trailer and its...

MELROSE - A one-vehicle crash near Melrose early this morning critically injured a teen from Elbow Lake. Matthew Coleman, 19, was injured shortly after 1 a.m. on Interstate 94 in Stearns County.

CLARA CITY -- One person was killed and two were injured in an accident last night near Clara City. The name of the deceased has not been released. The two-vehicle head-on crash happened at 6:40 p.m.