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The “Emotional Rescue Six”!

There are six “yearlings” living at Emotional Rescue or with ER foster families that deserve a second look. Why? Well, for starters, they’ve spent a year of their young lives in loving, safe …

Former Raider Alissa Johnson takes over HHS softball program

Hastings High School has announced the hiring of Alissa Johnson as the new head coach of the Raiders varsity softball program. Johnson, a Hastings High School graduate and former Raiders varsity …
Hastings High School senior Liam Bernatz started Cleanstride Windows LLC in 2024 with fellow student Thomas Foss. What began as an idea inspired by social media has grown into a business serving residential and commercial customers throughout Hastings and the surrounding communities.

Hastings students turn window cleaning idea into growing business

What started as a single window cleaning job turned into five when four neighbors approached Liam Bernatz and his brother while they were working at a Hastings home. Each asked for an estimate, and …

Proposed 2,000-acre solar project near Welch raises questions ahead of public meeting

A proposed solar energy development covering approximately 2,000 acres in Welch Township is drawing attention from area residents, with a public open house scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21, in Red …

Symphony of Shadows: A Halloween Concert

The River Valley Community Orchestra invites you to the first performance of our season, Symphony of Shadows, a free Halloween concert for the whole community. Experience an afternoon of eerie …

St. Croix Valley Genealogical Society to Meet October 15

The October meeting of the St. Croix Valley Genealogical Society is October 15 with the topic “Case Study: Finding Biological Birth Parents Without Using DNA”. Mary Ellen Brue will share how she …
Getting a chance to climb inside a real fire truck was a highlight for many young visitors during the Hastings Fire Department's annual open house. Families explored the emergency vehicles, learned about the equipment carried aboard and got a firsthand look at the tools firefighters use to serve the community.

New ladder truck highlights Hastings Fire Department open house

The Hastings Fire Department welcomed families, children and curious residents to its annual open house Tuesday, Oct. 6, offering an evening of hands-on activities, fire safety education and a chance …

Hastings City Council weighs cost, appearance of Highway 61 reconstruction

The reconstruction of Highway 61 through Hastings will be about much more than replacing pavement, improving intersections and moving traffic through the city. It also presents an opportunity to …

New owners spark excitement for historic Hastings riverfront landmark

HASTINGS, Minn., Oct. 8, 2026 — A historic downtown riverfront property has new owners, and the announcement is stirring memories and excitement in the community. Husband-and-wife team Tommy and …
Hastings Raiders Marching Band Drum Major Trenton Perreault led the band through an outstanding season!

Raiders earn Second in the Minnesota State Championship at U.S. Bank Stadium

The Hastings Raiders Marching Band and Color Guard performed their 2026 show, “The Warrior’s Code,” at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday, October 10, during the Youth in Music Show, a multi-state …
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Most read stories
Business
Members of the Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce, friends and family joined Ben Schwieger, center, to celebrate the ribbon cutting for Schwieger Glass in Hastings. Schwieger Glass provides residential and commercial glass services, including shower doors, mirrors, storefront systems, windows and custom glass work.
What began as a side business installing residential shower doors has grown into a full-service commercial and residential glass company with more than $1 million in work on the books, and owner Ben …
Government
Business owners and project officials gather around a roughly 20-foot-long map showing the Highway 61 reconstruction corridor and proposed access routes during construction. The detailed map is intended to help businesses understand how customers, employees and deliveries will reach their property as work moves through the corridor. Because of its size and detail, the full map will be available for download with the online version of this story.
Highway 61 project shifts to two years of major construction as businesses prepare for long haul For Hastings businesses along Highway 61, the question surrounding the coming reconstruction project …
Crime
Kylie Elizabeth Feldick
A 30-year-old Hastings woman already facing prosecution in an earlier child sexual abuse case has been charged with another felony following a separate investigation by the Hastings Police …
Community

Hastings event brings families, law enforcement and advocates together against fentanyl

Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko addresses those gathered for the fifth annual Hastings Overdose & Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Day at Hastings Public House. Leko spoke about law enforcement’s role in enforcement, prevention, education and connecting people with treatment and recovery resources.
The photographs and names displayed inside Hastings Public House carried stories that families wished they never had to tell. They were sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, parents, friends and …

Emotional Rescue Asks, “What Would You Do?”

Your dog goes missing! You come across a stray dog! What would you do? Being in the rescue and sanctuary business, Mama Shannon Tarr of Emotional Rescue would really like all of us to have a workable …

Parents, fans, coaches and students help establish online scoring app for reporting

Raider fans, especially parents, know just how much running is required each week of the sports season. They understand that on a personal level, so, when they recognize just how much running this …
Chris Falteisek at Alvdal during his Nordic pilgrimage across Norway and Sweden.

Sons of Norway Valkyrien Lodge 53 presents ‘Norway 2026: A Concert Through the Eyes of a Photographer and Musician’

WOODVILLE — The Sons of Norway Valkyrien Lodge 53 invites the community to a special evening of music and storytelling featuring local musician and photographer Chris Falteisek. The event, …

Sorting fact from fiction in the debate over Flock cameras in Dakota County

Automated license plate readers have quietly become one of the most powerful investigative tools available to law enforcement, capable of spotting a wanted vehicle in seconds, providing a lead after …
Obituaries
Alois 'Ollie' Reinardy
Alois “Ollie” William Reinardy, age 93 of Hastings, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Friday, October 16, 2026. He was born on March 23, 1933 to Mathias and Magdaline …
Alivn 'Al' Thomas
Age 86 of Prescott, WI, formerly of Hastings, MN, went home to be with his wife, Germaine Thomas, on October 16, 2026. Alvin was born on August 17, 1940 to Peter & Anna Thomas in New Market, MN. …
Joseph Gegen
Joseph Gegen, 60, passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 13, 2026. Joe was born and raised in Hastings and graduated from Hastings High School in 1984, where he was known to many by his …
Screenshot
Alfonso Valdez
Alfonso John Valdez passed away on Friday September 4, 2026, at Hastings Senior Health and Living Center at the age of 94. He was a recent resident of Hastings, MN (10 years), prior to that, he was a …
Dennis Schmidt
Dennis Schmidt, age 77, of Hastings, Minnesota, passed away on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Dennis was born on June 24, 1949, in Wabasha, Minnesota to Clarence …

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Local sports

Raider Nation expands with a new team!

Raiders at the line at the Zimmerman Thunder 300.
Raider Nation expands with a new team! By Bruce Karnick and Ryan Renneke Hastings Middle School (HMS) will have its first-ever National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) competitive archery team! …

UWRF AD earns Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in Sports

RIVER FALLS — University of Wisconsin-River Falls Athletic Director Crystal Lanning received a massive honor over the summer, being named the Nike Executive of the Year by Women Leaders in Sports. …
Hastings’ Ethan Meyer (75) helps bring down a Two Rivers ball carrier during the Raiders’ 35-21 win Friday night. After allowing 21 points in the first half, the Hastings defense shut out the Warriors over the final two quarters and held Two Rivers to 209 total yards, including 110 rushing and 99 passing. The Raiders also forced four turnovers in the second half.
Hastings had not trailed by two touchdowns at any point this season. Friday night at Two Rivers, the Raiders found themselves there before the first quarter was over. The response was emphatic. …
Hastings girls swim and dive put together one of its strongest dual meet performances of the season Thursday, Oct. 1, using wins throughout the swimming lineup and a complete sweep in diving to …
Hastings' Emery Hedeen returns a shot during her No. 1 singles match against Two Rivers. Hedeen pushed Erica Eckmann to a 7-5 opening set before Eckmann completed the match with a 6-1 second-set victory.
The Hastings girls tennis team finally completed its regular season Thursday, Oct. 1, finishing a match against Two Rivers that had been interrupted twice by weather. Two Rivers won the Metro East …
In the game against Two Rivers at Todd Field, it seemed like, no matter what the Raiders did, nothing went their way. This image really sums up the sheer simplicity of the struggles the Raiders had on the field. A simple, easy stop gets lightly poked past Michael Wenisch for a goal. Odd penalties, a red card and other basic miscues led to a long day for Hastings before they rebounded with two straight hard fought wins.
Hastings boys soccer bounced back from a conference loss with two straight victories last week, including a three-goal second half against Chanhassen on Saturday. The Raiders opened the week Tuesday, …
Education

Hastings school board filing period opens July 14

Hastings residents interested in serving on the Hastings Public Schools Board of Education will have a two-week window to file for candidacy this summer, with three seats on the ballot in the …

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Features

Wentworth Library reopens with community celebration

Wentworth Library in West St. Paul reopened after a year-long renovation Wednesday, May 6 with a celebration showcasing the building’s updated features and new gathering spaces. Dakota County …

Opinion
Columns

Oct 15, 2026

Holiday stores in Hastings getting new look as Circle K

A familiar name on the Hastings convenience store scene is getting a new look as the city's Holiday stations transition to Circle K. The change will bring updated signage, new rewards opportunities …

Early voting for general election begins Oct. 16

Early voting for the statewide general election begins Friday, Oct. 16. Voters can cast their ballot and feed it directly into a ballot counter at the Dakota County Administration Center, Northern …

Walz highlights launch of Office of Public Service

Governor Tim Walz visited Open Cupboard in Maplewood last week to highlight the launch of the Office of Public Service and announce the office's eight inaugural Service to Success grantees. The new …

Delay Does Not Pay

Delay is not always the best plan but you can’t do everything today. You can delay paying your utility bills a few days but you can’t delay for very long because the utility company will …

Independence Day - A Day To Celebrate July 3rd Should Be The Day!

It is a custom to celebrate Independence Day on July 4th with cookouts, family get togethers, boating and fireworks. The national holiday holds such great significance because of what it represents: …

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Letters
Letter to the Editor: The message is clear: ISD 200 needs a change
To the editor: ISD 200's perception survey from 2025 shows that staff confidence in the school board has fallen dramatically. When asked whether “The school board is doing what it takes to make our …
Letter to the Editor: School boards matter!
To the editor: Until recently our school board has gone largely unnoticed because they understood their role and did it well. Our schools were considered very attractive to both students and …
Letter to the Editor: Should nature take its course
To the editor I listened to many candidates before the primary claim that they are "Pro-Life: From conception to natural death". I wonder what the definition for "natural death" is. Nevaeh Crain …
Letter to the Editor: It’s time for a change on the ISD 200 School Board
To the editor: The message from our district’s own perception surveys is hard to ignore: ISD 200 needs new school board leadership. Carrie Tate and Jessica Dressley, our current school board chair …
Letter to the Editor: Extremely Qualified School Board Candidates
To the editor: There are five candidates who have filed to run for Hastings School Board. Three of these candidates stand out as extremely well qualified. Mark Zuzek - has dedicated his career to …

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Web Extras
Scammers are finding new ways to target your phone. Here are 5 ways to protect yourself
Malwarebytes reports scammers are targeting mobile users with increasingly sophisticated scams.
Your 2026 tax return just got easier: Here's what's coming this filing season
(BPT) - Filing your taxes is never a top item on anyone's fun to-do list, but it's definitely a must, and can lead to a very welcome refund. The good news is, there's a new service that can help make …
Hit by an uninsured driver? What to know
TheZebra.com reports that 1 in 3 drivers are uninsured or underinsured, increasing financial risk for insured motorists in accidents. 
How a smarter home can help families reclaim their time
(BPT) - It's a Thursday evening at home, and all you want to do is relax with your family. However, the mental list of possible to-dos stops you from being fully present with your loved ones. …
10 best cities to rent rather than own a house in 2026
TheZebra.com reports that Salt Lake City, Denver, and Austin are among the top 10 U.S. cities where renting is more affordable than buying.
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