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Dakota County greenway section completed in Mendota Heights

Safety, environmental enhancements included on River to River Greenway A section of the River to River Greenway running through Mendota Heights is now open for the public to enjoy. The 1.4-mile …
Lock and Dam Eatery owner Jennifer Melecio and her staff were covered in bits of cotton candy by the end of the Halloween Candy Crawl after handing out 700 bags of the sweet treat. The smiles and sticky aftermath showed that the Candy Crawl was just as much fun for those giving away treats as it was for the families collecting them.

Downtown Hastings Halloween Candy Crawl draws an estimated 2,500 visitors

Downtown Hastings was packed with ghosts, goblins, superheroes and plenty of families Sunday, Oct. 25, as the Hastings Downtown Business Association (DBA) hosted its annual Halloween Candy Crawl. …

PFAS roundtable discussion scheduled for Oct. 27 in Hastings

Hastings residents will have an opportunity to learn more about ongoing efforts to address PFAS contamination, including updates on the city's water treatment projects and statewide legislation, …
Hastings goalkeeper Grace Knoll had a relatively quiet evening against St. Paul Highland Park during the Section 3AA quarterfinals on Oct. 13. With the Raiders controlling the scoreboard in a 9-0 victory, Knoll needed just three saves to record the shutout and help Hastings advance to the section semifinals.

Girls soccer season ends, Sanchez surpasses 100 goals

Siena Sanchez reached a major milestone in her Hastings High School soccer career Tuesday, Oct. 13, scoring her 100th career goal just 29 seconds into the Raiders' 9-0 victory over St. Paul Highland …

Fire Marshal Jamie Stevens shares the work behind fire prevention in Hastings

                                                        …

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 …
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Most read stories
Business
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 …
Government
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 …
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

New ladder truck highlights Hastings Fire Department open house

Hastings' newly appointed honorary city ambassador Harvey gets some hands-on firefighting experience as he helps operate a charged fire hose alongside a Hastings firefighter during the department's annual open house Oct. 6. The activity was one of several opportunities for children to learn about firefighting equipment while having a little fun.
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 …
Greta Behnke, 16, was last seen Oct. 19 in Apple Valley. The Hastings Police Department is asking anyone with information about her whereabouts to call 651-322-2323 or 911. Photos courtesy of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Hastings police seek help locating missing 16-year-old girl

The Hastings Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing 16-year-old girl who was last seen Monday, Oct. 19, in Apple Valley. Greta Behnke, 16, is described as 5 …

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, …
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
Hastings senior David Tireman led the Raiders at the Metro East Conference Championships on Oct. 22, finishing third overall with a season-best time of 16:56.3 in the 5,000-meter race.

Tireman takes third, Lucking seventh at Metro East cross country meet

The Hastings Raiders boys and girls cross country teams both finished fifth at the Metro East Conference Championships on Thursday, Oct. 22, at St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park. The boys scored 91 …

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. …
The Hastings Raiders girls swim and dive team earned a 96-87 victory over Hill-Murray on Thursday, Oct. 22, using strong performances in diving, individual events and relays to secure another Metro …
The Hastings Raiders girls tennis team wrapped up its 2026 season at the Section 3AAA individual tournament Oct. 13-14 at the University of Minnesota's Baseline Tennis Center. Emery Hedeen led the …
The Hastings Raiders boys soccer team closed its 2026 season with a 4-0 loss to Eastview in the Class AAA, Section 3 quarterfinals on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The Raiders entered the tournament as the No. 8 …
Hastings' Gabe Ferdig (28) scores on a two-yard touchdown run against Burnsville on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Ferdig's second-quarter touchdown helped the Raiders build a 42-6 halftime lead, which would also be the final score.
The Hastings Raiders continued their unbeaten football season with a commanding 42-6 victory over Burnsville on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Pates Stadium. Hastings scored 21 points in each of the first …
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 29, 2026

Oct 28, 2026

Oct 22, 2026

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
If you're going with a lower-cost health insurance plan, make sure to read the fine print.
Plans with cheaper premiums are risky business for Americans seeking lower healthcare costs
Some options that might look like health insurance actually aren’t – and they may leave you stranded with large, unexpected medical expenses.
What 8 hours on your feet really does to your body
KURU Footwear reports that being on your feet for eight hours can cause various physical issues like muscle fatigue, pain, and cardiovascular risks, emphasizing the need for varied movement and better workplace design to mitigate discomfort.
Can feng shui lower stress? What the research on clutter actually shows
Closets by Design reports on feng shui's potential to reduce stress by organizing spaces for energy flow, aligning with research on clutter and well-being.
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 …
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