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Arbor Day: Lions Club and Parks Department branch out to schools
Today is Arbor Day, a time to celebrate the power of trees in providing habitat, absorbing stormwater, shading structures and people, and beautifying communities. Volunteers from the Albert Lea Lions Club, in the photo above, spent time this week preparing seedlings for distribution to local schools. Through this annual partnership with the Albert Lea Parks…
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Council approves street projects, pool repairs
At its April 13 meeting, the Albert Lea City Council accepted the low bids for several street projects this season, including: The council also approved to $140,000 for repairing the paint in both pools and the surrounding deck at the Albert Lea Aquatic Center this spring. The surfaces were last scraped, acid-etched and painted in…
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City council OK design work for Senior Center move
The Albert Lea City Council voted April 13 to approve a design proposal for a new Senior Center within the Jim and Dude’s building at 1705 S.E. Broadway Ave., the former HealthReach building. The design proposal from Wold Architects and Engineers of Minneapolis, which designed parts of the building for HealthReach in the past, will…
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Songbird Trail receives $2.6 million in grants toward bridge construction
Freeborn County and the City of Albert Lea report more continued success at securing grant money to build the Songbird Trail along 15 miles of a former rail line between Albert Lea and Hartland. “Development of the Songbird Trail has received wide support from residents since the original purchase of the abandoned rail line in…
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Beat the bin: Join the movement to out-recycle trash
Freeborn County officially recycled more than it trashed last year, diverting 22,280 tons of material away from landfills. While a major win for the environment, the community still sent 18,693 tons of garbage to landfills, a number that local officials are challenging residents and businesses to cut even more this year. To help increase recycling…
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Albert Lea receives grant to reduce chloride pollution
The City of Albert Lea has received a Chloride Reduction Grant $500,000 from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to help a local industry switch to a water-softening system that uses less salt. Chloride is a form of salt and thus can be harmful to fresh-water fish and other aquatic species. The city collects and treats…
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Nation of Patriots Tour May 16 in Albert Lea
ANNOUNCED AT MARCH 23 CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Glenville American Legion Post 264 makes history this May as the first Minnesota post to launch the Nation of Patriots motorcycle tour. This 115-day journey carries a single American flag through all 50 states to raise funds for veterans and their families. Join the festivities! Friday, May 15:…
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Albert Lea to celebrate 10 years of Blue Zones with community walk
Blue Zones Albert Lea invites local residents to keep stepping toward a longer, healthier life with a community walk on Saturday, April 18, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Marion Ross Theater, 147 N. Broadway Ave., Albert Lea. After a short program on Blue Zones healthy habits, participants will walk part of the Blue Zones…
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Assault arrest
On March 21, 2026, at approximately 5:08 p.m., Albert Lea Police Department (ALPD) officers were dispatched to a residence on Broadway Avenue South for a reported assault. Initial reports indicated that a 77-year-old resident was bleeding from the head after being attacked. Upon arrival, officers confirmed the victim was suffering from a head wound. Witnesses…
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Board of Appeals seeks volunteer
The Albert Lea Board of Appeals, photo above, plays an important role in reviewing requests for zoning variances, which are exceptions to rules that guide land use and development, including building height, size and setbacks. These rules are designed to protect public health, safety and neighborhood character. However in a community with a long history…
