At its July 13 meeting, the Albert Lea City Council approved a conditional use permit for Kwik Trip at 906 W. Front St. to remodel and expand its convenience store. The project would include an expansion of almost 2,000 square feet on the back side of the store to improve fueling operations, food preparation, service…

: Albert Lea Fire Captain Kurt Wallace, at left, and Firefighter Kyo Htoo recently competed in the Firefighter Challenge Midwest Region Classic. Wallace earned four medals and set three records during the competition.

To protect public health and enhance outdoor enjoyment, the City of Albert Lea has contracted Mosquito Control of Iowa to begin weekly treatments. Weather permitting, spraying will begin at dusk on today, July 15. In case of rainy or windy weather, Thursdays will be the back-up days for the remainder of the summer. The company…

At its meeting on Monday, the Albert Lea City Council will vote on whether to approve a conditional use permit for Kwik Trip at 906 W. Front St. to remodel and expand its convenience store. The project would include an expansion of almost 2,000 square feet on the back side of the store to improve…

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC) recently designated the Songbird Trail as a regional trail, marking a major milestone for this project. The trail will eventually run along a former rail corridor for 50 miles from Albert Lea to near Waterville. The designation comes with grant opportunities to build the trail. Freeborn…

At its June 22 meeting, the Albert Lea City Council voted to create an Economic Development Authority (EDA) to complement the existing Port Authority and Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). The EDA will help address economic development opportunities that fall between the traditional roles of the Port Authority, which focuses on industrial and infrastructure projects, and…

The Albert Lea City Council recently welcomed Albert Lea Police Officer Joe Johnson, who was sworn in at the June 22 city council meeting (photo above). His experience includes several years with the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office. Johnson earned his associate degree in law enforcement from Riverland Community College in Austin and finished his skills…

The Albert Lea Parks Department recently found a burr oak tree that was illegally cut down on public property along Blackmer Avenue. The unknown person who cut down the 14-inch-diameter tree left it lying in Dane Bay of Fountain Lake. The department removed the tree from the water and is working to replace it. The city…

On June 23, 2026, at approximately 9:18 p.m., officers from the Albert Lea Police Department (ALPD) responded to the intersection of Broadway Avenue South and William Street for a reported vehicle-versus-bicycle crash. The preliminary investigation indicates that a pickup truck driven by a 17-year-old Albert Lea male was traveling northbound in the 200 block of…

On June 21, 2026, at approximately 7:39 a.m., an Albert Lea Police Department (ALPD) officer took a stolen vehicle report of a 2013 Toyota Tacoma that had been taken some time over the previous evening. On June 22, 2026, at approximately 7:33 p.m., ALPD officers were dispatched to the area of Front Street West and…