With stricter pollution limits in place and changes in state grants, the City of Albert Lea has decided to take a phased approach to upgrading its wastewater treatment plant. Built in 1981, the plant needs to replace aging infrastructure while meeting a stricter limit on phosphorus, the nutrient that grows algae, in its state permit.…

The Albert Lea City Arena, closed to the public for several months due to construction, is back open with a bigger lobby, remodeled offices and revamped skate rental area. Ice in the Nystrom Rink is ready for use! Work continues on the Colstrup Rink. After moving back from the City Garage last week, the Recreation…

At its Oct. 13 meeting the Albert Lea City Council voted to accept the low bid of $374,000 for demolition of the former Broadway Theater at 338 S. Broadway Ave. Dulas Excavating of Wells will remove the hazardous building along with the foundation walls at adjacent properties, 324 and 332 S. Broadway Ave. The city…

The Albert Lea Police Department is releasing information pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 244.052 and 253D regarding a Level 3 predatory offender who has relocated within the Albert Lea community. These statutes authorize law enforcement to share information about individuals required to register as predatory offenders when such information is believed to enhance public safety. Mark…

Albert Lea Police Sgt. David Miller was recently honored as “Investigator of the Year” by the Minnesota Sex Crimes Investigators Association (MNSCIA). He earned the award for his exceptional work and attention to detail when handling difficult criminal sexual conduct cases. Assistant Freeborn County Attorney Abby Ehret nominated Miller for the honor. She noted that…

The City of Albert Lea plans to apply for a $1.25 million federal grant to help remove hazardous buildings and their contents – known as the Merrick facility – at 620 Adams Ave. The city would like to gauge public support for the following three options for the site.

At its Sept. 22 meeting, the Albert Lea City Council approved a preliminary tax levy of $9.8 million or 8% over 2025, but staff and city councilors will keep looking for ways to cut expenses. The council is scheduled to adopt the final levy at its Dec. 8 meeting. The proposed levy can decrease but…

On Sept. 22, 2025, at approximately 7:30 a.m., the Albert Lea Police Department (ALPD) and Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office received information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding a potential threat of violence intercepted through social media monitoring. Upon receiving this information, ALPD school resource officers immediately notified, at approximately 7:45 a.m., District 241…