Policy & Government

collage of photos of people talking at the MN State Capitol rotunda.

Essay: Every Minnesotan Deserves to Know What’s Happening in their Backyard

News alliance sends message to lawmakers on behalf of local media statewide—including Root River Current—regarding urgent need to support local news and information.

A group of healthcare workers gather around a table in a care facility.

Public Health Delivers Vital Services for All

Discover how Fillmore County Public Health is serving all residents with free clinics, wellness screenings and community programs during National Public Health Week and beyond.

A close-up, highly detailed image of a fuzzy black-and-yellow bumblebee collecting nectar from the center of a bright purple flower. The bee’s body is covered in fine hairs and dusted with pollen, especially around its legs and underside. The flower has long, thin purple petals radiating outward from a dense yellow center. The background is softly blurred green, making the bee and flower stand out sharply in focus.

Saying No to Neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoid pesticides are under scrutiny in southeastern Minnesota as concerns grow over their impact on pollinators, water quality and human health.

An octagonal room with windows stretching all the way around and large screens hanging above them. At a desk in the middle with another array of screens sits a man in a sheriff's uniform.

Fillmore County Law Enforcement Settles Into Upgraded Facility

Fillmore County law enforcement has moved into a new jail and sheriff’s office in Preston, replacing an aging facility and adding updated technology, training space, and improved inmate supervision.

A man with graying hair wearing a white short sleeve shirt with brown pocket flaps, a flag emblem, and a sheriff's star sits at a clean desk and smiles at the camera.

Federal Immigration Enforcement Surge Bypasses Fillmore County

Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge sits down with reporter David Phillips to discuss regional immigration enforcement activities.

In the News | Nitrate Risks in Karst Regions

A roundup of recent news regarding nitrate pollution, water quality and mitigation efforts in the Driftless Karst region of Southeastern Minnesota.

Aerial view of container ships and cargo cranes at the Port of Santos in Brazil, a major global export hub handling a large share of South American soybean shipments.

How Tariffs and China’s Global Investments are Reshaping Farming

Tune in for a free virtual forum that will explore how tariffs and China’s global investments are reshaping Upper Midwest agriculture and soybean markets; in partnership with Mississippi Basin Ag & Water Desk.

Community members talk with utility staff at a Dairyland Power open house in Preston, Minnesota, reviewing poster displays about the proposed Gopher-to-Badger high-voltage transmission line project.

Planned Gopher-to-Badger Link Addresses Regional Power Needs

Dairyland Power outlines plans for the Gopher-to-Badger Link, a proposed 765kV transmission line across southern Minnesota to strengthen the regional electric grid.

Yellow diamond road sign showing a horse-drawn Amish buggy with a small amber light above it that flashes when a buggy is present, standing beside a snowy rural highway with cars passing on the left and leafless trees lining the roadside in winter

First-ever Amish Buggy Alert Signals Installed in Fillmore County

MnDOT installs flashing Amish buggy alert signs on Highway 44 in an effort to improve safety after two separate fatal vehicle-buggy crashes.

A combine harvester cuts through a field of mature soybeans while unloading grain into a tractor-pulled wagon beside it, creating a cloud of dust on a sunny day.

Regional Soybean Production: Understanding What Happens When the Top Buyer Stops Buying

An in-depth look at how halted Chinese soybean purchases, falling prices and a $12B relief fund are reshaping farming across the Midwest.

Farm Programs Support Permanent Prairies, Wetlands and Sensitive Groundwater

Agricultural projects from Mower and Houston counties advance land preservation and water quality initiatives – updates from our county ag professionals.

A large Channel One Regional Food Bank truck is parked beside a red brick building with boarded windows. A worker in a gray hoodie unloads boxes on a lift gate, while two people stand near the open door labeled “Food Shelf.”

Local Food Shelves Stepping Up to Meet Record Demand

David Phillips reports on food shelves across southeastern Minnesota facing record demand in 2025 as inflation, high costs and reduced SNAP benefits strain family budgets.