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Stay informed about Rochester MN news with local stories, breaking news and more from MPR News, your hub for the latest updates in Rochester, Austin, Winona and across southeast Minnesota.

Why is Rochester’s 10-acre Seneca site still vacant seven years later?

Why is Rochester’s 10-acre Seneca site still vacant seven years later?

The Seneca Foods processing and canning facility closed in 2018 and Olmsted County purchased the property the following year for $5.6 million. But seven years later, the site is still empty, and county commissioners said that the process to find realistic options to fill the site has been slow, meandering and somewhat controversial.
by Molly Castle Work

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Meet Trapper, the dog helping Minnesota's DNR sniff out invasive zebra mussels

Meet Trapper, the dog helping Minnesota's DNR sniff out invasive zebra mussels

Invasive zebra mussels have infested five percent of Minnesota’s treasured lakes, rivers and waterways, where they gobble up nutrients that native fish and plants need. So to keep them from spreading, the state’s Department of Natural Resources is using specially trained K-9s to sniff them out.
by Catharine Richert

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Minnesota is losing hospital obstetrics units faster than most states, new data finds

Minnesota is losing hospital obstetrics units faster than most states, new data finds

Minnesota is one of only eight states that lost more than 20 percent of hospital-based labor and delivery units since 2010. It’s part of a nationwide trend of hospitals closing birthing centers across the U.S, especially in rural areas, where obstetrics services tend to be too expensive to staff for the relatively few babies delivered each year.
by Molly Castle Work

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Diocese of Winona-Rochester insurer to pay $30 Million to survivors of clergy sexual abuse

Diocese of Winona-Rochester insurer to pay $30 Million to survivors of clergy sexual abuse

145 people who were sexually abused by Catholic clergy and staff in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester will be paid $30 million in a settlement agreement reached with the largest insurer of the diocese.
by Molly Castle Work

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Severe storms down trees, power lines in Rochester

Severe storms down trees, power lines in Rochester

The National Weather Service received a report of 68 mph winds near downtown Rochester just after 1:30 a.m. Those winds downed trees and power lines in the city. Other parts of southern Minnesota also saw strong storms overnight.
by MPR News Staff

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Google launches a charm offensive in 2 Minnesota towns as data center opposition grows

Google launches a charm offensive in 2 Minnesota towns as data center opposition grows

The Google meetings come as the company faces uncertainty with both projects. In Hermantown, where the project still needs city council approval, opposition has intensified after recordings leaked of senior officials mocking data center opponents. The Pine Island project is also on hold while a judge considers a lawsuit seeking a more thorough environmental review.
by Dan Kraker and Molly Castle Work

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‘If you’re not first, you’re last’: Mayo lawsuit highlights tensions in hospitals' race to use AI

‘If you’re not first, you’re last’: Mayo lawsuit highlights tensions in hospitals' race to use AI

There's a rush to be first to better treat patients with sophisticated technology and to cut costs. But experts say they need to slow down to ensure quality, accuracy and that AI is used ethically and patient data is protected.
by Molly Castle Work

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