Rochester News

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.

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.
‘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.
Minnesota lettuce grower Revol Greens may close Owatonna greenhouse and lay off 89 workers
Revol Greens, which grows lettuce and other greens in a massive greenhouse facility near Owatonna, may close and lay off nearly a hundred employees in October if it can’t find a buyer for the company or an infusion of funding.
Winona police want to know who stole their Flock surveillance cameras
The police say that over the weekend, officers found the poles the cameras were mounted on had been cut down and the cameras were gone. Flock cameras are stirring controversy across the country as they compile license plate and other vehicle details in a national database.
Rochester's construction boom creates noise, detours and a lot of good paying jobs, too
Rochester is undergoing a transformation as Mayo Clinic expands. And that means detours around torn up roads and other construction projects. But in the midst of all the barricades, cranes and cement trucks are good paying jobs, as Rochester leads the state in creating new construction jobs.
Southeastern Minnesota's hidden historical gems: Restored Civil War buildings reopen to the public
A tiny hamlet in southeastern Minnesota is home to the only surviving Civil War recruiting station in Minnesota. 165 years ago, students at a local seminary were among the first in the nation to enlist in the the Union Army.