WORTHINGTON – Governor Mark Dayton Friday signed a letter addressed to President Barack Obama requesting federal aid for a five county region in southwest Minnesota following ice and snow storms that knocked out electricity and caused devastating chaos, along with millions of dollars in damage earlier this month.

FULDA – On April 20, Davis Moore of Worthington correctly spelled the word “physician” to win this year’s Southwest Minnesota Spelling Bee. Nearly 50 fifth and sixth grade students participated in the first round of the Southwest Minnesota Spelling Bee that took place last Saturday at Fulda Elementary School. The first round consisted of a written test of 40 words. From that round, the top 13 students advanced into the second round. The second round was an oral round and each student was required to spell the same five words.

WORTHINGTON — Minnesota Department of Transportation officials hosted a public open house Wednesday afternoon in Worthington, detailing the plans for Hwy 60 work slated to begin in May or as soon as weather permits. Striping, sidewalks and turf establishment will be done this spring, along with the storm sewer work that was ongoing in 2012.

WORTHINGTON – The Worthington City Council this morning awarded bids for tree and branch removal and debris management during a meeting continued from late last week. Ceres Environmental bid $603,375 for tree and branch removal, which includes hazardous hanging limbs and stump removal for 50,000 cubic yards of debris. Ceres’ bid was significantly lower than a second bid by TAG Grinding Service, coming in more than $300,000 less.

WORTHINGTON - The Worthington City Council Monday night listened as Director of Public Works Jim Eulberg reminded the public the city-wide cleanup has been postponed indefinitely. The annual cleanup will still take place, but at a future date —which has yet to be determined. Eulberg also stressed that cleanup crews will still be making trips to pick up branches. Even if the crews has been by once, they will return, Eulberg said.

BREWSTER - The Shakopee man who authorities claim was responsible for the “Man in Black” bank robberies across Minnesota pleaded guilty today to holding up Brewster’s Rolling Hills Bank in January 2012 during a hearing in U.S. District Court in St. Paul.

WORTHINGTON — A total of $16.8 million dollars in damages for Nobles County was submitted to the Minnesota Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management during a Preliminary Damage Assessment following the snow, ice and freezing rain that hit the region earlier this month. Nobles County Emergency Management Director Joyce Jacobs said the number could be significantly higher or lower based on actual costs that have not yet been determined.

The Nobles County Emergency Operations Center will have their phone lines open on Saturday, April 20th from 10 AM to 4 PM and again on Sunday, April 21st from noon to 4 PM for phone calls only.

BOSTON - Officials say one of two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing is dead and a massive manhunt is underway for another. The manhunt is being focused in the Boston suburb of Watertown, MA. Officials say the two suspects shot and killed an MIT police officer at the college late Thursday night. They say the suspects then stole a car at gunpoint and did later release the car's owner unharmed.

Nobles Cooperative Electric would like to report that all members should have electricity. All major lines have been restored. If you are a Nobles Cooperative Electric member without power, please call the cooperative immediately at 1-800-397-4592.

With the area forecast to get up to five to eight inches of snow, with winds increasing to 20 to 35 MPH through Friday, Nobles Cooperative Electric encourages members to keep the cooperative’s number handy in case outages occur: 1-800-397-4592.