KWOA 730 AM News Radio

The Minnesota House has passed a measure to legalize same-sex marriage. The vote was 75 to 59.

The measure now goes to the Senate, which will take up the issue Monday.

Debate in the House got underway in the early afternoon, as thousands of supporters and opponents gathered outside the chamber. House Democratic leaders and the bill's supporters were confident it would pass. If it passes Monday in the Senate, Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton could be signing it into law by early next week and make Minnesota the 12th U.S. state to legalize gay marriage.

Senator Chuck Grassley is pressing the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative to engage U.S. trading partners in high-level discussions on breaking down barriers to biotechnology. Grassley is the former Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over international trade policy.

Former Worthington Trojan baseball stanout Steven Kremer, now a sophomore at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, was named to the All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's second team this week.

Kremer, a native of Wilmont, played in 35 games with 29 starts and finished second on the team with a .374 batting average and second with 13 doubles. He also ranked second in slugging percentage (.566) and fourth in RBIs (22).

The Minnesota 4-H Foundation and University of Minnesota Extension are pleased to announce the 2013 Andrea Ruesch Regional 4-H Scholarship recipients. Congratulations to eight scholarship recipients, who received a $1,000 scholarship apiece:

On May 11th, letter carriers across the country (both for city and rural areas) will be collecting food for families in need as part of the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, benefiting Minnesota families in need through Second Harvest Heartland. Stamp Out Hunger is the largest single-day food drive in the country.

How can you help out? Easy: collect non-perishable food items in a bag and leave it by your mailbox on May 11th.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The FBI believes authorities disrupted "a localized terror attack" in its planning stages when they arrested a man after converging on a western Minnesota mobile home that contained Molotov cocktails, suspected pipe bombs and firearms, the agency said Monday.

Buford Rogers, 24, of Montevideo, was arrested Friday and charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He remained in federal custody Monday and it was not clear if he had an attorney.

Students in two programs at Iowa Lakes Community College are benefiting from a partnership with an area business. Spencer International worked with college faculty to provide the Farm Equipment and Diesel Technology students an opportunity to assemble and set-up a new Kinze planter, which enhances hands-on learning.

WORTHINGTON – President Barack Obama today declared a major federal disaster for Cottonwood, Jackson, Murray, Nobles and Rock Counties following the April 9 ice and snow storm that ravaged the region.

The declaration includes two categories of aid – public assistance and hazard mitigation. The preliminary figures show the following projected costs and damages: debris removal $3.2 million; emergency protective measures $3.7 million; buildings and equipment $41,500; utilities $19 million and parks, recreational facilities and other facilities $60,550.

WORTHINGTON – Worthington Director of Public Safety Mike Cumiskey would like to remind people there is no open burning in the city of Worthington with the exception of recreational fires. Burning piles of branches does not qualify as recreational burning, Cumiskey said.

SIBLEY, Iowa – The Iowa State Appeal Board this week sustained the 2014 Osceola County Budget as it was adopted, but expects the Board of Commissioners to comply with budget and funding methods when certifying a 2015 budget.