Question: Is it a violation if the third brake light quits working on a passenger vehicle? What about a vehicle that is equipped with a brake light(s) that flash or pulsate? Answer: The state statute says that a vehicle equipped with stop lamps or signal lamps shall at all times be maintained in good working condition. So all brake lights, including the 3rd one, would have to be operational when activated. Flashing lights are prohibited, except on an authorized emergency vehicle, school bus, bicycle, road maintenance equipment, tow truck or towing vehicle, service vehicle, farm tractor, self-propelled farm equipment, rural mail [...]

Reduce the number of police shootings of suspects in Minnesota -- that's the assignment of a working group convened by top state officials. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says: "We cannot keep going from crisis to crisis to crisis. We've got to take a look at this and figure out what we're going to do together." Ellison says every part of Minnesota will be included because officer-involved shootings occur all over the state. The working group will have public hearings in August, September and October, then make recommendations to the legislature. Among those on the panel is Clarence Castille, whose nephew [...]

Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller is set to testify before Congress on Wednesday. "The real question is whether Robert Mueller will be more forthcoming and less tight-lipped than he was in his report, early indications from people who know Mueller is that you really shouldn't expect fireworks during his testimony." Carleton College Political Science professor Steven Schier says Democrats may just be trying to keep anti-Trump information in the media. Earlier this week, Trump accused Democrats of continuing to waste time on a "ridiculous Witch Hunt."

A 55-year-old motorcyclist from Mankato is taken to the hospital following a crash with a pickup. It happened Monday afternoon on Highway 60 in Waterville. The State Patrol says Thomas Goebel was taken to a hospital in Rochester with non-life-threatening injuries. Goebel was traveling west on Highway 60 when the motorcycle and a pickup collided at the intersection with Highway 13, the patrol says on its crash report. The pickup, driven by 27-year-old Colby Ordal of Faribault was southbound on Highway 13, stopped at the intersection and was preparing to go east on Highway 60, according to the report. Neither Ordal [...]

The comical fixation on Mankato Burger King's potholes may be coming to an end. The staff says the drive-thru is closed to repair the potholes. They plan to reopen on Thursday. But then the lobby will close to repair the other side. The potholes drew social media attention with a group asking them to fix it and a local photographer turning the potholes into a photoshoot.

Residents who have branches and other yard waste due to recent storms may take them to the SMC compost site, 3600 Third Avenue, at no cost (with photo identification). The SMC compost site is generally open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and can be reached at 507-388-3122.

A grand jury in Minnesota has indicted a sheriff's deputy on a manslaughter charge in a man's fatal shooting last year. Washington County Deputy Brian Krook was indicted Friday on a charge of second-degree manslaughter in the April 2018 shooting death of 23-year-old Benjamin Evans of Lake Elmo, Minnesota. Evans was killed during a confrontation with deputies. Krook is the third Minnesota law officer charged in an on-duty killing in recent years.