Kit Grode

Kiwanis Kids Day opened the 2025 Willmar Fests celebration with face-painting, inflatables, Knockerball, balloon animals and performances from the West Central Connection Chorus and the Prairie Winds Summer Band on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

The event took place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 7, 2025, and had stations for rock painting, friendship bracelets and face-painting, along with Drag Storytime and vendors.

Patrons at Intuition Brewing Co. in downtown Willmar and Foxhole Brewhouse on Business 71 had the opportunity to partake in a DIY hat class and a board game meetup, respectively, on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

LaVerne and Ramona Latterell, of New London, formerly of Kandiyohi, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

Hepola was born in Perham, and pursued a career in broadcasting before creating the "My Town" documentary series, which featured Willmar in one of its first seven episodes. The 2025 Life Connections event will take place April 25, 2025, at the Willmar Civic Center.

The Outstanding Senior Award will be presented at 9:45 a.m. Friday, April 25, 2025, to an individual age 50 or older who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment that benefits the community and its citizens.

This year's Willmar Middle School musical, "Finding Nemo Jr.," will take to the Willmar High School theater stage on March 6, 7 and 8.

The West Central Tribune earned eight first-place awards, including first-place finishes for both Sports Reporting and Use of Photography as a Whole; plus a first-place finish for Government/Public Affairs Reporting and numerous individual awards in the MNA Better Newspaper Contest for 2023-24.

The park, located just north of Valleyside Estates off Seventh Avenue Northwest in Willmar, will be the second park to receive updated playground equipment in 2024.

Forty-two artists set up shop in 33 studio spaces to showcase their talents from woodcarving to textile arts to block printing and more during the annual Meander Art Crawl on Oct. 4-6, 2024.

An afternoon thunderstorm took down trees and branches in the northwest Willmar cemetery on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.

The Outstanding Senior Award will be presented at 9:45 a.m. Friday, April 26, 2024, to an individual age 50 or older who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment that benefits the community and its citizens.

The West Central Tribune earned seven first-place awards, including a full category sweep in the Hard News — Coverage of Court/Crime category; plus second place overall in its division for General Excellence and numerous individual awards in the MNA Better Newspaper Contest for 2022-23.

From Bemidji and Brainerd, to Duluth, to central Minnesota's lakes country, communities across the state shine their holiday lights bright.

The “City of God” mural, which will measure 24 by 20 feet once completed, will be assembled during Pennock’s Fun Days on Aug. 4-6, 2023.

The Outstanding Senior Award will be presented at 9:45 a.m. Friday, April 21, 2023, to an individual age 50 or older who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment that benefits the community and its citizens.

Here is a collection of snowfall reports in the region, according to the National Weather Service-Twin Cities.

COVID-19 cases in west central Minnesota counties held steady in the last week, according to the weekly situation update released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health.

Performing once more for live audiences, the New London Little Theatre has shifted its focus from producing stage plays to “art by appointment” experiences and other types of organic live performances, including the monthly Open Mic, Jazz Night and private events.

The Barn Theatre will present “Shrek, the Musical” Thursday through June 26.