A new report confirms what was found in earlier studies: Even Minnesota’s northern, remote lakes are contaminated with chemicals and the source of, and appropriate level of concern about, those contaminates is not yet known. The report released this week was about samples taken in 2013 from 11 lakes and four rivers tested for 125 […]

Sterling L. Phaklides, 73, of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., passed away peacefully in his sleep Tuesday, June 30, 2015, after a battle against esophageal cancer. Sterling was born Feb. 13, 1942, in Littlefork, Minn., to Leroy Earl and Lillian Martha (Goldamer) Phaklides. He grew up with two sisters, Kitty and Nancy, in International Falls, Minn., and […]

Alice Mae Dixson, 86, of International Falls, Minn., died Saturday, July 25, 2015, at Littlefork Care Center, Littlefork, Minn. She was born Nov. 22, 1928, to parents Axel Leander and Hulda Victoria Wickstrom in International Falls. She grew up and graduated from Falls High School with the Class of 1946. The former Alice Wickstrom was […]

Lake-loving volunteers are needed across the state of Minnesota on Saturday, Aug. 20, to participate in a search for starry stonewort – an aggressive, aquatic invasive algae that can spread easily and grows into dense mats at and below the lake’s surface. Starry Trek is an annual event where members of the public first gather […]

Marcia Marie Bringedahl, of Ranier, Minn., passed away Friday, Oct. 2, 2015, in Bemidji, Minn., after a brief battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her four children, who feel so fortunate to have been blessed with such a wonderful mom. Marcia was born Aug. 24, 1937, in Fargo, N.D., to Alf and Petra Foss. […]

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., spoke at MGK, a chemical manufacturer based out of Chaska, on May 19 to address the National Association of Manufacturers policy agenda Competing to Win. NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons, MGK President Steve Gullickson and President and CEO of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Doug Loon, as well […]

The public will have a chance to weigh in on a proposal for the Grand Mound History Site that includes razing the building there and establishing a regional staff position based in International Falls. Ben Leonard, manager of Minnesota Historical Society’s community outreach and partnerships, said the proposed plan for the site located 17 miles […]

Melanie Gearhart from Gearhart’s Floral & Gifts in International Falls has recently been designated as an FTD master florist. Only 15 percent of FTD member florists are qualified for the master florist designation, said Kelly Turner, FTD field business consultant covering North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. Gearhart’s Floral & Gifts is receiving the FTD […]

The Minnesota Symphonic Winds will play at Huber Park in Shakopee to wrap up its 2022-23 season. The free outdoor performance will take place at the park’s amphitheater space at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 15. The band is composed of 90 members from around the Twin Cities area and will be led that evening by […]

Aug. 30, 2022 Milton Albert Laabs, 78, of Hutchinson passed away Aug. 30 at Meeker Manor in Litchfield. Funeral was Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brookfield Township, with interment in Oakland Cemetery in Hutchinson. Clergy officiating was the Rev. Mindy Czycalla. Organist was Austin Willhite. Soloist was Trudy Laabs singing, “The Lord’s Prayer” and […]

Grant Kropp scored three goals as Hutchinson/Glencoe-Silver lake beat Central Minnesota Christian 4-1 Monday at S.R. Knutson Field. Hutchinson/Glencoe-Silver Lake improved to 2-6-1 on the season. The Tigers’ four goals tied their season-high, equaling their four-goal in a 5-4 loss to Becker in the second game of the season in late August. John Jurgenson had […]

Koochiching County and the other six counties in the Northeast Minnesota Continuum of Care will partner for the Annual Point-in-Time Homeless Count Thursday. It is part of Heading Home: Northeast Minnesota Plan to End Homelessness, an initiative developed by the CoC that identifies and addresses the number of people who are homeless and the types […]

The El Nino weather pattern responsible for producing relatively mild winters in the Upper Midwest is expected to trigger an earlier-than-usual maple syruping season in Minnesota this year, according to the Department of Natural Resources. People who tap trees for maple sap may soon begin setting taps this year, especially in the southern part of […]

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has highlighted some upcoming datesimportantfor anglers to know. Sunday, March 27: Last day for Mille Lacs Lake northern pike angling. Thursday, March 31: Last day of fishing for lake trout statewide, and last day of fishing for stream trout in lakes statewide Friday, April 15: Last day of catch-and-release […]

Gerry Smith passed away Saturday, March 5, 2016, at the Good Samaritan Society-International Falls, Minn. Gerry was born in Bemidji, Minn., on Sept. 12, 1929, the youngest of three siblings. She grew up in International Falls, where she resided most of her life. She also lived in Bemidji several years. Gerry married Vernon Ralph Smitty […]

Aaliyah Crump of Shakopee held Team USA to its fourth straight gold medal in the FIBA Women’s U16 Americas Championship June 13-19 in Merida, Mexico. Crump, who finished her sophomore season this past winter at Minnetonka, leading the Skippers in scoring at 22 points per game, was one only Minnesotan on the 12-player squad that […]

Kenneth Walter Mannila, of Flagstaff, Ariz., died peacefully at his lake home in Mineola, Texas, Monday, April 18, 2016, at the age of 69. Ken was born June 17, 1946, in Littlefork, Minn., to Olli and Helen (Jaakkola) Mannila. Ken attended school at Littlefork-Big Falls and graduated in 1964. He worked in the woods industry […]

I’ve just returned home to Minnesota from a week in eastern Massachusetts. My brothers and their families live there, and it has been many years, too many, since we were all together. The demands of work, education, family and health, as well as the distance and recent pandemic, had all conspired against an easy reunion. […]

Today’s games Women’s softball RRCC vs. Mesabi Range/Vermilion/Hibbing in Bill McBride Memorial Tournament at Grand Rapids, 12/2/4 p.m. Men’s baseball RRCC vs. Minnesota West in Avon (DH), 1 p.m. Sunday’s games Men’s baseball RRCC vs. St. Cloud Tech in St. Cloud (DH), 12 p.m. Tuesday’s games Boys baseball I. Falls at Cloquet, 4:30 p.m. Girls […]

Hijinks and squealing laughter prevailed Thursday as author-illustrator Derek Anderson entertained children with his Ten Pigs Traveling Trunk Show at Falls Elementary School in International Falls. The New York Times best-selling artist from Minneapolis had a large crowd of youngsters laughing and dancing as he read and performed skits from his book, Ten Pigs: An […]