Fleeing suspect drives into river, drowns

A Rush City resident drove his vehicle into the St Croix River while allegedly fleeing pursuing deputies

Law Enforcement

Booked & Sheriff

Ardeen & Sharon Beers

Sharon Beth (Dickman) Beers passed away at home on July 9, 2024 after a three- year battle with cancer. She was born July 20, 1944, and grew up in Wells and Mankato, MN. It was in Mankato she met Ardeen. They married and lived in Coon Rapids for several years …

William Johnson

William “Bill” Charles Johnson passed peacefully from this life on July 25, 2026, at the age of 77, after a courageous, nearly four-decade journey with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Henrikson is second generation grand marshal

In selecting John Henrikson to be this year’s Ki-Chi-Saga Days Grand Marshal, the committee was immediately presented with a dilemma. Does John ride with the Let’s Go Fishing bunch on their pontoon, which is a group he is active with, or does he walk with the veterans representing the local …

Highway 8 construction to begin in 2027; Council votes to update police building design

July 28, the Chisago City Council learned that, after years of planning, the long-awaited Highway 8 Construction Project from Forest Lake to the west side of Chisago City appears to be moving rapidly from design to bidding stage.

Municipal, school board filings close

The filing period for municipal offices and school board positions closed at the end of day July 28 and there appears to be great interest in a couple races, but mostly the election in November will be incumbents or possibly even write-in candidates.

Center City man faces felony state tax charges

The sheriff’s office booked a Center City man last week who is alleged to owe over $71,000 in unpaid income tax and penalties. Travis John Burgess, 47, was recently charged with five felony counts of failing to pay income tax and five felony counts for not filing S Corporation tax …

LAPD levy for next year kept just under 3% hike

Lakes Area Police Commission checked-off one of its to-do boxes last week when the 2027 budget was adopted. The budget numbers need to be accepted into the Chisago City and Lindstrom levy process; in time for proposed taxes to go to the county for preliminary 2027 tax statements this fall.

Hazelden Betty Ford nursing strike resolved

The nurses working at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation campus in Center City, have settled with the organization, according to the Minnesota Nurses’Association. The Hazelden nurse staff voted to join the association in January 2025 and initiated an unfair labor practices strike this July 15. (Press photo July 23)

The reward at the end of a tough season

If your garden has survived some of the harsh heat of this summer, you should be getting close to some nice, big, juicy red tomatoes to pluck from the vine. It took a lot of water to get them where they are now, but this is the reward for all …

Stacy Daze sticks with the summer festival theme: Lots of fun!!

Stacy Daze was filled with all kinds of fun including the grand day parade which featured the Grand Marshals Milt and Gwen Patrick and Stacy Daze Royalty Peyton Baxter and Skylar Xiong. Above Addison Swanson won the talent show and winner of the car show was Denise Pierson-Swanson.

Bulldogs get some fine tuning in before playoffs start

In a baseball game at Mora last Friday, intended as a tuneup for the upcoming playoffs, most of the Bulldog players decided to take the evening off. Eight Bulldog players made the trip to Mora to face the Blue Devils, and the Bulldogs’ elderly manager (who is on the roster) …

NB calls off Old Town, again

The 60 property owners on the Old Town streets project contact list, should watch for a letter describing the council’s non-action from last week. In effect, continued questioning of the Old Town proposal, first introduced in 1995, is placing a pause on doing safety, utilities and drainage projects in the …

Chisago Lakes School board moves projects along

The Chisago Lakes School Board voted July 16 to officially express their intention to issue facilities maintenance bonds. The vote was one of the multiple measures that need to happen to put together financing of about $16 million for projects deemed too critical to wait.

Wyoming council to work with EDA on municipal building; lease fire storage space

The Wyoming municipal offices, fire hall remodel and associated expenses became much more real last week as the city council acted on lease revenue bonding for money to finance the work, and agreed to a lease with Hallberg storage for space to relocate the fire operations. Council also signed the …

Law Enforcement

July 26 there was a report of a female struck by a truck on 457th in Fish Lake Township. The alleged driver left the scene and was located later. The 24 year old Stanchfield man was apprehended on suspicion of criminal vehicular operation. The victim went to Cambridge Medical Center …

Shafer City Council briefs...

Shafer City council met July 21 for a regular meeting. Mayor Paula Hanson was absent.

Stacy Daze is in the spotlight

Center City Days have come and gone. The heat (stop me if you have heard this before) didn’t seem to deter the crowds attending the celebration. The street dance had a huge turnout on Saturday night. Thanks so much to all the volunteers who did such a great job of …

I can’t believe we’re almost to August

I’ve spent so much time complaining about the heat lately that i’s hard ot believe July is essentially done and we’re into August already. Where does the time go? I’m definitely finding the saying ‘The older you get, the fast time goes” to be true. I’m already seeing Halloween decorations …