CCS students love to read!

Top readers at Chisago Christian School celebrate “I Love to Read” month.

County Board will record meetings, minus open mic

The meetings of the Chisago County Board will be recorded and likely available on the county website in archive materials. The county commissioners have treaded very deliberately on recording meetings in numerous discussions over the last few years, and as about 50 percent of Minnesota counties moved ahead creating recorded …

State gives final OK on battery storage

The Public Utilities Commission has granted final approval of the permit to build a solar energy battery storage facility off County Road 14, in the south end of North Branch. The vote was unanimous in a regular session of the PUC last week.

Good turnout for Township voting

In the two townships where there were choices on the ballot, both incumbents took the most votes Tuesday this week, and were re-seated. Not all townships election results were available by print deadline.

Center City Council briefs......

Center City Council met March 3 for a regular meeting. Council member Lloyd Vetter was absent.

MN PlantWatch: Volunteer programs featured at Birds & Beers March 18

Join the Wild River Audubon Society Wednesday, March 18 at 7 PM at the Uncommon Loon for Birds & Beers! Deanna Leigh will share the overall mission and goals of MN PlantWatch, a community science program that uses volunteers to conduct rare plant surveys and seed collection throughout Minnesota. She …

ZacStrong winners announced for hockey season

The Chisago Lakes Hockey Association celebrated the life and memory of Zac Bartz on January 27, 2026, by awarding the 12th annual ZacStrong award. The award is a tribute to Zac and his passion for life, the sport of hockey and the Chisago Lakes community.

Both NB and CL see their season end at the hands of Grand Rapids

The fourth-seeded Chisago Lakes boys basketball team opened the Section 7AAA tournament with an impressive performance, rolling past fifth-seeded Hermantown 83-69 before seeing its postseason run end against top-seeded Grand Rapids in the semifinals on Friday, March 6.

Eugene Ommen

Eugene Peter Ommen, age 88, of Lindstrom, MN, passed away Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Betty Boucher

Betty Lou Boucher (Moore) aka (King), age 85, passed away peacefully, Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at Hayden Grove Senior Living after living 12 years with dementia.

Spicing up our lives

It’s not a secret that I love spicy food, and Aly made some amazing jerk pork loin earlier this week that just really put spice on my mind when I started to think about this week’s recipe column. So these recipes may not be for the faint of stomach! Just …

Cartel connection with area man facing sentencing

A Chisago County man is among several drug traffickers being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney in connection with arrests tied to methamphetamine and illegal narcotics networks connected to the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel.

Law Enforcement

A vehicle operator was cited for property damage and trespassed out of Ojiketa Park, Chisago City by authorities until local officials report restitution is addressed for ripping up grass.

Marjorie Hoyt

Marjorie Hoyt, age 83, passed away peacefully on March 2, 2026, in Onamia, MN with her children, Bill, Pat and Shelly by her side. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wahkon, MN. A visitation will be …

Arild Hagberg

Arild Dean Hagberg, 87, died Thursday, March 5, 2026, at his home in Lindstrom with his wife Betty at his side.

State will move drivers’ test from Lindstrom to Chisago City in 2027; Kendall Howard seeks $1.7 million subsidy to expand

Discussion of the proposed location of the Lakes Area Police Department headquarters was not on the agenda but, nevertheless, played a part in Chisago City’s Feb. 24 council meeting.

Klobuchar visits Chisago County

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, second from right, visited the local facility of Rosenbauer America, in the Wyoming city industrial park, February 27. She was learning about what Congress can do to support the industry and actions that have potential for a negative impact as well. The local R-A plant produces …

Design services OK’d for Old Town

The North Branch Northwest Old Town area projects— that have been on and off the work plan for over 20 years; and recently put on the back burner again, will see some more research done and a couple property owner meetings will be held in coming weeks.

Quilt shop goes from vision to real life business

Shannon Graupman opened the doors to She Shed Quilts in North Branch in the fall of 2024, fulfilling a dream she had carried since childhood. Shannon learned to sew at her mother’s side when she was eight years old. Over the years quilting became not just a hobby, but a …