---

If your house is anything like mine, when the leaves start to change color your mouths start watering. Why? Because the beautiful leaves mean that the local apple harvest is upon us and we can now get ultra fresh apples locally instead of apples grown in other parts of the country. There is nothing better than biting into a crisp apple on a fall day.

With the bumper crop of apples now being harvested in our area, there is a place apple lovers call Heaven, Almelund. Sounds corny I know, but at Almelund's Apple Festival you will find everything apple related. Everything.

This is the 17th year of the celebration and the popularity keeps growing every year. Held at the Heritage Center in downtown Almelund, the event runs only Sunday and begins at 11 a.m. and goes until 4 p.m.

What will you find at the festival? How about thousands of desserts, apple butter, ice cream, swedish sausages, and tons of other foods? There is entertainment including cloggers, and a couple of great blue grass bands. You and your family can tour the Heritage Center and take a stroll through a swedish immigrant farm. How about watching an old time movie in a log barn? Did I mention there are lots of arts and craft booths for you to shop?

Come out and see neighbors, have some great food, and return home with some of the best apples you will ever eat.

On Saturday, you may think you woke up in Memphis. That's because Elvis will be making a rare appearance in Chisago City.  The "Elvis Experience" features the young hip shaking Elvis along with the older Elvis that most of us remember with his jump suits covered in rhinestones and the scarves.

Both versions of your favorite heartthrob will be performing a benefit concert for Brettly, a eight year old who is currently battling cancer. With cancer treatments being so expensive, this concert is hoping to alleviate some of those costs to Brettly's family. The price of admission is $15 for adults and $10 for youth ages 6-12 and 5 and under free. Keep in mind that your admission will go directly to Brettly's medical costs, so thank you for attending.

The Chisago Lakes Wildcat football team needs your help tomorrow. They are in need of fans. If you drove by the stadium or happen to have gone to last Friday's game, you know there is no fan shortage. Friday, is different. Friday, the Wildcats travel to North Branch to face a very much improved Vikings team that has a potent offense.

If you have read the sports pages in our paper, you already know this year's Wildcat team has exceeded expectations and is a force to reckon with. On Friday night, let's all take a short drive north and cheer on our local teams. Let's pack the stadium like they do in the metro. It promises to be a great game.

Our friends at Allemansratt Wilderness Park are asking for the public's help. If you have been to the new park north of Lindstrom, you know what a jewel in the rough we have. You would also know that there is an overabundance of Buckthorn in the park. Buckthorn is an invasive plant that takes over wooded areas and chokes out other species of plants. Therefore it needs to be removed so the woods can flourish.

The park committee is asking the public to help remove the stubborn plant. You are asked to bring gloves (preferably leather), eye protection and a hatchet or a machete. The removal will be Wednesday, September 22 at 10 a.m. and Saturday, September 25 at 10 a.m. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Just keep the machetes away from Rich Bachman.

---