LOCAL
Friends of Wild River State Park’s 2025 pancake breakfast & meeting
There were 49 individuals who attended the 2025 Pancake Breakfast and Annual Meeting, hosted by Friends of Wild River State Park (FWRSP), March 8 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Almelund. Attendees enjoyed a free breakfast of scratch-made pancakes with maple syrup tapped at Wild River State Park, along with sausage …
Sewer commission still not embracing invasives removal as pressure mounts
The Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District was represented by several members (remotely and in person) attending the Joint Sewer Treatment Commission monthly meeting this week. They were hoping to show support and provide expertise lighting a fire under a long delayed plan of action needed for eradication of a noxious, …
Chisago Lake Township levy upped seven percent
Chisago Lake Township met for the annual meeting March 11. The meeting began shortly after the polls closed. Fifteen people attended the meeting.
Local districts also hoping for paper forms to be reauthorized
There is a simple wording revision pending in the legislature in House File 31 that could make up for a school funding formula change that has resulted in large, unexpected projected losses of state aid. When the legislative formula for calculating each district’s compensatory aid was re-worded in 2023. The …
Sunrise Township reinstates blacktop account taxing; Mears takes supervisor seat
The citizens attending the Sunrise Township annual meeting March 11 voted to reactivate a $100,000 property tax collection that had lapsed and was not levied for this year’s taxes.
North Branch school officials make the case for state apprentices
It may have been spring break time for North Branch schools, but the superintendent and school board chair were on active duty last week. The two testified in person, in St Paul in support of a measure being carried by Austin area Representative Patricia Mueller, HF 1538.
Ecumen Point Pleasant Heights delivers during March food drive
During the first 12 days of March, tenants at Ecumen Point Pleasant Heights collected for Family Pathways Chisago Lakes Area Food Shelf.
Franconia Township notes...
The Franconia town meeting was held at the Franconia Town Hall March 11. Highlights included updates on several road projects to take place over the next three years, including the roundabout at Highways 243 and 95, the road rebuild on 240th Street (the border between Franconia Township and the City …
Faces changing in leadership at Amador Township
Despite potential for fireworks at the annual Amador Township meeting due to the fact that no one had filed for the open supervisor seat, Clay Larson was overwhelmingly voted as a new supervisor with 55 of the 65 votes cast.
Sunrise School move bringing out volunteers
The historic Sunrise School — left vacant with the construction of a new township hall — is the focus of a lot of activity now involving a host of volunteers working to coordinate the date and firm up financing for a move in coming months. The schoolhouse will be moved …
NB has council vacancy, apply now
North Branch City Council gave the green light to constructing a storage building at the public works facility and the city will use the proceeds from the sale of the old ambulance garage on Highway 61 and Maple Street to pay for the project. The building is for sale and …
Say goodbye to a good friend
The community has had a few losses of pillars recently.
Going mad for hoops!
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been five years of me doing this column.
Felony charges filed in Nessel Township crash that left one child dead and six others injured
Felony charges have been filed in connection with a fatal minivan and passenger car crash Friday, March 14 about 6:18 p.m. in Nessel Township, in the north end of Chisago County.
