Author: Emmet Kenney

Local Radio

Happy Dancing Turtle to Offer Classes

Happy Dancing Turtle will offer classes for 4 and 5-year-olds to teach them about sustainability and nature appreciation. Starting Sept. 11, classes will be held the second and fourth Monday through Nov. 27. The Tiny Turtles program will give 4 and 5-year-olds time to explore the natural world around them at the Hunt Utilities Group Resilient…
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August 28, 2023 0

Open Seats on Various Committees and Commissions in Brainerd

There are several open seats on various committees and commissions in Brainerd. Whatever the year, each of the terms ends on December 31. Five of them are on the Rental Dwelling License Board of Appeals, an advisory board about the rental housing maintenance code for properties within the city. The Charter Commission also has four vacancies. Two of them expire…
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August 28, 2023 0

New Law May Be Implicated Next Year

A new law allowing adoptees to request and receive non-certified copies of their original birth records will be implemented on July 1 of next year. Currently, birth records are sealed and birth parents may submit an affidavit of disclosure or non-disclosure to provide or restrict an adoptee’s access. Starting next year, birth parents can fill out a form…
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August 28, 2023 0

Brainerd Man Sentenced

A Brainerd man responsible for the death of one person and the serious injuries of two others in 2021 was sentenced to just over five years in prison. He was also ordered to pay restitution and fees which amounted to just under $2500. Just over two years ago, on August 27, 2021, Kevin Kris Christiansen was involved in…
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August 28, 2023 0

Isle Man Dies After Being Trapped in Machinery

An Isle man was killed Thursday when he got trapped in some machinery at a factory in Mille Lacs County. Chad Michael Minenko became trapped in the wash plant at Cemstone Products. First responders from Isle Fire and Rescue and plant employees worked together to free him and begin lifesaving efforts. Minenko was transported by ambulance to…
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August 28, 2023 0

2023 Beef Princess Revealed

The Central Minnesota Cattlemen’s Association chose their 2023 Beef Princess during the CMCA Beef Show. The show was held at the Aitkin County Fair in July. Justine Dotzler, a senior at Aitkin High School and longtime 4-H & FFA member, was crowned. Dotzler’s area of interest and expertise in her programs has always involved beef cattle. She said in…
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August 28, 2023 0

Brainerd Airport to Resurface Entrance and Lanes

The airport in Brainerd will begin resurfacing the entrance and arrival/departure lanes at the main terminal starting in September. The Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport project will also re-stripe the parking lots. Both the long-term and short-term lots will get painted, Lot A will be taken care of on September 14 while Lot B will be done on September 22. Any vehicles…
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August 28, 2023 0

Brainerd Officials Receive Permit Applications for Rental Properties

Brainerd officials received permit applications for two short-term rental properties and had two different answers for the applicants. The first application involved a short-term rental operating without a license. When informed by city staff that the rental was in violation of city permitting, the owners continued to offer the unlicensed property for rent while their interim…
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August 28, 2023 0

Pine River Man Charged with Arson

A Pine River man was charged with one count of felony first-degree attempted arson of a dwelling after he allegedly tried to set a house on fire during a domestic dispute. There were five children ranging from four to fourteen in the house at the time. The incident took place on August 19, when Steven Douglas Anderson and…
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August 28, 2023 0

Body of Pilot Recovered From Lake Superior

The body of a pilot missing for several days was recovered Wednesday from Lake Superior. Zdenek “Denny” Pechacek flew off in an ultralight aircraft on August 18. His helmet washed ashore near Hovland Wednesday morning, and his body was found that afternoon. In between those events, multiple agencies and hundreds of individuals searched for the man who had defected…
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August 28, 2023 0