Gull Lake Receding

Gull Lake is finally receding, but not before tying a record elevation set in 1952. 

The big reservoir lake received over seven and a half inches of rain in the 10 days leading up to Memorial Day.  The result was boats floating off boat lifts and damage to docks and other shoreline property. 

The Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the lake level, was urging lake shore owners to move shoreline property to higher ground.  Channels between lakes will continue to have swift currents, and boaters are urged to use caution.

The Corps expects it will take three weeks for the lake to return to normal summer operating levels, assuming minimal rainfall.

Co. Rd. 3 Set for Construction

Traveling County Road 3 south of Crosslake will be a challenge come Monday, June 11th.

The Crow Wing County Highway Department will be working on the segment from County Road 11 to the Pine River bridge. 

Crews will begin work on Monday June 4th.  They will be installing new turn lanes and bypass lanes.  On June 11th, the segment will be shut-down for culvert replacement. A detour is expected to last for one week, weather permitting.

Mainline paving operations are scheduled to begin June 15th.  The project should be completed by the end of the month.

Sen. Carlson Visits Verso

Bemidji State Senator John Carlson surveyed the fire damage at the Verso paper mill in Sartell Thursday morning.

Carlson said he was pleased to learn that the fire is under control and is no longer a serious threat. Questions still remain about the structural integrity of the building and how quickly operations can resume.

The first term Republican said he was committed to working with Governor Dayton, the legislature and local area leaders to help restore and rebuild the Verso plant to get the paper mill, their employees and their wood suppliers working again.

Rudy Hillig Passes Away

Rudy Hillig has died at his home today at the age of 87. 

Rudy was widely known and beloved by those in horticultural circles.  He founded the Northland Arboretum and served as its director for 14 years.  If there was a question about plants in the Brainerd Lakes Area, Rudy had the answer.

Hillig moved to Brainerd in 1965 to teach vocational retail floral.  He had an interesting past including a short stint on the professional wrestling circuit with Vern Gagne.

The City of Brainerd Proclaimed Rudy Hillig Day on May 13th, 2010.

Arrangements are pending with Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter.

Meg Bye Dies

Meg Bye of Pequot Lakes passed away Wednesday at the age of 69. 

Bye had a long history of public service.  A DFL-er, she ran an unsuccessful campaign for the state legislature against State Representative Larry Howes.

Bye became the third woman in Duluth to be elected to the city council in 1973.  In 1977 she became the first woman to serve as President of the Minnesota League of Cities.  Following an unsuccessful campaign for Mayor of Duluth, she and her husband Don Bye moved to Pequot Lakes.

Service will be 11AM, Wednesday, June 6, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Pequot Lakes. 
Visitation will be from 9:30AM until the time of service at the church.  Arrangements are with the Kline Funeral Home of Pequot Lakes.

T-Wolves Coming to Town

The MN Timberwolves will bring their Summer Caravan to Brainerd June 11th.   

Guard Wayne Ellington and forward Anthony Tolliver will headline this summer's Caravan events. Over the past 22 years, the Timberwolves Caravan has made 97 stops across Minnesota and the upper Midwest.

The Caravan is designed to thank Wolves fans in Minnesota for their support. The Caravan features an array of activities in three communities outside the Twin Cities metro area. 

Among the events are free basketball clinics that are open to the public, autograph sessions , and appearances by Timberwolves mascot Crunch.

 After the Caravan opens on June 11 in Brainerd, the tour heads on to Alexandria on Tuesday, June 12 and concludes in Fairmont on Wednesday, June 13. 

Any ages are welcome to the clinics and no registration is required.

Cravaack Files for Reelection

Chip Cravaack officially filed his paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office Wednesday to seek re-election to Congress in Minnesota's Eighth District.

The freshman Republican said Washington is still broken and the people in the Eighth District need a representative who will stand up for the principles and values alive in the district.

CLC Road Project on Schedule

The College Drive road construction project in Brainerd is progressing on schedule, according to contractor Anderson Brothers.

The project includes the shifting of traffic from College Driver to Mississippi Parkway in the area of Central Lakes College.  College Drive will be closed beginning at 7 a.m. Monday June 4th. in the construction zone.  Local access will be maintained to Southwest 8th Street.  The project is expected to continue into July.

Crews are installing three roundabout, storm sewer, widewalks, curb and gutter and blacktop paving.

Dangerous Waters in the Gull Lake Chain

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is urging caution on the Gull Lake Chain including Lake Margaret and connecting channels, which have received significantly higher water than normal.

Sheriff Tom Burch is asking homeowners to ensure that boat lifts, boats, docks, rafts, etc are properly secured and not floating loose. The Sheriff is urging boaters to use extreme caution and be respectful of property while in these high water areas, especially channels, due to increased swift currents.

There have been several reports of property damage, along with docks, floating bogs and other items that have floated loose from the shore. Careless operation of a watercraft laws will be enforced.

The area received over 7 and a half inches of rain from May 19th through Memorial Day.

This situation will continue to be monitored by the Cass County Sheriffs Office and the US Army Corps of Engineers.

A Burning Cross Report Out Of Bemidji

BEMIDJI, Minn. (AP) — The Beltrami County sheriff's office is investigating after a woman reported finding an 8-foot-tall burning cross in a yard near Bemidji.
The woman say  she was in her home early Friday when she looked outside and found the burning cross propped up against a tree.

The woman, who was home alone, ran outside to douse the fire and then ran back inside to call police.

The woman, who asked not to be identified to protect her family's identity, believes her family members were targeted because of their race. The woman is white. Her two adult children are mixed-race with a black father.
Sheriff Phil Hodapp says the cross contained racist writings. He urged anyone with information to call the sheriff's office.

Area Reservoir Lakes Open the Flood Gates

Gull Lake rose nearly 1 foot from the normal summer operating level with all the rain over the past 10 days.

The site has received 7.71 inches of precipitation since May 19.  Nearly 3 inches of rain was recorded Sunday, according to a news release from The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the reservoir.  The Corps pulled the stop logs and fully opened all gates to the lake at the dam.

Property owners are being urged to move any boat lifts and docks to higher ground. In addition, channels between lakes will have swift currents, and boaters should exercise caution when approaching and proceeding through. Some campsites at the Gull Lake Corps campground have been closed.  Corps staff will continue to monitor the situation on the reservoir and in the river, both upstream and downstream.

The Dam Tender at the Crosslake Corps Dam reports 9.35 inches of rain between May 18th and the 28th.  Despite all the rain, The Whitefish Chain of Lakes remains below the high water level tolerances. Although, docks and boat lifts have required some adjustment to deal with the higher lake levels.

Local Memorial Day Ceremonies

A Memorial Day program will be held at 10 a.m. this morning in the Pequot Lakes High School auditorium, sponsored by the Pequot Lakes American Legion Post 49 and Jenkins VFW 3839. National Guard Maj. Chip Rankin, Pequot Lakes High School Principal, will be the speaker.

A ceremony to honor a special class of heroes will be held at the Nisswa American Legion at noon today.

It is billed as a day for reflection in honor of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsman who made the ultimate sacrifice throughout the United States history. Guest speakers include Congressman Chip Cravaack, State Rep. John Ward and Col. Blake St. Sauver, commander of Camp Ripley.

The Pinewood Cemetery in Crosslake will be the site of a Crosslake/Fifty Lakes American Legion Post 500 Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. 

Services will be held at the Pine Ridge Cemetery in Emily at 9 AM.