•Bill would mean $1.875 million for child care, in Pope County U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the House of Representatives passed legislation that included $1,875,000 in funding for a project to create a new child care center licensed for 100 children from newborns to school-aged children as well as a community… Read More

National History Day is a co-curricular program for students in eighth and ninth grade, focusing on historical research and analysis about a topic of their choosing. This year’s theme was Turning Points in History, and students worked hard to create either an exhibit board, documentary, research paper, or a website on their topic. The students… Read More

Pope Soil and Water Conservation District is co-hosting the Irrigators Clinic on Thursday, March 28 in Alexandria. This event will be of interest to anyone who is actively engaged in irrigation on agricultural lands and interested in soil health, irrigation technology advances, cover crops, water appropriation permitting and research, it was stated in a news… Read More

By Melanie Stegner Reporter A public hearing will be held on April 2 at 9 a.m. regarding the intent to adopt three different public ordinances, it was decided at last week’s Pope County Board of Commissioners meeting.  The use of cannabis in public places, regulating dangerous, at-large and nuisance animals, and repealing outdated provisions of the Pope… Read More

It won’t be long now and we’ll move into the open water season for Lake Minnewaska and other area lakes.  Over the weekend, Pelican Lake was declared completely open. That usually happens about a week or so before Minnewaska becomes ice free. Above, ice piled up on shore near North Lake Shore Drive as warm… Read More

Now is the time of year for anglers and hunters to buy new fishing and hunting licenses. Minnesota fishing, hunting and trapping licenses for 2023 expired Thursday, Feb. 29. Licenses for 2024 are now available wherever fishing and hunting licenses are sold, online (mndnr.gov/buyalicense) and by telephone at 888-665-4236. Online buyers can print the license… Read More

Fewer  than half (about 41.94 percent) of the registered voters in Pope County showed up at the polls or voted absentee in last Tuesday’s Minnesota Presidential Primary. Pope County mirrored the statewide results with DFL voters choosing Joseph Biden and Republican voters choosing Donald J. Trump.  Biden garnered 84.93 percent of the votes on the DFL… Read More

There were 18 Minnewaska Area Elementary School (MAES) second and third graders who earned their medals for reaching 100 AR points and 11 first graders who earned medals by reaching 50.  In the back row from left are: Oliver Hillestad, Peyton Andersen, Calen Sanow, Nicholas Young, Abby Wood, Myles Buysse, Connor Ashler, Drew Christenson, Bennett… Read More

Central Square Executive Director, Marie Chan, and Central Square Program Manager, Jes Baggett, joined forces with two of Theatre L’Homme Dieu’s representatives, Nicole Mulder and Sidney Imsande, on March 5 to thank our state legislators, including Rep. Paul Anderson, Sen. Torrey Westrom, and Rep. Jeff Backer for supporting the Legacy Amendment and local arts programming. … Read More

Minnewaska Area Knowledge Bowl traveled to Fergus Falls last week. The teams did not place, but one team scored an “Excellent in English” award. Pictured from left are the team members with their award certificates: Aubrey Stark Kaydence Middendorf., Jena Detko., and Phemie Oeltjen.