>>Funeral Sunday for Voyageurs Park Ranger Grossheim in International Falls

(International Falls, MN) — Friends, family, and the community will say goodbye to Voyageurs National Park Ranger Kevin Grossheim (GROSS’-hyme) this weekend in International Falls. The funeral for 55-year-old Grossheim is at 1 p.m. Sunday in the Falls High School gymnasium, and there’s a visitation one hour before the service. He died Sunday when his boat capsized on a lake in the park after he had rescued three boaters. Ranger Grossheim was also a volunteer on the Kabetogama (CAB’-uh-TOH’-guh-muh) E-M-S/First Responder Team. Governor Walz ordered flags lowered to half-staff in honor and remembrance of Grossheim.

>>14-Year-Old Student Hit by Vehicle in Duluth School Crosswalk

(Duluth, MN) — A 14-year-old student was hit on her way to a Duluth school this morning (THURS). A Duluth Police East High School Resource Officer responded to the scene around 9 a.m., where the girl was hit by a turning vehicle in the crosswalk. The victim suffered minor injuries and went home for the day. The 69-year-old woman driver was issued a citation for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

>>Weekly Drought Update

(Undated) — With persistent dry conditions and a near-record warm September, moderate drought has been expanding across much of Minnesota, with severe drought emerging in northern Minnesota and a small portion of southwest Minnesota. The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor map released today shows that 97% of Minnesota has at least abnormally drained, up from 94% last week. 49% of the state is in moderate drought, up from 43% last week. And 20% of Minnesota is in severe drought, up from 0% last week.

>>Public Assistance Sought in Identifying Suspect of Moorhead Assault

(Moorhead, MN) — Moorhead police are searching for a man who pulled a knife on workers at a massage business Wednesday. The employees escaped and were not harmed. The suspect is described as a lighter-skinned man of unknown height with an average build. He was last seen wearing a blue long-sleeved button-up shirt, khaki cargo shorts, white socks, white Adidas brand tennis shoes, and a khaki baseball-style hat. He was also wearing a blue surgical-style mask and gloves. He may have been driving a gray SUV.

>>Fire that Gutted Historic Bar-Restaurant in Minnesota Lakes Country not Suspicious

(Battle Lake, MN) — The police chief in Battle Lake says an investigation has determined that a fire that destroyed Stub’s Dining & Gunpowder Bar last month was not suspicious. Police Chief Eric Dison says the conclusion was reached after an investigation by a deputy state fire marshal and a fire consulting company hired by the historic bar and restaurant insurance carrier. Dison also says the origin of the blaze could not be pinpointed. The fire broke out on September 16th. The business was on off-season hours at the time and was not open when the blaze started. The roof of the barn-like building collapsed as several fire departments fought the flames. Stub’s, which opened in 1969, was sold to two employees in 1995 and sold again about a year ago. Battle Lake is about 17 miles east of Fergus Falls.

>>Sandhill Cranes Staging at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge

(Zimmerman, MN) — It’s migration time, and thousands of Sandhill Cranes are stopping at the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge to prepare. Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge estimate that more than 9,000 cranes are currently staging at the refuge, and the numbers are growing. The last week of October is typically the time when there are the most birds, and numbers have exceeded 29,000 in the past. There are opportunities for the public to get a look at Minnesota’s tallest birds by visiting the refuge either at dawn when they fly out to croplands to forage for food during the day or at dusk when they return to rest. The Sherburne County Road 70 parking lot on the refuge’s northern boundary yields large numbers of birds flying overhead. Alternatively, you can hike two miles from the A5 parking lot to the St. Francis watering hole, where cranes, ducks, and swans appear. Wearing blaze orange is recommended for this hike. The refuge is holding a fundraiser connecting with the migration to support refuge activities, nature education, and a future amphitheater.

>>Minnesotans May See Northern Lights Tonight After Sun Outburst

(Undated) — Minnesotans may see the Aurora Borealis tonight (THURS), a.k.a. the northern lights. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that after an outburst from the sun earlier this week, a severe geomagnetic storm is expected tonight and into tomorrow morning (FRI). Forecasters say the best time to see them is from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., but clouds are expected to start gathering after 10 p.m., so the sooner, the better.

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