Severe thunderstorms that pushed through parts of Minnesota closed roads, cut power, delayed a county fair opening and toppled a huge Babe the Blue Ox statue at Paul Bunyan Land. Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl says emergency crews are working to open roads closed by falling trees and branches and restore power.
A Maple Grove man is facing charges after police say he followed 11 to 13 year old boys into a bathroom at a Brainerd youth baseball tournament. Police were called to a baseball field in Bane Park, in the 1700 block of 7th Street South, shortly after 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.
A Brainerd man was arrested Friday for allegedly stabbing another man in a downtown Brainerd bar. Police say they arrested 44-year-old Troy Stalboerger after he stabbed a 24-year-old man in the Iron Rail Saloon at about 10:45 p.m.
Police in central Minnesota say a report of a needle being found in a child's Halloween candy was a hoax. Brainerd police said Monday an investigation found the child had fabricated the incident.
After meeting with resort owners who were hit by recent severe thunderstorms, Gov. Mark Dayton declared the Brainerd lakes area "open for business." Dayton visited the Brainerd area Friday. Reports say he took a helicopter survey of the damage and heard the concerns of resort owners.
The Brainerd Lakes Area is still open for the family vacations and fun time. That's the message from Brainerd Lakes Chamber president Matt Kilian. He says storms that tore through the Brainerd area on Sunday night closed some resorts and displaced more than 900 vacationers around Gull Lake.