A Coon Rapids Snowflake Days youth event, the annual 2010 Coon Rapids Junior Royalty Pageant will be on stage in the auditorium of Coon Rapids High School Saturday, Feb. 6, starting at 1 p.m.

The pageant includes four divisions. See more in Editor Peter Bodley's Coon Rapids Herald story.

Eight young women will compete in the 2010 Miss Coon Rapids Scholarship Pageant in the auditorium at Coon Rapids High School Saturday, Feb. 6, starting at 6 p.m.

The winner will qualify for competition in the 2010 Miss Minnesota Scholarship Pageant, which takes place in June, and a shot at advancing to the 2010 Miss America Scholarship Pageant. See more in Coon Rapids Herald story by Editor Peter Bodley.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and chair of the Subcommittee on Children’s Health, questioned officials at a hearing today (Thursday, Feb. 4) on the safety methods in place to protect people against harmful chemicals and metals.

Klobuchar underscored the need to reform the current the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and called for a coordinated effort between government agencies in assessing health risk to the public.

Read more: Klobuchar pushes for safety against toxic chemicals

SSGT Jenny Wunderlich put away her dusty camo fatigues and gun and found her way back to the Mille Lacs County Attorney’s Office to resume her role as the victim assistance coordinator. “We’re happy she’s back safely,” county attorney Jan Jude said.

Wunderlich left Iraq on New Year’s Eve, but it was January 10th by the time she reached Minnesota. A week later, after throwing away every dust-embedded item she had from Iraq, Wunderlich was back in the attorney’s office, still adjusting to sleep and the frigid temperatures. See more in Dawn Slade's exclusive in the Mille Lacs County Times.

SSGT Jenny Wunderlich (right) presented her boss, Mille Lacs County Attorney Jan Jude (left) with an American flag that was flown in Iraq. (Times photo by Dawn Slade)

The third wave of 34th Red Bull Infantry Division (34th ID) Soldiers will return to Minnesota following their one-year deployment to Iraq.  The next group of approximately 200 Soldiers are scheduled to arrive at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5.

Since May 2009, the 34th Infantry Division (34th ID) provided command and control of military forces in the southern third of Iraq. Headquartered at Contingency Operating Base Basra, the 34th Infantry Division led a force of approximately 14,000 U.S. service members throughout nine of Iraq's 18 provinces.

Read more: Third wave of 34th Infantry Red Bulls comes home tomorrow

Washington, D.C. – On the heels of a new report showing that the toxic metal cadmium is being used in children’s jewelry sold in stores across the nation, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Al Franken (D-MN) today (Thursday, Feb. 4) announced that they have introduced legislation that will define cadmium as a banned hazardous substance which will get cadmium out of children’s jewelry once and for all.

The report shows that cadmium is being used by Chinese manufacturers who are producing children’s jewelry that is being sold in the United States

Read more: Sen. Franken, others introduce legislation to ban toxic heavy metal cadmium found in children's jewelry

After being convicted of premeditated first degree murder, Jeremy Hull took his case to the Minnesota Supreme Court. It’s an automatic appeal and Hull did not waive his right to appeal.

Hull, 26, was convicted in 2008 of killing Lewis Wilczek of Little Falls in April 2007, then dismembering, burning and burying Wilczek’s body outside of Foreston. (Hull was living in St. Cloud at the time of the murder but previously lived in Foreston and attended Milaca High School.) See more in Dawn Slade's exclusive Mille Lacs County Times report.

Travis Joshua Kamann, 29, of North Branch and Max James Bartelt, 35, of Cambridge have died from injuries sustained during an early morning crash on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

At approximately 5:38 a.m., the Isanti County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two-vehicle crash located at Co. Rd. 5, near the junction of Jodrell Dr. NE. in North Branch Township, east of Isanti. Read more in Isanti County News story.

Both drivers of two vehicles involved in a crash early Wednesday morning near Isanti reportedly died at the scene. Isanti County Sheriff's authorities and the Minnesota State Patrol are continuing an investigation. (Photo submitted)