The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds snowmobilers that Grant-in-Aid snowmobile trails closed for the season on April 1; riding these trails without the landowner’s permission is trespassing.

Also, the state is no longer grooming snowmobile trails.
The DNR urges snowmobilers to use caution when riding on the new snow that fell over the weekend throughout northern Minnesota.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed the Capital Investment Bill Monday, Apr. 7, with a batch of line-item vetos reducing total state construction projects from $925 million to $717 million. Gov. Pawlenty said he would not sign a bill that surpasses a spending limit used by lawmakers in the past.

For a full list of of vetoed items and a statement from Gov. Pawlenty, visit www.governor.state.mn.us.

Monday, Apr. 7, is the re-scheduled date set for the first Greenleaf State Recreation Area (SRA) citizens advisory committee meeting.

The meeting, originally scheduled for Monday, March 31, but canceled due to weather, will run from 5 - 7:30 p.m. in the Meeker County courthouse basement in Litchfield.

Contract negotiations continue with Roger Rueckert to become the next
part-time, interim superintendent for the Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City
School District. The School Board’s negotiating committee recently met
with Rueckert to discuss a contract for the 2008-09 school year with
options for two more years. The committee has a few things to clarify
and expects to have a contract proposal for the School Board to consider
at its April 28 meeting.

Not long after the Greater Litchfield Opera House Association took
possession of the century-old building, the organization’s chairwoman,
Darlene Kotelnicki, announced plans to film renovation work and compile
it into a kind of “This Old Opera House” production for cable television.

February's full moon appears tonight along with a total lunar eclipse.

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon lines up directly opposite the sun, so it passes through the Earth's shadow. The total eclipse will happen at 9 p.m., although the beginning of the eclipse will be visible at about 7:45 p.m.

February's full moon is called the "Full Snow Moon."

When it comes to transportation, county politicians from around the state find themselves on the same, pothole-filled highway.

It was that bond that brought two county commissioners from Hennepin and Carver counties to a meeting with Meeker County Board members Monday in Litchfield.

Visitors to independentreview.net will have live access to the Monday, Feb. 11 debate between U.S. Senate candidates Mike Ciresi, Al Franken and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer.

The three are seeking the DFL Party’s endorsement to run against Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman this year.

Monday’s debate is being held at Rainy River Community College in International Falls and is co-sponsored by the International Falls Daily Journal.

The live video webcast of the debate begins at 7 p.m. and is expected to last about 1½ hours.

Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton and Republican Congressman Ron Paul were the top choices of those who attended their respective party caucuses Tuesday at Litchfield High School. But bigger than who they chose was the number of people who did the choosing. Both Republican and DFL party leaders reported record turnout for the caucuses Tuesday.

Two Grove City men were arrested Friday following the investigation of a theft from Host's Stainless Service in rural Watkins.

The business owner called Meeker County Sheriff's Department at 7:25 p.m. Friday to report the theft. he said he saw two people at the business and watched them load scrap steel into their vehicle.