Tornado-torn Wadena begins tree replanting

Cities across the state are taking advantage of the warmer weather to begin a new round of tree planting and planning to maintain a healthy canopy in their community. Today, Arbor Day, marks the starting point for folks in Wadena to replant the thousands of trees a tornado ripped from the earth last June.

"What took seconds to lose will take decades to replace," writes Renee Richadson in the Brainerd Dispatch. But with the help of local donations and matching funds from the DNR, people in Wadena will reclaim a landscape that defined their town. "This is one small part of getting back to normal," said Anne Oldakowski, Wadena Soil and Water Conservation District forestry technician.

Related

Ground Level: Four questions for Wadena

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St. Paul wages war to keep city leafy

While the city's 32.5 percent "canopy percentage" is decent -- more than Minneapolis' 26.4 percent or Chicago's 17.2, according to a recent University of Minnesota study -- St. Paul has nonetheless gotten less green over the years, city officials say (Pioneer Press).

St. Scholastica moves into downtown Rochester

Downtown Rochester is seeing more change.This time it has to do with education.The College of St. Scholastica has been in the Med City for about four years.But now, it has a new campus and it's in the heart of downtown (KAAL).

Pothole repair bills surprise Mpls. residents, businesses

After a rough winter, Minnesotans do not have to look very far to see potholes. Now, some homeowners and businesses are finding out that they need to chip in for the pothole repairs (WCCO).

Duluth at-large council race has first candidate

Duluth businesswoman Emily Larson became the first candidate to enter the race for one of two at-large seats opening on the City Council. "I'm running for City Council because I believe we are at a critical point as a city," Larson said (Duluth News Tribune).

Fishing report:

LAKE OF THE WOODS

Sturgeon action has been fair in 26 to 30 feet of water near the mouth of the Rainy River and Four-Mile Bay. Pike action has improved on the weed beds farther up the river. The sucker run also is in full swing upriver, which has proven a challenge to sturgeon anglers. Two anglers trying to fish sturgeon Sunday reported going through a whopping 40 dozen nightcrawlers because the suckers were so thick. There's still a lot of ice on the lake.

BEMIDJI AREA

The ice is off many small lakes, but the bigger lakes still have a covering. The ice should be completely gone throughout the area within the next week. Panfish have not moved to the shallows, and suckers are thick in most creeks (Grand Forks Herald).

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