With the page slowly turning on 2025, East Central Regional Library executive director Carla Lydon was an open book in sharing highlights and challenges from the library system in an interview last week. "It's been quite a year," said Lydon, who has been in the position since 2017. Lydon said ECRL started 2025 with a new strategic plan, and progress on those goals included a growing readers program piloted by the Mora Public Library. The program connects a student in grades 1

UPDATE: The alert has been canceled after the missing party was located safely. The Isanti County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help in locating a missing 37-year-old woman. According to an alert from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Erin Severson left her rural Isanti County residence between Oct. 20 and Oct. 25. Severson is described as five-foot-eight and weighing 118 pounds, with black hair and hazel eyes. Her vehicle is a black 2016 Buick Enclave

Work on Hinckley's I-35 bridge replacement project is nearing completion. According to the MnDOT project website, lane closures will be removed at noon on Friday, Nov. 7. A northbound lane closure will be put back in place on Monday, Nov. 10. That work is expected to last through the evening of Nov. 14. All work on the project, which carries a $25.6 million price tag, is expected to be complete by the end of November.

The Braham City Council unanimously voted to authorize a purchase of a vacant lot for the purpose of establishing a compost site at Tuesday's meeting. City administrator Kevin Stahl explained that the property is about six acres, located on Hupp Street in Stanchfield Township. "As you're going out Second, you'd take a right, and it's about a city block, roughly, on the right side of the road," Stahl explained. "It's a wedge, and it's about six acres." The council previously a