.jpg?w=970 "Photo")
Recent content from Kelly Smith
Authorities identify St. Cloud officer who shot and wounded Willmar man
The Willmar man was treated at the St. Cloud Hospital for noncritical injuries.
St. Cloud to consider resolution on moratorium on refugee resettlement
But some council members said the resolution doesn't have enough support to pass.
Suspect injured in officer-involved shooting in St. Cloud
According to the BCA, the man was armed and fired.
Colman O'Connell, Catholic nun who led St. Ben's as its last monastic president, dies at 90
Over seven decades, she saw St. Ben's transform from a small women's-only college to a growing school with coed classes.
Somali girls make history on St. Cloud swim team
First Muslim girls to compete for their St. Cloud high school swim team have gotten lots of support from coach, teammates.
Calling it 'public safety crisis,' Dayton orders end to county-tribal dispute
The 15-month dispute is over policing of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation
St. Cloud police investigate swastika painted on wall of junior high school
Police say no similar graffiti had been reported and that they believe it's an isolated incident.
North Dakota, Minnesota governors form new flood control task force
The 18-member task force will meet for no more than two months.
EPA sues city of Cass Lake over clean up costs of Superfund site
If a judge signs off, the city will pay $30,000.
Around a home-cooked meal, St. Cloud mayor bringing people together
Mayor Dave Kleis has taken a nontraditional approach to engage the city.
St. Cloud reconnects to Mississippi River with trail, plan for redevelopment
From a trail to new amenities, the city wants to boost river access.
Detroit Lakes nixes ordinance to raise tobacco sales age to 21
Attempts to raise the tobacco sales age from 18 have so far failed to take off outside the Twin Cities.
DNA tests confirm infant belonged to slain Fargo woman
Infant Haisley Jo, is doing well and is with her father.
Three men charged in kidnapping, rape of 15-year-old Alexandria girl
The victim had been held captive for 29 days before escaping.
Minnesota's fall colors could be more vibrant earlier this year
The Twin Cities had above normal amounts of precipitation in August, and all that rain could now help produce more brilliant fall colors, peaking sooner.
Indians look to murdered woman's spirit as source of strength, resolve
As Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind is laid to rest Thursday, those who mourn hope her story will raise awareness of the plight of Indian women.
Pregnant Fargo woman died from homicidal violence
Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, who was eight months pregnant when she disappeared from her Fargo apartment earlier this month, died from homicidal violence, authorities said Tuesday.
61-year-old family-run Long Prairie drive-in theater still closed after July storm
A month after a storm ripped up its big outdoor screen, one of the few drive-in theaters left in Minnesota is still shut down as…
Cloudy skies aside, Minnesotans fully dazzled by partial eclipse
Across most of Minnesota, overcast skies granted only glimpses of the much-anticipated solar eclipse, but throngs of people went out to get a look anyway.
Second Minnesota lake infested in 2017 by starry stonewort
Starry Stonewort ID'd by state DNR in second lake in the past week.
Nazi resurgence alarms Minn. WWII vets, Holocaust survivors
In the aftermath of last weekend's deadly violence in Virginia, no one may be feeling more anger and fear than those who battled the Nazis and those nearly killed by them.
St. Cloud opens new police community outpost, first-of-its-kind program in Minnesota
Community policing seen as a way to transform a troubled neighborhood.
Starry stonewort found in third Stearns County lake
The finding follows two other infestations of Stearns County lakes by the invasive.
St. Cloud classes teach sex buyers human cost of prostitution
Courts order men caught in sex stings to learn about victimization
Minnesota fights sex trafficking by cracking down on customers
As the Super Bowl gets closer, law enforcement officials and nonprofits across Minnesota are taking aggressive new action to crack down on customers of prostitution and boosting programs aimed at keeping teens out of the sex trade.
Hennepin County focuses on infants to break child protection cycle
Pilot program with "Infant Court" aims to keep children from returning to foster care.
First-ever U study analyzes the patterns of sex buyers in Minnesota
They tend to be middle-class, married white men from all over the state.
Excelsior beach on Lake Minnetonka reopens after temporary shutdown due to E. coli
It was shut down just a day earlier.
Excelsior beach closed due to high E. coli levels
The Excelsior public beach closure comes a week after Wayzata's was shut down.
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office to add some body cameras this year
Up to 40 devices could be rolled out by December.
Fatal police encounters in Minnesota since 2000
More than 160 people have died in forceful encounters with law enforcement in Minnesota since 2000.
Hennepin County is first in Minnesota to fund new drug test
After clearing a backlog that held up court cases for months, it could go statewide this year.
Charley McCrossan, the man behind one of the Twin Cities' largest construction companies, dies at 91
He turned $1,000 in savings and two used dump trucks into C.S. McCrossan.
Hennepin County leaders say new approach needed to address gaps — from housing to income
Officials estimated that eliminating the racial and ethnic income and employment disparities would mean $4.6 billion in income growth
Cities adapt to citizens' hunger for info, add communication jobs
Few metro cities had communications teams when Helen LaFave started her job in Plymouth 30 years ago. Now almost every suburb has staff members running…
Boaters heeded safety messages on Lake Minnetonka over July 4th
It appeared after Wednesday's annual cleanup near Big Island that there also was less trash littering the lake.
New cellphone technology going up in advance of Super Bowl
New wave of cell tech goes up in high-demand areas.
Boating season in Minnesota is shaping up to be a deadly one
At this point in the year, 2017 boater fatalities are at the highest level in 12 years.
Hunt to ID dead man ends with quiet funeral in Inver Grove Heights
Strangers ensure that a rare "John Doe" is buried with care, three years after his body was found in a Rosemount railroad shed.
Hennepin County adds staff to confront soaring child protection reports
It's one of many reforms to help prevent child abuse.
Three Rivers Park District's camp for autistic kids grows in popularity
It's part of the district's increasing efforts to reach people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities, expanding its reach to people who may not traditionally use its parks.
Lake Minnetonka sailing center launches $4 million campaign to build new center
State's only accredited sailing school wants to replace outdated building.
Therapeutic horseback riding program leaves Minnetonka after 35 years
Program found a 'good match' in Medina after losing its land after nearly four decades.
New Lake Street building marks end to five-year, $80 million plan to decentralize Hennepin County services
Hennepin County opens last in a series of new human services centers
Group unveils $1M campaign to fight Super Bowl sex trafficking
The effort brings together public and private sector, with input from survivors.
Maple-Grove-run gun range finds itself 'at capacity'
Some cities have municipal liquor stores, others own community centers. In Maple Grove, it's a city-owned gun range that draws crowds. The city hopes an $8 million investment will keep up with growing demand.
Wayzata hotel opens Saturday, the first on Lake Minnetonka in more than 50 years
The opening of a Wayzata hotel recalls an era when the lake was a lodging hub.
Graduation marks major milestone for youth who overcame challenges
Some of these teens and young adults have been homeless. Many are poor. What they share, statistically, is the unlikelihood of ever earning a high school diploma.
Hennepin County ramps up the hunt for foster families
Urgent needs prompt Hennepin County to go digital with heart-tugging ads.
New Minnesota rule requiring carbon monoxide detectors on boats pushed to 2018
Availability of marine carbon monoxide detectors is an issue.
Chaska to pay family $1.75M for fatal police shooting on Hwy. 212
Dawn Pfister's family sued the city and officer after the 2014 shooting.
Minnesota boaters face a new regulation, speed rules for Memorial Day
New law this year requires carbon monoxide detectors on boats with enclosed cabins.
Plymouth explores setting earlier bar close, penalizing Cowboy Jack's
The city says five DWI arrests so far this year involved people who drank at Cowboy Jack's.
Developer pitches turning Century Plaza on the edge of downtown Minneapolis into new offices
Downtown Mpls. building slated to be sold for $9.4M and renovated into offices.
Target asks Minnetonka to delay vote on liquor store, mulls existing one
Target officials said they will look to buy an existing liquor store rather than add a new one.
After 5 years and $342M, Wayzata ending largest redevelopment project
Construction on the five-block project will end in June.
Bridge demolitions on Midtown Greenway to cause rerouting on Portland, Cedar avenues
Hennepin County will shut down sections of Portland and Cedar avenues on Monday to demolish the century-old bridges on those streets that cross the Midtown…
Crisis line could get cut without state funding
The operator of a statewide mental health phone service is preparing to cut back or shut down entirely unless the Legislature approves new funding.
Juliet Linder, Minneapolis nursing leader who consulted nationally on cardiac pacemakers, dies
It was her optimism amid a 25-year battle with multiple sclerosis that her friends and family say they'll remember most. She was 66.
Super Bowl group quietly plans sex trafficking prevention efforts
A group is studying how to prevent abuse, raise awareness and help any victims.
Affordable housing crisis is hitting Eden Prairie families hard
In increasingly diverse Eden Prairie, Section 8 housing is in short supply.
Eden Prairie confronts affordable housing shortage as Somali families are squeezed out
Somali leaders estimate a third of East African residents have left the city.
Minnetonka Beach removes city's Planning Commission member who sued city
Planning Commission member is suing over city fee and neighbor's patio.
Minnesota could mandate officer training for mental-illness calls
State could mandate crisis training as police see more mental-illness-related calls.
Wayzata restaurant openings show a hunger to dine out in the suburbs
So far this year, an estimated 700 new restaurant seats are coming in, and the boom shows no signs of slowing.
Hennepin County readies for $13 million child protection overhaul
A year after stepping into the county's top human services role, Jennifer DeCubellis is leading the most dramatic reform of the child protection system in Minnesota.
Hennepin County puts 1930s-era Century Plaza up for sale with no price
The county is moving out of the former vocational high school by May.
Minnesota boosts state grants for law enforcement to fight sex trafficking
Nearly $800,000 given out ahead of Super Bowl.
Wayzata to move cellphone equipment from neighborhood park to middle school, pitting neighborhoods against each other
The City Council recently approved the move from a water tower in Klapprich Park to a new monopole tower by a ballfield at West Middle School.
Hennepin County fund dwindles to lowest level in recent history
Some leaders concerned about the amount in the rainy day fund; others see it as a positive.
New Hennepin County pilot program boosts staff investigating, prosecuting youth sex trafficking
A new prosecutor and investigator are expected to start work in the spring.
Orono debates tightening rules for special events after Lorie Line shows
The proposal would require a special event permit for a home that hosts four or more such events a year.
SWLRT critics say Minnehaha watershed had conflict of interest in permit approval
Minnehaha Creek agency is accused of conflict of interest over land sale.
Spring is almost here: Mississippi opens for navigation; area lakes ice-out
Early ice-outs across metro are setting records after warm winter
Indian families in Minnesota are on edge after U.S. attacks
About 200 residents last weekend held a peace vigil in Eden Prairie to remember two Indian computer engineers shot last month in a Kansas bar.
More from Star Tribune
StarTribune.com welcomes and encourages readers to comment and engage in substantive, mutually respectful exchanges over news topics. Commenters must follow our Terms of Use.
Comments will be reviewed before being published.