Recent content from Kevin Giles
Hautman wins again: Minnesotans keep up duck stamp dominance
Bob Hautman painted a pair mallards to win his third contest.
New regional trail opens in southern Washington County
Point Douglas Trail will connect to Hastings bridge next June.
Judge tosses lawsuit against city of Grant
Council member alleged retaliation over his views on waste site near school.
'Don't trust anyone:' Hard-to-pin-down scammers flourish in Minnesota
The state doesn't have a comprehensive database tracking the fraudsters, who are getting increasingly creative.
Mahtomedi sex trafficker who brags of 'running 6 girls' goes to prison
Shaun Michael Maubach was also dealing methamphetamine, Washington County complaint alleges.
John Runk's movie clips of Stillwater show everyday life
The postwar films created a precious archive of city's rich history.
Attorney says school districts need to improve their response to Minnesota data law
Public records attorney says districts need to improve their response to Minnesota law.
Julie Galonska named superintendent at St. Croix National Scenic Riverway
The National Park Service job oversees two major rivers that were placed into federal protection in 1968.
Former Woodbury high school principal sentenced for stealing funds
Aaron Harper, who led the opening of East Ridge, won't serve time in jail, a judge decides.
Reconstruction of historic thoroughfare planned in Stillwater
Planning begins for short but well-traveled stretch of Third Street, post-Lift Bridge.
Judge finds that Cottage Grove golf course owner sexually harassed employees
Incidents occurred at Mississippi Dunes, where women were groped and a bar manager was fired, order says.
Dorothy McNeill Tucker dies at 93, funded U women's sports research
The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport remains the only research center of its kind.
Maplewood man pleads guilty to threatening his parents and beating his mother with a hammer
David Edward Williams Jr. beat his mother with a hammer, complaint says.
Washington County's proposed tax hike is biggest in years
New construction in the east metro county could ease homeowners' burden of 6.9% property tax increase.
New era begins for fabled Lift Bridge in Stillwater, now closed to motorists
The bridge is permanently closed to car traffic, but the bridge will endure as a pedestrian and bicycle path.
Thousands celebrate as new St. Croix River bridge is now open
Hours earlier, hundreds of onlookers applaud a four-lane crossing, decades in the making.
Stillwater plans big party when historic Lift Bridge closes to traffic
Celebration will combine with classic car show.
Woodbury day cares get extortion letter threatening false police report of sex abuse
Hush money would buy "silence" on false accusation of child sexual assault. Police are investigating.
St. Croix River bridge ribbon-cutting expected to draw a crowd
Buses will ferry spectators to the Wednesday event in Oak Park Heights.
Cottage Grove rescinds summerlong watering ban effective Aug. 1
The shutdown over contamination ends Tuesday, but restrictions will be in place and enforced.
Grant resident files suit against fellow City Council members
A City Council member in the Washington County city of Grant is suing the mayor and other City Council members, alleging retaliation for his “environmental…
Wisconsin legislator will introduce his second St. Croix River private property bill
Rep. Adam Jarchow takes on Murr land-rights issue despite high court ruling.
Long-awaited St. Croix bridge is feat of engineering, political will
The $646 million bridge, with a design so rare it's only the second of its type in the U.S., required a congressional exemption to span the federally protected river prized for its natural beauty.
Wisconsin legislation seeks to benefit for-profit wedding business on St. Croix River bluff
Wis. legislators offer bills allowing firm on St. Croix to bypass zoning laws.
Afton parades its new look in midst of major infrastructure project
The city, and Washington County, teamed up to correct long-standing problems with streets, sewage and flooding.
Dakota, Washington counties approve transportation taxes
The move replaces an existing quarter-cent tax before CTIB dissolves itself.
Lake Elmo rejoins Washington County library system
City had checked out after dispute over services.
Ready? St. Croix River bridge ribbon cutting set for Aug. 2
Cars will begin to cross "within a day or two" of the ribbon-cutting, MnDOT official says.
Lifeguards will watch over weekend crowd at Lake Elmo swim pond where drowning occurred
Parents, at Lake Elmo park and elsewhere, warned to be vigilant with children in water.
Booklet about St. Croix River regulations helps landowners go with the flow
Color guide explains what must be done before investing money in new buildings or remodeling.
Principal found in park died of self-inflicted gunshot wound
An Oakdale school principal found dead in a Woodbury park died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said Thursday.
Oakdale middle school principal found dead in Woodbury park
Cause of death under investigation, police say.
Pedestrians are front and center as Stillwater reclaims its core
Plaza will replace traffic jams when Stillwater Lift Bridge closes.
Dr. Arnold S. Anderson, who helped found two major Twin Cities medical centers, dies
On a July night in 1951, a young doctor was sweeping the floor at the new St. Louis Park Medical Center when parents with a…
Minn. Supreme Court rejects further appeal of Stillwater school closings
Denial means district could proceed with shutdowns if the school board decides to do that.
Forest Lake reverses decision to disband police department
The mayor and City Council voted 4-1 in favor of a new three-year contract with the force.
Forest Lake appears to buck trend of closing police departments
Outsourcing trend weighs cutting costs, local control.
Cop who played football with kids influenced new Washington County sheriff
A local officer connected with Washington County's Dan Starry and his brother.
Forest Lake HS students walk out to protest police department disbanding
More than 1,000 students left the school.
Former Woodbury principal pleads guilty to stealing school money
Aaron Harper, former head of East Ridge High School, resigned in 2014.
Parents offer settlement to keep Stillwater district schools open
Stillwater attorney hadn't yet responded to proposal to back away from suits.
Trout stocking suspended in Washington Co. lake
Water clarity was suffering at the Washington County recreational gem.
In Forest Lake, proposal to cut city's police department angers some
Anger is running high in Forest Lake over a proposal to eliminate the city's police department and contract instead for law enforcement services with the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
Wisconsin girl accused of 'first kill' goes into juvenile jurisdiction
Adult charges dropped for now after deal reached in St. Croix County.
Outdated south Washington County park soon to become new and improved
A $3.5 million construction project will transform the tattered Cottage Grove site.
Missing police evidence in Newport can't be found, sheriff tells city
Poor procedures blamed for loss of money, drugs and guns; no criminal charges expected.
Bail set at $1M for school bus employee accused of molesting young girls
Harvey Kneifl, charged on six counts, made his first appearance in court Friday.
Woodbury bus assistant suspected of molesting 6 girls
The school district has placed the suspect on leave. Allegations involve at least six preschool girls, and police are investigating whether there are more.
Jury awards $11.5 million to assaulted Polk Co., Wis., jail inmates
Female inmates in Wisconsin were assaulted dozens of times by guard.
Woodbury's CityPlace producing hundreds of jobs
More than 20 businesses are open or are under construction now at the site of the former State Farm headquarters.
End of Backpage.com adult ads doesn't slow torrent of sex trafficking in metro area
Washington County investigators tracked nearly 75,000 ads in different categories.
Cottage Grove murder-for-hire suspect back in jail after allegedly trying to track son via smartwatch
Stephen Carl Allwine charged with killing wife alleged to attempt contact with son through GPS on a smartwatch.
Stillwater school closings debated before state appeals court
Parents allege district lacked sufficient evidence to close the schools, while the district says board has 'wide latitude' to decide.
Turned away in Chisago County, Muslims seek new cemetery site
The dispute resembles arguments over proposed Muslim cemeteries in other parts of the country, as well as a recent example in Dakota County.
Appeals court will hear arguments over Stillwater school closings
Opponents of Stillwater board's decision point to insufficient evidence.
Murder charges: Cottage Grove man staged wife's suicide after searching for hitman on 'Dark Web'
Stephen Carl Allwine, 43, is accused of shooting Amy Allwine and trying to disguise the death as suicide.
Melting closes Stillwater ice castle temporarily
Thick walls will sustain in the warm weather, but walking surfaces will be getting slippery, organizers say.
Criminal sentencing for ex-Stillwater mayor delayed again
Ken Harycki pleaded guilty in January 2015 to tax evasion in his private accounting business.
Ice castle built to bring surge of winter tourism to downtown Stillwater
Latest ice castle breaks playfully from tradition in Stillwater.
In Washington County, sheriff embraces body-worn cameras
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office, recognizing that various forms of multimedia recordings already are in wide use among law enforcement officers and citizens alike, will…
Historical Society determined to save early Stillwater house, despite mounting costs
It has taken on the job of restoring the Boutwell house with a semblance of historical accuracy and then selling it to someone who wants to live there, with certain restrictions.
City of Forest Lake, residents have had enough of Halfbreed Lake
The Washington County lake, known to many as Sylvan Lake, is the latest in Minnesota proposed for renaming because of racist connotations.
If the shoe fits, start an events venue in Stillwater
Hulking old factory becomes an upscale entertainment attraction, bringing more life to the city's downtown district.
Free-flowing or not? River Falls embarks on a debate over its Kinnickinnic River
Kinnickinnic River's future could be free of dams.
Roy L. Huddle, co-owner of northern Minnesota resort, dies at 78
When Roy Huddle wasn’t on the lake teaching people to water ski, he was driving a golf cart through his northern Minnesota resort announcing Sunday…
Delta passenger objects to in-flight movie as "perpetuating racism"
She asked the airline to let ethnic communities review the film.
'Selling' Washington County: A business salesman's view
It's all a matter of getting the word out on opportunities in the east metro, Chris Eng says.
CAIR-MN calls on schools to protect Muslim students after threat
The incident, involving two Afton-Lakeland students, was among several recent metro area episodes.
Dad who beat daughter to death in Cottage Grove gets 36 years
Sentence came after outburst in courtroom in Stillwater.
In Stillwater, a revamped school board could look anew at closings plan
Following Tuesday’s election, the dynamics have slightly shifted in a controversy over school closings in the Stillwater district. What happens next depends on the willingness…
Woodbury, Oakdale warming to new Gold Line route
Leaders in those east-metro cities see advantages in rapid-bus service plan.
Washington County project will cool Brown's Creek water for trout
An unusual underground cooling project aims to restore Brown's Creek in Washington County.
St. Paul man sent to prison for prostituting Forest Lake teenage girl
Damon Michael DiMartino denied guilt after unsuccessful attempt to change his plea.
Washington County land purchase helps protect impaired trout stream
Under conservation agreement, a portion of Brown's Creek will remain undeveloped.
Newport's taxing district vote pushes Red Rock Crossing redevelopment forward
Advocates say it will provide for more than 500 housing units and generate as many jobs.
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.