Recent content from Pam Louwagie
Minnesota resorts scrambling for summer help have extra hurdle
Tourism-based businesses across Minnesota are short on workers. It's likely to be an annual struggle, but a policy change on worker visas especially hurt this year.
John LaDue works to build a life where he had planned massacre
He seemed to lead an ordinary southern Minnesota life in Waseca, until he was discovered planning a mass killing. Now he wants his life back — but unsettling questions about his case may never be answered.
Attorneys for Minneapolis serial killer, now dead, seek to clear his name
Billy Glaze, who died in prison in 2015, was convicted of murdering three woman in 1989.
1 airlifted, 5 others hurt after school bus crashes, rolls north of Bemidji
The school bus landed on its side in a ditch after being struck by a car early Wednesday morning.
Gunflint Trail marks 10 years after devastating Ham Lake fire
Residents and visitors are seeing rebirth.
Ely steps up after vandals destroy trees at veterans memorial
The new veterans memorial in Ely was coming along nicely near the shore of Miners Lake. Since starting construction last summer, flagpoles had gone up…
At Mayo Clinic, pioneering steps toward helping paralyzed patients
A spinal cord stimulator helps a man injured in a snowmobile crash to stand on his own and move his legs.
Onetime 'person of interest' in Wetterling case sues investigators
Daniel Rassier is claiming that law enforcement wrongly went after him, defaming him and inflicting emotional distress.
State lawmakers take Real ID battle to the airport
Partisan bickering continued over the issuance of driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants.
Osakis district now says prom dress preapproval merely a suggestion
Girls had been told they would have to submit photos of their dresses.
In Duluth, Superior Street businesses champion 'Brewer's Row'
The nine-block-long stretch of Superior Street is heavy on hops.
Glensheen shining in bid for return tourists
Just a few years ago, the historic Glensheen mansion perched on Lake Superior’s North Shore struggled to lure tourists through the door. It was a…
North Dakota deputy shot and killed; suspect also dead
The deaths happened in northern North Dakota near the town of Belcourt after a chase involving a stolen truck, according to reports.
Duluth looking to spread downtown revitalization
Leaders seek proposals for historic building near Superior Street
Amid U firestorm, opinions across campus divided
Students disagree on sexual assault inquiry, process and punishment.
Obituary: Marcella Isaac, known as Marcia Hall, Minnesota lead guitarist
Marcella Isaac played under a stage name but was the real deal when it came to picking her guitar.
Hibbing school board debates future of gun range in school
A gun range in the basement of a Hibbing elementary school sits empty while the school board ponders its fate, balancing modern-day fears with a rural Minnesota tradition that values hunting and the Second Amendment.
Jacob's friends and family confront his killer at sentencing
Danny Heinrich was sentenced to 20 years in prison
Patty Wetterling says son's killer made horrible choices
'To state that he never had any intention to commit this heinous crime is ludicrous,' Patty Wetterling said Friday of Jacob's killer.
Duluth's Bentleyville light display bigger than ever
If good weather holds, crowds could top last year's 270,000 visitors
How Trump almost won Minnesota
The Republican president-to-be won in a number of greater Minnesota counties that were previously won by Barack Obama in 2012, while Hillary Clinton racked up her Minnesota-winning tally in the bigger cities.
Judge denies appeal of deceased Minneapolis serial killer
Judge Toddrick Barnette ruled that attorneys for Billy Glaze hadn't yet proven his innocence with the evidence they introduced, meaning there was no "live controversy" to be resolved.
Cult leader Victor Barnard sentenced to 30 years in prison
Victims spoke of the lasting effects of fear after the sexual abuse.
Two dead in six separate Anoka County heroin overdoses Saturday
A wave of heroin overdoses in just a 12-hour period Saturday in or near Anoka County left two people dead and four others taken to hospitals, one of them in critical condition.
Minnesota cities share bikes freely but want them returned
Bicycle-sharing programs called a success in Willmar and Austin.
Minnesota drifter is suspect in Pennsylvania murder 25 years ago
ID of man arrested in 1991 slaying quells suspense in small Minnesota town.
Wetterlings look to the future now that search for Jacob is over
"It takes a while before your head settles down. I don't know that mine is yet," said Patty Wetterling said.
Ely's volcanic wonder turns into a hot issue
The city is debating whether the primeval "Pillow Rock" should get a more visible home.
11 candles lit as thousands join Wetterlings to remember Jacob
The community that linked arms nearly 27 years ago to search for the sandy-haired boy who was snatched at gunpoint by a masked man came together Sunday morning to celebrate his life, console his family and say goodbye.
The final push to finding Jacob
Blogger's quest and DNA clue reversed nearly three decades of false starts, missed opportunities, bad tips and dead ends.
After many dry years, alcohol sales begin in two Duluth neighborhoods
Lakeside and Lester Park have banned spirits sales since the 1890s.
Heinrich confesses to abducting, killing Jacob Wetterling that day
After Danny Heinrich's detailed, horrifying courtroom confession on how he kidnapped and killed Jacob, Patty Wetterling said, "It's incredibly painful to know his last days, his last minutes."
Obituary: Edina educator Rolland 'Rollie' Ring was loyal to family, friends and the Hornets
For 40 years, Rolland “Rollie” Ring sat — or paced — at every Edina High School home football game. A proud booster of the Hornets,…
'Everybody just wants to know why': Town grieves girl's death
It's unfathomable to residents of close-knit Watkins, Minn., that a 5-year-old girl could end up the victim of a homicide.
Decoy dogs chase geese from Rochester, Minn., golf course
A Rochester golf pro turned to cutouts to scare off pesky birds
Waseca teen opts for felony conviction over probation in bomb plot
John LaDue has said he believes a felony conviction may not hurt his job prospects as much as he first feared.
Thousands pay tribute to Castile: 'His death is not in vain'
Thousands gathered at the Cathedral of St. Paul for the funeral for Philando Castile, the St. Paul man shot and killed by police in Falcon Heights last week.
Chalkboard captures the mood outside the governor's residence
Colors of anger, hope crowd chalkboard at governor's residence.
Falcon Heights police shooting reverberates across the nation
Thousands of people headed to the governor's residence in St. Paul after the police shooting of Philando Castile.
Attorneys for Pine County cult leader Victor Barnard question timing of charges
The former Pine County religious leader waived his rights to a speedy trial during Tuesday's court hearing.
Why Brainerd wants back in the loop as the center of Lakes Area
It's known as the Brainerd Lakes Area — not the Baxter Lakes Area. But ever since the Hwy. 371 bypass opened in Baxter in August 2000, Brainerd has struggled to lure people and businesses back.
Frank Lloyd Wright house in Cloquet makes long trip to Pennsylvania
Board by board, Cloquet structure relocated to park in Acme, Pa.
Art Institutes International Minnesota headed toward closure
The Minneapolis school announced it will no longer accept new students.
Shooting wounds 3 at house party in southern Minnesota
A female was in critical condition Saturday after authorities found her with a gunshot wound to her upper torso at a residence in Rice County.…
Duluth, Fond du Lac Band reach agreement over casino revenue
Duluth Mayor Emily Larson, along with tribal Chairman Wally Dupuis, announced that the band has agreed to pay $150,000 a year for services the city provides.
Calling all colleges: Please come to Red Wing
The push to attract a four-year school was launched when local business leaders complained they were having trouble filling technology positions, particularly those in cyber security, digital forensics and gamification.
Facing questions, confidants of Prince staying loyal to boss
The latest — and last — members of Prince's ever-evolving, elusive inner circle face a firestorm of questions about his apparent illnesses and sudden demise.
Teen in Waseca bomb plot returns home after two years in custody
Parents welcome son home, but some in Waseca find massacre plans hard to forget.
Waseca teen arrested in school bomb plot can go home, judge rules
An evaluation of John LaDue, who will be on probation said his risk to his hometown is now low.
In Moline, few answers on Prince's emergency landing
What happened to Prince here in a middle-of-the-night medical emergency landing just days before he died? Did it prefigure his subsequent collapse inside Paisley Park? Those questions have made this city the unlikely center of a mystery riveting the world's attention.
Twin Cities, world show love for Prince's purple majesty
Hours after learning about the pop star's death Thursday morning at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, fans around the world took to social media to pay their respects to Prince and his music. Thursday night, thousands gathered in downtown Minneapolis to remember the legend who was one of them.
At Children's, American Indian babies get gift of moccasins
The effort, called First Gift, is one of several new programs that Children's is sponsoring to engage with the community and break mistrust.
Historic Duluth theater on the brink of renovation
The project would be a key piece in efforts to revitalize downtown.
City officials across Minnesota vie for aid to rebuild crumbling streets
Minnesota cities look for legislative help to fix roads in dire need of repair.
Dollar stores are changing rural Minn. landscape
It's a landscape-changing scene playing out in small towns throughout rural Minnesota and across the nation. Small-box stores with "dollar" in their names are opening new locations at a frantic pace, delighting residents with the convenience of big inventories and low prices while threatening local merchants who say they can't compete.
Obituary: William Rowe: Anthropology professor, founder of Open Arms of Minnesota
The cakes are often chocolate, frosted and decorated with delicate sugared leaves. For many recipients, especially those who are isolated and low-income, it may be…
Murder conviction affirmed for Byron Smith in Little Falls case
The Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a Little Falls man serving life in prison for killing two teenage intruders at his home in 2012. "We're not done. We are far from it," his attorney said after the decision.
State high court to decide fate of Little Falls man convicted of killing teens
Byron Smith is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole, pending the outcome of his appeal. The court said it will release a decision on Wednesday.
Bemidji State students park free on frozen lake — while it's still frozen
Campus officials say it's fine – just keep an eye on Mother Nature
Deaths of Meeker County teen siblings are ruled as a murder-suicide
Two teenage siblings found shot to death in a Meeker County house on Monday died as a result of a murder-suicide, officials said.
Jack Jablonski forges a new life at college in Southern California
With the worst of his long and often very public recovery behind him, Jablonski is pivoting into adulthood with the same tenacity he once showed on the ice
Suicidal woman shot by law enforcement near Duluth identified
Authorities have identified the woman who was injured in an officer-involved shooting last week outside of Duluth. Kristen K. Johnson, 48, of Cloquet, was still…
Grand Marais residents raise ruckus over chain stores
Residents swarmed City Hall to protect the lakeside town's home-grown charm.
Suicidal woman with gun shot by police near Duluth after long standoff
A suicidal woman from Cloquet, Minn., was in critical condition Friday after an officer-involved shooting at a church near Duluth. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s…
Billy Glaze died a serial killer, but lawyers still fight to clear his name
Now that Glaze is dead, what happens to his case? It's a first-of-its kind question in Minnesota.
With time in jail over, Waseca teen John LaDue goes to state facility
Teen will undergo treatment as part of his sentence; not even his parents know where he is being placed.
Waseca teen who plotted massacre no longer set to go home today
John LaDue was set to return home today until officials found a bed for him at a state-run evaluation facility.
Gold on the Iron Range? Results of soil tests are raising hopes
Officials with the state Department of Natural Resources have found promising results in tests from soil near Tower and Soudan.
Jan. 21: John LaDue could be going home
For the first time since authorities arrested John LaDue in April of 2014, there is a chance he could go home if a bed doesn't open soon at a state-operated evaluation facility.
North Mankato among cities looking at streets through a different lens
North Mankato is one of the latest Minnesota cities to adopt policies mindful of all
Duluth head shop owner, employees lose appeal of synthetic drug convictions
The owner of a onetime Duluth head shop and two shop employees have lost a federal appeal of their convictions for selling synthetic drugs. An…
Lottery tix flying off the rolls across Minn. amid record $800M jackpot
Heading into Saturday night's drawing, the Powerball jackpot is officially in unchartered territory, soaring to an estimated $700 million, the largest in U.S. history. And Minnesotans from Warroad to Worthington are getting in on the action.
Teenager LaDue to stay in state while evaluated for treatment
The Waseca teen was arrested for plotting a massacre at his local school. He will stay in Minnesota while being evaluated for treatment as part of his probationary sentence, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Jan. 1: Behind the person of interest in Jacob Wetterling investigation
Long before he was named in the Jacob Wetterling abduction, Danny James Heinrich, now 52, led a troubled early life of burglary, drinking and financial difficulties, records and interviews show.
Billy Glaze, convicted in 1980s Mpls. serial killings, has died
He was convicted in a series of murders of American Indian women, but attorneys for the Minnesota Innocence Project were working to exonerate him based on DNA testing.
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