Clearbrook News

Schleper/Linn Angie and Brian Schleper of Elk River, along with Debby and Tim Linn of Freeport announce the engagement of their children, Amy Schleper and Jeff Linn.

While the number of entries were down this year, the weights were up at the 15th Annual Rainy River Valley Giant Pumpkin Festival .

Audio player code: /**/ sponsor: Bemidji, Minn. - A controversial new oil pipeline called the Alberta Clipper has created thousands of construction jobs across northern Minnesota and is pumping millions of dollars into communities all along the pipeline route.

Just in time for the peak summer driving season , gas prices are once again climbing, once again putting a strain on budgets already stretched too thin.

Minnesota legislators met almost 19 weeks with one overriding job: Balance the state budget.

Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, has been given credit in media reports for suggesting to Gov.

" Legislators on an education funding committee took the weekend off. A spat among Minnesota lawmakers negotiating a health-care spending bill interrupted talks Saturday.

" Forget about the deadlines. That was the message Wednesday night from House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis. Legislators earlier this year set today as the deadline for House and Senate negotiators to work out differences in bills the two chambers passed to finance state programs.

Minnesota counties seeking reform this session instead find legislators doing the math necessary to balance the state books.