The North Branch City Council has decided to fill the seat vacancy on the council by the same method as the last time there was an opening - with an application and interview process before making an appointment.
Standing beside the freshly unveiled monuments, Clark Swanson could barely contain his emotions. After decades of planning that culminated in a whirlwind of activity over the summer, his dream to complete a permanent memorial to honor veterans like himself had finally come to fruition. And o…
In an unusual election season, County Administrator Julia Lines took an opportunity at the Oct. 7 County Board meeting to inform Isanti County Board about how well the auditor/treasurer’s office is doing with the increased number of absentee ballots.
There probably aren’t many people who love roundabouts, but there are some that simply hate them – including Isanti Mayor Jeff Johnson and Council Member Steve Lundeen. The two made their position regarding roundabouts clear at the Oct. 6 Isanti City Council meeting when presented with traff…
The Best Western Plus in Isanti has received the Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Director’s Award for yielding outstanding quality standards. The Director’s Award recognizes Best Western hotels scoring in the top 20 percent of more than 2,100 North American properties in quality assuranc…
Cambridge Medical Center (CMC) has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Silver Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment accordi…
A five-car, chain reaction collision at the Highway 65 stoplights in Isanti on Friday, Oct. 9, resulted in a Braham woman losing her life, along with one other victim receiving life-threatening injuries.
Cambridge Surplus Food Distribution will be distributing food at the Isanti County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 2 to 5 p.m., or until food runs out. Participants are asked to not arrive before 1 p.m. and to not park on Highway 95 and wait. Registration will take place from peoples’ …
The Minnesota Department of Health will be setting up a free COVID testing station at the Cambridge Armed Forces Reserve Center from noon until 6 p.m. Oct. 21-22.
As the deadline for government bodies to spend their CARES Act money dedicated to them in response to the financial hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly approaches, the City of Cambridge is looking at ways to make sure they are able to utilize every single penny of that money. During t…
A resilient staff, a loyal board, and faithful volunteers - all giving support to homeless families in new ways - has kept New Pathways, which is an organization based in Cambridge whose mission is to “build a stronger community by providing shelter and support services to families with chi…
A few years ago, a group of first and second graders from Discovery School in Buffalo visited my courtroom. Well, it certainly is not my courtroom because just as my position as a judge is currently my honor due to the choice of the voters in the last election, it was my courtroom on that da…
The Isanti County Sheriff’s Office is planning to restart with their monthly Triad Meetings. Triad is a free meeting for senior citizens to attend to learn about community services and programs as well as safety topics.
A new report shows that the poverty rate for residents of area counties is very different from county to county.
The M Health Fairview clinic in Pine City will close by Dec. 4.
Virtual Storytime is back, and so are your local librarians, who together with youngsters and their families will have fun, sing songs, read books and learn. Watch on the East Central Regional Library Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ecrlmn/.
Friends of the Isanti Area Library (FIAL) is having its 9th Annual Used Book Sale Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Junction Bowl in Isanti. The Sale includes about 5000 books, DVDs, and audiobooks - all donated by members of the community. You won’t want to …
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is hosting a waste pesticide collection event on Monday, Oct. 26 for those in Anoka, Hennepin, and Isanti counties. Through this free event, homeowners, businesses, and farmers can safely dispose of unwanted and unusable pesticides.
The COVID- 19 pandemic has affected the financial stability of everyone, and the local ice arena has not been excluded. Isanti Ice Arena, a privately owned nonprofit organization, has felt the hardship of the last several months.
It might have taken many years to reach the groundbreaking of the Cambridge Veterans Memorial Park, but once that happened, it took mere months to completely make over a vacant lot at 207 Birch Street South into a glorious way to recognize and remember area veterans.
All throughout the COVID pandemic, North Branch Finance Director Joseph Starks has been giving very positive updates on the city’s finances, despite the economic hardship predicted by many and experienced by some. During the Sept. 22 city council meeting, Starks provided further proof of thi…
Let’s go on a scavenger hunt together! Isanti County Public Health and Cambridge Medical Center are sponsoring a community-wide scavenger hunt. This free and fun activity is open for anyone to participate and can be done anytime between October 1 and 31. Participants are encouraged to walk o…
Out of concern over the spread of COVID-19, the annual “Hayride for Food” is being transformed into a “drive-thru” event, which will take place Oct 3 and 4 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Cub Foods.
Editor’s note: In lieu of not being featured in the 2020 General Election Guide that ran in the Sept. 17 edition of the Isanti-Chisago County Star, local candidates who are running unopposed were invited to submit their own information. Below is current North Branch City Council Candidate Am…
Editor’s note: In lieu of not being featured in the 2020 General Election Guide that ran in the Sept. 17 edition of the Isanti-Chisago County Star, local candidates who are running unopposed were invited to submit their own information. Below is current North Branch City Council Member Kelly…
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 4,670 new cases of breast cancer in Minnesota in 2020.
Question: My family and I have concerns about crosswalk safety due to traffic not stopping and pedestrians not knowing what to do. Can you share how best to navigate such a crosswalk for both motorists and pedestrians?
Allina Health is teaming up with Free Bikes 4 Kidz for the 10th year in a row to collect donated bicycles for kids in need throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
The East Central Regional Library system recently added more take-home educational kits that make learning fun for a variety of age groups.
The Minnesota Department of Health reported the first confirmed death of an Isanti County resident due to COVID-19.
Following a tumultuous 2020, North Branch City Council member Brian Voss has stepped down from his seat on the council.
After a couple months of pecking around to come up with an ideal ordinance, the Cambridge City Council during its Sept. 21 meeting unanimously approved allowing chickens to be kept on properties within city limits.
Despite attending the Sept. 15 Isanti City Council meeting and pleading his case, the council again split the vote in denying a variance for a garage being built by Scott Zimprich. The motion was to deny the variance, with Mayor Jeff Johnson and council members Dan Collison and Steve Lundeen…
Since larger gatherings are still discouraged due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both North 65 Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters of Chisago County and North Branch Area Community Education are holding virtual candidate forums in order for voters to obtain needed information on th…
The Isanti County Board adopted its 2021 preliminary budget and levy at its meeting Sept. 16. The total preliminary budget is set at approximately $51.5 million, with a levy of approximately $24.5 million.
Viking Vittles is back this year serving students PK-5 with bags of food that are sent home the last day of school each week. This is available to any child who signs up for the program; there are no qualifications. Viking Vittles is available at the Education Center, Sunrise River School,…
Enjoy a lively virtual discussion with four multi-genre, Minnesota Book Award-winning authors on Saturday, Sept. 26th, from 9:30-11 a.m. The authors will include Michael Hall, Bao Phi, Laura Purdie Salas and Joyce Sidman.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesota has been one of the states that makes voting extremely simple – allowing same-day registration on election day, allowing registered neighbors to vouch for residency when registering to vote if someone does not have another way to prove residency, …
Even after Main Street Flats opened a couple years ago, there has continued to be a lack of rental apartments within the City of Cambridge. However, if everything goes according to plans, that problem will be lessened in the relatively near future, while at the same time allowing the city to…
Amid much financial anxiety surrounding the COVID-related recession, the North Branch Area School Board was able to deliver a little bit of good news courtesy of Finance Director Todd Tetzlaff.
Ever since a state of emergency was declared due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local governments have enacted their own emergency declarations allowing for, among other things, city staff or council members to participate in meetings remotely from home without violating the open meeting laws. Th…
Ada Schlenker and Alyson Neibur celebrate a come-from-behind win during the Maddy Nelson Memorial Cornhole Tournament, held at the Isanti Rodeo Grounds on Saturday, Sept. 12. The annual tournament raises money for the Maddy Nelson Memorial Foundation, which raises money for student scholarsh…
Allina Health clinics now have the new influenza vaccine available. Everyone is urged to get a vaccine, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Allina Health patients need to make an appointment at their clinic to get the vaccine. If they already have an appointment for another reason, they…
Teachers at Cambridge Primary School received a delivery of school supplies from East Central Energy (ECE). Known as Teacher Totes, the items were donated by ECE in partnership with CoBank, a financial cooperative that supports the work of co-ops nationwide through their Sharing Success program.
Small business owners and nonprofit organizations in the City of Isanti will have access to small grants, administered by the city, due to excess funds received by the city as part of the CARES Act.
Kindergarten teachers lead students from “Group B” into the Cambridge Primary School on Wednesday, Sept. 9. All of the schools in the C-I district are beginning the first two weeks in a hybrid model, resulting in two “first” days of school. Unless the COVID situation changes in Isanti Count…
The Isanti County Board of Commissioners has decided to help “spread the wealth” of their CARES Act funding to an area that so far, hasn’t garnered as much support, but is still suffering just as much as, if not more, than local businesses.
