Black bear attacks man, dog in northern Minnesota

A man and a his dog were attacked by a black bear outside their northern Minnesota home on Monday. The Minnesota DNR tells Bring Me The News that the incident happened in the early hours of Monday at a home in Solway Township when a man let his dogs out of the house. A short time later, a bear had attacked and pinned one of the dogs to the ground, with the man running up to the bear and kicking it to get it off the dog.

The bear then “bit the man,” the DNR said, but neither man nor dog were seriously injured, with both suffering puncture wounds, with the bear fleeing into a nearby tree. The bear had left the property by the time a DNR conservation officer arrived at the home. The man declined medical care at the scene, and plans to bring the dog to a veterinarian for a check. “This appears to have been a defensive on the bear’s part,” the DNR said. “It may have been attracted to bird feeders on the property and startled when the dogs were let outside.”

The DNR said homeowners living around bears should remove potential food sources including bird feeders. It also suggests flipping an exterior light on and “making a little noise” before letting dogs out in the yard at night so a bear isn’t surprised by mistake.

Source: Black bear attacks man, dog in northern Minnesota – Bring Me The News

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!”
Matthew 21:9

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Older article but awesome; Photographer captures rare white loon in Canada

Waterfowl on lakes and rivers are a common sight. But it’s the not-so-common loon that when seen in person is often the apple of a photographer’s eye, especially for Chris Whitty. “I’ve been taking pictures of loons and birds on the various lakes for a long time,” he said. Capturing wildlife on camera is one of his favorite hobbies, usually involving a trek to a remote lake in British Columbia, Canada. Loons frequent this area, some even nesting, but there’s a “white whale” of sorts always on his mind.

White loon spotted in Canada Chris Whitty

“If you go out looking for something in my experience, you’re not going to find it. It’s kind of the surprise,” he said. That’s precisely what happened on a spring morning. Whitty did his typical weekend trip to a lake. “I’m like, ‘oh there’s a couple loons’ and then I’m like, ‘oh my god it’s the white one’,” he said. Four years after first seeing it, the elusive white and gray feathered loon was back at his favorite photo spot. After hastily getting out of his car to the point where he forgot to put it in park, Whitty grabbed his canoe and glided across the water like the great northern diver in his lens. “What I like to do is I paddle slowly and quietly and get in the angle for the light and then just stop and then just watch, and they just tolerated me for quite a while,” Whitty said, estimating he took pictures of the white loon among other loons for at least an hour.

White loon glides across the water in Canada Chris Whitty

Dale Gentry, the director of conservation for Audubon Upper Mississippi River, said it’s shocking to see a loon with such a color. “I’ve never seen one in person, and I’ve only seen pictures on the internet,” said Gentry. “Albinism and a leucistic bird, they have some sort of genetic change that influences the genes that code for a pigment in their feathers called melanin.” When an animal is albino it cannot produce melanin, which gives an animal its color. Therefore, it’s white. Leucism is when an animal lacks some melanin, making it partially white or gray. “It’s much more common for birds to have little patches of white feathers,” said Gentry. “But for the entire bird to be in sort of leucistic plumage is less common.” He estimates 1 in 30,000 birds is leucistic. That only adds to the rarity that a loon, known for its strikingly black plumage, would carry the opposite color. “A number of questions pop for me about the bird,” Gentry said. He wonders if it has a mate and how it is received by the loon community given its different appearance.

White loon takes flight after being spotted in Canada Chris Whitty

If the white loon does mate, Gentry said the leucistic trait could be passed down. The trait however could be recessive, meaning the chicks would still have their normal dark color. Whether it has offspring or not, the chances Minnesotans would learn that in person are slim to none. “I think something like 97% of North America’s loons nest in Canada so we’re kind of an outlier (in Minnesota),” Gentry said. Whitty said birders have begged him to keep the lake’s location a secret, that way it doesn’t get flooded with photographers. It’s a request he’s happy to oblige, even if the encounter is truly up to nature to decide. “It’s funny, you go looking, you won’t find it,” he said.

Source: Photographer captures rare white loon in Canada – CBS Minnesota

To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
Proverbs 21:3

Hunted for Following Jesus

In some communities, Muslims who leave Islam to follow Christ face rejection, threats, violence, and even death because of their faith. For Muslim-background believers, choosing to follow…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Boundary Waters wilderness burning at U.S

a sunset over a lake with clouds in the sky

Wildfires flared earlier this week and destroyed thousands of acres in Manitoba, Ontario, and Minnesota, with many of the fires straddling the U.S.-Canadian border. The Western Fire Chiefs’ map on Thursday afternoon tracked at least 17 wildfires in Minnesota, and at least 10 in Canada, near the border. The largest in Canada covered over 70,600 acres, while the largest Minnesota fire spread over 13,500 acres. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area, or BWCA, a popular wilderness area stretching 1 million acres on either side of the border, has been hit extremely hard.

Nearby residents posted videos showing the plumes of smoke covering the sky, with one local posting he hasn’t slept since watching his home burn. What caused the fires? Officials reported that a downed power line caused at least one fire in Minnesota, while at least one other resulted from an abandoned campfire in Manitoba, Canada. Officials reported that at least one other fire sparked during a lightning storm, and several other fires have undetermined causes. The fires have spread due to area dryness and record-high heat in the region. What steps have been taken? Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency and activated the National Guard, while rangers evacuated the BWCA. Forest officials estimated that up to 10,000 campers and canoers were within the park when evacuation orders were issued.

As of Tuesday, at least 17 people were rescued with no injuries reported. State and federal firefighters worked to contain the fires via land and air efforts. The BWCA will remain closed until at least Friday, the first time it has closed in 45 years, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune. Authorities ordered evacuations from nearby residential areas to keep locals out of the fire’s path. Fernberg Road in Minnesota has been evacuated, which has raised concerns as it is the only road in or out of Ely, Minn., the entrance to the BWCA area. MPR News released a video showing some of the evacuation efforts in the BWCA. Where else is affected? New York Gov. Kathy Hochul released a statement on Thursday morning warning New Yorkers that smoke from the fires would continue blanketing the Empire State. She expected air quality to worsen and unhealthy air conditions to spread across the state.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a similar statement on Thursday, instructing residents to stay inside whenever possible. Air quality levels across the state ranged between very unhealthy and hazardous, she reported. Wisconsin officials also issued an air quality advisory on Thursday due to wildfire smoke, suggesting residents wear N95 respirator masks and program air conditioning units to recirculate indoor air.

Source: Boundary Waters wilderness burning at U.S-Canada border | WORLD

You, O LORD, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation.
Lamentations 5:19

Powerful earthquake shakes Panama

A major earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 has struck Panama, according to the US Geological Survey. Local media are reporting structural damage in some parts of the country.…

Keep reading

Plague in Russia?

Russian authorities have sought to allay global worries over the death of a young woman who worked at a Siberian anti-plague laboratory. But moves to isolate her contacts and introduce…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Minnesota is enjoying a “boring” mosquito season thus far. Here’s what’s keeping them under control for now.

mosquito on human skin

If you’ve noticed fewer mosquitoes so far this year, you’re not imagining it.  “Boring year so far,” said Alex Carlson, public affairs manager with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District. He says dry conditions have prevented many of the floodwater mosquitoes that typically dominate Minnesota summers from hatching. “The end of the winter had a very low snowpack, so we didn’t see a lot of flooding in the early spring, and then it’s been very dry through most of May and early June so far,” Carlson said. Floodwater mosquitoes, which typically make up the bulk of Minnesota’s mosquito population, rely on rainfall and standing water to hatch.

“When we don’t get those rains, those eggs just build up and they don’t hatch,” Carlson said. Not all mosquitoes have disappeared, however. “There are some species that are not as dependent on rain that will still be out in regular numbers,” Carlson said. Still, the species most people encounter have remained well below normal. The district monitors traps throughout the seven-county metro area, and last week’s collections have shown significantly fewer mosquitoes than usual. “The average across the district was about 15 times below the 10-year average for that particular week,” Carlson said. Despite the slow start, experts say mosquito season is far from over. “There’s always time for mosquitos to come back,” Carlson said. Rain in the weeks ahead could quickly change the outlook. “If we do see rains in the coming weeks then those numbers will start to rebound,” Carlson said. The district says residents can help limit mosquito breeding by removing standing water around their homes, including in buckets, bird baths and other containers where mosquitoes can lay eggs.

Source: Minnesota is enjoying a “boring” mosquito season thus far. Here’s what’s keeping them under control for now. – CBS Minnesota

Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You.
Psalm 38:9

For God so Loved the World

“God loved you enough to send His Son, Jesus loved you enough to give His life, and through faith, you are offered a hope this world can never…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Northern Minnesota wildfire prompts evacuations near Burntside Lake

photo of burning forest

Officials ordered residents to evacuate Monday afternoon as crews work to extinguish a wildfire in northern Minnesota. The U.S. Forest Service says the fire is located in the Superior National Forest northwest of the North Arm of the Burntside Lake area, approximately eight miles northwest of Ely. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said agencies initially responded to the report of black smoke coming from the north side of Birch Bay on Burntside Lake around 2:56 p.m. Evacuations are in effect in the area of Lindskog Road and the southernmost part of North Arm Road in Morse Township as a precaution, according to the sheriff’s office. On Monday afternoon and evening, fire personnel and aircraft were responding to the fire, which is estimated to be 30 acres in size. The sheriff’s office says the Forest Service will monitor it overnight and firefighting efforts will start again on Tuesday morning. As of Monday night, no structures have been lost as a result of the blaze.

Source: Northern Minnesota wildfire prompts evacuations near Burntside Lake – CBS Minnesota

By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2 Peter 1:4

2 Timothy 3:12 

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted Paul was reminding Timothy that following Christ does not guarantee an easy life. When we choose to live our…

Keep reading

John 15:18–20

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not…

Keep reading

Galatians 1:6-10

“When truth becomes negotiable, faith becomes vulnerable so know the Gospel, stand on God’s Word, and seek His approval above the world’s applause.” “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him…

Keep reading

Isaiah 45:2

“I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, This verse reminds us that God…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Lynx Caught on Video in Northern Minnesota

a canada lynx in close up shot

They captured a lot of really neat lynx footage this past fall and winter! They are just such ethereal looking creatures, and its always a highlight when they get footage of them, especially in the daylight. They were going to make a video sharing their best lynx footage from the fall and winter but the video ended up being really long so they split it in two!

This is the first video and they will share the second one soon! Enjoy! Learn more about the Voyageurs Wolf Project: Website: http://www.voyageurswolfproject.org

Source: Incredible footage of lynx in northern Minnesota

Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool.
Proverbs 10:18

How to Prepare for Christ’s Return Amid Global Turmoil

The world is searching for answers as fear, confusion, wars, disasters, and moral darkness continue to increase. But long before today’s headlines, Jesus warned humanity that these things would come, and He told believers not to fear, but to be ready. The Bible made it clear that right before the return of Jesus Christ, the…

Come to Me: Finding Rest in Jesus When Life Feels Heavy

You are not defined by the weight you carry. The One who bore the cross now offers His strength in exchange for your weariness. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 In this verse Jesus speaks directly to people carrying burdens they cannot carry…

Maryland State Police intern helps rescue injured bald eagle from roadway

A Maryland State Police intern found himself on an incredible, unexpected assignment this week.  The department posted two photos on social media Friday, showing Centreville Barrack intern Jackson Roach holding a bald eagle.  State police said Roach joined Trooper A. Setter and an off-duty law enforcement officer in removing the injured bird from the area…

Proverbs 21:23

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. This verse emphasizes that people who carefully watch what they say will protect themselves from serious trouble. “Guarding your mouth and tongue” means seriously thinking before you speak instead of letting every thought fly out. Angry words, gossip, lies, or careless comments can…

Slow to Speak: The Secret to Wise Reactions

Talk less, listen more, because wisdom speaks after it understands, not before. If you want stronger relationships and real influence, master this: control your tongue, calm your anger, and lead with quiet strength. Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. James 1:19 Offense often comes from rushed reactions. God…

F-16 fighter jet crashes in residential area in northern Michigan

A U.S. F-16 fighter jet pilot safely ejected before the aircraft crashed in northern Michigan on Thursday afternoon, officials said. The incident occurred in Grand Traverse County when the jet “experienced an incident” during a routine training mission, a spokesperson for the Texas Military Department said. Michael Kroll, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Military…

Serving Like Jesus: Redefining Leadership in Faith

Real leadership isn’t about power, it’s about serving like Jesus, even when it costs your pride. If you want to live out authentic Christian faith, start by lowering yourself and lifting others.  Bible Verse: “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” — John 13:14…

The Power of Surrender: Embracing God’s Will

Jesus teaches us to trust God’s plan, even when it’s painful. Surrendering our will allows God to work in ways we cannot understand.  Bible Verse:“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”— Luke 22:42 In Gethsemane, Jesus faced overwhelming sorrow and pressure, yet He chose…

Psalm 5:8

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. In the verse David is praying in the morning while people who hate him are watching, hoping he will mess up. We can see that he does not first ask God to destroy his enemies. Instead, he asks…

Colorado Parks and Wildlife relocates mountain lion spotted in neighborhood tree

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers were called to investigate a mountain lion that had decided to climb a tree in Westminster on Tuesday and hang out for a while. Westminster police said they received a call about the mountain lion in the tree before 11 a.m. Officers closed Eaton Street between 112th Avenue and 113th…

Firefighters reunite with dog they rescued from Pasadena house fire

A Pasadena family’s dog reunited with his rescuers, who pulled him out of a house fire that nearly killed him last week. Owner Fernando said he was out of the country when his wife and kids left their 6-year-old sheltie Milo home alone while they ran some errands. They said a delivery person who happened…

Bear calls rise around Lake Tahoe as California, Nevada take different approaches

Bear-related calls are on the rise around the Lake Tahoe region, with South Lake Tahoe police reporting 174 calls so far this year, compared with 97 during the same period last year. But because Lake Tahoe spans California and Nevada, how officials respond to bears can look very different depending on which side of the…

3 bear cubs break into man’s San Bernardino County mountain cabin

A man had a close encounter with a trio of bears that broke into his cabin in the San Bernardino County mountains. After hearing his little, old hard-of-hearing dogs barking, Thomas Vander Wende woke up and went outside his cabin at Green Valley Lake. That’s when he came face-to-face with a bear cub crawling down…

Climber rescued at California’s Mount Shasta after crawling to shelter overnight

A Mount Shasta climber was airlifted to a hospital after sliding about 500 feet down the mountain, injuring himself and then crawling through the night to reach shelter. The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said the San Jose man reached the summit around 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10 while climbing the Avalanche Gulch route. His cellphone died…

More evacuations lifted as containment grows on Lucas Fire in Northern California

A growing number of residents in two Northern California counties have been allowed to return home as firefighters increased containment on the Lucas Fire burning near the Mendocino National Forest. As of Tuesday afternoon, the fire burned 4,128 acres and is 35% contained, according to Cal Fire. The fire started Thursday morning near the Lake…

Finding Strength in God’s Presence Amidst Chaos

When taking the next step you are never alone.  Bible Verse:And the Lord who is your leader, he himself will be with thee: he will not leave thee, nor forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 When you are surrounded by all of the chaos, the noise and you never seem like you…

Police in Algeria Arrest 12 Christians during Worship

Special force police in Algeria raided a worship service at a humanitarian shelter on Sept. 4, arresting all 12 Christians present on suspicion of holding an unauthorized, non-Muslim religious service, sources said. The House of Refuge shelter in L’Ayaida, 36 kilometers (22 miles) east of Oran, serves as a haven and restoration center for vulnerable…

Mother injured after fighting off coyote that attacked 4-year-old daughter

An Arizona mother is recovering after she was attacked by a coyote that initially went after her 4-year-old daughter, reports AZFamily. Brittany Cardinal of Surprise, Arizona, was left with puncture wounds and lacerations on her face after the attack Sunday afternoon. She told the outlet that, before the attack, she and her daughter were outside…

Muslim Shoots Christian Woman to Death in Pakistan

A married, 21-year-old Christian woman was shot dead inside her home in Rawalpindi last week by a Muslim neighbor whose advances she had rejected, reflecting an attitude among many Pakistan Muslims that crimes against Christians will go unpunished, sources said. Saba Mehboob, who separated from her husband a year ago, was shot in the forehead…

Maryland boy recovering from surgeries after rabid beaver attack at state park

A 13-year-old Maryland boy is reported to be recovering from multiple surgeries and nerve damage after being attacked by a rabid beaver. The teen, Dominick Cebula, was swimming at a popular spot in Cunningham Falls state park in Thurmont, Maryland, on 26 July when a beaver attacked his chest underwater, a relatively rare kind of…

Christian Teen Beaten for Protecting Women in Pakistan

A 17-year-old Christian man named Ikhlaq Masih was severely beaten by a mob in Nasrat Colony, a town in Ajnianwala, Sheikhupura, Pakistan, where many Christians reside.  Masih works making pizzas at a restaurant, while his father, Saleem, works at a brick kiln and his mother, Zakriya, is a homemaker. The modest family has limited financial resources…

Bahraich leopard attacks: boy killed, girl injured as floods push animals into villages

A nine-year-old boy was killed and a three-year-old girl was injured in two separate leopard attacks in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, forest officials said on Tuesday. The officials said cases of wild animals entering populated areas have risen in different parts of the district because of flooding. In one attack, Rajveer, 9, was mauled by…

Embrace Faith: God’s Help in Life’s Challenges

You don’t have to carry this alone, He is your safe place and your help in every moment of need.  Bible Verse:God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 God is your refuge when everything feels unstable. When your body is tired…

Embracing Grace: Overcoming Past Mistakes

You may feel like your past disqualifies you, but God specializes in rewriting broken stories. No failure is stronger than His mercy, and no sin is beyond His reach. “Though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,  and the grace of our…

Understanding Bible Prophecy: God’s Sovereign Timeline

The God who created time is not controlled by time, He rules over it. Every prophecy fulfilled is proof that history is not random, but written by the hand of a sovereign God. Grandpa’s Wisdom The room was quiet except for the ticking of an old clock on the wall. There was a young man…

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Video shows deer breaking into Minnesota Montessori school

Fierce stag with large antlers standing on a forest trail in autumn with misty mountains in the background

School was not in session over the holiday weekend, but a four-legged friend still managed to pay a visit to a Zimmerman, Minnesota, Montessori school. The entire incident lasted less than 10 minutes, but left Prairie Hill Montessori with a shattered door and quite the story to tell. “We got a call, we were up at our cabin… I was more concerned about the deer, which is just the way I am,” said Katherine Curtis, the school’s owner and instructor. Curtis says the entire moment was caught on CCTV. It shows the deer break through a tempered glass door before tearing through the building, knocking items off shelves and attempting to exit through another door.

Eventually, a local sheriff’s deputy responded and was able to shoo the deer out the door. “We were all like amazed at how fast it all happened. Actually, how fast the sheriff was able to get here,” Curtis said. On Tuesday, Curtis was using the incident as a teaching moment. The school had painted a life-size deer on the boarded-up door, and students were coloring deer photos. “All of the children came in this morning and reported to me what happened,” she said. “It’s unique. It’s something we can remember for years and we’ll have the video.

Source: Video shows deer breaking into Minnesota Montessori school – CBS Minnesota

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Wildfire near Breezy Point grows to 1,600 acres in northern Minnesota, DNR identifies “people of interest”

fire in forest

A wildfire roaring about 10 miles east of Breezy Point, Minnesota, has grown to over 1,600 acres, officials said in a Tuesday morning update. According to the Minnesota Incident Command System, the Flanders Fire is now nearly 60% contained. Crews have been working since the weekend to contain the flames. The Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday that it has found the origin of the fire and identified “people of interest.” County Road 11, which was closed between Cross Lake and State Highway 6 is now reopened. However officials are asking that the public avoid the general area unless absolutely necessary.  Evacuation orders will be lifted at noon and residents will be permitted to return to their homes.  Roughly 140 crew members have been assessing hazardous trees and tempering hot spots.

The Crow Wing County sheriff’s drone team was also able to launch drones in order to better map the flames from the air. Officials announced Monday evening that the other major wildfire from over the weekend, near Two Harbors, has been completely contained. At least 34 structures were lost in the 356-acre wildfire. Gov. Tim Walz toured the damage on Monday. “These fires have disrupted communities and forced evacuations, but the coordinated response across local, state, and federal partners has made a real difference,” he said.

Source: Wildfire near Breezy Point grows to 1,600 acres in northern Minnesota, DNR identifies “people of interest” – CBS Minnesota

And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Matthew 27:28-29

A study of the Mesha Stele

The Mesha Stele, also famously known as the Moabite Stone, is a 3-foot-tall black basalt monument dating back to circa 840 BCE. It is one of the most vital archaeological discoveries connecting…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Wildfire-hit residents in northern Minnesota can now return home to assess damage

Residents of Minnesota’s North Shore can now return home to assess damage caused by wildfires, according to the Minnesota Incident Command System. The Stewart Trail Fire near Two Harbors is now fully contained after scorching hundreds of acres, but command system officials day crews are still working in the area.  Mattie Taylor was celebrating her birthday when she received a special gift on Tuesday: an alert that she could come home. “We got to come in yesterday for about three hours, and so we were really hopeful that we would get to come in today,” Taylor said.  Taylor and her husband pulled into their driveway to see burnt ground surrounding their property. “I’m really grateful to be back, and it’s sad to look at all this destruction. But I’m optimistic that in time, it’ll all just be more beautiful,” Taylor said.

Source: Wildfire-hit residents in northern Minnesota can now return home to assess damage – CBS Minnesota

For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:6

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Minnesota governor declares peacetime emergency, activates National Guard for wildfire response

national guard soldiers on duty outdoors

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Sunday declared a peacetime emergency and mobilized the National Guard to help battle several major wildfires in the state. In Crow Wing County, the Flanders Fire has grown to an estimated 1,200 acres. As of Sunday morning, it is 0% contained. Another fire, several miles north of Two Harbors, has burned more than 350 acres and is 30% contained. “Unpredictable and fast-moving wildfires are putting Minnesota communities at risk,” Walz said.

“This emergency declaration ensures we can fully mobilize the resources needed to protect lives, support evacuations, and help communities respond and recover. I’m grateful to the firefighters, members of the Minnesota National Guard, and all our first responders working around the clock to keep Minnesotans safe.” Walz says the peacetime emergency will remain in effect “until emergency conditions subside” or on June 7, whichever happens first.

Source: Minnesota governor declares peacetime emergency, activates National Guard for wildfire response – CBS Minnesota

By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.
Proverbs 13:10

Finding Truth and Life in Jesus

In a world filled with competing voices, confusing paths, and endless distractions, Jesus doesn’t simply show us the way He declares, ‘I am the way.’ When everything around you tries…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Wildfires in northern Minnesota spreading to hundreds of acres

blazing fire in the forest

It’s a desperate fight— on the ground and in the air— against the spread of massive, destructive wildfires in northern Minnesota. The Flanders wildfire near Breezy Point is the largest— 1500 acres and growing, with zero containment.     “You know, it’s an incredible amount of destruction we’ve seen in the last couple of days,” says Jason Metsa, owner of Pelican Lake Resort on Norway Point. “Things are primed for the forests up here to be a tinderbox right now.” Crow Wing County officials have called for some residents to evacuate their homes; others are on standby. Meanwhile, Metsa shared several videos with KSTP, showing flames just off Nett Lake Road in rural Orr, Minnesota.

What began as a grass fire, possibly sparked off by a fallen power line— expanded to ten acres.

“We just ran into the fire, started stomping stuff out and the DNR showed up with some water,” Metsa says. “Several minutes later and we were able to scotch that one out and make sure it didn’t take off.”

“We could see it jump the road and it was climbing the trees, and it was a mile south of us,” recalls Lara Coyer.

She and her husband Ross are owners of the Cabin O’Pines resort, on the south side of Pelican Lake.

“There were forty-foot, fifty-foot balsam and pine trees that were completely engulfed,” Ross Coyer says. “That’s the critical moment. When we saw those flames, we knew it was very serious.”

The couple says they were preparing to evacuate about twenty guests, when firefighters arrived.

“That first truck if they had not turned up and got it when it went to the other side of the road and doused it straight away, we’d be having a very different conversation right now,” Lara Coyer declares.  

At the Stewart Trail fire in the Two Harbors area, there are 108 firefighters on the line.

Aircraft are dropping water and fire retardant, even as about 375 acres remain on fire, with zero containment.

“Team crews of firefighters have been working on putting in hand lines, which remove vegetation down to the soil level so the fire can’t burn across it,” explains Karen Harrison, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Incident Command System.

Source: Wildfires in northern Minnesota spreading to hundreds of acres – KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
Exodus 20:12

Hope in the dark

Pip: A mountain village, a wandering stranger, a mother weaving a basket by the river — Drink of Jesus has been building a world where ancient scripture lands like it’s…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Wildfire burns around 100 acres in northeastern Minnesota; evacuations advised

burning bonfire with sparkles in darkness

Crews are working to put out a wildfire in Lake County that has burned around 100 acres, the Minnesota Incident Command System said Friday night. The blaze, identified by the agency as the Stewart Trail Fire, was detected on Friday afternoon near Lake County Highway 3 and Highway 61, north of Two Harbors, Minnesota. Officials said in a Facebook post at 8:27 p.m. that the fire was 0% contained and that multiple local, state and federal agencies were responding to it.  “

Firefighters are working to establish a containment line around the fire with handlines and heavy equipment, such as dozers, and are expected to remain engaged overnight as conditions permit,” the agency said in the social media post Friday. Evacuations have been advised between where the fire was first detected and Castle Danger Brewery, according to a map created by county officials. Officials said Highway 61 at Highway 2 and West Castle Danger Road in Lake County were closed Friday night due to the blaze, and Betty’s Pies, a popular restaurant in Two Harbors, posted on social media that it closed early on Friday. 

Source: Wildfire burns around 100 acres in northeastern Minnesota; evacuations advised – CBS Minnesota

With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Isaiah 26:9

God as Your Ever-Present Help

You don’t have to carry this alone, He is your safe place and your help in every moment of need.  Bible Verse:God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very…

Keep reading

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

1 killed, 3 injured in boat crash on Lake Vermilion

aerial view of fisherman on boat

One person was killed and three others were hurt in a boat crash on a northern Minnesota lake Tuesday evening, authorities said. The crash occurred near Manbeck Island on Lake Vermilion around 6:20 p.m., according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office. Multiple people were “thrown from boats and into the water,” the sheriff’s office said. One person died at the scene. Three others were taken to a nearby hospital, and one of them was subsequently flown to Duluth, Minnesota, for further care. The sheriff’s office has not publicly identified the decedent. The crash is being investigated. This marked the second fatality on a northern Minnesota lake on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, a college student drowned after a boat capsized on Little Emily Lake, about 130 miles southwest of Lake Vermilion.

Source: 1 killed, 3 injured in boat crash on Lake Vermilion – CBS Minnesota

Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.
Genesis 9:11

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Visitors travel for miles to see Carley State Park’s wildflowers

blue bell flowers in close up shot

There’s a place in Wabasha County, Minnesota, where people go wild for wildflowers. Each spring, Carley State Park, one of the smallest in the state, draws thousands of flower-seeking visitors. “Bluebells are absolutely what people come to Carley to see,” said Jeremy Darst, interpretive naturalist for the park. The bluebells are nature’s handiwork, and here you’ll find clusters of them as far as the eye can see. Even among the vivid purple, pink and white wildflowers, bluebells stand out, though their time is short. It’s estimated that 50 solid acres of the park is covered in bluebells. And approximately one out of 10,000 of these wildflowers turns out to be white.

After they get pollinated, the bluebells essentially turn into seeds for next year’s bloom. As a flower, they are fleeting, which is why visitors come from across the state to see them. “I’ve been coming here since 1978 just to see the bluebells,” said Rex Lane of Rochester. Karla and Tim Kuisle and their dog Juno traveled from Northfield to catch the bloom. “We looked it up and thought, oh, it’s only an hour. Let’s go check it out,” said Tim Kuisle. Their beauty is aided by the May sun and a light breeze. It’s Mother Nature’s way of saying it’s okay to stop and smell the flowers. “This is kind of a reminder to slow down and breathe in the beauty that nature provides. I think that we get very busy and sometimes we need a reason to go out and really soak nature back in,” said Darst.

Source: Visitors travel for miles to see Carley State Park’s wildflowers – CBS Minnesota

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:36

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Red flag warning issued in central, northwestern Minnesota Friday afternoon

aerial view of wildfire in south african grassland

A red flag warning will go into effect Friday afternoon in northwestern and central Minnesota due to extreme fire risk conditions, the state’s Department of Natural Resources says. The warning is issued for 24 counties and will last from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

The impacted counties include: Becker, Benton, Cass, Chippewa, Clay, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Mahnomen, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Norman, Otter Tail, Pope, Sherburne, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Wadena and Wilkin.

The DNR says it will not issue or activate burning permits during that time, and will dissuade people from starting campfires. Residents are also encouraged to check any recent burn sites to ensure the fires are completely out. “Fine fuels, such as grass and small twigs, can dry out quickly when the relative humidity is so low and wind pick up,” said Karen Harrison, DNR wildfire prevention specialist. “These fine fuels can easily ignite and start a wildfire that spreads quickly.”

Source: Red flag warning issued in central, northwestern Minnesota Friday afternoon – CBS Minnesota

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Cougar reproduction noted in Minnesota for first time in modern era

tender moment between cougar and cub

Researchers with the Voyageurs Wolf Project made a historic finding this spring on a different species of large carnivore – they captured the first modern-era evidence of cougar reproduction in Minnesota. As part of its study on white-tailed deer survival and mortality in northern Minnesota, on March 25, 2026 VWP staff placed trail cameras near a deer that had recently been killed and covered with leaves. The “caching” behavior is common among large wildcats, which come back to feed at the site. The researchers were able to find the deer carcass via signals from a GPS collar they placed on the animal in January. The researchers suspected the kill was made by a bobcat, the most common large feline in the region, but also knew there was a chance it was from a cougar, said Thomas Gable, VWP leader. To find out VWP staff placed two trail cameras at the site.

Source: Cougar reproduction noted in Minnesota for first time in modern era

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.