Despite the late spring, worrying avid anglers that ice-out on lakes would never come, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports most large lakes in the area have lost their icy coating.

Before grabbing those poles and lures, however, take a look at the new regulations, new license fees and status of local lakes.

Mille Lacs Lake received special attention this year and will be subject to the following restrictions:

•Walleye less than 18 inches or greater than 20 inches must be released immediately. One walleye more than 28 inches in length may be harvested. Possession limit is two fish, with only one more than the 28 inch limit.

•Northern pike between 33 and 40 inches must be released immediately. Possession limit is three fish, with only one over 40 inches. No spearing.

•Smallmouth bass between 17 and 20 inches must be released immediately. Possession limit is six, with only one over 20 inches.

•Tullibee (northern cisco) possession limit is 10 fish.

•Night closure: No one may fish for any species or possess fishing gear on the lake from 10 p.m. through 6 a.m., beginning 10 p.m. Monday, May 13, and ending at 12:01 a.m. June 10.

New regulations for 2013

•New angling license options and prices: youth ages 16 and 17 will need to purchase a license for $5; a 72-hour state resident license will cost $12; a three-year license, good for March 2013 through Feb 2016 costs $63.

•Some rough fish species may be taken from infested rivers and used as bait.

•New winter season dates for stream trout lakes inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

•Gasoline powered motors allowed while bow fishing.

•Fish house identification not required for occupied portable shelters.

•Seniors age 65-89 now need a spearing license.

•Walleye and northern pike taken from some waters may not be filleted prior to transport.

•When ice fishing, bait water does not need to be exchanged.

•It is unlawful to chum for fish.

•Importing live minnows into Minnesota is unlawful.

For a complete and more detailed list of new fishing regulations, visit www.dnr.state.mn.us.

For the full story, see the Thursday, May 9 print edition of the Times.

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“This is a ‘hats-off’ to all the men and women who work hard every day for our communities,” Mille Lacs County Sheriff Brent Lindgren said. “The governing bodies, task forces, cooperative agreements, dedicated assignments of personnel, area partnerships and contacts developed over time have shown positive results.”

The report indicated that, overall, combined clearance rates of crime by area law enforcement agencies in the county for serious Part 1 crime and serious Part 2 crime have gradually increased during the past 10 years. Clearance rate refers to charging and prosecuting suspects. Part 1 crimes are murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle thefts and arson. Part 2 crimes include other assaults, forgery/counterfeiting, fraud, embezzlement, stolen property, vandalism, weapons violations, prostitution, other sex offenses, narcotics, gambling, crimes against the family/children, DUI, liquor laws, disorderly conduct and other offenses.

Part 1 and Part 2 clearance rates of crime by local police departments have increased 16 percent, from 74 percent in 2001 to 90 percent in 2011.

The Sheriff’s Office overall clearance rate of crime for Part 1 and Part 2 offenses has also increased during the same time frame, increasing from 77 percent in 2001 to 94 percent 90 in 2011 — an improvement of 13 percent.

“And we are getting better every year with ways in which to solve crime which leads to a overall increase in solve rates,” Lindgren said.

Additionally, the report found county the crime rate per 100 people has been reduced by 8.5 percent during the decade, from 20.9 in 2001 to 12.4 in 2011.

For the full story, see the Thursday, May 9 print edition of the Times.

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This year’s prom theme, “Les Tour D’or Prom,” was in the air as students embarked on the dinner and dance aboard the Stillwater Riverboat.

For more photos, see the Thursday, May 9 print edition of the Times.

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Other students were also recognized for their contributions to the band program.

For more photos, see the Thursday, May 9 print edition of the Times.

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VFW Commander Dan Sandberg said the event was a “coming out of winter — finally!” event for staff and clients.

The VFW usually conducts two or three events each year for the DAC.

“We feel the DAC organization and the people it serves are an important part of our community,” Sandberg said.

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Milaca High School drum major of 2012, Reice Golden, led the Wolves marching band at last year’s parade.

The Milaca Area Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for the annual Gateway to the Northland Parade, scheduled this year for 6 p.m. Thursday, June 20, in Milaca.

A float competition is featured again this year with prizes for best floats. Dig out those cowboy boots and round up a posse of friends to ride along in this year’s theme: Western.

Entry forms are available at the Chamber office, City Hall and the Times office and must be returned by June 6. Cost is $50 per entry for non-chamber members, $40 per entry for members, $30 per entry for nonprofit food tables (with MACC and property owner approval) and $100 for commercial food vendors (Minnesota food service license and insurance copy required with entry form).

Early registration is necessary to establish proper parade line-up. After receipt of all entry forms and fees, participants will be contacted with their numbers. Entry line up will be at 10th Street NE (entering from the east only off Highway 23). There will not be access through the industrial park streets because that is reserved for marching bands.

Food vendors wishing to sell items may do so on the parade route prior to the parade moving through. Once the parade starts, vendors may be able to sell on an owner-approved site if they have prior authorization.

Contact Tom at 320-983-3140 or info@milacachamber.com for any questions.

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Milaca Public School’s Give Me 5 students Elena Olivo, Jordan Habinger, Gina Bergantzel, Kathryn Pine, Susan Shaw, McKinzie Kilbury, Sabrina Olivo, Margo Bergantzel, Kallie Gahm, Tony VantHof, Jonathan Peterson and David Pine recently helped pack meals for Feed My Starving Children.

Milaca students involved in the Give Me 5 mentor program helped pack food at Feed My Starving Children in Coon Rapids Saturday, April 13, followed by a picnic at the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.

“When we arrived at FMSC we gathered in a large room with other volunteers and (were) given instructions as well as watched a video about where the food goes to put in perspective just why we are doing this,” Give Me 5 Director Kathy Fitschen said. “Each person was given a task either in the warehouse or directly filling the bags with food and packing it into a box. Others worked in the labeling room, preparing bags to be packed with expiration dates.”

Fitschen said it was a valuable experience for the students, and she was pleased to see they were eager to do more.

“Before we even left FMSC the kids were already asking to come back and do it again,” she said.
“The staff there made it very fun. They were encouraging and provided a fun atmosphere with music. We were in competition to pack more boxes than the first group that morning.”

The Give Me 5 group was part of a 130-person shift that filled the food packing room. Fitschen said most of the volunteers were from other groups and some were there to help a friend or family member celebrate a birthday.

“At the end of the shift we all gathered and sang ‘Happy Birthday,’” she said. “We were encouraged to sample the food we packed prepared as it would be at its destination. The kids were in agreement that it was good food.”

Along with Fitschen, Susan Shaw and Valerie Anderson were mentors for the day and helped students package the meals. The Milaca volunteers were excited to learn they had packed more than the first shift that day.

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Acceptable card carriers include Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. Digital payments can be done in person or at the city’s website at www.cityofmilaca.org.

“Once at our website, on the left sidebar there is a tab for On-Line Payment,” said Milaca’s Assistant City Clerk Deloris Katke. “Simply click on that and the system will walk you through entering your payment. If at any point you wish to opt out of making payment online, you simply click on the cancel at any time prior to finalizing your payment.”

A $3 minimum convenience fee will be applied to any payment up to $120. Payments above that amount will have a 2.45 percent convenience fee of the total. For example, if the total is $150, the fee would be $3.68. This convenience fee will show up as a separate fee on the bank statement, similar to an ATM fee. Katke was clear that the city does not collect this fee, as it goes directly to its processing agent.

Katke said the system has already been tested and she is pleased with the result.

“It actually worked great,” she said about an early April transaction. “Public Works was shutting water off at a residence for nonpayment. The people that were going to be shut off were advised to call city hall quick, so I advised them they could make their payment online or come in person. They elected to make their payment online and within 10 minutes I had an email confirmation that they had paid, so we avoided a shut off.”

Along with the added feature for convenience, the city was looking for another way to ensure residents utility services can remain as uninterrupted as possible.

“That is what we are hoping for — to send fewer disconnect notices and to hopefully avoid any shut off’s, especially in the winter,” Katke said. “We just feel that this is a convenient way for people to pay — in the convenience of their own home and at any time that is convenient for them.”

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