Benning Printing & Publishing

by Jessica White Jackson White played at Deacons Lodge on May 12. He battled the whole meet and played well. He was 4 over on the front 9, and on the back 9, he had two bogeys and two birdies to stay even on the back for a total score of 76. He finished 2nd, missing 1st by a stroke. The team finished 7th. On May 18, they held their Conference championship at Wildflower Golf Course in Detroit Lakes. It was again cold and windy. Jackson received all-conference honors for

by Matt Uselman The Staples-Motley-Verndale girls’ golf team competed in the Final HOL Conference meet on Monday, the 18th. The team finished in 2nd place out of 9 teams. Sarah Kroll shot a team low 93 for 9th place, Katelyn Schotzko shot a 96 for 12th, Brooklyn Winter finished in 14th place with a 98, Molly Hoemberg shot a 99 for 15th place, and Mara Uselman finished in 16th place with a 100. The Conference awards were given at the end of the meet. Both Katelyn Schotzko and

Verndale School Superintendent Jeannie Mayer has been honored with the Regional Administrator of Excellence Award for Region 5 by the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding administrators who demonstrate exceptional leadership, service, and dedication to their school and communities... Subscribe to get the rest of the story...

On behalf of Pennington County Sheriff Vettleson, Sheriff Carr presented Sgt. Savaloja with a life-saving commendation from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. On March 13, Sgt. Savaloja was on vacation with his family at the Seven Clans Casino Waterpark, enjoying the evening, when he observed that a seven-year-old boy was being pulled from the pool and was unresponsive. Sgt. Savaloja’s training and experience kicked in... Subscribe to get the rest of the story...

Benning Printing and Publishing won three awards at the Minnesota Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest held on Thursday, January 29. There were a total of 4,102 professional entries and 177 college entries judged by Iowa news professionals. Managing Editor Kathy Marquardt received first place for the Independent News Herald in the Feature Photo category. Her award-winning photo captured a raccoon hiding in some debris. The judges commented, “Great photo captured a

The Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) leadership presented Wadena Soil and Water Conservation District’s (SWCD) Board Supervisor, Tom Schulz, with the 2025 Supervisor of the Year award at its annual convention held in early December. The award honors a supervisor who has demonstrated leadership and achieved significant results in the conservation of Minnesota’s soil and water resources. Agriculture and conservation have always been the

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com Baseball has been a constant in the life of Paul Jenkins of Brainerd, and on Saturday, January 17, that lifelong dedication will be formally recognized when he is inducted into the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame at a banquet in Minneapolis. Jenkins started playing baseball at just three years old and never really stepped away. At Staples High School, he was the leading hitter on the 1977 state

Wadena County Attorney Kyra Ladd was presented with the Minnesota County Attorneys’ Association (MCAA) Johnson Distinguished Service Award at the 48th Annual MCAA meeting held in Bloomington on December 3. The award is presented to a county attorney who has demonstrated a history of significant leadership, strived to improve the quality of justice, and whose activity has increased and enhanced public awareness of the office of county attorney at the state and/or national le

by Coach Jared Hoemberg The Bertha-Hewitt Bears football team celebrated an unforgettable 2025 season on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Clarissa Ballroom. The team finished with a 9–2 record and captured the program’s first sub-district championship in 15 years, highlighting the players’ skill, determination, and leadership. The banquet opened with thanks to the many people who supported the program, including parents for meals and Homecoming support, volunteers, bus

Lakewood Health System has earned the prestigious 2025 USA TODAY Top Workplace award for the fifth year in a row. The Top Workplace awards honor organizations with 150 or more employees that have created exceptional, people-first cultures. This year, more than 42,000 organizations were invited to participate. The winners are recognized for their commitment to fostering a workplace environment that values employee listening and engagement. USA TODAY showcased the winners o