Benning Printing & Publishing

On May 16, around 11:37 p.m., a Todd County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on routine patrol in the city of Staples when he observed a vehicle committing a traffic violation. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and contacted the driver. During the traffic stop, the deputy observed signs of criminal activity. The deputy requested the Wadena County Sheriff’s Office K9 Nitro and his handler respond to the scene for assistance. Ultimately, K9 Nitro indicated the odor of narcotic

The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office announced the deployment of a new Mobile Alert System in partnership with RAVE Mobile Safety to enhance emergency communication with residents. Residents of Wadena County are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts through Smart911 by visiting: https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/login.action?pa=wadenaalerts. You can also search “Smart911/Wadena County” on any internet search engine. This new system will be used to deliver important

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, at 6:34 a.m. on Sunday, a 2009 Buick LaCrosse, driven by Andrew Ronald Riedel, 36, of Alexandria, was traveling southbound on US Highway 71. Meanwhile, a 2015 Chevrolet Suburban, driven by April Ann Brown, 44, of Browerville, was heading northbound on the same highway. The two vehicles collided at County Road 9 in Rockwood Township, causing the Suburban to roll off the roadway and come to a stop in the east ditch... Subscribe to get t

On Wednesday, April 22, the Wadena County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a house fire at the Jared Forcier property in Section 34 of Aldrich Township. The fire was reported shortly before 12:30 p.m. Upon the arrival of the first responders, they found the house completely engulfed in flames, but all occupants were reported to be safe and evacuated. Fire departments from Verndale, Staples and Wadena spent several hours working to extinguish the fire... Subscrib

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...

Noah Coughlan, 41, is an ultra runner, marathoner, and filmmaker from Vacaville, California. In October 2025, he began his fifth and final Run across America, which will total 5,500 miles across 20 states. This journey serves as a tribute to highlight the American spirit and the stories of the 350 million American people, meet families affected by rare diseases, and interview some of the 70,000 remaining World War II veterans. When Noah completes his final run on America’s

The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office asked for the public’s help on Friday in locating a missing man from the Staples area. Russell Nanik, 87, was reported missing by family members on the evening of March 6. He was last seen leaving his residence north of Staples around 10 a.m. on Friday. He was driving a red 2002 Chevy Silverado with Minnesota license plate KAK 229 and was described as wearing a green plaid shirt and blue jeans... Subscribe to get the rest of the story...

On Saturday, February 28, at 7:47 a.m., the Staples Fire Department was dispatched to an apartment complex on the 400 block of 2nd Avenue NE in the city of Staples for a report of smoke in the building. Upon the arrival of the Staples Fire and Police Department, it was confirmed that there was an active fire in an apartment on the third floor of the 14-unit apartment complex, triggering an evacuation of the building. Firefighters utilized ladder trucks to aid in the firefi

On Wednesday, January 28, at approximately 11:42 a.m., the Wadena County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a structure fire in Section 24 of Blueberry Township. Upon the arrival of emergency responders, it was discovered that the attached garage of a home was fully engulfed in flames, and the fire was spreading to the house and an RV parked next to the garage. Fortunately, the occupants of the home were able to evacuate safely without injury... Subscribe to get the rest

A fatal two-vehicle crash occurred early Monday morning, January 5, on U.S. Highway 71 near mile marker 233 in Rockwood Township, Wadena County, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The crash was reported at approximately 6:45 a.m. A 2018 Toyota Tundra, driven by Benjamin Edward Swain, 60, of Hewitt, was traveling northbound on Highway 71. At the same time, a 2003 Chevrolet Impala, driven by Jerome Benson Miller, 87, of Sebeka, was traveling southbound when it veered in