Recent content from Matt McKinney
Bayport has a new plan for land once eyed by failed developer
A longtime local builder who helped develop industry standards steps in on parcel with troubled history.
A cattle ranch in Washington County closed to become a park. Now the DNR seeks input on plans.
The 1,820-acre tract of woods, wetlands, prairie and lakes known as Keystone Woods could host hunting, hiking, and even dog training.
Pool closures ripple across South Washington County school district
The growing east metro district plans to close 2 pools, including Woodbury High's, as it weighs budget constraints, swim team needs and crowded buildings.
Motor yacht still stuck on St. Croix's Beer Can Island may inspire new state law
The boat stuck in the St. Croix River has Hudson, Wis., officials lobbying for criminal penalties over abandoned watercraft.
![New construction in Pine Vale in Somerset, Wis. on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. Somerset has plans for construction for 600 new homes. ] RENEE JONES S](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/II7F6EUFIZAYPFMIOHYXVT6PPU.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Western Wisconsin population growth to slow, say new projections
First-in-a-decade analysis studied birth and death rates.
Former Woodbury dentist sued by patients over botched implants loses fight to reinstate license
Marko Kamel shuttered his practice even as dozens of patients who put down deposits were left with uncompleted work.
Ruby Hunt, third woman ever elected to the St. Paul City Council, dies at 100
She was a key player in creation of the St. Paul Home Rule Charter, and after her stint on the City Council, served on the Ramsey County Board.
Build it and they did come. Western Wisconsin sees big growth after new bridge.
In New Richmond, Somerset and other western Wisconsin towns, a flood of new residents come seeking small-town life.
Mobile home park residents seek rent relief from Lake Elmo
The city says it's powerless to act, so residents of the Cimarron Park and Golf Course mobile home park plan to take their case to state officials, too
Six years after her fall, Mounds View's mermaid statue may rise again
A resident purchased the 38-foot statue for $1 and plans call for it to be restored in New Ulm by the guy who restored Blue Earth's Jolly Green Giant.
Mine operator on Grey Cloud Island wants to move quarries nearing depletion
The existing quarries have sometimes prompted concerns in Cottage Grove. The plans to move them to adjacent land will be up for public comment beginning Dec. 3.
Property taxes are rising across Twin Cities area — here's where they're increasing the most
Every county across the Twin Cities is raising its property tax levy next year, even as home values level off.
Scandia park deal falls apart as county says it's not a good fit
Washington County Board rejects park deal; land still protected by conservation easement.
Jessie Diggins roars into the new season of Nordic World Cup ski racing with grit and a touch of glitter
The Afton, Minnesota native talks success, pressure, focus, and fun in this Q & A.
Treasure hunter backs out of buying beached boat on Beer Can Island
That means the initial Minnesota owner of the boat will continue receiving fines from the city of Hudson until the boat is removed from the St. Croix River.
Forest Lake native Pete Hegseth faces new scrutiny, support as Trump defense nominee
Forest Lake classmates remember Pete Hegseth as a talented student-athlete, but some Minnesota retired military members and lawmakers question his political experience.
Treasure hunter from Alabama buys motor yacht marooned on Beer Can Island
New owner Bill Warren said the boat in Hudson, Wis., could help search for buried treasure in the Gulf of Mexico, if he can find someone to lift it from the beach.
Woodbury breaks ground on $330 million water treatment plant
The new plant, expected to come online in 2028, will scrub PFAS chemicals from the city's water supply. Much of the cost will be covered by 3M settlement money.
Local sales tax measures win approval in several Twin Cities suburbs
Voters approved new taxes in Stillwater, Chanhassen and Woodbury to pay for parks and public safety facilities, but rejected a new sales tax in Cottage Grove.
Woodbury approves backyard chickens for some residents
The city recently loosened its rules on backyard coops for larger properties, but chickens are still not allowed on typical city lots.
With fines mounting, the motor yacht marooned on Beer Can Island is still stuck
The city of Hudson is fining the owner $1,400 a day. The owner told city officials his lawyer advised him to leave it where it sits.
Women pictured in Wisconsin strip club's ads fight for payment after winning lawsuit
Celebrities and models who typically command huge fees sued the Cajun Club of Houlton, Wis., after it used their pictures in ads. The club hasn't paid.
If wires come down in the backyard, who do you call?
In Minnesota, fixing power lines is as easy as a call to the power company, but other unmarked television, phone or internet wires are more of a mystery.
Tarantula-tossing Hennepin County Board candidate Marisa Simonetti arraigned on assault charge
Simonetti, who is running against Commissioner Heather Edelson for the District 6 seat, says she plans to plead not guilty.
Motor yacht stuck on the St. Croix River's Beer Can Island became 'nightmare' for man who left it there
Worth six figures when it was new, the 54-foot eyesore is the latest derelict boat causing headaches for the city of Hudson, Wis.
Scenic Stillwater draws festive crowds. How much tourism is too much?
The historic city on the St. Croix River is a popular tourist destination, but some worry that catering to visitors might be crowding the locals out of downtown.
Brook trout released in rehabilitated Afton stream
The return of the native fish species is the culmination of several years' effort to repair damage to the stream from decades of logging, agriculture and development.
Private school sues May Township board over permit refusal
Liberty Classical Academy bought the former Withrow Elementary School but can't move forward with expansion plans
Food scraps composting program expands to new cities in Washington County
The free program converts food scraps into compost and will eventually roll out to all of Ramsey and Washington counties.
New Bayport elementary school plans draw complaints from church community
Members of St. Croix United Church who sold their land to the Stillwater school district say they need better ADA access to the new Andersen Elementary School.
In 'turf-loving' Twin Cities suburbs, a push to help the state bee reshapes landscapes
Growth in Woodbury has competed with habitat for the endangered rusty patched bumblebee. Some people are trying to push more pollinator-friendly plantings instead of turf grass lawns.
Hugo plans to rework city solar ordinance again
The City Council has been trying to balance residents' concerns and the growth of solar farms for renewable energy.
Eyesores or necessary clean energy? Solar garden growth sparks debate in Hugo.
Cities with land that appeals to solar farm developers are trying figure out how to balance the push for renewable energy with neighbors' concerns about the solar panel arrays.
Oak Park Heights gets grant to help cover financial losses after power plant closes
The city plans to use the $440,000 state grant to work on cleaning up the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) discovered in two city wells earlier this year.
Is your city asking you to vote on a sales tax hike this election? These Twin Cities suburbs are.
Cities pitch sales tax increases as a way to shift the burden of funding projects from residents and business owners who pay property taxes to anyone who makes a purchase that includes a sales tax.
New painting depicts Cottage Grove city history
The jigsaw puzzle of the artwork by Eric Dowdle will be available for sale at City Hall starting Monday.
Maplewood City Council pushback imperils Purple Line bus rapid transit project
The mayor and two council members say they object to the previously approved plan and want to explore alternatives for the route from St. Paul to White Bear Lake.
Cottage Grove man drowns in St. Croix River
Friends told authorities that Keith Taylor, 66, dove off a pontoon parked at Kinnickinnic State Park and didn't resurface.
Nancy Olkon, first woman chair of Hennepin County Board, dies at 82
Nancy Olkon served as a Hennepin County commissioner for six years beginning in 1977, at a time when women were discouraged from seeking political office.
Stillwater's Zephyr Theatre building to become Manitou Fund Arts and Education Center
Programming hasn't been announced, but the former Stillwater train depot building includes space for classes, food preparation and performances.
Apple River tubing carries on 2 years after teenager's death
A buoyant local economy around Somerset, Wis., and a more family-friendly emphasis for tubing will keep remaining operators afloat, locals say.
With city approval in hand, Afton vintner plans tasting room
Local winemaker Cody Kaye of Yellow House Vineyard lobbied city to allow for expansion of his agriculture business.
Cost rises for missing segment of Lake Links bike trail in Dellwood
The city had eyed $4.4 million in grant funding for one of the missing pieces of the route around White Bear Lake, but cost estimates ran higher.
Woodbury wants to expand its Fire Department, but applicants are in short supply
Firefighter hiring and retention has grown increasingly difficult across the Twin Cities metro in recent years. Some point to low-pay and increased demands of the job.
Woodbury man charged with stealing more than $400,000 from his 93-year-old father-in-law
Private school tuition, a Porsche and family European vacation are being investigated as elderly man tells authorities he hadn't seen his bank records in a long time
Mike McGuire, St. Croix River valley architect and entrepreneur, dies at 95
The longtime architect designed homes and found new uses for historic St. Croix River buildings, including several in downtown Stillwater.
Distressed Bayport homebuilder files for bankruptcy
John Sharkey's company built high-efficiency homes before debts mounted.
Nicolae Miu sentenced to 20 years in prison for stabbings at Apple River
Miu will be eligible for release under supervision after his prison term for the 2022 stabbing death of Isaac Schuman, 17, and the wounding of four others.
Sentencing up next for Prior Lake man who fatally stabbed one teen, hurt four others at Apple River
Nicolae Miu, who was convicted in April of the 2022 attack, faces decades of imprisonment.
Woodbury city lodging tax raises less than expected
The new 3% lodging tax raises money that has to be used for city promotion as a tourist and convention destination.
Circle White Bear Lake by bike? Much of the route is complete
Volunteers have been working for years to make the 10-mile Lake Links biking route a reality, but a few gaps remain, including a tricky one to fix in Dellwood.
Oak Park Heights seeks grant money to address PFAS water contamination
The city is applying for state funds that are available due to expected closing of Allen S. King power plant in Oak Park Heights.
Marine on St. Croix City Council clamps down on the party at the town's only bar
The owners of the Brookside Bar & Grill canceled the live music set for this past weekend after the council put liquor license restrictions in place
Woodbury teen awarded for pulling unconscious child from pool, saving her life
College student Chizim Abagi, 18, was relaxing in his bedroom when his brother barged in, yelling:"Come, they need you!"
Old bike paths east of Mahtomedi and in Stillwater get redo
Two sections of bike trail, one along Hwy. 12 and the other along Hwy. 5, will be repaved as Washington County focuses on the worst-condition trails.
Afton State Park drowning victim identified as Minneapolis dancer and yoga instructor
The river was about 12 feet deep in the area where he had been swimming.
Sailboat was built to travel the world. Instead, it has commanded the St. Croix River since 1951.
The Dar-Ja was built to sail around the world, but the Lown family has kept it local for more than 70 years.
Minneapolis man drowns at Afton State Park Beach
Witnesses saw him swimming 20 to 30 feet from shoreline before he disappeared, authorities said.
Somerset Village Board president charged with sexual assault, battery
Michael Kappers issued a statement disputing the allegations outlined in the charges filed by the St. Croix County District Attorney's Office in Wisconsin.
Rising waters a threat to summer fun in Twin Cities metro
Swollen rivers in the area are likely to crest in the coming days, and rising waters have put the kibosh on some summer recreational opportunities.
Woodbury public safety campus costs rise as city asks voters to approve new sales tax to fund it
A sales tax referendum on ballot for this fall would raise most, but not all, of the needed funds for the expansion.
Design for new St. Croix River bridge at Osceola to be unveiled
The existing bridge, built in 1953, is scheduled for replacement.
Stillwater City Council member David Junker to retire at end of term
The longtime council member ran for mayor twice and first served on the city's parks commission in 1989; his father, Dave "Choc" Junker served as Stillwater's mayor.
They paid for dental implants that were never completed. Then their Woodbury dentist closed his doors.
Marko Kamel of Woodbury Dental Arts lost his Minnesota dental license after reports of "demonstrated incompetence" in providing dental implant procedures — and patients say they lost tens of thousands of dollars for dental work that was never performed.
Just four women have served on the Stillwater City Council. Next year, there will likely be a fifth.
No woman has run for Stillwater City Council since 2012; this year two women are vying for the open Ward 2 seat.
Stillwater voters will consider sales tax for riverfront improvements
If approved by voters this fall, the 0.5% sales tax would raise $6.2 million for Aiple House renovations and other improvements along Stillwater's riverfront.
PFAS contamination in Stillwater's water has city racing to catch up and pay up
Questions about health, source of contamination and who will pay for cleanup arise as city grapples with PFAS contamination in the water supply.
Minn. woman gifts parkland to Washington County, with a catch
In her will, Joyce Heinisch gifted the county with a 300-acre parcel for a public park, as long as some of her family members can live out their lives on it first.
Minneapolis Muslims fear further attacks after alleged hit-and-run in mosque parking lot
A 37-year-old Minneapolis man was charged Friday with second-degree assault and could also face prosecution for bias-motivated crime.
Judge strikes down watering ban implemented over White Bear Lake water fight
Ruling stems from 2012 lawsuit over falling water levels at White Bear Lake
Open house will highlight Woodbury's solution to PFAS contamination: $400M water treatment plant
A May 22 event at City Hall will provide more information about the new water treatment plant, which is expected to be operational in 2028.
White House environmental official tours PFAS site in Lake Elmo
Visit follows new EPA rule that sets enforceable limits on contamination in drinking water.
Stillwater to host dinner on Historic Lift Bridge
The May 18 public dinner will be held as a grand opening celebration for the city's new Chestnut Plaza, located immediately west of the bridge.
Stillwater outdoor educator turns nature nerdery into TikTok gold
Angie Hong's upcoming book, to be released this summer, guides readers through the St. Croix River valley
Peter Hall, architect and preservationist, dies at 82
He helped kick-start renovation along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
![Emily Ford greets one of her sled dogs "Beamer", Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 at Shameless Huskies Kennel in Willow, Ala. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE • anthony.souf](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/JD2AC3QV35EXDA5WJ4JACZ3BEU.jpg?w=600&h=600&auto=format%2Ccompress&cs=tinysrgb)