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Country Lights Festival kicks off after help from volunteers
Last month, someone inexplicably vandalized the light display, but the event came back stronger than ever.
SARTELL, Minn. — The seventh-annual Country Lights Festival kicked off in spectacular fashion in Sartell on Friday night, drawing perhaps the largest Opening Night crowd in history after volunteers rushed to rebuild a vandalized light display.
With holiday lights covering 33 acres of land behind the Sartell Community Center, families huddled near the fire, stood in line for hot chocolate, and watched their kids ride a slow-moving train throughout the event grounds as Christmas music blared in the background. In all, hundreds of people enjoyed the festivities on the first evening of December.
“It’s a great turnout for the community,” said Tom Jelinski, a representative for sponsor Country Financial and one of the event’s organizers. “Something bad turned into something good.”
Last month, somebody inexplicably cut about 90 percent of the festival’s lights, weeks after the organizers had finished draping them on the trees. Sartell Police said Friday they still do not have any leads in the case, but they’ve asked the public to come forward with any information they may have.
LaDonna Smith, who lives near the community center and can see the lights from her living room window, said she was “very upset” when she learned somebody had cut the lights. However, after volunteers worked to repair the display, she could not believe her eyes.
“Oh my gosh, it’s awesome. I can’t believe how many lights they have this year!” Smith said. “I think they look better than ever. I mean, I’m at awe with them.”
Evan Olson Drake, a member of Boy Scout Troop 11 in Sartell, volunteered Friday to keep the event running smoothly. His job was to tend to the fire pits — an important duty on a cold December night.
“It’s just fun helping out, and it makes you feel good. It’s just nice to see people that enjoy this,” he said. “[It shows that] we don’t give up. We’ll always rebound.”
Julian Weitz-Elder of Sauk Rapids brought his entire family to the Country Lights Festival on Friday night for the first time.
“I’ve seen them from afar, but I’ve never partaken myself. It’s really nice seeing it up close,” he said. “It just shows the community’s commitment to just being there for each other, that even though someone wants to rain on people’s parade, we’re all in this together and can make it work.”
The Country Lights Festival will continue throughout the month, ending on New Year’s Eve with a fireworks display.
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Police are investigating after three men were shot early on Saturday morning.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police are investigating after three men were shot in the Ventura Village neighborhood early Saturday morning.
According to Minneapolis police, officers were called to the area around East 21st Street and South 15th Avenue around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Officers found three men had been shot. One of the men died and the two others were taken to the hospital with what police described as life-threatening injuries.
Officials said the shooting happened at a small homeless encampment.
Police have not announced any arrests as of Saturday morning.
KARE 11 will update this story as more information is made available.
This Halloween the chocolate shop is getting very festive.
MARINE ON SAINT CROIX, Minn. — A small sweet shop in a Minnesota river town has won some BIG awards for its chocolates.
St. Croix Chocolate Company in Marine on St. Croix has won national and international awards including Best of Show in this year’s America’s Division of the International Chocolate Awards.
Their chocolates are available at the St. Croix Chocolate Company kitchen or online.
This Halloween they are selling a Halloween Countdown Calendar that features 14 prize-winning recipes made into ghosts, bats, skulls and other spooky configurations. They also have a Boo Bag-handled tote that comes with their “best of” Halloween assortment.
Owner and Chocolatier, Robyn Dochterman, joined KARE 11 Saturday to share what St. Croix Chocolate Company has to offer.
MINNEAPOLIS — Making pasta at home is relatively simple, as long as you have the right tools.
October is National Pasta Month and Red Rabbit‘s Corporate Chef, Adam Lerner, joined KARE 11 Saturday to show us how to make homemade noodles in the confines of your own kitchen.
