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Lake Mille Lacs ice fishing community remembers entrepreneur
ISLE, Minn. — For more than 40 years, Richard “Dickie” Gadbois was the face of Dickie’s on Mille Lacs, a fishing business open year-round.
Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton said the 80-year-old was driving a small SUV onto the lake Friday to check conditions, but soon the vehicle broke through the ice, which was only about 6 inches thick. The incident occurred a couple hundred yards away from his rental office on shore, the sheriff said.
Burton said a close friend found Gadbois’ body floating in the water, and that he dragged him to shore and called 911. He died at the hospital.
“Well-known guy up there,” Burton said. “I mean, he’d been running ice fishing outfits out there for decades.”
The sheriff said Gadbois was wearing a flotation suit when he went through the ice, and said he hopes this tragedy serves as an important safety reminder.
“A lot of sheriffs around the state have shared this with the public, and with the media this year, just to be careful because it has been a weird winter and I know everybody’s anxious to get out there and fish and have fun, and we want you to do those things, but we certainly don’t want to go out and rescue people or recover bodies from water at all,” Burton said.
Gadbois’ vehicle remained in the lake Wednesday with plans to remove it this week or next week.
Wheel House Warriors is a nonprofit giving back to veterans, active military, law enforcement and small business owners. Founder Karina Johnson said Gadbois was the reason she started the organization.
Wheel House Warriors plans to dedicate its 5th Annual Winter Event in memory of Gadbois, on Feb. 9-11 with a raffle Feb. 10 near Dickie’s on Mille Lacs and MSA Flagship. Donated prizes include everything from toothpaste and 5-gallon buckets to fishing rods and trips to destinations, such as lodges. Raffle participants must be present to win.
MSA Flagship also plans to host a benefit event with a silent auction on March 9 to help support Gadbois’ wife Jane, who was identifed as was his “high school sweetheart” in his obituary posted to Mueller Memorial Funerals and Cremation’s website.
Gadbois’ obituary also said he “dedicated a large part of his life to taking people fishing,” and “he died trying to keep those people safe on the lake.”
“He was truly a jack of all trades and one of the hardest workers,” the obit said. “Most think of Dickie as having spent a lifetime on Mille Lacs and he did – He also lived another lifetime before that – Dickie ‘LIVED’ more than most.”
Gadbois’ visitation is scheduled for Jan. 26, 2024 between 1 and 4 p.m. at the Hinckley Community Center in Hinckley.
You can read his full obituary and get more information about his upcoming service here.
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Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
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The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
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“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
