A man ice fishing on Lake of the Woods was rescued Thursday after he found himself stuck on a thin patch of ice and surrounded by 400 feet of open water. The Lake of the Woods Sheriff’s Office says the man from Winsted, Minnesota, was on the lake ice with his portable fish house when he found himself becoming trapped.

It sparked an emergency response from multiple agencies around 1pm Thursday, with the Lake of the woods county sheriff’s office bringing its airboat to the lake, which deputies and fire and rescue personnel used to conduct a rescue at the Fred’s Beds access, northwest of Hackett. The man was brought safely to shore without any injury.

Lake of the Woods County Sheriff Gary Fish said “The sheriff’s office reminds all outdoor enthusiasts to exercise extreme caution when venturing onto early-season ice”.

If you’ve been out Christmas shopping during the holidays, it’s almost certain that you’ve seen the white drop box with the red Toys for Tots train on the front. But did you know that the United States Marine Corps has been collecting gifts for Toys for Tots for almost 80 years? Col Ted Silvester of the Marines Toys for Tots Foundation tells us more about the storied history of this Organization.

Silvester says Toys for Tots played a role in saving the Marine Corps after WWII.

If the Marines Toys for Tots sounds like an organization that you’d like to support, Silvester tells us how you can locate a toy drop box near you.

More information about the Toys for Tots Foundation can be seen on their website at www.toysfortots.org.

State officials are preparing to launch Minnesota’s new Paid Leave program. Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Matt Varilek says they began accepting early applications yesterday(Wed). 

Varilek says, “Any eligible Minnesota parent who welcomed a child in 2025 will be able to apply for leave to be used in 2026.” 

Varilek says parents have one year to use the 12 weeks of leave after the birth or adoption of a child. All other eligible Minnesotans can begin applying January 1st for paid leave in 2026.

Varilek says that DEED has been running beta tests for more than a month and that has resulted in a few refinements to make as the application period continues.

The state’s Energy Assistance Program is distributing funds to approved households after a month delay due to the government shutdown. Director Michael Schmitz with the Department of Commerce says Minnesota got about the same amount as last season.

He says energy providers were getting worried about being able to help people as it gets colder. Families earning about 71 thousand dollars are eligible for heating assistance. Schmitz says they’ve already received 90 thousand applications. There’s more information on the Department of Commerce website.