The Raider boys hockey team won its second trip to the state tournament in three years by shutting down River Falls' Pete Eloranta, who has proved to be as troublesome as El Nino, at least to opponents.

WARM WEATHER HELPS rescue workers complete ice dive practice near Hudson last weekend. The Washington County Sheriff's Department dive team used the Hudson dike to conclude the practice session. Officials report that there is less than four inches of ice on Lake Pepin.

If you live in the north because you love to snowmobile, ski, snowboard or winter camp, you're probably not crowing about the mild temperatures and scant precipitation. Most everyone else, however, is jumping for joy at being spared the annual February depression common in the longest "shortest" month of the year.

Mayor Jack Breault said a deal with Cardinal Health is completed, and the company will be constructing a 100,000-square-foot facility in Hudson's St. Croix Business Park.

Mason Mayne enjoys the company of his mom, Kecia, and dog, Sonny.

Police find the 2-year-old North Hudson boy and his dog a quarter of a mile from home.

Angie Zezza got her first job at Erickson Diversified while she was in the diversified occupations class at HHS.

Angie Zezza always thought she'd like to work with children, but she knew she didn't want to go on to college.

Empire Bucket and Manufacturing believes working with schools is in its best interest.

BALDWIN _ A meeting with state officials went on for three hours last Thursday, as one by one speakers complained about regulations that won't let them rebuild their houses or use their land and about policies that seem to place a higher value on development than on preserving farms.

The city of Hudson has been fined for failing to meet a court deadline in the Four Feathers case.