Aitkin Independent Age

CARE is set to host a new fitness opportunity for local adults starting this September. The “Stay Active & Independent for Life” (SAIL) program will begin on Sept. 8, offering sessions every Tuesday and Thursday from 9-10 a.m. at the Waukenabo Township Hall. SAIL is an evidence-based fitness initiative specifically designed for adults age 55 and older.

he following local students are among the 623 spring 2026 graduates of Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State). M State has campuses in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena and offers programs online. Aitkin: Braxton Huse and Randy Papenfuss McGregor: Max Sampson Palisade: Trynity Horner Tamarack: Courtney Gauthier

Cuyuna Regional Medical Center (CRMC), has been recognized among a select group of Minnesota hospitals earning a 5-star patient survey rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and 1 of 250 recognized across the nation.

For Aitkin High School graduates Josie Kostick and Zack Ehnstrom, this summer offered more than a break from classes. Through Riverwood’s Summer Health Care Internship Program (SHCIP), they gained firsthand experience in surgical services. Although their career goals differ, both students left the experience with a deeper understanding of health care and the many professionals who work together behind the scenes of the operating room.

On Saturday, Sept. 5 during McGregor’s Wild Rice Days celebration the Holy Family Catholic Church will host a sloppy Joe luncheon and bake sale. There will also be raffle tickets for cash prizes. The event will be held from 9 a.m. until gone at the Holy Family Catholic Church located at 429 S Maddy St., McGregor.

On Saturday, Sept. 5 during McGregor’s Wild Rice Days celebration the McGregor Friends of the Library will host a sloppy Joe luncheon and bake sale. There will also be raffle tickets for cash prizes. The event will be held from 9 a.m. until gone at the Holy Family Catholic Church located at 429 S Maddy St., McGregor.

As the new school year approaches, children and teens often experience a mix of emotions. They may be excited to see friends and begin a new year while also feeling nervous about new teachers, higher expectations, changing friendships or returning to busy routines. These emotions aren't limited to young children. Younger children may become clingy or emotional, while teens are more likely to become quiet, irritable or complain of headaches or stomachaches.

The Brainerd Lakes Area Parkinson’s Disease Support Group meeting will be on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 1 p.m. at Lord of Life Church, 6190 Fairview Dr., Baxter. A video regarding sleep issues in Parkinson’s will be viewed and discussed. Call 218-839-2725 if you have questions. Care partners are welcome to attend.

A 49-year-old Hill City man was transported to the hospital following a single-vehicle crash in Itasca County on the evening of Aug. 27. The incident occurred at approximately 9:12 p.m. at the intersection of Hwy. 169 and County Road 64 in Harris Township. According to the Minnesota State Patrol incident report, David Michael Murphy, 49, was driving a 2021 Ford F-150 southbound when the vehicle left the roadway and entered a ditch. Murphy was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident.

Climate change—and the social disruptions rising with it—is not only a technical or moral challenge. It exposes a deeper fracture: a broken relationship between human beings and between humanity and the living planet that sustains us. The urgency is real, but so is the hope that we can ignite a moral fire—not a destructive blaze, but a clarifying one capable of burning away the ignor-ance that has carried us to this threshold. Data alone cannot solve what confronts us, nor can emotion by itself.