The Anoka County Board has approved a 2008 budget of $253.3 million and tax levy of $110.8 million.

The levy is more than the 2007 certified levy of $103 million, but it is significantly less than the $144.3 million levy that would have resulted from county department heads’ requests which were presented to the county board in late July.

Two vehicles were struck by a train at the 85th Avenue N.W., Coon Rapids, railroad crossing this morning (Thursday, Dec. 6).

But no one was seriously hurt, according to Sgt. Rick Boone, Coon Rapids Police Department.

A man who grew up in Coon Rapids was killed last week in Iraq doing what he strongly believed in - training that country’s police officers.

William Juneau while he was a Chisago County Sheriff’s deputy. Photo from ECM Post Review

Jolly old St. Nick finds his holiday hat, which was stashed in the bottom of a firefighter’s locker, prior to climbing aboard a fire truck based at Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire Department Station 2, 1141 89th Ave. in Blaine Monday, Dec. 3, during the first night of the department’s annual four-night Santa Run food collection drive, which ended Thursday, Dec. 6. For more photos, pick up the print edition of this week’s Blaine-Spring Lake Park Life.

(Photo by Tim Hennagir)

Coon Rapids super volunteer Keith Howard died Dec. 3 at the age of 79.

Keith Howard checks out a bicycle to be raffled to a Northdale Middle School student during last spring’s Renaissance program pep fest.
Photo courtesy of Northdale Middle School