Brainerd
City may loosen food truck regulations
The Brainerd City Council is looking to loosen regulations on food trucks.
At its meeting last week, the council gave its first reading to a proposal to allow food trucks and other transient food vendors to operate more widely in the city.
Currently, "many transient food units choose not to operate in Brainerd due to the city's rather restrictive … ordinance or operate unlicensed on weekends when staff is not in the office," according to a memo by David Chanski, community development director.
Proposed changes include allowing food trucks to operate in most commercial areas, allowing them to remain open until 11 p.m., and ending a restriction that blocks mobile food vendors from operating within 300 feet of any restaurant or bar serving food.
The proposed ordinance would not take effect until after a second reading and final passage by the council.
john Reinan
benson
Plea for conservation amid the heat wave
Benson city officials are pleading with residents to cut their electricity use during the heat wave.
Visitors to the city's website have been greeted by a message in large, bold type on a vivid red background. "The city of Benson is asking its customers to please conserve electricity between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.," it reads. "We are at peak load and ask you to please turn up your air conditioning and shut off any unnecessary electrical devices."
