Free entrance to state parks on Earth Day

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is waiving vehicle permit fees at all 75 state parks and recreation areas on Saturday in honor of Earth Day.

It's the first of four free park days this year — also including Saturday, June 10; Saturday, Sept. 9 and Friday, Nov. 24 — offered to encourage folks to get outdoors and explore local nature areas.

On Saturday, Gooseberry Falls State Park is hosting an Earth Day celebration, and three other state parks — Frontenac, Lake Bemidji and Myre-Big Island — are hosting clean-up events.

"Minnesota state parks and recreation areas are great places to make memories with loved ones," said Ann Pierce, director of the DNR Parks and Trails Division, in a news release. "Earth Day is an ideal time to have fun outdoors and enjoy the natural resources of Minnesota."

People can learn more about park amenities using the ParkFinder tool at dnr.state.mn.us/parkfinder.

JENNY BERG

DULUTH

Fired Chamber of Commerce employee moves forward with lawsuit

A high-profile Chamber of Commerce employee who was fired in November has officially filed a complaint against her former employer in St. Louis County Sixth Judicial Court last week, according to her lawyer David Schlesinger.

Martha Bremer, who was in charge of both Leadership Duluth and Fuse Duluth, went to the board of directors in August 2022 with concerns about the way chamber president Matt Baumgartner had quietly hired Daniel Fanning to head a new foundation within the organization without a thorough search and updates to staff. At the time he was hired, Fanning was chair of the chamber's board of directors, and led the search committee that hired Baumgartner.

According to her lawsuit, which was filed last week, Bremer believes she was fired because she approached the board about her concerns.

"It feels like 'I hire you, you hire me,'" Bremer said in December.

In the complaint, Bremer, who worked at the chamber for more than eight years, accuses Baumgartner of sex discrimination, violating the whistleblower act, failure to hire and reprisal, in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Bremer is seeking a jury trial in addition to punitive damages and legal fees.

Christa Lawler

WINONA

$94 million school referendum rejected

Winona area residents opposed a $94 million schools measure on Tuesday, voting by a 2-to-1 ratio against two questions on the ballot that would have renovated or added on to six buildings in the school district.

"We are disappointed that the majority of those who voted in this election didn't share our same vision to invest in our students by improving our spaces," School Board chair Nancy Denzer said in a statement.

TREY MEWES