City Hall is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays* from 9:00AM - 4:30PM (closed for lunch)**. We are located at 8099 County Highway 61. Our phone number is (218)372-3733. *office is closed for all Federal Holidays **Subject to change
ATTENTION! Please do NOT flush ANY wipes down the toilet! We have had a sewer lift pump burn out due to being clogged with wipes.
Weekly News Article
Week of May 22nd
The WRFD, J&L Construction, and community volunteers really did a lot of hard work on Saturday chipping ice storm damaged branches. There was so much damaged branches that they didn’t get through all of them on Saturday. They plan to chip the remaining branches on Wednesday night. They worked for at least eight hours straight and have about 2/3 of the town left. They were really working hard and fast too. Thanks to all who helped. I saw Dave Kliniski, Bruce Bohaty, Harold Blatz, Rick Borchardt, Steve Prachar, Gerard Bennett, Noel Bennett, Dan Walker, Angela Kliniski, Victoria Prachar and kids, Shawna and Kennedy out there. Hopefully I didn’t miss anyone. It makes you realize just how much damage there was. The town sure is looking a lot better though. Everyone has been working hard on their properties. We have a beautiful town and you can see the pride people take in their homes.
What a whirlwind weekend. First of all let me say a late Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. I got together with my Mom and my sisters and lots of nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews, and my kids of course for a potluck picnic at my Mom’s. What a beautiful day. I love picnics… especially after this long winter we had. I’ve been putting my little seedlings out every day to get hardened off before planting. They really sucked up the water yesterday while sitting in the hot sunshine on the deck. They are really starting to grow. I can’t wait to get them all outside for the season. My living room looks like a jungle.
At the school: The Spring Band and Choir Concerts will be held on May 18th at 6 pm for the high school band, and on May 24th from 9 am to 1:30 pm for the elementary. More Spring Events: May 26th – Commencement 7 pm, June 1st – Last Day of School. St. Mary’s Church: Confessions are heard from 7:45 am to 8:15 am before the Sunday Mass at St. Mary’s. Eucharistic Adoration is on Wednesdays from 1 pm to 5 pm. Doughnut Sunday at St. Mary’s after the 8:30 am Mass is May 21st.
Kathi B May is such a busy and wonderful month. Graduation for our senior classes and Memorial Day services. It is a time for remembrance and reflection. For the seniors who are graduating and the veterans it is a time for remembering the past. Graduation Day holds the promise of a new beginning. Memorial Day lets us remember our veterans and honor them for making that “new beginning” a good and free one. Even though we have non-local politicians that may be challenging our freedoms, we are still the “land of the free, because of the brave”. If I had any advice to give the graduates it would be to remember that you are: (1) A child of God and he created you for good things; and even though you may not know what your purpose is right now, you are His creation. God doesn’t make junk. (2) Brave. You have gone through a pandemic that has impacted your life in unprecedented ways and you still meet each day with hope. We learned in survival training that without oxygen you could die in three minutes, without water you could die within three days, without shelter you could die within three weeks, without food you could die within three months, but without HOPE you couldn’t live for more than three seconds. Please keep your hopeful spirit. (3) Strong. You have “metal” (fortitude). Metal is forged in fire and that makes it unbreakable. Please remember that you are strong. In reflecting over these three things I am aware that these same attributes are what veterans are. They have done good things, are brave and strong, and hopeful in spirit. Please think of our senior classes that are graduating and our veterans this Memorial Day. The memorial ceremonies for your communities will be listed in your local newspapers. Graduation for Willow River students will be held on May 26th at 7 pm in the Tom Stine gymnasium. I’m bringing my tissues because I always cry at graduation ceremonies and at Memorial Day when they play taps. A huge thank you to the WRFD and Volunteers that spend three days chipping branches in town. What a wonderful thing that was. So many people have contacted me to say thanks to all of you. You are all part of the reason why this community is so great. Thank You. There will be a Special Parent Event on May 23rd from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Willow River School Auditorium. It includes a parent presentation by Tom Cody with dinner and childcare available by the NHS. This presentation is titled “Parent Above the Line: How Our Thinking Governs Our Experience.” Rutledge city wide garage sales are on May 27th. So look for signs. St. Mary’s Church: Confessions are heard from 7:45 am to 8:15 am before the Sunday Mass at St. Mary’s. Eucharistic Adoration is on Wednesdays from 1 pm to 5 pm. Doughnut Sunday at St. Mary’s after the 8:30 am Mass is May 21st. Kathi
The Official Newspaper of the City of Willow River is now the Moose Lake Star Gazette as of February 2023!
NEW: Online pay now available for sewer/water bills!
You can now pay your water/sewer bill online! Visit www.ub-pay.com To register for the first time, use Municipality Code: WillowRiverMN795 You must enter your name exactly as it appears on your bill (Case sensitive)
City of Willow River thanks the Willow River Commercial Club for the donation of the new city sign!
Senior Dining
Thursdays at noon Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency, Inc. is in charge of providing the delicious meals. A one-time registration is necessary to participate. Call 1-800-662-5711 ext 6899 to register. To receive a lunch, call the Moose Lake Kitchen at (218)485-4937 no later than 8 am on Thursday and lunch will be delivered shortly before noon. Served at the Kettle River Township Hall (or at Willow River City Park weather depending). 77594 County Hwy 61, Willow River. A contribution of $4 is asked for each meal.
*Menus are posted at the Willow River Post Office and LuLu's Laundromat. They are also published in the Star Gazette and the Evergreen.