The city of Duluth maintains First Amendment rights do not extend to a holiday lighting display in the city's Bayfront Festival Park. Two men say police violated their free speech rights when they stopped the men from preaching at the park.

Two groups have filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to try to stop a wolf hunting season on Nov. 3. The Center for Biological Diversity in Tucson and locally based Howling for Wolves claims the DNR did not allow the opportunity for public input on the bill.

The Chicago-based consulting firm wants a federal judge to throw out a second amended complaint filed by Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson after more patients came forward accusing the company of overly aggressive billing and collection tactics, the Pioneer Press reports. Accretive Health is accused of violating state and federal privacy laws, state debt collection laws and state consumer protection laws through its work with Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services.

The Recycling Association of Minnesota announced a statewide holiday light recycling program starting Nov. 15. Minnesotans can drop off old or broken holiday lights at Ace Hardware and other participating locations throughout the holiday season.

Plans for this year's holiday display at the St. Paul park call for small lights to be hung in trees around the park perimeter. But tight budgets are hindering the city's ability to pay for the traditional dazzling, decorative holiday light displays people are used to seeing, the Pioneer Press reports.

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura sued the Homeland Security Department and the Transportation Administration last January after a full-body scan and pat down at an airport checkpoint. Ventura says screenings violate his rights against unlawful searches.

One of the highlights of summer in the Northland occurs when music fans flock to the Duluth lake shore for the Bayfront Blues Festival. When this year's version rolls around at the end of next week, the three-day event will likely draw 50,000 or maybe even 60,000 people. But when the inaugural festival was held on this date in 1989 attendance was more modest. How many people were at that first festival? A. 50 B. 600 C. 1,000 Click on the headline above for the answer ...