A longtime Stearns County Sheriff's deputy was sentenced Thursday to nine months in jail and fined more than $3,000 stemming from allegations by three minors in 2009. Phil Meekam pleaded guilty last month to one felony count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and two gross misdemeanors for providing alcohol to minors.

Mother nature, the economic downturn, lack of volunteers and more competition are among the challenges county fairs are facing these days. The St. Cloud Times examined financial reports from the nonprofit agricultural societies that operate county fairs in Stearns, Benton and Sherburne counties. The newspaper found Benton and Stearns most recently reported minimal operating surpluses, while Sherburne has lost thousands of dollars.

Stillwater is one of dozens of districts in limbo after voters turned down tax increases Tuesday. The district faces a $10 million dollar budget deficit.

Three months, 3,200 miles, 20 states, 39 events. The number of lives changed by the work of Face It Foundation? Countless. The Face It Foundation launched a nation-wide bike tour of the U.S. during the summer of 2011, spreading awareness and promoting discussions about men living with depression.

A former Blaine High School assistant girl's basketball coach was sentenced Friday to 15 years probation and 120 days in jail in the third-degree sexual assault of a 14-year-old player. Jenessa White, 20, pleaded guilty to assaulting the player earlier this summer.

Amina Farah Ali has been transferred from the Sherburne County Jail to Ramsey County Jail in St. Paul. Ali is awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of funneling money to a Somali terror group