GRAND RAPIDS — The Itasca County Sheriff's Office will distribute free youth life jackets at L&M Fleet Supply in Grand Rapids on Friday, Aug. 2.
Residents can learn about water safety from experts and receive proper fitting and usage instructions for the life jackets.
State law requires children under 10 to wear a life jacket when moving on the water. Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death, especially among children.
"Our goal is to ensure that everyone can enjoy the water safely, and events like this help us make a real difference in preventing water-related accidents," Sheriff Joe Dasovich said.
L&M, Onyx Outdoor, National Marine Manufacturers Association and Water Sports Industry Association are cosponsors of the event.
Life jackets will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The event begins at 3 p.m. and runs until 5 p.m. or until all life jackets have been distributed.
-
Contributed/Beltrami CountyThe Beltrami County Board is considering what to do with its current jail in downtown Bemidji as progress continues on a new facility in the city’s Industrial Park. -
Minnesota Reformer/Michelle GriffithThe ruling didn’t strictly address the legality of binary triggers, but instead focused on the 1,400-page bill in which the binary trigger ban was included last year. -
Contributed/Max Nesterak / Minnesota ReformerMN and other states have brought suits against social media companies using a similar playbook that led to billions in damages levied against Big Tobacco in the 1990s. -
Plus: The Minnesota Attorney General is suing TikTok for violating consumer protection laws; and the International Falls city council is seeking public input on how to rebuild Smokey Bear Park after a fire destroyed its bandshell in 2024. -
Megan Buffington/KAXEThe future of a mosaic mural in the Nashwauk-Keewatin High School library is up in the air as the district moves into a new school. A ribbon-cutting is planned for Aug. 20, 2025. -
Contributed/Lorie ShaullThe Minnesota Attorney General's Office conceded to misconduct in the case against Mylene Vialard, who protested in 2021 at an Enbridge pumping station in Aitkin County.
