Lutsen Lodge fire, historic Wisconsin tornado, remote work turns you 'a loser': This week's top stories

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Fire destroys historic Lutsen Lodge. Wisconsin records its first-ever tornado in February. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey jokes remote work turns you into "a loser". Here are the top stories from Feb. 3-9.

1. Fire destroys Historic Lutsen Lodge for 3rd time in 75 years

An overnight fire has destroyed the historic Lutsen Resort lodge in northern Minnesota.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said crews were notified of a fire alarm at the Lutsen Resort's main lodge just before 12:30 a.m. Staff members reported seeing smoke coming from the floor in the lobby area of the lodge. The sheriff's office said the building was "completely engulfed" in flames.

The lodge had previously burned down in fires in 1949 and 1951.

2. Wisconsin records first-ever February tornado

A tornado touched down in Wisconsin for the first time in recorded history during the month of February.

The tornado was recorded around 5:30 p.m. Thursday near Albany, Wis. as strong storms moved through the southeast part of the state. There were reports of downed trees and damage to a roof during the severe weather.

The National Weather Service later confirmed one of the tornadoes was a high-end EF2 with 135 mph winds.

3. Minneapolis mayor jokes remote work turns you into 'a loser' 

Mayor Jacob Frey took a swipe at remote work while touting the benefits of downtown Minneapolis during an address on Wednesday.

The mayor was speaking during the Minneapolis Downtown Council's annual meeting. While proselytizing the benefits of visiting downtown, he set his sights on remote work, saying it ultimately turns you into "a loser."

"When they stay home, sitting on their couch with their nasty cat blanket, fiddling on their laptop. If they do that for a few months, you become a loser. It's a study. We're not losers, are we?" Frey said. 

4. Fake reviews? Minnesota dentist’s 5-star ratings under investigation

The flurry of five-star reviews and vaguely written comments seemed too good to be true.

The same reviewers who recently praised a dental office in Minnetonka were also giving high marks to a locksmith in Florida and a restaurant in Australia. That black market industry is now catching the attention of state and federal regulators.

"The scope of this problem is just shocking, much worse than most people are aware of," said Kay Dean, a former federal investigator turned watchdog. 

Click here to read more of FOX 9's investigation.

5. Twin sister tried to take blame for woman charged in fatal Amish buggy crash

A woman has been formally charged in connection to a crash that killed two children riding in an Amish buggy in September 2023, after her twin sister attempted to take the fall for her. 

Samantha Jo Petersen, 35, of Kellogg, Minnesota, was charged with multiple counts of criminal vehicular homicide, criminal vehicular operation, driving while under the influence, careless driving and speeding in connection to the Sept. 25, 2023, crash that killed two children and injured two others.

Her sister, Sarah Petersen, was later charged with over a dozen felony accounts of taking responsibility for criminal acts and aiding an offender.

6. New Child Tax Credit of $1,750 per child available in Minnesota 

For the 2023 tax filing year, a new Child Tax Credit will be available for Minnesotans, up to $1,750 per child, with no limit on the number of children claimed.

However, if a qualifying child is more than 17 years old, a person will not be able to claim them for the Child Tax Credit. A Minnesota tax filer will also not be eligible if they are another person’s dependent or qualifying child.

To learn more about the tax credit, click here. 

7. Anoka Ice Arena near death experience shocks hockey community

Anoka’s hockey community remains shocked after a near-death experience at the Anoka Area Ice Arena in late January.

Around 20 minutes into a Sunday hockey game, things turned quickly when Hayden Ceaser’s older teammate went into cardiac arrest.

"It was very scary… he kind of collapsed," Ceaser told FOX 9. "He was stuck, just kind of hunched over, no response at all."

After CPR, and with the use of an AED, the man was resuscitated and is now recovering.

8. Cabin owners say Lutsen Lodge owed them money before fire

Following the devastating fire this week that destroyed the historic Lutsen Lodge, FOX 9 has learned several lawsuits were filed against the resort by neighboring cabin owners, just days before the blaze.

Since Feb. 1, four property owners, whose cabins were managed and rented out by Lutsen Resorts, have claimed they are owed a total of more than $50,000 by the owner of Lutsen Lodge, with several stating they last received payments in July.

To learn more about the civil claim, click here.

9. 3 killed in northern Minnesota crash

A late-morning wreck in northern Minnesota left three people dead and three others injured on Sunday.

The head-on collision killed the driver of the Silverado, identified as 24-year-old Riley Scheidecker. Both men in the F150, 27-year-old Joseph Carlson of North Branch and 27-year-old John Corazzo of Shoreview, were also killed.

Three passengers in the Silverado were also hurt. 

10. Metro Transit passenger shot on light rail train during robbery

A passenger was shot during a robbery on a Metro Transit light rail train in St. Paul Saturday night, police said. 

A 27-year-old man told law enforcement he was robbed while on the train when the shooting happened, and then the suspect ran off the train. He suffered an apparent gunshot wound to his stomach, police said.

"As far as I’m concerned, this is the first incident that we had where someone was shot on the train," Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales III said.