After an economic drought, 2012 saw an increase in commercial construction in the lakes area. In Baxter, property tax collection from "new commercial construction" rose from $9.6 million in 2005 to $25.5 million in 2006.

Candidates campaigned long and hard in 2012 with the end results on Nov. 6 a mixed bag, depending upon one's political leanings.

The severe drought conditions currently listed for most of the Brainerd lakes area are a far cry from where the region was at in late spring and early summer.

It looks like winter has most definitely arrived in the Brainerd lakes area this year. Blanketed in white and temperatures expected out of Minnesota winters, this year looks to be the complete opposite of what was seen less than a year ago.

Jason Edens was looking for a hand up, not a hand out.

Each found their mark somewhere on the makeshift target. And, in area business circles, so has Holm. Even though it's not quite what he was shooting for.

Julie Gowen looked around the showroom at the Floor to Ceiling Store in Baxter, noticed her coworkers in tears and knew something was up. Gowen, who had worked as an interior designer at the store for six years, was the last employee...

What a twist of events The Farm on St. Mathias has become. Bob and Arlene Jones of Nisswa weren't looking to get into the farm business.

After years of sporadic or largely nonexistent construction in the lakes area in the wake of the Great Recession, 2012 proved to be the year the economic recovery took solid steps. Jobs. Construction. Development.