MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Humane Society of the United States and other animal welfare groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday to restore federal protections for gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region that were lifted last year.

WASHINGTON-Excluding the United States, the world holds an estimated 565 billion barrels (bbo) of undiscovered, technically recoverable conventional oil; 5,606 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of undiscovered, technically recoverable conventional natural gas; and 167 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas liquids (NGL), according to a new assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released today.

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - The U.S. Department of the Interior has threatened to cancel a lease agreement that allows the city of Duluth to collect a cut of revenue from the Fond-du-Luth video gambling machines. A letter from Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk to Mayor Don Ness says the lease agreement is unlawful in light of recent court rulings and the National Indian Gaming Commission.

Most of us learn to fish from a dad or uncle who threads a worm on a hook when we're preschoolers - teaching us patience in the midst of anticipation of that first tug on our lines.

Elaine Eggink knew exactly which horse she wanted. She had spent about eight hours looking over a herd of 117 wild horses being put up for adoption by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management. And she arrived at the auction in Lorton, Va. bright and early last weekend to make sure she got it.

BAXTER - A red Brainerd Fire Department truck rushed to the scene of Famous Dave's recently, but the only flames were those drawn on the windows of the restaurant.

In response to the waterfowl charges reported in last week's Courier, we have letters from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stating that paying the fine

THIEF RIVER FALLS (AP) - Arctic Cat Inc. says it is building 100 snowmobiles with cleaner, quieter four-stroke engines, including 50 that will be available for public use in Yellowstone National Park this winter.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Plans for sports fields to be built on Fort Snelling's historic polo grounds could move ahead, now that the National Park Service has dropped its opposition.

A Yellowstone National Park back country ranger who brought national attention to unscrupulous hunting practices was issued a gag order by park officials and told to leave his seasonal post a month before the hunting season ends.