Minnesota's Best State Parks from About.com

About.com has Itasca, Blue Mounds, and Forestville as the top three state parks in Minnesota. I give them credit for their choices of Itasca, which was Minnesota's first park and Blue Mounds, which I found to be very unexpected. I however was surprised to see Forestville in that mix. Forestville (which I have previously written about) is not a bad park, but there are some others even in that region that got overlooked.

Itasca was Minnesota's first park as mentioned above and within the park is the headwaters of the Mississippi River (Lake Itasca). Ironically the park is NOT in Itasca County. The park in near Bemidji and is one of the largest parks in Minnesota. I have been to the park, but that was many years ago. I do plan on spending a weekend there this summer. I will write in depth on it after I visit that park.

Blue Mounds is also a great park. I would describe it as very unexpected. The park is in the middle of the prairie of Southwestern Minnesota near Luverne. Among other things the park has rock climbing on a Quartzite quarry wall, a herd of buffalo, and some great trails. Also because it is prairie, it is also a park that is best seen in the late summer, which is rather unique.

Where I think the article comes short is in its pick of Forestville. Just in that part of the state, I prefer Whitewater, Beaver Creek Valley, and Great River Bluffs. In addition the article ignores the great North Shore parks such as Tettegouche, Judge Magney, Gooseberry, and George Crosby Manitou. Other parks that I rate highly include Glendalough, St. Croix, and Myre Big Island. Obviously there are many great parks and this is very subjective.

About.com

More Information on the Murderer of Carrie Nelson

Here is a link to the Star Tribune (selected excerpts are shown below):

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Reviewing What Happened today:

Randy Leeroyal Swaney, 36, was charged with four counts of second-degree murder in the May 20, 2001 beating death of Carrie Nelson, 20, at Blue Mounds State Park.

It sounds like the authorities did an excellent job. Unless this is O.J.'s jury, this should be an open and shut case. I am grateful to whoever provided the information that led to Randy's capture.

Investigators found two pieces of evidence at the scene: a man's watch with a broken band and a pack of Doral cigarettes, the complaint says.

Investigators said they were able to match DNA taken from the watchband to Swaney.

They also obtained an Easter 2001 photo from the Swaney family that showed Swaney feeding ducks with his left arm extended.

"That photo shows a wristband to a watch, which is identical to that recovered at the scene," the complaint says.

When the photo was enlarged, investigators were able to determine that the watchband had been fastened in the fourth hole from tag end.

That watchband found at the scene had been fastened in the fourth hole.

The Doral cigarettes were purchased in South Dakota, according to a revenue stamp on the package. Swaney lived in Sioux Falls at the time. Another family photo taken around April 2001 shows Swaney sitting at a table with a pack of Dorals near his hands, the complaint says.

Investigators said they also learned that Swaney's wife, Dawn Marie, was at work in Sioux Falls during the time of the killing.

That meant that Randy Swaney had access to a cream-colored or off-white 4-door Delta 88, described as a "boat," by a relative, the complaint says.

On the day of the killing, a visitor to the park told investigators that she was heading back to the park building when she heard a loud noise, "looked to the west and saw an older white 'boat' -type of vehicle speeding northbound on a gravel boundary road going away from the park entrance," according to the complaint.

Randy in our legal system you are innocent until proven guilty, however on this blog you have just been convicted. I'm wishing you a life sentence, an awful experience in prison, and a quick end you your miserable life.

Arrest made in 2001 Murder of a State Park Employee

This was posted in today's Star Tribune. This is the only such event in the history of Minnesota State Parks so closing this chapter would be good news. More information to come. Here is a link.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1170057.html