MnDOT has announced the winning Names for the 6th Year of Name a Snowplow contest. Nearly 19,000 voters cast a ballot in February to select these winning names. The order of all 30 finalists can be found on MnDOT’s Name a Snowplow website. The eight top names came from a pool of 67,500 original submission back in December of 2025. The winning names, in order of vote totals, and their future homes are:
- Oh, For Sleet’s Sake – District 3 (Central Minnesota)
- Flurrious George – District 6 (Southeast Minnesota)
- Sled Zeppelin – District 2 (Northwest Minnesota)
- K Pop Blizzard Hunter – District 8 (Southwest Minnesota)
- Minne-Snow-ta – District 1 (Northeast Minnesota)
- Every Day I’m Shovelin’ – District 7 (South Central Minnesota)
- O Brother, Where Art Plow? – District 4 (West Central Minnesota)
- The Life of a Snowgirl – Metro (Twin Cities)
“We’re so thankful to the Minnesotans who have helped submit and select new and creative snowplow names for our agency,” said Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger. “Let’s remember it’s not just the plows, it’s also about the more than 1,600 Minnesota snowplow operators who keep us safe, and our roads cleared all winter long. Please slow down and give the operators of Sled Zepplin, The Life of a Snowgirl and all of Minnesota’s other snowplows plenty of space to clear roads safely every time it snows.” MnDOT now has 52 named snowplows, including Plowy McPlowFace, Betty Whiteout and Taylor Drift. In addition to the 48 named snowplows selected through the annual Name a Snowplow contests, MnDOT staff have helped name four additional snowplows statewide in acknowledgement of highways the state plows adjacent to tribal lands.
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As warmer temperatures move into Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is urging fish house owners to start planning now for shelter removal. Recent warm weather has already deteriorated many public water accesses in central and southern Minnesota. Thin-ice warnings have been issued for some lakes, and many anglers have already pulled their shelters off the ice. For those who haven’t, deadlines are quickly approaching. Fish houses must be removed from inland waters in the southern two-thirds of the state by 11:59 p.m. on March 2nd. In the northern one-third, the deadline is March 16th. On Minnesota-Canada border waters, including Lake of the Woods, the deadline is March 31st. Other border water deadlines come even sooner. Shelters must be removed by March 1st on Minnesota-Wisconsin border waters, March 5th on Minnesota-North and South Dakota border waters, and the deadline of February 20th already passed for Minnesota-Iowa border waters. The DNR says anglers can still fish after those dates, but any shelter left on the ice between midnight and one hour before sunrise must be attended. Shelters also may not be left at public access sites. Officials are also reminding fish house owners to clean up all trash when removing shelters, including wooden blocking materials even if they’re frozen into the ice. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Gorecki with the DNR Enforcement Division says it’s been a long, good season for many anglers, and the agency hopes to see it end on a high note with shelters removed on time and lakes left litter-free. Fish houses not removed by the deadlines could be confiscated, destroyed, and owners may face prosecution. The DNR also reminds anglers that ice is never 100 percent safe. Conditions can change quickly, and everyone should check ice thickness before heading out. For more information on specific deadlines and locations, visit the DNR’s website.
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KDOM’s Community Calendar has some pretty cool activities posted for tonight, this weekend and into the next week! Check it out at Community Calendar on the homepage!
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So I am looking out my window and I am just wondering where all the snow is? I mean everywhere around us seems to be getting snow and I am feeling a little jipped. Today is National Chili Day, National Kaluha Day and Big Breakfast Day. ALL THINGS to make you accomplish when it is snowy and really cold outside… It is weird to me that today is also national Strawberry Day… I guess I’ll pull out some of my hand picked Schumacher’s Berry Farm Strawberries that I froze from last years pick. I have been rationing them so I don’t run out before they open again for picking season! My most favorite thing about today is that is National No Brainer Day. You can take to mean that you are totally forgiven if you don’t use your brain today which I think there has been a lot of that epidemic going on in our part of the world lately, but the reason today is No Brainer Day is actually to encourage people to keep things simple and resolve situations calmly without stress. Let’s All just DO THAT!