Here is the latest Minnesota news from The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) The families of three American hikers being held in Iran are striving to keep focus on their detention as it enters a third week. Relatives of Shane Bauer, Joshua Fattal and Sarah Shourd have scheduled media interviews Thursday in New York. The three have been in custody in Iran since they entered the country from Iraq without authorization on July 31.



ROSEVILLE, Minn. (AP) Republicans in a cluster of St. Paul suburbs are inviting a pack of GOP gubernatorial hopefuls to a picnic today. Organizers of the Roseville event say they expect nine declared candidates for governor to drop by. They're billing their picnic as the largest gathering of the 2010 candidates to date.



ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is offering organic farmers and processors partial rebates for the cost of getting certified as organic. The department says it's accepting applications until Oct. 15. Depending on the farm or business size, the cost of certification can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars per year.



GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. (AP) Grand Portage State Park in northeastern Minnesota is open daily once again. The park provides visitors with an opportunity to see the 120-foot High Falls on the Pigeon River, Minnesota's highest waterfall. The park had been temporarily closed on weekdays to accommodate construction work on a new visitor center. The visitor center is expected to open next summer.

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