With a House vote on the gay marriage bill scheduled for Thursday and the DFL House speaker confident he has enough votes for passage, Rep. John Ward, DFL-Baxter, said he won’t decide “until I have to push that red or green button.”

read more

The Center will host “Using Photographs to Inspire Life Stories” writing class from 1-3 p.m. Wednesday. Class instructors are award winning author Candace Simar and Angela F. Foster.

read more

BAXTER — Gator, Baxter’s K-9 officer, underwent emergency surgery to repair a life-threatening abdominal blockage.

The surgery was successful. Police Chief Jim Exsted said Gator is doing well and recovering.

Money from the drug forfeiture fund, gained as assets in cash and vehicles are seized and forfeited, is going to cover medical costs related to the surgery.

Baxter is receiving the money from Crow Wing County as an active member of the Lakes Area Drug Investigative Division.

In other business, the council:

read more

WALKER — Cass County will offer 18 non-conservation land parcels for sale at a 9 a.m. June 29 auction at the courthouse in Walker.

One commercial city lot in Pine River will see the appraised price lowered from $8,500 to $6,000. That site has been occupied by a bookstore. Others include acreages in several townships, two lakeshore lots and several parcels in The Crossing development at Pillager.

All are tax forfeited properties and have road access. Descriptions will be listed on the county website, www.co.cass.mn.us , beginning about May 15.

read more

Two of Brainerd’s four identified top proposed priorities were detailed Monday.

At its regular meeting, the Brainerd City Council talked about what those priorities might mean down the road and how to implement them.

The top four proposed priorities were voted on during a special strategic planning session, where city leaders identified what to focus on for the future: neighborhood investments, stable financial planning, building a river walk and creating a website and newsletter.

read more

BREEZY POINT — Crow Wing Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) received two prestigious squadron awards at the Minnesota State Civil Air Patrol Conference and Awards Banquet on April 27-28. Several individual squadron members also received recognition throughout the weekend. The conference was attended by more than 300 CAP members, guests, and dignitaries from throughout the state and nation.

read more

WALKER — Cass County Board has set two special meetings.

May 17, the board will meet at 10 a.m. at Deep Portage Conservation Reserve, east of Hackensack, to tour solar, wind and other energy saving improvements the reserve has made in the last two years. That tour is expected to conclude at noon.

read more

Crow Wing sheriff

FIRE — A report at 9:35 p.m. Monday of a large grass fire east of Ironton.

A fire was reported at 6:55 p.m. Monday in Cuyuna.

A report at 5:19 p.m. Monday of a ditch fire and a tree on fire in Emily.

A report at 5:51 a.m. Monday of a vehicle smoking in a parking lot on the 23000 block of Crow Wing County Road 3 in Merrifield.

THEFT — A report at 5:52 p.m. Monday that his daughter had broken into their home on Three Mile Road in Brainerd and took items.

read more

■ MS walk raises $19,347

Walk MS, a community event May 5, had 155 registered walkers and raised $19,347.75.

This year’s total was a steep increase from the $3,000 raised last year, said Destiny Brown, walk ambassador, coordinator and team captain.

■ Upcoming blood donation opportunities

read more

WALKER — Cass County Board voted Tuesday to seek state mediation and to hire Tom Fitzpatrick as legal counsel to represent the county in the mediation.

This is in response to the health, human and veterans services unit of American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees bargaining unit vote to reject the county’s contract offer.

Administrator Robert Yochum said the main issues unresolved are those concerning hours of work and job postings.

read more

WALKER — Nineteen people applied for the veterans service officer and assistant veterans service officer positions Cass County advertised.

The county board Tuesday voted to proceed with interviewing the six applicants who met all the eligibility requirements for veterans service officer, with the intent to select one veterans service officer.

The assistant position would not be filled if a qualified veterans service officer is chosen.

read more

Grass fire season was in full force Monday as foresters with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) battled four fires in the Brainerd lakes area, including a 120-acre fire west of Jenkins.

Mark Mortensen, DNR program forester, said all the grass fires occurred around the same time, with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office dispatching the first grass fire at 12:20 p.m., four miles west of Jenkins. The other three fires were an 18-acre fire five miles west of Pequot Lakes; a wildfire a couple miles from the Wadena County line; and a small grass fire near Leader.

read more

May is Electrical Safety Month and a good time to review electrical safety practices.

Increasing electrical safety awareness, following electrical safety guidelines and using tools and technology designed to address electrical hazards are all components of a safety program.

read more

Volunteer opportunities
for May 2013

■ ARC UNITED OF PEQUOT LAKES — Deborah Simmons, 218-251-0957, Debsimmons@charter.net.

Thrift Store Volunteers — We are looking for volunteers to work in our thrift store in Pequot Lakes. Duties would include, sorting incoming donations, marking, organizing and assisting customers. Daytime hours are Wednesday through Saturday with additional hours during summer months.

■ BRAINERD LAKES AREA EARLY CHILDHOOD COALITION — Tammy, 218-454-5445, tammyfilippi@charter.net.

read more

Zack is a 5-year-old from the Baxter area waiting for a mentor. He is a happy and active little guy.

Zach would really like to learn how to fish this summer. He enjoys spending time outside and loves sports, especially baseball. He also likes arts, crafts and baking. Zach likes to stay busy and would be a great helper for those weekend projects around the house.

Are you available to do a little fishing, play a little catch and have a little helper?

read more

Question: As an officer, I notice a lot of motorists using bypass lanes as pit stops, stopping in them to use their phone, or for other reasons. I appreciate passing lanes, and I am in favor of them. I wish there were more of them. I do stop and advise these pit stop drivers that they have chosen one of the most unsafe places to stop. I explain to them that a passing vehicle may not see them until it is too late.

read more

■ CLC students win at SkillsUSA state championships

Robert Koval, a student in the Diesel Technology Program at Central Lakes College, earned first place honors in the state SkillsUSA contest held in Bloomington.

CLC students Jason Peterson, machine tool technology program, and Colby Abazs, photography program, won second place in their categories.

Seth Schbert placed third in the diesel equipment technology competition.

read more

CAMP RIPLEY – Several Soldiers from across Minnesota who deployed in service of their country came out to Camp Ripley to take part in the annual turkey hunt Apr. 29 – May 3.

“It was not the most ideal weather, it was a bit windy and we had a hard time to get the birds moving,” said Staff Sgt. Tim Krouth, who deployed to Iraq with the 849th Engineers in 2007.

The hunt was split into separate two-day “seasons”.

read more

Upcoming blood donation opportunities planned

For those interested in donating blood can do so at the following: From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 20 at the Brainerd VFW No. 1647, 309 South Sixth Street, Brainerd; from noon to 6 p.m. May 22 at Emily City Hall, 39811 State Highway 6, Emily; and from noon to 6 p.m. May 23 at Motley United Methodist Church, 847 Third Avenue South Lane, Motley.

Simply call 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information.

A letter will be written by the Brainerd City Council, endorsing the concept of re-routing the Fourth of July parade through downtown.

A group of downtown business owners asked the council to re-route the parade at its regular meeting Monday.

Community Action hosts the parade and maps out the route.

Kevin Matthews, who represented downtown business owners, told the council 45 businesses support the idea of re-routing it and two are against it.

It will bring life back into the downtown district, he said.

read more