Spring truck weight restrictions end May 13 for central frost zones

Spring truck weight restrictions on state highways in the central Minnesota frost zone will end Monday.

Spring load restrictions are still in effect in the north-central and north frost zones.

Ending dates for spring load restrictions are established by monitoring roadway strength as weather conditions change.

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Birding Big Day is Sunday at the Northland Arboretum

Anyone interested in birds is invited to attend the annual Birding Big Day Sunday at the Northland Arboretum.

The event, sponsored by the Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon Society (BLAAS), begins at 7:45 a.m.

Join with amateurs and experts alike to identify and count birds at the Northland Arboretum.

The group will gather in the front of the Arboretum building at about 7:45 a.m. to divide into teams and then head out on the trails to see how many bird species they can find between 8 a.m. and noon.

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■ Spring truck weight restrictions end May 13 for central frost zones

Spring truck weight restrictions on state highways in the central Minnesota frost zone will end Monday.

Spring load restrictions are still in effect in the north-central and north frost zones.

Ending dates for spring load restrictions are established by monitoring roadway strength as weather conditions change.

read more

Nisswa Women’s Club style show is May 28

NISSWA — The Nisswa Women’s Club annual style show and luncheon will be conducted on May 28 at Madden’s. This is the 30th year the event has been conducted. Fifty-two years ago the club began funding scholarships to area students. It gives scholarships to Pequot Lakes and Brainerd High School students. It will again award five awards at $1,500 each. In addition, we award three $1,000 scholarship to non-traditional female students at Central Lakes College.

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Several grass fires ignited Friday in the Brainerd lakes area, sending firefighters and foresters with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) scrambling to contain them.

About a dozen Brainerd firefighters and the DNR responded to a grass fire at 2:58 p.m. Friday on 12774 Crow Wing County 23, south of Brainerd. The grass fire made its way to a small abandoned garage and it caught fire. The garage was a total loss.

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Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl is asking for everyone’s cooperation and patience during the fishing opener weekend. Most of the lakes in our area are still partially covered in ice. The ice should be considered unsafe for vehicle or foot traffic.

On lakes with open water, most navigational markers are not in place. If you do venture out in a boat, be aware that there could be ice and other hazards that are not marked and the water temperatures are extremely cold. Hypothermia can set in very quickly in cold water.

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Latest ice out recorded

Alexander April 25, 2002

Baby May 6, 2008

Big Sandy May 4, 1996

Calhoun April 28, 2013

Crow Wing April 30, 1975

Edna May 2, 1979

Farm Island May 2, 2008

Fish Hook April 29, 2011

Gull May 18, 1950

Hubert May 4, 2008

Itasca May 18, 1950

Kabekona May 18, 1909

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■ How area lawmakers voted

Voting yes — Rep. John Ward, DFL-Baxter; Rep. Joe Radinovich, DFL-Crosby; Rep. Tom Anzelc, DFL-Balsam Township; Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji.

Voting no — Rep. Mark Anderson, R-Lake Shore; Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Lakae Shore.

Brainerd area lawmakers split along party lines on the gay marriage bill that passed Thursday 75-59 and is on the way to a Senate vote on Monday.

Rep. John Ward, DFL-Baxter, who said he would delay a decision until he heard Thursday’s House debate, voted yes.

Also casting yes votes were Rep. Joe Radinovich, DFL-Crosby; Rep. Tom Anzelc, DFL-Balsam Township (Itasca County); and Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji. Voting no were Rep. Mark Anderson, R-Lake Shore; and Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls.

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The Center

Monday

8 a.m.- Greeting card recycling.

8 a.m.-4 p.m.- Cardio Exercise Room.

9 a.m.- Free Blood Pressure Checks.

9-10 a.m.- ZUMBA Gold

10 a.m.-4 p.m.-The Gift Shop.

10 am- Grief Group (2nd week of month)

11 a.m.- Bone Builders.

11:30 a.m.- Lutheran Social Service Dining-Beef tips/gravy, mashed potatoes, broccoli, peaches.

12:30 p.m.- Party Bridge.

1:15 p.m.- Cribbage.

5 p.m.- Monthly Dinner (2nd week of the month).

Tuesday

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Free Master Gardener classes through the University of Minnesota Extension Crow Wing County Master Gardeners will take place at the Brainerd Public Library from April – September 2013. Monthly presentations facilitated by certified University of Minnesota Extension Crow Wing County Master Gardeners who will discuss subjects ranging from rain gardens to city chickens. Master Gardeners are University of Minnesota-trained volunteers whose job is to educate the public about a variety of horticulture subjects using readily available, up-to-date research-based information.

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Good Sa maritan Society – Communities of Brainerd and Pine River invite the public to upcoming Alzheimer’s Education Sessions. The information will be useful for caregivers, family members, and friends of those with memory loss.

Understanding your Impact — What is Patient-Centered Care? is set for 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Good Samaritan Society-Woodland Chapel, 100 Buffalo Hills Lane, Brainerd.

Introduction to Dementia Care Culture — How Families Cope is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. June 11 at Good Samaritan Society-Woodland Chapel, 100 Buffalo Hills Lane, Brainerd.

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Correction/clarification

WALKER — In the report on veterans’ comments before the Cass County Board May 7, the Brainerd Dispatch incorrectly reported that Don Stehr made the comment that he would use the veterans satellite office in Remer rather than the main county veterans office, which is now located in Backus.

The Dispatch regrets the error.

Motorists and passengers are reminded to buckle up this spring as extra “click it or ticket” seat belt patrols take to the roads statewide May 20 through June 2. The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office is among nearly 400 Minnesota agencies increasing patrols to encourage motorists to buckle up. In the last three years on Minnesota roads there were 864 traffic deaths, of which 352 were not buckled up. Of those 352 killed, 41 percent were motorists ages 16-29.

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There’s a projected $412,908 budget deficit for the Brainerd Public Schools fiscal year 2013.

A second revision of the Brainerd Public Schools 2012-13 school year budget was approved at the Finance Committee meeting Thursday.

That deficit number will change as the year finishes off, said Steve Lund, director of business services for the district.

The preliminary fiscal year 2012 budget for the General Fund included revenues of $70,107,681 and expenses of $70,520,587, which produced the deficit for the 2013 fiscal year.

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A positive sign arrived with the latest foreclosure numbers.

Kathy Ludenia, Crow Wing County recorder, said foreclosures to date are down nearly 50 percent compared to the number of foreclosures recorded two years ago.

In April, there were 17 foreclosures in the county. Those numbers are down slightly from 22 foreclosures in April of 2012 and down substantially from the 31 recorded in April of 2011.

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Motorists travelling Highway 371 in Nisswa will encounter lane shifts and short traffic interruptions on area streets beginning Monday.

That day’s traffic changes will include the following.

• Highway 371 between the south Highway 371/Hazelwood Drive intersection and Nisswa Avenue will be reduced to a single lane in each direction as traffic is switched to the existing northbound lanes. Traffic will then switch to the new southbound lanes while the northbound lanes are reconstructed. All lanes of Highway 371 will open in fall 2013.

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Burning restrictions are in place for several counties in northeastern Minnesota and residents are reminded that permits are required for open burning, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said.

Northeastern counties current or anticipated burning restriction dates are:
· April 21: Pine County.

· May 6: Aitkin, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs, Kanabec, and southern Cass counties.

· May 13: Itasca, southern Cass, Carlton, and southern St. Louis counties.

· Later in May: Koochiching, northern St. Louis, Lake and Cook counties; watch for dates.

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■ BHS senior
awarded National
Merit scholarship

Brainerd High School senior Audrey Lothspeich was awarded a $2,500 National Merit scholarship.

The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program.

National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

■ March of Dimes
raises $28,000

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Firefighters respond to grass and ditch fires

The Brainerd Fire Department responded to two fires Wednesday afternoon.

Firefighters responded to the first call at 1:57 p.m. on 7874 Travis Trail in Fort Ripley that was a grass fire. The other call was at 3:55 p.m. on 12956 Pine Hurst Road, south of Brainerd, to a fire in the ditch.