Friday, February 16, 2001
Mercury rises with five new models
CHICAGO -- Waving aside persistent rumors of its demise, Ford Motor Co.'s Mercury division last Thursday unveiled five new models, including an all-new muscle car and spruced-up versions of two other vehicles.
Image restored
Following last year's Firestone/Bridgestone tire scandal, the image of the Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle isn't quite as invincible as it once was.
Consumer groups a little late in backing Internet car sales
The consumers' movement is a year late in its bid to stop auto dealers from blocking new-vehicle sales over the Internet.
Eight SUVs get low marks in latest rollover test results
WASHINGTON -- The government released rollover risk ratings for 30 more vehicles on Tuesday, giving low marks to eight sport utility vehicles and high grades to four cars.
Seat belt use varies by region, vehicle type
WASHINGTON -- More Americans are wearing seat belts than ever before, but usage can vary greatly depending on vehicle type, region and state seat belt laws, the government said Wednesday.
Claims fall but still point to cooler job market
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of Americans filing new claims for state unemployment insurance fell last week but still hovered at a level suggesting that some workers were having trouble finding jobs in the weakening economy.
Metals
NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices Wednesday.
Strangely Normal Tour
Also performing at the Brainerd Area Youth Ministries event were the Christian pop groups Earthsuit, V*Enna, Katy Hudson and LaRue, a brother-sister folk duo that has performed here before.
Prayer specialists staff Healing Center
Everything in her lifetime, it appears, has led her to this.
Churches could get big benefits from federal support
PHILADELPHIA -- Amid the abandoned gas stations and boarded-up storefronts of North Philadelphia, the New Hope Revival Center church is practically a community unto itself.
Religious leaders mobilizing against capital punishment
RICHMOND, Va. -- Religious leaders in the South and around the nation are speaking out against capital punishment more loudly than ever, emboldened by a shift in public opinion and cases of innocence on death row.
Church briefs
NISSWA -- Don Francisco will appear at 7 p.m. Feb. 25 at New Hope Community Church in Nisswa. There is no admission fee but a freewill offering will be taken. New Hope is next to Nisswa School. Call 963-2663 with questions.
Prolonged depression has serious medical consequences
QUESTION: My wife has been severely depressed for nearly three months. What kind of treatment or therapy would you recommend for her?
Bush adviser signals education compromises
WASHINGTON -- President Bush's chief domestic policy adviser signaled Wednesday that the White House is moving toward concessions on its education plan to meet concerns among both Democrats and Republicans in Congress.
Appeals court strikes down Pennsylvania school anti-harassment policy
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- A federal appeals court overturned a school district's sweeping anti-harassment policy, saying the guidelines violate the free speech rights of students.
College students go to Capitol to call for more funding for higher education
ST. PAUL (AP) -- A large -- and very loud -- contingent of college students flooded the Capitol to draw attention to their needs and higher education in general.
Undo that glue
Dear Heloise: Once upon a time, a long time ago, you had an item in your column telling how to REMOVE A FACTORY-GLUED LABEL. I thought it was a great idea, and then I forgot it.
Son who moves in with father still wants his own space
DEAR ABBY: My 15-year-old son, "Mike," chose to move in with his father four months ago. He made this decision on his own. My lawyer advised me that he was old enough to make the decision, and that any judge would allow it, so I let him go. His father and I have been divorced for seven years. I am remarried, and besides Mike's 14-year-old sister, have a 5-year-old daughter with my new husband. Mike is extremely jealous of the 5-year-old.
Ties that bind father to son not always based on blood
DEAR ABBY: You made some good points in your reply to "Used in North Carolina," who married his pregnant girlfriend and nine years later learned that his son was "not his own." This father resented that he was expected to take care of a child "who isn't even mine." However, you missed an important point. Because your column is so widely read, it's important to call attention to what it is that really makes a child "one's own."
Hanger hang-up
Dear Heloise: Help! I'm DROWNING IN WIRE HANGERS. What do I do with them? I hate for them to go to the landfill, but the cleaners won't take them back! -- E-mail from Bakersfield, Calif.
Cash grain
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Wheat receipts Wednesday 399, a year ago 225.
Cash grain
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Wheat receipts Thursday 222, a year ago 122.
Much of world farmland in poor shape, scientists say
WASHINGTON -- Much of the world's farmland is in such poor condition that farmers will have to find better ways to grow crops or else their production won't keep pace with the growing population, scientists say.
Livestock
SOUTH ST. PAUL (AP) (USDA) -- Wednesday cattle: 400.
USDA economist warns against higher crop subsidies
WASHINGTON -- The government's top farm economist told Congress on Wednesday that raising federal price supports for crops like wheat and corn would boost commodity surpluses and cause trade problems for the United States.
Livestock
SOUTH ST. PAUL (AP) (USDA) -- Thursday cattle: 300.
Add variety to grilled cheese sandwiches
Cheese sandwiches, perhaps grilled, are an obvious choice when it comes to making a fast meal -- but it doesn't have to be a dull choice.
Book provides basic introduction to Chinese food
Chinese cooks have often had to use tougher cuts of beef and have developed clever techniques and quick cooking methods to make them more palatable, Martin Yan explains in "Chinese Cooking for Dummies" (Hungry Minds, $19.99 paperback).
Bride shares recipe her groom loves
I really have to chuckle to myself when I check my e-mail messages and there are recipes from my niece Sue who lives in Fargo.
School lunch menus
BRAINERD - MONDAY -- B-Poptart, cheese slice or yogurt, juice. L-Pepperoni pizza, corn, diced peaches, animal crackers.
Court
WALKER -- Cass County Veterans Service Officer John Robert Reuter III was arraigned this week in Cass County Court on one fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct count. Reuter, 51, Walker, appeared before Judge Michael J. Haas with his attorney, Tom Kuesel.
Fires
The Brainerd Fire Department responded to a fire Thursday that started in the wiring inside a wall and ceiling of a mobile home in Unorganized Territory.
Fire
The Brainerd Fire Department responded to a furnace fire at 6:55 a.m. today in Oak Lawn Township.
Bush heads to Mexico for Fox visit
WASHINGTON -- President Bush flew to Mexico on Friday on his first presidential trip outside U.S. borders, hoping to soothe friction over immigration, trade and drugs and build a partnership based on "cooperation, creativity and mutual respect."
Groups oppose tax credit restriction plan
ST. PAUL (AP) -- School-choice advocates are upset that Gov. Jesse Ventura is proposing to restrict a tax credit aimed at helping lower-income parents pay for tutoring, transportation expenses and other school-related costs.
Oberstar seeks to double adoption tax credit to $10,000
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A generation ago, Rep. Jim Oberstar couldn't get Congress to pass even a $500 tax deduction for parents who adopt children. Now, with a $5,000 tax credit already law, he and other lawmakers are trying to double that to $10,000.
Democrats lay out their own tax cut, budget goals
WASHINGTON -- Democratic congressional leaders announced their own broad budget goals Thursday, saying they favor a tax cut less than half the size of President Bush's proposal and aimed more at lower- and middle-income people.
Committee stalls bill aimed at punishing gas drive offs
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Momentum slowed Thursday on a bill to hit gasoline thieves with up to a year suspension of their driver's license.
Momentum for repeal of estate tax is slowing
WASHINGTON -- Efforts in Congress to abolish the estate tax are facing new hurdles, slowing momentum for a tax cut that was practically a motherhood issue among lawmakers last year.
Capitol notebook
Happenings Wednesday at the Minnesota Capitol:
Media execs are called on Capitol carpet over election coverage
WASHINGTON -- The heads of the United States' largest television news networks, called to Capitol Hill Wednesday to account for errors in their coverage of presidential election results, were forced to watch a videotape of the night's most embarrassing moments and listen to hours of testimony detailing their mistakes.
Bill would ban soda sales to students during school day
ST. PAUL -- Forget Coke vs. Pepsi. A couple of state lawmakers are taking on the whole soft drink industry with a bill to ban soda sales to students during the school day.
Legislative briefs
Rep. Steve Wenzel, DFL-Little Falls, has introduced a measure to reduce the state sales tax from 6.5 to 6 percent, rolling back a supposedly temporary increase that has stayed on the books for nearly a decade.
Democrats grill Paige on still undetermined education budget
WASHINGTON -- Education Secretary Roderick Paige on Thursday told a Senate committee that the Bush administration has yet to develop a budget to accompany its education reform plan. That prompted some Democrats to warn that they will measure the president's commitment to the issue largely by his willingness to contribute new money to it.
Study: Stroke treatment varies greatly by region, race
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- People who live in the Midwest are five times as likely as Southerners to receive brain-saving clot-dissolving drugs when they have strokes, a study found.
Key senators say they won't seek overhaul of Medicare
WASHINGTON -- Key congressional leaders said Wednesday they will not pursue a comprehensive reform of Medicare, dealing a blow to President Bush's campaign promise to make sweeping changes in the federal health care program for the elderly and disabled.
Housing briefs
LITTLE FALLS -- An afternoon tour at the Little Falls homes of Charles A. Weyerhaeuser and Richard Drew Musser will feature the history of the two renowned lumber barons of Minnesota.
Now may be the time for home improvements with home equity loan
Home improvement projects may benefit from long-term rates on home equity loans.
Leaking creosote is dangerous
Q: A brick chimney goes up between two unheated rooms in our attic. For the last 35 years, creosote appears to have leaked out of the chimney and stained the wallpaper. Is this dangerous, and if it needs repair, what kind of technician handles this?
Decorative moldings can spruce up home
For most of us, a home is the single biggest investment we will make in a lifetime. So, we spend lots of time, money and energy doing what we can to maintain its integrity and improve its value. It's no wonder that Americans spend more than $150 billion annually on home improvement and repair.
Baby boomers prepare homes for comfy retirement
ATLANTA -- A big house with a luxury kitchen, hardwood floors and all the amenities. What else would a baby boomer need in a home?
Housing is more affordable, according to Realtors
Lower mortgage interest rates, higher family income and a seasonal decline in the median existing-home price combined to improve housing affordability conditions nationwide in the fourth quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors.
New advertisement-free garden magazine launched
Thomas Cooper, the editor of Horticulture for more than 20 years, has left the publication to launch a new magazine with the owner of the Litchfield, Conn.-based mail-order nursery White Flower Farm.
Visit this Web site
JUST SIGHTED: www.novica.com
Give seeds a jump-start
WASHINGTON -- When it comes to seed-starting, one size doesn't fit all.
Poet's jasmine is welcome in winter
About this time of year, you might demand more of your houseplants than just being green.
Congressman's desk sells for $14,950
Leaving public life and taking a few of the furnishings with you clearly did not begin with 20th-century presidents.
Is it time to refinance your mortgage?
Falling interest rates are heating up interest in refinancing home mortgages, which could save thousands of dollars during the life of loans.
Redecorating can be fun
There's nothing like spending some long, gray, winter days cooped up in the house to make a person think: Redecorate!
Possible threat at Pillager schools
PILLAGER -- Students were dismissed about 25 minutes early Thursday from Pillager schools after a possible threat.
Time to refinance?
Could refinancing a home mortgage be in a homeowner's best interest? Look for the story in Friday's Housing section.
Correction / clarification
In a Page 1A photograph Thursday featuring Joe Plut, the Central Lakes College student who was being hugged was misidentified in the cutline. Plut was hugging Briana Beckworth.
Civil service panel to meet Tuesday
The Brainerd Police and Fire Civil Service commission will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Brainerd City Hall to discuss the hiring of a Brainerd police chief.
Snowmobiler rescued after falling through ice
BREEZY POINT -- A 27-year-old man fell through the ice Wednesday afternoon near Rice Lake on County Road 11 in Breezy Point and had to be rescued.
Added Crow Wing, Cass population to figure in legislative redistricting
Crow Wing and Cass counties are two of the state's 87 counties that have been experiencing rapid population growth, which could mean changes in the counties' representation in the Legislature.
Brainerd Manor crowns royalty on Valentine's Day
They smiled and waved to family and friends as they slowly walked arm in arm around the Brainerd Manor dining hall, making sure to pause every now and again as cameras flashed.
Police to target cars with children not in safety seats
Throughout February, nearly 275 agencies, including the Nisswa and Brainerd police departments, will work additional shifts solely dedicated to traffic enforcement, targeting people transporting unrestrained children.
This was Brainerd
20 years ago (1981) - Steve Mans rolled a 711 series the opening weekend of the Brainerd Men's Bowling Association Tournament to give competitors a tough mark to shoot at this weekend in the finale of the 1981 event.
Taking flight
Two trumpeter swans took flight while a sibling waited its turn for takeoff Thursday on the Gull River above the Gull Dam. The swans stay in this area because of open water and ample food. (Dispatch Photo by Steve Kohls)
This was Brainerd
FEBRUARY 15 - 40 years ago (1961) - Dollar Day Values at John M. Bye Clothing Company, Laurel Street: -- Men's suits, values to $65 $38 -- Men's dress shoes, $7.88 -- Men's jackets, $12.88
Toddler critically burned in fire
LITTLE FALLS -- A 2-year-old toddler was in critical condition this morning after suffering smoke inhalation and having 27 percent of her body burned in a house fire Tuesday.
Local briefs
Ray G. Smith, the national commander of the American Legion, will visit Aitkin, Garrison and Onamia on Feb. 24.
Two injured in collision at intersection of 371 and 210
BAXTER -- Two drivers were injured in a two-vehicle accident reported at 7:09 a.m. today at the intersection of Highways 371 and 210 in Baxter.
Life's embrace
Doctors mended his broken heart, and now the Mad Hugger fittingly chose Valentine's Day to return to Central Lakes College.
Source: Federal probe of Rich pardon planned
NEW YORK -- A federal prosecutor has cranked up the heat on former President Clinton, launching a criminal investigation to determine if money played a role in the last-minute pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich.
Oklahoma City bomber McVeigh allows clemency deadline to pass
DENVER -- Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh moved a step closer to execution when he allowed a deadline to pass without filing a request for clemency.
Virginia lawmakers 'regret' forced sterilizations
LYNCHBURG, Va. -- In the 1940s, the state labeled Raymond W. Hudlow a "mental defective" and surgically sterilized him.
Two couples die in plane crash
WEBB LAKE, Wis. (AP) -- A single-engine plane crashed and caught fire, killing two couples on their way home from a Valentine's Day dinner, authorities said.
Suspect found in road rage killing of dog
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Police have a prime suspect to last year's bizarre road rage incident when a man yanked a woman's dog from her car and tossed it into oncoming traffic, the San Jose Mercury News reported Thursday.
Bush tells Guard and reserves their roles will grow
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- For the third consecutive day, President Bush on Wednesday went to a military installation to praise the armed forces and extol his plans to improve their lot.
WWII veteran becomes U.S. citizen after 78 years in America
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Henry Claus lived in the United States for 78 years, served in World War II and raised five children in America.
Racial profiling debate hinges on requirements over data collection
ST. PAUL -- Gov. Jesse Ventura indicated Tuesday that he favors leaving decisions about whether to collect racial data on traffic stops to local officials instead of mandating information gathering by the state.
In wake of sub's collision with Japanese fishing vessel
WASHINGTON -- President Bush called on the Pentagon to review the role of civilians in military exercises like the emergency ascent drill that a Navy submarine was performing with two civilians at the controls when it sank a Japanese fishing vessel.
Student held without bond in two killings at university for deaf
WASHINGTON -- A 20-year-old freshman accused of murdering two fellow deaf students at Gallaudet University admitted in a videotaped confession that robbery was the reason he stabbed one classmate to death and fatally beat the other, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Lack of wind forces polar explorers to call for plane
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- With no wind for their parasails, polar explorers Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen decided Thursday to have a plane pick them up instead of skiing and sailing across the rest of the Ross Ice Shelf to their ship ride home.
Sheriff, FBI join forces to probe old SLA case
LOS ANGELES -- Northern California investigators plan to re-examine a deadly 1975 bank robbery for links to the Symbionese Liberation Army.
Shuttle crew finishing up work on space station before trip home this weekend
SPACE CENTER, Houston -- Space shuttle Atlantis astronauts had a few remaining chores as they wrapped up their time on the international space station Thursday and prepared for a weekend return to Earth.
House panel won't decide right away on Denise Rich immunity
WASHINGTON -- A House committee investigating President Clinton's pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich won't give immunity to Rich's ex-wife until federal prosecutors decide whether to move ahead with their own criminal probe, a spokesman said.
Navy confirms civilians at sub controls during accident
HONOLULU (AP) -- A federal investigator confirmed that a civilian was allowed to pull the levers that sent a Navy submarine streaking toward the surface of the Pacific Ocean where it hit and sank a Japanese fishing vessel.
Planes collide over California harbor; one dead, three missing
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) -- Two small planes on training flights collided over a harbor then plunged 1,000 feet into the Pacific Ocean. One person was killed and three others were missing and presumed dead.
Monthly cable rates rise; programming costs blamed
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Consumers footed heftier monthly cable bills last year, as companies boosted their rates for programming and equipment by 5.8 percent, according to government figures.
Clinton 'bewildered' by pardon controversy
NEW YORK -- Bill Clinton said Thursday that he is "bewildered" by the controversy over his last-minute pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich and he blamed Republicans for fueling the criticism.
Wholesale prices soar in January
WASHINGTON -- Wholesale inflation shot up by a surprising 1.1 percent in January, the biggest jump in a decade, reflecting a record rise in natural gas prices and higher costs for food, cars and cigarettes. Industrial production fell for the fourth straight month.
Shuttle on its way home
SPACE CENTER, Houston (AP) -- Space shuttle Atlantis and its astronauts left the international space station on Friday after spending the week installing the $1.4 billion science laboratory Destiny.
Referee jailed after attack on coach
ATLANTA (AP) -- A youth basketball referee, apparently angry that his calls had been criticized, slashed a coach with a knife after a game between 7- and 8-year-olds, sending youngsters and parents scurrying in fear, authorities say.
National scoreboard
Radio guide -- WYRQ-FM (92.1), KFML-FM (94.1), KKIN-FM (94.3), KTCF-FM (101.5), KTIG-FM (102.7), WCCO-AM (830), KWAD-AM (920), KKIN-AM (930), KTLF-AM (960), 3WI-AM (1270), KVBR-AM (1340), KLIZ-AM (1380), KLLZ-AM (1600)
Penn State earns first win in Williams Arena after eight losses
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Gyasi Cline-Heard scored 21 points and Joe Crispin added 15 as Penn State defeated Minnesota 82-62 Wednesday night, giving the Nittany Lions their first victory at Williams Arena after eight straight losses.
Cavs lose to chalupas
Call it the Chalupa Challenge.
Baseball wants umps to be tougher
NEW YORK (AP) -- It didn't take long for baseball's first controversy of spring training to break out.
Rookie provides the scoring power for St. Louis
A rookie was the brightest light at the Savvis Center.
Sirotka arrives, still center of controversy
Mike Sirotka needs the medical exams. The humor he can do with out.
Team changes hands, Gretzky era arrives
PHOENIX (AP) -- Wayne Gretzky's exuberance showed through when he played, and he couldn't restrain it when he got back into hockey as a partner in the new Phoenix Coyotes ownership.
Gladys G. Hicks
MINNEAPOLIS -- Gladys G. Hicks, 92, Minneapolis, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at New Brighton Care Center in New Brighton.
Sister Mary Alicia Pischke
LITTLE FALLS -- Sister Mary Alicia Pischke, 90, Little Falls, died Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001, at St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls.
Lawrence 'Larry' L. Dorschner
ST. PAUL -- Lawrence "Larry" L. Dorschner, 55, Woodbury, died Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2001, at United Hospital in St. Paul.
Ragna C. Awes
AITKIN -- Ragna Corrine Awes, 71, Aitkin, died Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001.
ElRoy 'Tuffy' J. Birchem
FLENSBURG -- ElRoy "Tuffy" John Birchem, 70, Flensburg, died Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2001, at his home.
Lester Lageson
Lester Lageson, 89, Brainerd, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at St. Joseph's Medical Center.
Barbara J. Blume
Barbara J. Blume, 68, Brainerd, died Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001, at Bethany Good Samaritan Village in Brainerd.
Charles L. Bedore
Charles L. Bedore, 92, Brainerd, died Monday, Feb. 12, 2001, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.
Norman R. Super
LITTLE FALLS -- Norman R. Super, 74, Little Falls, died today, Feb. 16, 2001, at his home.
Robert 'Bobby' Gens
DEERWOOD -- Robert "Bobby" Gens, 65, Deerwood, formerly of St. Paul, died Monday, Feb. 12, 2001, at his home.
Luther D. Brown
NISSWA -- Luther D. Brown, 88, Nisswa, died Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2001, at Bethany Good Samaritan Village in Brainerd.
Emma Hurd
AITKIN -- Emma Hurd, 95, Aitkin, died today, Feb. 15, 2001, at her daughter's home near Aitkin.
Delois Spalding
LITTLE FALLS -- Delois Spalding, 77, Little Falls, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at Lutheran Care Center in Little Falls.
Ragna C. Awes
AITKIN -- Ragna Corrine Awes, 71, Aitkin, died today, Feb. 15, 2001, at Riverwood Health Care Center in Aitkin.
Lester Lageson
Lester Lageson, 89, Brainerd, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2001, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.
Charter schools - Disptach Editorial
Charter schools have proliferated like wild flowers in the few years since the Legislature authorized them in 1991. There are now 64 such schools scattered across Minnesota, some good and others beset with problems. However they are all independent and distinct.
The Napster verdict
The following editorial appeared in Wednesday's Washington Post:
Open Forum
We absolutely love embracing bad behavior!
Open Forums
In reading Jim Grossman's story Sunday, I am very glad to see there are others who do not approve of the music played at CLC basketball games. I have been complaining about this for the last three ye
Do you have a beef with the media?
The Minnesota News Council is an independent organization that examines citizens' complaints alleging inaccuracy, unfairness or unethical conduct by the media.
Coverage sack - Dispatch Editorial
Network chiefs called before a House committee Wednesday to answer for embarrassing mistakes in their election night coverage can't have had too much fun.
Education needs more than school heating aid
The following editorial was in Monday's Austin Daily Herald.
Promising start for a border partnership
President Bush's visit to Mexico this week has given rise to high expectations of a new partnership between the United States and its neighbor. The visit will take place under auspicious circumstances as both Bush and President Vicente Fox are at the beginning of their terms. The fact that Bush's first official international trip should be to Mexico is a clear signal of the prominence that he gives to relations with Mexico. In turn, Fox is well aware of the singular place that the United States occupies on Mexico's international agenda.
Clinton-haters overlook past pardons
As President Eisenhower prepared to depart office, a bunch of wealthy businessmen undertook to stock his farm in the manner benefiting a Gettysburg country squire.
Snowmobile deaths are up in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Wary of the dramatic increase in snowmobile deaths across Minnesota this winter, state officials are urging riders to slow down, lay off alcohol and supervise their children.
Investigators probe plane's wreckage
WEBB LAKE, Wis. (AP) -- Federal investigators combed through the wreckage Thursday of a single-engine plane crash that killed a popular Minnesota flight instructor, a student pilot and their wives coming home from a Valentine's Day dinner.
Ventura wants to cut funding for women's services program
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Several women's groups on Wednesday rallied at the Capitol in support of a program for women re-entering the workforce that Gov. Jesse Ventura wants to eliminate.
HMO enrollment in Minnesota drops as premiums increase
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Enrollment in insured health maintenance organization plans in Minnesota continued to decline in the first three quarters of 2000 as premiums increased faster in the state than in other states, according to a new report.
Friends, family remember crash victim
INTERNATIONAL FALLS (AP) -- Maj. Robert L. Olson, a West Point graduate whose military career took him from the northern Minnesota community of Big Falls to Europe, Asia and service in the Persian Gulf War, was remembered Wednesday as someone who helped others.
State employee investigated for child pornography
ST. PAUL (AP) -- A state employee is being investigated for allegedly sending and receiving child pornography via e-mail on his work computer, according to a report by KSTP-TV.
Snowmobiler ran red light before fatal accident
FARIBAULT (AP) -- A snowmobiler who died in a crash Tuesday in Faribault ran a red light just before being hit by a truck, police said.
Poll: Tougher drunk driving law backed
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Minnesotans overwhelmingly support a proposal to crack down on drunken drivers by making a third driving-while-intoxicated conviction a felony, a poll published Friday showed.
Drug dealer who ran pipeline to Minneapolis pardoned
MINNEAPOLIS -- The 1994 case against Carlos Vignali, who President Clinton freed last month after appeals from prominent Los Angeles politicians, was built on the testimony of informants and federal wiretaps, which convinced a jury that he had provided large sums of cash to purchase cocaine for sale in Minnesota.
Antarctic adventurers wait for ride home
On the 94th day of their history-making trek across Antarctica, Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen were struggling to accept the fact that they wouldn't cover the last 470 miles on their own.
Authorities identify two found dead in house fire
AUSTIN (AP) -- Investigators have tentatively identified two people whose bodies were found in a burning home near Austin Thursday.
Elementary school pulls for expedition as adventurers near the end
SCANDIA -- Just a few miles from the home where Antarctic explorer Ann Bancroft hangs her hat, a herd of bundled children stampeded from the biting wind into the paper penguin-lined halls of Scandia Elementary School.
Smokechasers make another plea for benefit
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Minnesota's smokechasers told lawmakers they want unemployment and other benefits for fighting massive wildfires.
Tech upsets Little Falls in overtime
ST. CLOUD -- The St. Cloud Tech Tigers upset the fourth-ranked Little Falls Flyers 63-61 in overtimeThursday.
Apollo rallies to beat Brainerd boys
ST. CLOUD -- The St. Cloud Apollo Eagles took control in the second half to defeat the Brainerd Warriors 65-55 in a Central Lakes Conference boys' basketball game Thursday.
Laposky, Redebaugh score 31 in PR-B, PL wins
PINE RIVER -- The Pine River-Backus Tigers blitzed the Sebeka Trojans 38-10 in the second half and went on to a 74-41 Park Region Conference victory Thursday.
Brainerd seniors leave big skates to fill on girls' hockey team
When you try to project the strengths of the Brainerd Warriors girls' hockey team that might take the ice next season, the first thing that stands out is the goaltending.
Area scoreboard
Boys Basketball
Sports shorts
The Brainerd Warrior sophomore girls' basketball team defeated the Little Falls Flyers 57-25 Tuesday.
Record-setting finish
Senior captains Katie Majka and Kyle Goochey capped their careers in school-record-breaking fashion in the state alpine ski meet at Giants Ridge in Biwabik Friday.
Over the rainbow
There's a song that claims there's a place somewhere over the rainbow where the dreams you dare to dream come true.
CLC men upset Fergus
The Central Lakes College Raiders men's baske
Sauk Centre edges Wadena-Deer Creek
WADENA -- The Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines ended the regular season with a 2-1 loss to the Sauk Centre Mainstreeters in non-conference boys' hockey Tuesday.
Scoreboard
Boys Basketball
Raider women whomp Itasca
In a game that, at times, looked more like a "loser-leave-town" wrestling match than a basketball contest, the Central Lakes College women's basketball team locked up at least a share of second place in the Minnesota Community College Conference Northern Division.
Local sports shorts
The fourth annual Paul Bunyan Classic basketball tournament will be played Saturday and Sunday.
In her first year of nordic ski racing, Christina Roberts appears to be learning her new sport quickly. In the Section 8 meet at Camp Ripley last week she skied to sixth place in the classical event.
Before this winter Christina Roberts had never attempted nordic ski racing. In winters past she had been a swimmer for the YMCA Dolphins but it's not surprising she gravitated toward nordic skiing this season.
Raider women stumble
Coach Dennis Eastman summed up perfectly the experience of his Central Lakes Raiders women's basketball team during its 79-64 loss Thursday at Fergus Falls.
Warriors win
Even though they won the game the Brainerd Warriors boys' hockey team suffered a significant loss Thursday at Brainerd Area Civic Center.
Committee has ballpark solution, if Twins will listen
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Karla Blomberg has attended maybe five baseball games at the Metrodome. Her answer to any baseball trivia question is Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle, but only because she figures Kirby Puckett is too young to be trivial.
Lemieux blasts Wild
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Next time, Minnesota Wild coach Jacques Lemaire might want to keep quiet.
Vikings owner delays Moss' contract negotiations
EDEN PRAIRIE (AP) -- Citing serious salary-cap issues, Vikings owner Red McCombs said Wednesday that negotiations on a contract extension for wide receiver Randy Moss will have to be delayed until summer.
Wolves drop second game in two days after 11-game winning streak
PHOENIX (AP) -- Shawn Marion is an exception in a league full of young showboats whose bravado is displayed after every big play.
Twins consider stock offering for new stadium
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Some Minneapolis business leaders are test-marketing a stock offering they hope could overcome years of opposition and fund an outdoor ballpark for the Minnesota Twins
Vikings send 10 players to NFL Europe
EDEN PRAIRIE (AP) -- The Minnesota Vikings will send 10 players to the NFL Europe League, which begins play on April 21.
International folk dance scheduled at CLC
The Spanish Club and Student Senate at Central Lakes College will sponsor a free international folk dance on the Brainerd campus Thursday, Feb. 22.
'Hannibal' chews up record books with a huge debut
LOS ANGELES -- Hannibal Lecter made mincemeat of the competition -- and the record book.
Best music
Weekly charts for the nation's best-selling recorded music as they appear in next week's issue of Billboard magazine. Reprinted with permission.
American-Norwegian connection
When Mary Hegge booked a flight for Norway in 1993, she wasn't looking for a husband. But that is what she found.
Downey signs on for eight more 'Ally McBeal' episodes
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Troubled actor Robert Downey Jr. has agreed to appear in eight more episodes of the Fox series "Ally McBeal," his publicist said Wednesday.
Million-mile musician Staines to perform Feb. 23 in Nisswa
NISSWA -- The Grassroots Concerts spring season will open at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, in the Nisswa Community Center with Bill Staines, a man who has traveled more than a million miles.
Skaters compete in Fargo/Moorhead
Vacationland Figure Skaters and Coach Kerri Hanson attended the Red River Valley International Figure Skating Classic last Friday-Sunday in Moorhead.
Entertainment guide
For week of Feb 15-21; bands perform from 9 p.m. to close with no cover unless otherwise noted.
Capsule reviews of current film releases
Opinions are by Los Angeles Times reviewers.
Upcoming tourism events around Minnesota listed
This is the Explore Minnesota events report, hosted by the Minnesota Office of Tourism, and brought to you by www.exploreminnesota.com.
Heartland Symphony needs various players
The Heartland Symphony Orchestra's concert featuring Youth Audition and Young Composer winners is coming up.
'Sopranos' creator to leave show after fourth season
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Someone has finally found a way to leave "The Sopranos" vertically.
Computer knowledge helped Ocel become successful debater
As a debater, Rob Ocel relied on his knowledge of computers to fashion a winning argument.
Tempo tidbits
A Twin Cities-based environmental organization is seeking submissions for its "Voices for the Land" essay contest.
Braud recognized for her artworks
Kathy Braud received the John and Pat Hasslen Award for Best Watercolor in the national juried Harmony in the Arts '01 for her piece "In Her Glory II."
Civil rights message, history of African-American women to be staged in Little Falls
LITTLE FALLS -- To actor Warren C. Bowles, the message of the Civil Rights Movement is as relevant today as it was in the 1960s -- and his mission is to keep it alive.
Christian musicians to rock Brainerd
An unexpected snafu in Minneapolis is returning dividends for Brainerd area fans of Christian contemporary music, according to an area concert promoter.
'Hannibal' is simply too delectable to miss
Hannibal Lecter is back in full form so hold on to your seats -- as well as your stomachs -- if you plan to see the sequel to "The Silence of the Lambs," now playing at area theaters.
Oscar appears to have his head on straight
HOLLYWOOD -- We don't have the Oscars to kick around anymore. At least not this year.
Elementary Honors Choir to perform March 5 with high school choirs
March 5 will mark the 11th annual Elementary Honors Choir Project in Brainerd public schools.
Page isn't ready to slow down at age 78
At 78, Buck Page scoffs at the notion of packing up his guitar and riding off into the sunset of traditional Western music.
Grisham's latest novel is a 'house' of another color
Since 1991, John Grisham has achieved fame, fortune and a loyal following through 11 plot-driven legal thrillers.
Bluegrass band with Nisswa connection to play Saturday
The Brainerd house concerts series resumes Saturday with Lonesome Tradition, a bluegrass band with area connections and a statewide reputation.
CBS ready for applicants for third 'Survivor'
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- CBS is looking for a few good survivors.
Best videos
Weekly charts for the nation's most popular videos as they appear in next week's issue of Billboard magazine. Reprinted with permission:
Best bets
Celebrate winter in Nisswa this weekend at the Nisswa Jaycees Winter Jubilee, featuring street dances under the Big Top.
State forecast for North Dakota
Wind chill advisory east today...
State forecast for North Dakota
Today...Mostly cloudy...Windy and cold with a chance of light snow. Highs 10 to 15 above.
Snow falling
Weather drawing by Mariah Moen of Mrs. Sedlachek's second grade class at Lowell school.
Iowa state forecast.
Today...Partly cloudy far northwest...Otherwise cloudy. Highs in the teens and 20s.
She caught one!
Weather drawing by JoAnna Miles of Gayle Kub's first grade class at Lowell school.
The Weather Elsewhere
Thursday
Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Partly to mostly sunny. Highs in the teens north to around 30 south.
Worldwide Weather
Thursday
State forecast for South Dakota
Today...Becoming cloudy in the west with a chance of light snow. Mostly sunny skies in the east...Then increasing clouds. Highs of 10 to 20 degrees in the west...Then falling temperatures this afternoon. Highs of 15 to 30 in the east.
The Weather Elsewhere
Friday
Minnesota state forecast
Today...Mostly sunny this morning...With increasing clouds through the day. Becoming blustery with a chance of flurries northwest. Highs from near 10 above north to middle 20s south.
Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Turning blustery and colder. Becoming partly sunny south. Scattered flurries north early then partly cloudy. Early highs in the teens and 20s north and west to the lower 30s southeast...Then falling temperatures.
Minnesota state forecast.
Wind chill advisory northwest today...
Regional Weather
MINNESOTA HighLowPR
State forecast for South Dakota
Today...Mostly cloudy skies in the west with a chance of light snow. Mostly sunny skies across the east. Highs of 5 to 15 above.
Regional Weather
HighLowPR
Names and faces
LEBANON, Ind. (AP) -- "Star Trek" actor William Shatner and a one-time high school homecoming queen got married this week in this central Indiana city, The Indianapolis Star reported.
What's doing
There will be a bake sale and sweetheart breakfast from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday at the VFW Club. Choice of biscuits and gravy, omelette, pancakes, French toast, ham, sausage or eggs for $3.75.
What's doing
Al and Carol Kline, 50; Mary Jane Janacek and Betty Swart, 46.5; Mona Gorham and Tony Vornbrock, 45.5; and Ann Whalen and Phyllis DeRosier, 44.
Names and faces
\MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. -- Looking more like a chastened lamb than the music world's angry lion, Grammy-nominated rap artist Eminem on Wednesday pleaded guilty to one felony count of carrying a concealed weapon during a confrontation last summer outside a local bar.
Senior activities
LAKES AREA SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER
Israeli unity government forming with Barak and Peres joining Sharon
JERUSALEM -- A broad coalition government under Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon was taking shape in Israel on Friday, with Sharon's defeated predecessor Ehud Barak and elder statesman Shimon Peres accepting key posts.
El Salvador appeals for aid in wake of second quake
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador -- With hospitals running out of beds, blood and medicine, officials appealed for international help for thousands of victims from Salvador's second deadly earthquake in a month.
Japanese prime minister takes heat over sub collision
TOKYO -- Perhaps the United States was lucky that Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori continued his golf game after being told that a nuclear-powered U.S. submarine had sunk the Ehime Maru in Hawaii.