Tuesday, February 18, 2003

Crimes
BURGLARY -- It was reported Sunday the Cenex C Store, 129 Second Ave. N.E., was broken into.

Agendas
Meets 7 p.m. Wednesday

Accidents
FLENSBURG -- A pedestrian was injured after being struck by a pick-up Sunday on Dove Road near Flensburg.

Accidents
LITTLE FALLS -- A Royalton teen-ager suffered minor injuries in a one-vehicle accident

How to contact your federal lawmakers
Sen. Norm Coleman

Agendas
Meets Tuesday

W-DC in focus
Michael Grieme and the Wadena-Deer Creek boys' basketball team can create chaos in the Mid-State Conference and section standings. Check out sports on Tuesday.

In LF, Coleman calls Saddam a murderer
LITTLE FALLS -- Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., told a packed Perkins Restaurant audience that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was a brutal murderer who possesses dangerous weapons and has ties to terrorist organizations.

Opening statements delayed in DeRosier trial
Opening statements in the Joshua DeRosier murder trial were postponed a day because of a family emergency for one of the jurors.

Officer of the year
He's trained to defuse bombs and other explosive devices.

Local briefs
The Brainerd Family YMCA Aquatic Center will be open at noon from March 10-14 for spring break. For s more specific pool schedule stop at the YMCA or call (218) 829-4767.

Rover looks for Erika
Duane and Colleen Dalquist watched through their pickup window as members of the Trident Foundation used high-tech camera equipment to search the bottom of Virginia Mine Pit Lake for their daughter, Erika Dalquist.

This was Brainerd
20 years ago (1983) - The future of major airline service to Brainerd will reach a crossroads this fall and Republic Airline officials will be warily watching the outcome.

This was Brainerd
FEBRUARY 18 - 40 years ago (1963) - Dr. John B. O'Leary will begin his duties as chief of staff at St. Joseph's Hospital Thursday. Dr. Arden O. Anderson will be the vice chief of staff and Dr. Robert W. Poppie, the secretary-treasurer.

Icicles in moonlight
Icicles gleamed in the moonlight of the full moon at this residence south of Brainerd Sunday night. (Dispatch Photo by Clint Wood)

Popular store
A Pequot Lakes couple operates a secondhand store where everyone can afford to shop.

Forum on possible war planned for Thursday at college
The possibility of a U.S.-led war with Iraq will be the topic of a forum at 7 p.m. Thursday at Central Lakes College in Brainerd.

Bertha E. Bedal
Bertha E. Bedal, 88, Brainerd, died Thursday, Feb. 15, 2003, at Park Crest Baptist Care Center in Minneapolis.

Mark E. Bourgeault
Mark E. Bourgeault, 51, Duluth, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at his home.

Sister Mary Thomasine Schmolke
LITTLE FALLS -- Sister Mary Thomasine (Gertrude) Schmolke, 88, Little Falls, died Friday, Feb. 14, 2003, at St. Francis Convent in Little Falls.

Hildur L. Burk
SAUK RAPIDS -- Hildur L. Burk, 99, Sauk Rapids, died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Home in Sauk Rapids.

Roger E. Piehl
Roger E. Piehl, 81, Brainerd, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at home.

Ethel M. Gorton
RAMSEY -- Ethel M. Gorton, 81, Ramsey, died Friday, Feb. 14, 2003, in Elk River.

Roger E. Piehl
Roger E. Piehl, 81, Brainerd, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at his home.

Mark A. Schilling
ST. CLOUD -- Mark A. Schilling, 31, St. Cloud, formerly of the Fort Ripley area, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at St. Cloud Hospital.

Mark Schilling
ST. CLOUD -- Mark Schilling, 31, St. Cloud, formerly of Fort Ripley, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at the St. Cloud Hospital.

Correction/clarification
In an obituary for Charles Asselstine on Page 5A Sunday, his last name was misspelled.

Marlene B. Johnson
ROCHESTER -- Marlene Berdell Johnson, 63, Rochester, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at Methodist Hospital in Rochester.

Clifford 'Pluggy' Kauppi
GRAND RAPIDS -- Clifford "Pluggy" Gust Kauppi, 91, Grand Rapids, died Friday, Feb. 14, 2003, at Itasca Nursing Home in Grand Rapids.

Helen S. Smith
AITKIN -- Helen S. Smith, 88, Aitkin, formerly of Bussey, Iowa, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at the Aicota Health Care Center in Aitkin.

Jack R. Eisbrenner
HACKENSACK -- Jack R. Eisbrenner, 69, Hackensack, died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, at. St. Cloud Hospital.

Edna M. Pikula
NISSWA -- Edna Mae Pikula, 77, Nisswa, died Friday, Feb. 14, 2003, at her home.

Luella M. Kleinschmidt
Luella M. Kleinschmidt, 82, Brainerd, died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.

Clinton M. Trana Sr.
STAPLES -- Clinton M. Trana Sr., 82, Staples, died Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2003, at Greater Staples Hospital.

Doris M. Carlson
GULL LAKE -- Doris Mae Carlson, 74, Gull Lake, died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

Ellen L. Hatch
CROSSLAKE -- Ellen Lee Hatch, 49, Crosslake, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.

Donald E. Grieger
WEST FARGO, N.D. -- Donald E. Grieger, 68, West Fargo, N.D., died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at home.

Lila A. Rockwood
LITTLE FALLS -- Lila A. Rockwood, 83, Little Falls, died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2003, at the Lutheran Care Center in Little Falls.

Zenn D. Ratliff
STAPLES -- Zenn Dale Ratliff, 69, Staples, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at Staples hospital.

Nadine Schwanke
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Nadine Schwanke, 82, Topeka, Kan., died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, at a Topeka care facility.

Irvin P. Gran
PEQUOT LAKES -- Irvin Palmer Gran, 89, Pequot Lakes, died Thursday, Feb. 13, 2003, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.

Vox Pop
Vox Pop, voice of the people, publishes Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Submissions are limited to 100 words.

Still no snow
When the newsroom chatter turned to the astounding 49 inches of snow that hit parts of the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. this past weekend, one native Minnesotan facetiously wondered aloud what it would be like to live in a region that received large amounts of snow in the winter.

Open Forum
In my mind, I see Dick Cheney, red faced and screaming. "You can't handle the truth!" and I'm left wondering if we're hearing every excuse to make war on Iraq, but the real one. The Bush administration's policy of secrecy causes speculation and distrust, so I do both. I wonder if:

Open Forum
Reaching the age of 90 is a milestone not many people achieve. Reaching the ninth decade and still being a vital part of the community is even more rare. Dorothy Janes of East Gull Lake is not only celebrating her 90th birthday, she is still the volunteer dynamo that she has been all her life.

People offer budget-balancing ideas
ST. PAUL (AP) -- When Gov. Tim Pawlenty asked for help balancing the budget, Minnesotans responded with gusto. In just seven weeks, more than 3,700 suggestions bombarded the simple Internet link the administration had set up.

HealthPartners CEO says HMO is able to heal itself
BLOOMINGTON (AP) -- Mary Brainerd is trying to stay upbeat as she wages a high-profile battle with Minnesota's attorney general over governance of the state's second-largest health maintenance organization.

Partner benefits in jeopardy
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Minnesota legislators took steps Monday toward revoking insurance coverage for partners of gay and lesbian state workers, which some say would be a first-of-its-kind reversal of benefits by a public employer.

Counties look for funding answers
ST. PAUL (AP) -- In Minnesota, the state and its counties long have cooperated on programs and services.

Thousands in Minneapolis protest
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Thousands of anti-war protesters marched in frigid temperatures through the Uptown area on Saturday, joining demonstrators around the world who decried a possible U.S war against Iraq.

Pawlenty says his new budget won't raise taxes
BLOOMINGTON (AP) -- Gov. Tim Pawlenty told a business group Tuesday morning that his budget for 2004-2005 will, as expected, rein in government spending instead of raising taxes.

Man sentenced in family drug ring
ST. PAUL (AP) -- A Sherburne County man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for manufacturing methamphetamine with his family in an Elk River hotel.

Central Lakes College Raiders Hall of Famers
2003 -- Al Holmes, John Redebaugh, Steve Carlson, Jerry Smith, Dan Carr, Carol Howe-Veenstra, Glen Peppel

As Grieme goes, so goes W-DC
Conventional wisdom is thrown out and sometimes unconventional creativity doesn't work either when trying to stop the Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines boys' basketball team.

Otters eliminate Warrior wrestlers
Defending state champion Andy Pickar wasn't expecting to wrestle his final home match as a Brainerd Warrior in the quarterfinals of the Section 8, Class 3A team tournament Saturday at Brainerd High School.

Pierz advances to state wrestling tournament
ONAMIA -- The Pierz Pioneers repeated as Section 6, Class 1A team wrestling champions with a 64-13 victory over Braham in the semifinals and a 31-24 win over Mille Lacs in the final round Friday.

Two Flyer gymnasts qualify for state meet
WADENA -- Little Falls freshmen Shae Tabatt and Beth Prokott qualified for state following their performances in the Section 8, Class 1A meet Saturday.

Warrior Dance Team advances to state
The Brainerd Warrior Dance Team took second place Saturday at the 3AAA section meet at St. Cloud Tech to qualify for state competition.

KG KO's Golden State
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- If he keeps playing like he did Sunday, Kevin Garnett just might be holding another MVP trophy at the end of the season.

Diedrich, teammates thump Fergus Falls
For much of her collegiate career, Central Lakes College Raiders women's basketball player Val Diedrich has played with the weight of a team on her shoulders.

Spartan Express derails CLC men
They didn't see it coming. There were no flashing lights or ringing bells to tell them to get out of the way.

Scoreboard
BOYS BASKETBALL

Kennedy champ, Warriors second in CLC
WILLMAR -- The Brainerd Warriors had four all-conference athletes, received honorable mention in seven events and had 14 season-best times on their way to a runner-up finish in the Central Lakes Conference swimming and diving meet Saturday.

Bemidji boys outscore Little Falls, 74-57
LITTLE FALLS -- Jonathan Schulz scored 13 points and Travis Fedor 10 as the Little Falls Flyers lost to Bemidji 74-57 in boys' basketball Saturday.

Local sports shorts
Rebecca and Katherine Mueller of Brainerd skied in United States Ski Association Jr. Olympic qualifer races last weekend at the biathlon facility at Mt. Itasca in Coleraine.

Gymnasts win Section 8, Class 2A title
WILLMAR -- The Brainerd Warriors won their fifth consecutive Section 8, Class 2A gymnastics meet Saturday and qualified five individuals for the state meet.

Add two losses to the Raiders' record
The Central Lakes College Raiders men's basketball team has no choice but to move forward after its humbling 89-57 loss at the hands of the Fergus Falls Spartans on Saturday.

Scoreboard
BOYS BASKETBALL

C-I/A loses in second overtime
LONG PRAIRIE -- Josh Tesch's goal 2:49 into the second overtime lifted eighth-seeded Long Prairie-Grey Eagle past the No. 9 Crosby-Ironton/Aitkin Grizzlies 3-2 in the opening round of the Section 4, Class 1A boys' hockey tournament Saturday.

Gopher women among notables at Raider game
In addition to seven new members of the Central Lakes College Raiders Hall of Fame, there were three other distinguished guests at Saturday's men's basketball game between Fergus Falls and CLC.

Jazz rally catches Wolves
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- While the Utah Jazz took a half to find their focus, the Minnesota Timberwolves gradually lost theirs.

Twins notebook
Starter Rick Reed and non-roster invitee Jose Cabrera were missing Monday from the Minnesota Twins' first official spring training workout for pitchers and catchers.

Guardado ready to go despite contract stalemate
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- The Minnesota Twins tried to extend their contract with Eddie Guardado over the winter, but the negotiations didn't go very well and the All-Star closer felt disrespected.

McCarville gives Ohio State headache
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota's Janel McCarville needed less than a week to get over the lingering effects of a concussion. She gave Ohio State a headache when she returned.

Twins hope rotation is ready for full season
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Ron Gardenhire was asked if he'd thought about what the Minnesota Twins' starting rotation could do if it stayed healthy the entire season.

Star player juggles hockey, school, family
DULUTH (AP) -- A door swings open along the sideboards at Mars Lakeview Arena, and the Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team files onto the ice.

Iowa state forecast
Today...Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s.

Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Mostly sunny north. Mostly cloudy south. Highs from the mid 20s to the low 30s.

Minnesota state forecast
Winter weather advisory northeast this morning...

Iowa state forecast
Presidents day...Mostly sunny. Highs from near 30 to near 40.

Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Mostly cloudy north with a chance for light snow and flurries. Becoming partly sunny south. Highs in the upper 20s north to the upper 30s south.

State forecast for south dakota
Today...Partly to mostly cloudy. A chance of rain or snow showers north. Highs in the 30s northeast to around 50 southwest.

State forecast for north dakota
Today...Mostly cloudy and windy. Light snow developing west this morning...Mixed with rain southwest...Then spreading across the state by mid afternoon. Highs in the upper 20s northeast to near 40 southwest.

State forecast for North Dakota
This morning...Flurries west. Light snow central and east with 1 to 2 inches new snow. This afternoon...Cloudy east. Becoming partly sunny west and central. Highs in the upper teens northeast to the mid 30s southwest.

Minnesota state forecast
Today...Increasing cloudiness and breezy. A chance of light snow northwest this afternoon and toward evening across the northeast. A few sprinkles this afternoon southwest. Highs in the 30s.

State forecast for South Dakota
Today...Morning flurries northeast otherwise partly cloudy. Highs in the 20s northeast to the 40s southwest.

Bus stop
Weather drawing by Kerria Robinson of Gayle Kub's first grade class at Lowell school.

I love hockey
Weather drawing by Keennan Anderson of Mrs. Brenny's third grade class at Baxter school.

What's doing
The Widowed Friends will meet at 11 a.m. Monday for lunch at the Nisswa Legion. For more information call 828-3385 or 963-4311.