Thursday, February 19, 2009
Maxima: Best sedan of Nissan brand
Nissan's new, seventh-generation Maxima looks great and rides well. It has a V-6 tuned for 35 more horses than last year and new options, including the automaker's Music Box audio system that can store up to 2,900 songs and organize them by mood, artist and title on an onboard computer hard drive.
Clean the air with higher gas prices
Dear President Obama: You promised you would back California's rebellion against the Environmental Protection Agency, allowing federal consideration of that state's waiver application and that of its 13 confederates to make and enforce their own regulations controlling vehicle tailpipe emissions. You've kept your word.
Fiber Artists Gone Wild
The Fiber Artists Gone Wild exhibit is on display at the Q Gallery at Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd.
Upcoming arts and entertainment calendar
Live music
Local entertainment briefs
Monroe Crossing to perform
Local talent music to the ears
It's a recurring dream.
Fine Arts Student of the Week
FINE ARTS STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Bread crumbs at your fingertips
Rather than throwing out bread that is getting old, why not make your own bread crumbs? It takes very little time and having homemade bread crumbs in your freezer provides a savory coating for beef, chicken or fish and a flavorful, crunchy topping for casseroles and vegetables. Add some fresh-grated Parmesan cheese and you have a delicious coating at your fingertips.
Police blotter
CRASHES - Two people suffered minor injuries in a two-vehicle collision at 7:58 a.m. Wednesday at Highway 210 and Inglewood Drive. Neither injured party was transported to the hospital.
BIRTHS
Matthew and Laurie (Winkelman) Roberts, Big Lake, a girl, Thea Beth, 8 pounds, .5 ounce, Jan. 31, 2009. Grandparents are Robert and Raelene Winkelman, Pequot Lakes, and Duane and Mary Roberts, Mission. Great-grandparents are Richard and Junice Winkelman, Pequot Lakes.
POLICE BLOTTER
THEFT - William Barnacle, 5200 block of Barbeau Road, Tuesday reported his mailbox stolen. The sheriff's department received several reports of damaged mailboxes on Barbeau and Carlson Lake roads.
Across the finish line
Owen Baird of Brainerd finished 18th overall and third in his age division Feb. 8 at the Mora Vasaloppet. Baird's time was 2:08.45.
PETS OF THE WEEK
Buddy is a 5-year-old neutered St. Bernard who weighs about 120 pounds. He's a gentle guy with a mellow disposition.Brainerd Dispatch/Heidi Lake
Pee Wee C team third
The Brainerd pee wee C hockey team placed third at the Fire and Ice tournament Feb. 13-15 in Buffalo. Brainerd defeated Minneapolis Park 4-0, lost to Grantsburg 5-1 and finished with a 3-1 win over Orono. The team: JJ Raboin (front), Taylor Schloemer (kneeling), Andrew Ebinger (back, left), Mitchell Rahn, Dorian Ludes, Kyle Colsen, Chris Laber, Taylor Campbell, Brandon Strange, Kyle Wyatt, Blake Thelen, Harvey Chamberlin, Jayke Olson and Tanner Schmidt.
Owl house?
Do you have a recent scenic picture that shows the beauty of the lakes area? Send it to photos@brainerddispatch.com for possible publication in the Neighbors section. Be sure to include your name, where you are from, a brief description of the photo and when and where it was taken.
Warrior seniors honor Wiese
Bruce Wiese, a long-time supporter of Brainerd Warrior boys' basketball, was honored by the seven seniors on this year's team before Friday's game against Rocori. From left: Devin Larson, Sam Feyder, Ben Gervais, Bruce Wiese, Jon Wiese, T.J. Struss, Mike Gervenak, Tyler Kline.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
"Our grandkids, Halle and Simon Wagner, sure enjoyed the 'snow statues' at the Nisswa Jubilee on Feb. 14. They thought the parade, which followed, was more fun than in the summertime! What a great way to enjoy the outdoors! Thank you Nisswa! Grandparents, David and Carol Cave."
Junior black belts
Five members of the Engum's Academy Taekwondo in Brainerd were promoted to junior black belt Friday: Robert Brown (front, left), Kade Kitzman, Tristan Lindsay, Beth Jacqmain-Palik (back, left), Grandmaster Jon Engum and Kaleb Quast.
SUPPORT GROUPS
Lakes Area Ecumenical Bereavement
CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY
Go to Any Length
Fifth-grade team second
The Brainerd fifth-grade traveling team finished second at the Braham tournament Feb. 7: Collin French (front, left), Cole Harmer, Dyllan Vanek, Tommy Hofius, Riley Sloan, coach Todd Vanek (back, left) Jaden Miller, Cole Kalenberg, Lee Quick, Dalton Jobe, Jaden Stock and Coach Tom Hofius.
Consolation champions
The Brainerd eighth-grade girls' traveling basketball team won the consolation title Feb. 8 at Sartell. Front row: Sam Goldberg, Taylor Johnshoy, Lauren Rud, Hannah Kangas. Back row: Molly Palm, Jasmine Hayes, Chloe Miller, Heather Jaeche, Lara Ammerman.
The big 3-oh
I remember seeing my first eelpout when I was a kid, 30-some years ago. Burbots, as they were exclusively referred to on Lake of the Woods back then, were as nasty as their name would indicate. You caught a burbot, you caught incessant barbs from your fellow anglers, young and old.
ORGANIZATIONS
Brainerd Jaycees
LOCAL BRIEFS
The Brainerd Noon Sertoma, a civic group in the Brainerd area, recently recognized two individuals.
Tournament champs
The Brainerd sixth-grade girls' traveling basketball team won the Albany tournament last weekend, beating Morris, Dassel-Cokato and Milaca. Front row: Megan Goldberg (left), Katy Johnson, Ariana Huber, Jenna Degen. Back row: Mikinze Boeder, Mikayla Boeder, Amy Southhard, Abby Quincer, Tedi Ramberg, Coach Greg Ramberg.
Woman sent clipping to show
It was learned Wednesday that another Brainerd resident may have been the instigator behind submitting a Brainerd Dispatch police item that was read on the "Late Show with David Letterman" Monday night.
SWCD protests county cutback
A disconnect between Crow Wing County and the Soil and Water Conservation District appeared to be a vast and wide river Tuesday.
Pawlenty talks budget, taxes in Brainerd visit
BAXTER - Thursday stressed the importance of curbing state spending and not raising taxes as Minnesota grapples with projections of a $5 billion budget deficit and what he termed as the most severe economic crisis since World War II.
Bids rejected for Pine River depot
BACKUS - The Cass County Board voted Tuesday to reject all eight bids received for moving the Pine River depot building, because three of the eight bidders, including the apparent low bidder, failed to fully complete the bid form.
This was Brainerd
100 years ago (1909): Word has been received from Bemidji of the death of Frank O'Neil, formerly of Brainerd and brother of Con O'Neil. He had his leg crushed by a sled and lockjaw followed the amputation. He succumbed to the disease in a few days.
Villwock, Holland named to all-tournament team
Brainerd Warrior dance team members Kelsey Villwock and Emily Holland were named to the Class 3A Girls' High Kick Dance All-Tournament Team.
Staples man dies in logging accident near Leader
A 35-year-old Staples man, Jeffrey Fonteyn, died Wednesday night as a result of a logging accident near Leader, the Cass County Sheriff's Department reported.
County considers combining planning boards
Crow Wing County is considering combining its Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment.
Budget cut by $678,000
Brainerd's $13 million 2009 budget is $678,425 lighter.
Cass EDC report notes business improvements
BACKUS - Cass County Economic Development Corp. helped 46 businesses make improvements from 2004 through 2008, resulting in the hiring of 447 employees, according to EDC Executive Director Gail Leverson.
Overheard
"It is a bridge over troubled waters."
CORRECTIONS
In a cover story Tuesday in Senior Class, it should have said that the Good Samaritan nursing homes are licensed by the Department of Health, not the Department of Human Services.
Legislators coming to Brainerd
Legislators who are expected to attend a bipartisan task force of state representatives and senators were named Wednesday.
Local briefs
Central Lakes College has re-scheduled a 30-hour boiler operation pre-licensing workshop for Monday through March 26 in the Business and Industry Center on the Brainerd campus.
Legislators going to Little Falls
LITTLE FALLS - A bipartisan task force of state representatives and senators will travel to Little Falls for a 9:30 a.m. Friday town hall meeting regarding the state budget deficit. The meeting will be at the Morrison County Government Center.
This was Brainerd
FEBRUARY 18 - 40 years ago (1969) - The KDAL-TV translator tower serving the Gull Lake area is off the air but may be back in a week or so. Manager Odin Ramsland told the Dispatch that there has been difficulty servicing it because of the deep snow.
Equipment approved for civic center
The Brainerd Area Civic Center will get new compressors and a heat exchanger that could save the city as much as $8,000 a year.
Recession doesn't cut into need for auto body work
Few if any industries are recession-proof, but so far Brainerd area auto body shops have been bucking the downward trend during a historic poor economy.
Overheard
The stuff is so good you can't make it up.
Trail of frustration as ATV issue keeps spinning
Opposing forces on the question of all-terrain vehicle trails in Crow Wing County appear to agree on something - their level of frustration.
Cass commissioners increase planned cuts
BACKUS - Cass County commissioners Tuesday increased from $1 million to $1.4 million the amount they will cut from the 2009 budget to offset projected losses from state aids.
LOCAL BRIEFS
Tickets are available for the Thursday concert by the Harlem Gospel Choir, which starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Tornstrom Auditorium in Brainerd. The concert is hosted by the Cultural Arts Series at Central Lakes College.
Even Letterman thinks police blotter is funny
The unknowing instigator behind a Brainerd Dispatch police item being read on the "Late Show with David Letterman" Monday night may be Brainerd resident Dinah VanWyngeeren.
Brainerd students learn about law through mock trial
It was the summer of 2007 in a town called Ashlandia in Burnett County, in this fictional scenario, when someone ignited fireworks in the forest area around Camp Lakeview. Later that night, a forest fire was reported that caused the death of a couple who owned and operated the Elk Haven Lodge.
Father Tony's faith grows after 'mission in reverse'
When Father Tony Wroblewski arrived in Brainerd about 1-1/2 years ago, he couldn't help but notice the unsightly 40-foot steel shipping container in the St. Andrew's Catholic Church parking lot.
Deloris C. (Cripps) Olds
Deloris C. (Cripps) Olds, age 73, resident of Brainerd, formerly of Fifty Lakes, died Monday, Feb. 16, 2009, in Brainerd.
Irene (Davis) Imm
MORA - Irene (Davis) Imm, 89, of Mora, Minn., passed away Feb. 16, 2009.
Obituary policy
Obituary notices are charged at 40 cents a word, exclusive of the first 125 words, which are free. A $10 fee is charged for a half-column photograph. To place an obituary in the Dispatch, consult the funeral home handling arrangements.
James P. Poster
ROYALTON - James P. Poster, 80-year-old resident of Royalton, Minn., passed away Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, at his residence in Royalton, Minn. Funeral arrangements are pending with the Shelley-Virnig Funeral Chapel in Pierz, Minn.
Nicholas Tuil
Nicholas Tuil, 94-year-resident of Brainerd, passed away Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009, at Bethany Good Samaritan Village.
Florence Hines
Florence Hines, age 90, resident of Brainerd, died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at Good Samaritan Society-Bethany.
Philip Brunes
CROSSLAKE - Philip Brunes, 84, formerly of Crosslake, passed away Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009, at Pine Medical Center, Sandstone, Minn. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, with visitation one hour prior to the service at the Brenny Funeral Chapel in Crosslake.
Obituary policy
Obituary notices are charged at 40 cents a word, exclusive of the first 125 words, which are free. A $10 fee is charged for a half-column photograph. To place an obituary in the Dispatch, consult the funeral home handling arrangements.
William Hedstrom
BACKUS - William "Sandy" Hedstrom, age 59, of Backus, passed away Feb. 15, 2009. He was born April 8, 1949, in Washington state. He served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam. After the war he returned to Washington and worked as a truck driver. He moved to Dalton, Minn., where he worked for Premier Enterprises. He met and married Nina Botz on Feb. 5, 1985, in Bemidji. They moved to Backus where he worked in home care, cooked and was "Mr. Mom."
Alicia L. Radvany
PINE RIVER - Alicia Lynn Radvany, 26, of Pine River, died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at St. Cloud Hospital. Services for Alicia will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009, at Crosslake Evangelical Free Church (The Log Church) in Crosslake with Pastor Fred Cressman officiating. Friends are welcome to gather one hour prior to services. Interment at Swanberg Cemetery.
Edna I. Mertens
Edna I. Mertens, 77, died on Feb. 14, 2009, at her home outside of Brainerd. She was born on Sept. 19, 1931, to Arthur and Lillian (Keehr) Maske in Morrison County.
Irene E. Goodrich
Irene E. Goodrich, age 82, resident of Brainerd, passed away suddenly Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.
Richard E. Tromblay
HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. - Richard Eugene Tromblay, age 83, of Hendersonville, Tenn., died Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.
Louis L. Kramer
PEQUOT LAKES - Louis L. Kramer, age 86, of Pequot Lakes, and formerly Faribault, passed away peacefully at St. Cloud Hospital with his family by his side on Feb. 18, 2009.
Elizabeth Wright
PINE RIVER - Elizabeth Wright, age 95, of Pine River, passed away Monday, Feb. 16, 2009.
Deloris C. Olds
Deloris C. (Cripps) Olds, age 73, resident of Brainerd, formerly of Fifty Lakes, died Monday, Feb. 16, 2009, in Brainerd. Deloris was born on July 7, 1935, in Dane County, Wis., to Elon and Emma (Striech) Cripps.
Beverly L. Donnelly
McGREGOR - Beverly L. Donnelly, age 81, of McGregor, died Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009, at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth.
Open Forum: The cause of the housing crisis
Aside from the lending mess, there is one main reason why there is a huge crisis in home ownership and it is the fault of the law passed by well meaning legislators.
Guest column: It's not about the money
The economic and financial crisis of the United States and the world today is different from those in any earlier period. Consider the following:
Open Forum
For the last eight years all we heard was how bad George Bush was and how Republicans were responsible for the enormous debt we were incurring. No honest Republican can deny that the president should have used his veto pen from the beginning of his term in office or that Republican legislators contributed to the debt.
Vox Pop
I appreciate the Dispatch's anonymous opportunities to present our viewpoints.
Our opinion: Senate
When it's finally over, the 2008-2009 U.S. Senate race between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken will likely be the most scrutinized election in Minnesota's history.
Local sports shorts
Brainerd High School assistant football coach Deryl Ramey and Stan Skjei of Bloomington Jefferson will be honorary coaches in the 36th annual Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game at 7 p.m. June 27 at Husky Stadium at St. Cloud State University.
Former Warriors compete in swimming
Andrew Mehr (Brainerd High School graduate 2005), a member of the Illinois Institute of Technology swim team, and Josiah Collins (BHS 2006), a member of the Luther College swim team, recently competed at the Liberal Arts College Championships at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Rahto leads Brainerd win
SARTELL - Tess Rahto scored 15 points to lead the Brainerd Warriors to a 48-33 victory over the Sartell Sabres in a Central Lakes Conference game Tuesday.
Ski Gull team competes at Spirit Mountain
Ski Gull Alpine Team members competed at Spirit Mountain last weekend in the fifth race of the series.
Aitkin clinches Great River Conference title
AITKIN - The Aitkin Gobblers brought home another victory as Emily Mehr scored 20 points in a 69-60 overtime win against Great River Conference's East Central on Tuesday.
Raiders eliminate Wolverines
VERNDALE - Fourth-seeded Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale won four of the last five matches by fall and beat fifth-seeded Wadena-Deer Creek 43-25 in the quarterfinals of the Section 6-1A team tournament Tuesday.
Conference meet brings out the best in swimmer
The Central Lakes Conference meet apparently brings out the best in Brainerd's Tyler Schneider.
Cardinals outscore Pillager
PILLAGER - Derek Wolhowe pulled within 13 points of 1,000 as he scored 11 in an 86-52 non-conference victory Tuesday over the Pillager Huskies.
Rangers run away from PL
PEQUOT LAKES - Speed was better than size Tuesday night.
Hanowski three shy of being all-time leader
WILLMAR - Ben Hanowski of Little Falls pulled within three points of owning the state record with a six-point game in an 8-2 victory against Willmar in Central Lakes Conference play Tuesday.
Raiders dismantle Fond du lac in men's basketball
CLOQUET - Five players scored in double figures as the Central Lakes College Raiders dismantled Fond du Lac 113-45 in a North Division matchup Wednesday.
Dolphins win fourth straight state title
The Brainerd YMCA Dolphins swim team won its fourth straight state championship Sunday at the University of Minnesota.
Raiders one win from division title in women's basketball
CLOQUET - Becky Skiba had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Central Lakes College Raiders past Fond du Lac 82-35 in North Division play Wednesday.
Anoka-Hennepin edges Warriors
Anna Wahl was solid in goal as she made 12 saves and the Brainerd Warriors lost a 3-2 North Conference game against Anoka-Hennepin on Tuesday at Riverside Elementary School.
LF's Hanowski shooting for state hockey record Thursday
Ben Hanowski's record-breaking season will likely reach an apex Thursday night at Exchange Arena in Little Falls when the Flyers host St. Cloud Apollo in a Central Lakes Conference game.
SCOREBOARD
Area events
Scoreboard
Area events
HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD
Basketball
Warriors fall to Sartell in home finale
The 2008-2009 season has been a struggle for consistency for the Brainerd Warriors hockey team.
Area drivers compete in New York
Several lakes area drivers competed in the Arctic Cat Eastern National last weekend at Farmington N.Y.
LOCAL SHORTS
Former Staples-Motley coach Joe Joerger and former Roseville and Alexander Ramsey coach Tom Vining will be inducted into the Minnesota Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame at 11:30 a.m. March 7 at the Fred Wells Tennis and Education Center in St. Paul.
Morris-Benson edges W-DC in boys' hockey
WADENA - Joey Osborn had the only Wadena-Deer Creek goal in a 2-1 loss to Morris-Benson on Tuesday.
Fun in a one-horse sleigh
Weather drawing by Maddie Schuld in the Lowell second grade of Ms. Larson.
Dancers in the spotlight
Weather drawing by Isabelle Solinsky in the Baxter third garde of Ms. Hemstad.
Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Partly to mostly sunny. A few snow showers or flurries in the lake superior snowbelt. Highs in the teens to near 20.
Wisconsin state forecast
Winter weather advisory for most central and northern wisconsin today into this evening and for portions of the far northwest into thursday morning...
State forecast for Minnesota
Today...Mostly sunny. Highs in the teens to lower 20s.
State forecast for Minnesota
Wind chill advisory tonight through thursday morning for parts
State forecast for N.D.
Today...Variable cloudiness central and west. Mostly sunny east.
State forecast for S.D.
Today...Mostly cloudy in the morning with areas of light snow far west and scattered flurries elsewhere. Decreasing clouds in the afternoon. Windy central and east. Highs 10 to 15 northeast...To the upper 20s southwest.
State forecast for S.D.
Today...Partly sunny northwest to mostly sunny southeast. Highs from the upper teens far northeast...To 40 to 45 southwest.
State forecast for Iowa
Today...Cloudy...Becoming partly cloudy west this afternoon.
State forecast for N.D.
Today...Decreasing clouds central and west. Mostly sunny east.
State forecast for Iowa
Today...Sunny. Highs upper teens northeast to low 30s southwest.