Local briefs

Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union is serving as a food drop location for the 2004 Salvation Army Food Shelf drive.

Non-perishable food or monetary donations will be accepted at credit union offices in Brainerd, Crosby, Little Falls and Staples during March.

March is Minnesota Food Share Month. Food and monetary donations collected during this month determine the amount of "incentive allocation" the area food shelf will receive from other sources.

Death ruled natural

BENA -- The Cass County Sheriff's Department said an autopsy revealed Michael Matthews, 56, Bena, died of natural causes.

A relative found his body Saturday on a street a short distance from his residence.

Deadline approaching for Environmental Quality Incentives program

The Natural Resource Conservation Service has received an allocation of more than $23 million to help farmers install conservation practices through the Environmental Quality Incentives program.

March 31 is the cutoff date for scoring and ranking applications.

Applications for the program can include everything from animal waste handling systems to windbreaks to grazing management to organic farming. Applications are being taken at NRCS offices across the state.

Landowners who are interested in cost-share assistance must have a conservation plan written before the end of March.

For more information call the Brainerd NRCS office at 829-3272, extension 3.

Otto Bremer awards grant

The Otto Bremer Foundation, a private charitable foundation established in 1944 by Otto Bremer, awarded nearly $2 million to 55 non-profit agencies in January.

Northern Pines Mental Health Center Inc. in Little Falls received $15,250 to improve its financial and administrative operations.

Region 5 Board to meet March 11

STAPLES -- The Region 5 Board will meet 9 a.m. March 11 in the Region 5 Office in Staples.