Tuesday, March 7, 2000

Crime
BURGLARY Roy Rogers, Pillager, reported Saturday the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe track shop had been broken into.

St. Paul livestock
SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) (USDA) -- Monday cattle: 450.

Cash grain
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Wheat receipts Monday 41, a year ago 34.

Crimes
BURGLARIES -- Doreen Bragg, manager of Mario's Sports Bar, reported the bar had been broken into Friday night.

Accident
Brainerd police Saturday responded to a vehicle-pedestrian accident at Washington and North Sixth streets.

Furyk learns lesson from Tiger, wins Doral
MIAMI -- Tiger Woods can raise the level of play even when he's not playing.

PGA loses appeal in cart case
Now that the PGA Tour has lost its appeal, which means Casey Martin can continue to ride a cart when he plays professional golf, the tour must decide which path to follow next.

Webb has won three straight LPGA events
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) -- Karrie Webb claims she isn't aiming for Nancy Lopez's record of five consecutive wins on the LPGA Tour -- at least, not yet.

Reform Party separates from national party
ST. PAUL -- The Minnesota Reform Party officially separated from the national party Saturday, reclaimed the name Independence Party and gave itself the slogan ''socially inclusive, fiscally responsible.''

Mall of America balks at paying for light rail station
BLOOMINGTON (AP) -- Mall of America officials are balking at a request to help pay for a light-rail train station near the complex that would bring thousands of passengers through the station daily.

Gustavus Adolphus breaks ground for international center
ST. PETER, (AP) -- Work is starting this week on a $5.4 million international student center at Gustavus Adolphus College.

Backus working toward housing for seniors
BACKUS -- The Backus City Council voted Monday night to hire an architect to design senior town houses for the city.

Extra credit
Matthew Majka, the son of John and Laurie Majka of Nisswa, was named to the 1999 fall dean's list at Brown's Institute.

Correction
The Brainerd High School honor roll published on Page 4C on Sunday, Feb. 26, inadvertently omitted Kory Kingsbury, a sophomore, from the B honor roll.

State meat inspections benefit small livestock producers, processors
EDEN PRAIRIE -- Jodi Yotter parks the ''Porkmobile'' and waits. Customers will come, attracted to the notion of buying farm-fresh meat from a local producer.

Temperatures peak in lower 70s in Minnesota, more good weather forecast
Minnesotans can expect spring-like weather to continue a little longer before winter returns.

Debate team
The Brainerd High School and junior high debate team recently ended their seasons competing in both policy and Lincoln Douglas.

Senate candidates debate at Willmar college
WILLMAR (AP) -- A questioner challenged DFL candidates for U.S. Senate: What could you do in Washington that you haven't done already?

Brainerd wins acclaim again
Mayor James Wallin presented the city of Brainerd an award for financial reporting excellence Monday at the Brainerd City Council meeting.

Summer bummer How high will gas go?
James McKenna isn't too worried that gas prices could go as high as $1.80 per gallon this summer.

This was Brainerd
20 years ago (1980) - Earl Fitzsimmons, 77, Brainerd recently received Plywood Minnesota's First Outstanding Service Award from U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz. Fitzsimmons opened the first Plywood franchise in Brainerd in 1967

Officials not ready to panic here
If gas prices skyrocket as predicted, how will that affect area tourism this summer?

Poll: Minnesotans like two-chamber Legislature
ST. PAUL (AP) -- A growing number of Minnesota voters don't want to abolish one house of the Legislature, according to a Saint Paul Pioneer Press-Minnesota Public Radio poll published Tuesday.

Brainerd High rated in magazine's top 500
Out of 25,000 high schools in the nation, Brainerd High School ranks in the top 500, according to Newsweek magazine.

Elgin couple claims one-third of jackpot
ROSEVILLE (AP) -- Keith Goergen carried his winning $50 million Powerball ticket to lottery headquarters in the pocket of his blue denim Minnesota Vikings shirt, after keeping it all weekend for safekeeping in the refrigerator.

Soil, water office closes for training
The Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District will be closed Thursday and Friday so staff can attend erosion control training.

Muslims who want to buy house struggle with Islamic law
Most Minnesotans who want to buy a house have several options, even if they have low incomes. But Muslims looking for a home have few choices if they want to adhere to Islamic law, which forbids paying interest.

Brainerd council seeks merger study
The Brainerd City Council on Monday started the ball rolling for a study on the possible merger of Brainerd and Baxter.

State has another jackpot winner
ROSEVILLE, Minn. (AP) -- Whoever bought a winning Powerball ticket in Minnesota will share in a $150 million jackpot, one of the largest in the history of the lottery.

Layoffs at Hunt
PEQUOT LAKES -- Hunt Technologies, Pequot Lakes, may be a victim of its own success.

Fugitive returned to Minnesota after manhunt, extradition
ST. CLOUD (AP) -- A former real estate agent and job counselor has been extradited from Thailand and is now in the St. Cloud prison for two rapes committed a decade ago.

Wildfires burn 75 acres
Arson is blamed for two separate wildfires that burned about 75 acres Monday in Crow Wing and Morrison counties.

HARVEST of PRAISE: Ag teacher cited
After only four years in her teaching career, Denise Reeser of Brainerd High School has been nominated for the national agriscience teacher of the year award.

Warm weather smiles
Sean Cordingly of Pillager guided his 3-year-old daughter Tabitha down a playground pole Monday in Gregory Park. The unseasonably warm weather has encouraged central Minnesota residents to enjoy the outdoors earlier than usual this year. (Dispatch Photo by Steve Kohls)

This was Brainerd
20 years ago (1980) - Brainerd fans see basketball great. Karvonen debuts. Karvonen who has been invited to try out for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team scored 22 points but was on the sidelines early in the second half. Karvonen displayed her shooting form that has helped her score 2,948 points -- the most any Minnesota high schoolers, girl or boy, has ever totaled.

Baxter parks expense OK'd
BAXTER -- The Baxter City Council on Monday approved several large and unanticipated expenditures for the Baxter Parks and Recreation Department that went beyond the city's parks budget.

Eagle Bend, Long Prairie relieved Connie Sarff found OK in Mexico with her husband
EAGLE BEND (AP) -- The mention of Connie Sarff's name in this central Minnesota town brought smiles and expressions of relief to the faces of most residents.

Despite charges, lawmaker returns to statehouse
ST. PAUL -- State Rep. Jim Rostberg is proclaiming his innocence on three felony charges of criminal sexual conduct along with his intention to return fully to legislative work.

State's Mille Lacs legal bill climbs
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Three months after a federal judge ordered the state to pay the $3.95 million legal tab for eight Chippewa bands involved in a treaty rights dispute, the bill remains unpaid and is increasing by $614 a day.

Talk of horse manure fills air at Baxter City Council meeting
BAXTER -- Horse manure was figuratively flung through the Baxter City Council chambers Monday as council members debated what a Baxter horse rancher should do with his equine waste.

Gun control initiative gets support from both sides
DENVER -- Among those in the crowded ballroom of a downtown Denver hotel Monday were two men whose lives in advocacy had never before brought them together on the same stage: James S. Brady, founder of Handgun Control Inc., and Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association. They came together in a fervent effort to raise awareness for Colorado Project Exile, which targets illegal guns and puts the weight of federal prosecution behind firearm violations.

Greenspan to markets: Cool down or else
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Monday that if the high-flying stock market loses some of its zip, that will help slow the supercharged U.S. economy to a more sustainable pace.

Jet barrels off runway
BURBANK, Calif. (AP) -- A Southwest Airlines jet landing with 142 people aboard barreled off the end of a runway, slammed through a retaining wall and came to a halt in the middle of a street, narrowly missing a gas station.

Protesters throw eggs at Albright in Czech Republic
BRNO, Czech Republic (AP) -- Shouting ''death to American imperialism,'' two men hurled eggs at Secretary of State Madeleine Albright today after she told a university audience that defense of common values sometimes requires countries to pay a financial price.

Senate GOP fined
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The fund-raising arm of the Senate Republicans agreed to pay a $20,000 penalty for using unregulated soft money to help elect GOP congressional candidates, including Minnesota Sen. Rod Grams, according to documents released by the Federal Election Commission.

McCain, Bradley hungry for victory
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- A feisty John McCain labeled Republican rival George W. Bush ''so Clinton-esque it's scary,'' while a subdued Bill Bradley said he must ''win a couple of states'' as both underdogs looked to revive their presidential campaigns in a Super Tuesday showdown.

It's Super Tuesday They're voting in 16 states today
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- John McCain claimed momentum but wondered whether there was ''enough time'' as presidential front-runners George W. Bush and Al Gore sounded themes suited for the fall battle beyond today's Super Tuesday primaries. Underdog Bill Bradley said, ''We've got to win some today.''

Israel hopes pullback decision will bring Syria back to peace talks
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) -- Israel's decision to withdraw from an occupied zone in Lebanon is meant to cause trouble in the region, Syria said today as Israeli missiles hit south Lebanese targets again.

Ethicist discusses distrust over modified foods
AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Agricultural industry and government leaders contributed to public backlash over genetically modified foods by historically not telling the entire truth, an agricultural ethicist said.

Rostberg returns to Capitol despite felony charges
ST. PAUL (AP) -- State Rep. Jim Rostberg returned to work today at the Capitol despite facing three counts of felony criminal sexual conduct for allegedly fondling a girl multiple times.

Officials defend flood aid response
MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) -- Score

Feud between golf course and pig farmer is a sign of the times
STUART, Fla. (AP) -- Even on a cold, windy day, a laundered handkerchief scented with starch brings only partial relief from the odor in Paul Thompson's mucky front yard.

U.S. plans debt buyback
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Treasury Department on Thursday will buy back a part of the national debt for the first time in 70 years, officials announced today.

'Bloody Sunday' anniversary becomes a healing event
SELMA, Ala. -- It was a procession of ghosts.

Rock Hall induction Music, nostalgia and far-flung family
NEW YORK -- It was as rock 'n' roll should be, as rock 'n' roll by definition must be: an evening of mongrel music.

Poor and sick elderly in most need of new Medicare benefits
WASHINGTON (AP) -- As the White House and Congress debate who should be eligible for a new Medicare prescription drug benefit, researchers are bolstering the Republican argument that aid should go to the neediest senior citizens.

A message from Kayla's mother: Boy accused of shooting her daughter needs help
DETROIT (AP) -- The mother of the 6-year-old girl who was shot to death in her first grade classroom said today she had talked to her daughter about problems she was having with a classmate several days before the shooting.

Plant blast kills one
RADFORD, Va. (AP) -- Anxious relatives waited outside today as rescuers searched for two workers missing after an explosion tore apart an industrial plant and killed at least one employee. Six workers were hospitalized.

Children attend classes for first time since fatal shooting
MOUNT MORRIS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- With reassuring words from parents and grandparents, little pupils returned to Buell Elementary School today for the first time since a 6-year-old was shot to death in her first-grade classroom.

Bush attempts comedic rebound
BURBANK, Calif. (AP) -- George W. Bush was a comedic target for Jay Leno as the Republican presidential candidate tried to rebound from a lackluster appearance with Leno's rival David Letterman.

Clinton cites study on guns, youths at meeting
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Looking to break a stalemate over gun control legislation, President Clinton is publicizing some troubling statistics about youths and firearms at a meeting with lawmakers today.

Army will limit overseas duty for active duty, reserve units
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Army is setting a six-month limit on deployment of both active-duty and reserve units sent overseas on temporary assignments.

Griffey homers in Reds' uniform for first time
Ken Griffey Jr. homered in a Cincinnati Reds' uniform for the first time, leading a split squad over the Texas Rangers 5-2 Sunday.

Rice leads Lakers to 15th straight win
The Los Angeles Lakers are making a habit of these long winning streaks.

Happy birthday, Shaq O'Neal scores 61 points
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal asked for the ball on his 28th birthday and the rest of the Lakers were happy to hand it over.

Sorry, Bobby: Wisconsin upsets Indiana
First, Bob Knight got an earful from the Wisconsin student body about a hunting accident. Then he watched Indiana blow a 12-point lead in the last nine minutes.

Guyton, Keady receive top Big Ten honors
A.J. Guyton of Indiana and Morris Peterson of Michigan State were named Big Ten men's basketball players of the year today. Purdue's Gene Keady was selected the conference coach of the year.

Leona M. Evans
Leona M. Evans, 87, 804 Wright St., Brainerd, died today, Tuesday, March 7, 2000, at Bethany Good Samaritan Village of Brainerd.

Albert D. Starr
FORT RIPLEY TOWNSHIP -- Albert David Starr, 68, Fort Ripley Township, died Friday, March 3, 2000, at Hennepin County Medical Center of Minneapolis.

Ambrose 'Andy' Heurung
UPSALA -- Ambrose "Andy" Heurung, 77, Upsala, died Friday, March 3, 2000, at St. Cloud Hospital.

Esther Ecker
PINE RIVER -- Esther Ecker, 81, Pine River, died Monday, March 6, 2000, at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center of Crosby.

Larry Jensen
LITTLE FALLS -- Larry Jensen, 28, Little Falls, died Sunday, March 5, 2000, in Browerville.

Margaret O. Thorkildson
ROSEVILLE -- Margaret O. Thorkildson, 79, Roseville, formerly of Brainerd, died Sunday, March 5, 2000.

Andrew B. Block
LITTLE FALLS -- Andrew B. Block, 64, Little Falls, formerly of Lastrup, died Sunday, March 5, 2000, at St. Otto's Care Center of Little Falls.

Andrew B. 'Paddy' Block
LASTRUP -- Andrew B. "Paddy" Block, 64, Lastrup, died Sunday, March 5, 2000, at St. Otto's Care Center of Little Falls.

Helmar 'Mick' Jones
PINE RIVER -- Helmar "Mick" Jones, 95, Pine River, died Thursday, March 2, 2000, at Whispering Pines Good Samaritan Home.

Carl Byers
PEQUOT LAKES -- Carl Byers, 102, Pequot Lakes, died today, Monday, March 6, 2000, at Whispering Pines Good Samaritan Home of Pine River.

Martha F. Carr
AITKIN -- Martha F. Carr, 94, Aitkin, died Friday, March 3, 2000, at Riverwood Extended Care in Aitkin.

Nursing homes - Dispatch Editorial
Minnesota nursing home officials make a convincing case that their industry is in severe financial distress. They feel it's a serious enough emergency to warrant legislative spending in a non-budget year.

A voice from a vicious past
The following editorial appeared in Sunday's Los Angeles Times:

The Kennedy answer
WASHINGTON--Among the many surprises in this year's riveting presidential nomination campaign, none has been greater than the emergence of the religious issue that has been dormant since 1960, when John F. Kennedy confronted the nation's voters with the prospect of a Roman Catholic president.

Party caucuses - Dispatch Editorial
Those Minnesotans who are interested in presidential politics get their chance this week to weigh in on the candidates who have survived thus far.

Open Forum
Residents of Gull Lake and the surrounding area need to be aware of yet another attempt to circumvent local planning and zoning regulations by a planned unit development.

Ex-superintendent's thoughts on Thelen
(This is an excerpt of a letter written last June from former Brainerd School District Superintendent Bob Gross to John Thelen who died Thursday.)

Open Forum
The Crow Wing County DFL Precinct meeting will be held on Saturday, March 11 in Brainerd at Mississi

Not so bad a process
The following editorial appeared in Sunday's Washington Post:

Doyle wins rain-shortened Toshiba Senior Classic
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) -- Allen Doyle had good reason to enjoy a day away from the golf course.

Burton wins rain-shortened race
LAS VEGAS -- Jeff Burton would rather win the race on the track.

WCHA
Wisconsin split its weekend series with Colorado College, but the Badgers are wasting no time getting ready for next weekend, when the WCHA playoffs begin.

What pressure? Freshman Kennedy takes fifth in diving
MINNEAPOLIS -- Most of us would never consider climbing up on a board, bouncing high in the air and diving into a pool in front of a few thousand people.

Scoreboard
Boys Basketball

Hines comes back strong for 5th spot
MINNEAPOLIS -- Two different versions of Preston Hines showed up at the Target Center Saturday.

Pequot Lakes, Chisholm girls play for title
HIBBING -- The top-seeded and unbeaten Pequot Lakes Patriots advanced to the championship game of the Section 7AA girls' basketball tournament with a 55-49 overtime win against the Eveleth-Gilbert Bears in the semifinals Monday at Hibbing Memorial Arena.

Kramer falls in finals
MINNEAPOLIS -- After he lost his Class AA championship match at 135 pounds Saturday at Target Center, Wadena-Deer Creek junior Pat Kramer could only nod his head.

Marino talking to Vikings
MINNEAPOLIS -- Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, Jeff George. And now Dan Marino?

Girls Subsection 6AA
FOLEY -- Senior Cyndi Kimman was determined not to let the game against the second-seeded Mora Mustangs be her last as she scored the last two baskets for the top-seeded Pierz Pioneers in the last seconds of the Class AA, subsection 6 girls' basketball finals to give her team a 41-38 victory Saturday in Foley.

Making a splash
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Individual winners from Saturday's boys' state swimming and diving championships at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center:

Brandon leads Wolves past Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Terrell Brandon came back to Milwaukee in style, even if Kevin Garnett wanted to deduct style points.

W-DC claims consolation crown
MINNEAPOLIS -- It wasn't the way Wadena-Deer Creek coach Dennis Kaatz expected to win the fifth-place meet, but his team got the job done nonetheless.

Kloss, Young win titles for Pioneers
MINNEAPOLIS -- In the history of Pierz wrestling, the Pioneers have been unable to claim an individual champion at the state tournament.

Roseau, Duluth East meeting in first round
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The boys' state hockey tournament always provides a memorable game or two, and they often come in the later rounds as the pressure builds.

Warriors place 8th
MINNEAPOLIS -- Nine Brainerd individuals competing in seven events represented one of the largest delegations the Warriors have ever qualified for the boys' Class AA swimming and diving state meet.

Pequot stops Pine River-Backus
HIBBING -- The top-seeded Pequot Lakes Patriots defeated the fourth-seeded Pine River-Backus Tigers 66-40 Saturday in a Section 7AA Quarterfinals girls' basketball game played at Hibbing Memorial Arena.

Local sports shorts
The Brainerd Warriors boys' basketball team has been seeded fourth in the Section 8, Class 4A tournament and will host No. 5 St. Cloud Tech at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Pine River-Backus lives up to billing
GRAND RAPIDS -- The top-seeded Pine-River Backus boys' basketball team handed the eighth-seeded Blackduck Drakes an 81-55 loss in Section 7AA action Saturday.

Marino talk upsets George, Miami fans
The thought of Dan Marino in purple is making Miami Dolphins fans blue and must have Jeff George seeing red.

Moorhead stops Brainerd girls
DETROIT LAKES -- The old saying the better team won held up Saturday night as the second-seeded Moorhead Spuds combined great offense and defense to end the third-seeded Brainerd Warriors season in the semifinal round of the Section 8, Class 4A girls basketball playoffs 68-37 at Detroit Lakes.

Doctors: Checking should be banned in youth hockey
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Youth hockey players could significantly reduce injuries if checking was banned from games involving players 15 and younger, the American Academy of Pediatrics said in calling for such a ban.

They are the champions
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Individual championship match results Saturday from the Minnesota Prep State Wrestling Tournament at Target Center.

Warrior swimmers turn in a season to remember
MINNEAPOLIS -- Until another Brainerd boys' swimming and diving team can do better, the Warriors' 2000 team will be remembered as the best.

Twins display offensive power
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Matt Lawton and Cristian Guzman led another strong offensive showing at the Minnesota Twins routed the Boston Red Sox 11-6 at Hammond Stadium.

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), KKIN-AM (930), KLTF-AM (960), 3WI-AM (1270), KVBR-AM (1340), KLIZ-AM (1380), KLLZ-AM (1600)

Scoreboard
Section 5AAA

Boys' hoops
Third-seeded Pillager Huskies defeated the Lake Region Christian School Hornets 54-45 in East Subsection 6A quarterfinal boys' basketball Monday night.

Buckeyes win; Gophers drop 6th straight
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- After a grueling final six games, Ohio State is perfectly happy sharing the Big Ten basketball title with Michigan State.

Around the nation
Albany,N.Y. 49 24 cdy

A nice day to be outside
Weather drawing by Angie Waytashek of Mrs. Holbrook's fourth grade class at Lowell school.

Brainerd forecast
Tonight...Becoming cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms late. Lows in the middle 40s. South wind 10 to 20 mph.

Snow falls in West
Snow and rain clouds lingered over the West early today as high pressure built over much of the East and Midwest. Mild conditions were in store for the nation's midsection.

Winter storm hits Arizona, California
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The Southwest was jolted by a fierce winter storm that coated the mountains of Southern California and Arizona with snow and was blamed for at least five deaths.

Flowers already?
Weather drawing by Anna Jackson in the Baxter third grade of Mr. Hendrickson.

Brainerd forecast
Tonight...Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s inland...Lower 30s lakeside. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest.

Around the nation
Albany,N.Y. 49 30 clr

Storm heads for Plains
A strong storm spun into the southern Plains today after punishing the Southwest with heavy rain and snow. Mild weather dominated the East while clouds lingered in the Northwest.

Family misses nice brother they knew before they wed
DEAR ABBY: My family is having problems with my brother's wife. They have been married about eight years, and my brother seems like a different person today.

Names and faces
NEW YORK (AP) -- TV personality Kathie Lee Gifford wasn't so sure her 9-year-old son Cody should join her in the upcoming television movie ''Model Behavior.''

What's doing
The Brainerd American Legion Post will serve an all-you-can-eat smelt fry with large salad bar from 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday. Cost: $6. Members and invited guests are welcome.

Wife fears husband in sales is buying secretary's pitch
DEAR ABBY: My husband is national sales manager for a company that participates in frequent out-of-town trade shows. These events are held in luxurious hotels and involve entertaining clients in posh restaurants.