Tuesday, March 8, 2005
EXTRA CREDIT
Two Brainerd High School seniors, Carmen Cummings and Kellen Riley, have received the National Forensic League's Academic All-American Award.
AREA CRIME
THEFT -- Douglas Sherwood, Hillman, Saturday reported the theft of a trailer and two snowmobiles.
Crime
LITTLE FALLS -- Four people were arrested in two separate incidents involving methamphetamine Tuesday in Little Falls, the Morrison County Sheriff's Department reported.
Fire
The Brainerd Fire Department responded 9:42 a.m. Sunday to Heritage Assembly of God in Baxter for what turned out to be a false alarm.
Fire
The Brainerd Fire Department responded to a spill of about 10 gallons of oil about 7:30 a.m. Monday in the 1,000 block of Laurel Street. Firefighters cleaned up the spill and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency was notified. The oil was believed to have spilled from a drum.
Accident
Two people were injured in a two-vehicle collision at 6:34 p.m. Saturday on the ramp leading from Highway 371 to Business Highway 371, the State Patrol reported.
Talk to state lawmakers
Rep. Larry Howes.
Crime
BURGLARY -- It was reported Sunday that Lovens Auto in Swanville was broken into. Several boxes of beef sticks, car batteries and an undisclosed amount of money were taken. Anyone with information regarding this burglary is asked to call the Morrison County Sheriff's Department at (320) 632-9233.
DISSOLUTIONS
Behnke, Andrea I. and Troy K.
C-I advances in basketball playoffs
GRAND RAPIDS -- The Crosby-Ironton Rangers boys' basketball team advanced to the Section 7, Class 2A semifinals by eliminating the Aitkin Gobblers 53-51 Saturday at the Grand Rapids High School.
Binding arbitration: What it is and isn't
What is binding arbitration and is it the best route to a settlement of the nearly month-old Crosby-Ironton teachers' strike?
This was Brainerd
80 years ago (1925) - Brainerd was eliminated in the first round of the tournament at Aitkin, when they lost a heart-breaker to Crosby-Ironton by a score of 15 to 8.
Fate of struggling golf course discussed
LITTLE FALLS -- Merits of leasing the Little Falls municipal golf course to Tradition Golf came up against pleas for more time to turn the course's financial numbers around within the city's management.
Second Pot O' Gold treasure hunt clue listed
CROSSLAKE -- Following is the second clue in Crosslake's Pot O' Gold treasure hunt to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
Ten teachers to be hired
LITTLE FALLS -- For the first time in at least six years it wasn't a matter of what to cut, but how many positions the Little Falls School Board should add to its staff for the upcoming school year.
Repeat repellers
When used in drug courts across the nation, tackling crime with teamwork has successfully lowered rates of drug-addicted criminals who become repeat offenders.
LOCAL BRIEFS
Kris Nelson, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary from Baxter, was in Washington, D.C., lobbying for issues affecting American war veterans.
Penny-wise students open piggy banks to fight cancer, aid troops
Big-hearted Franklin Junior High School opened piggy banks and sacrificed their own candy purchases to help a cancer society and area troops serving overseas.
This was Brainerd
30 years ago (1975) - The Brainerd Jaycees have announced today that they will hold their first annual North American Snodeo on Sunday, March 16, at Island View Lodge.
Overheard
"The smart money is always against success and progress in the Middle East, but if you look around the region there are four or five positive trends. If even one or two of these go forward, it is significant."
Nesheim home, feeling better
Brainerd City Council Member Lucy Nesheim is back home and resting after suffering a heart attack March 1.
Contacts made, but no real talks
Two Crosby-Ironton School Board members and two leaders of the C-I teachers' union met at a Brainerd restaurant Sunday in an attempt to reopen communication between both sides as the teachers' strike enters its fourth week.
Democrats seek to add self-employed to MinnesotaCare
House Democrats rolled out a proposal Monday that would allow small businesses and self-employed people to buy into the state employee health plan and the MinnesotaCare program.
Meth proposals breeze through committee
Restrictions on cold medicines and new rules for cleaning up properties contaminated by methamphetamine labs breezed through a third House committee Monday.
Overheard
"Through our history some of our best ambassadors have been those with strong voices."
Mayor questions requests for information
A familiar accusation was made at the Brainerd City Council meeting Monday.
Richard 'Dick' B. Buck
NISSWA - Richard "Dick" Byron Buck, 91, of Nisswa, Minn., passed away Saturday, March 5, 2005, in Mesa, Ariz. Dick was born March 2, 1914, to Holger and Signe (Mosbaek) Buck in Askov, Minn. Dick married Else Thomsen on June 5, 1936. They had three children: Sandra, Heidi and Rollin. Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Else. In 1984, he married Phyllis Sorensen Morgensen of Anoka who also preceded him in death.
Delores M. Bennett
PILLAGER -- Delores Maybelle Bennett, age 69, of Pillager, Minn., formerly of Benson, died Saturday morning, March 5, 2005, at her home in Pillager, Minn.
Merle H. Gallant Sr.
Merle H. Gallant Sr., 86, Brainerd, died Sunday, March 6, 2005, at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby.
Calvin L. Engholm
MERRIFIELD -- Calvin L. Engholm, 48, Merrifield, passed away Friday, March 4, 2005, at his home in Merrifield.
Nancy R. Koland
Nancy R. Koland, 80, Brainerd, died Sunday, March 6, 2005, at the Cuyuna Regional Care Center in Crosby.
Obituary policy
Obituary notices are charged at 34 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.
Esther Erickson
Esther Erickson (Savidge), age 84, resident of Brainerd, passed away Friday, March 4, 2005, in Colorado Springs, Colo., at her daughter's home. She is survived by her husband, Bror.
Edwin H. Carlson
RANDALL -- Edwin H. Carlson, age 88, of Parker Township, Morrison County, Minn., passed away Saturday, March 5, 2005, at St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls, Minn. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, March 11, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Swanville with the Rev. Arlie Sowada officiating.
Minnie C. Neubauer
PINE RIVER -- Minnie C. Neubauer, age 86, died Friday, March 4, 2005, at Whispering Pines Good Samaritan Center in Pine River. Services are pending with the Willim-St. Onge Family Funeral Home in Pine River.
Gary R. Shake
MOTLEY -- Gary R. Shake, age 62, of Motley, died Friday evening, March 4, 2005, at his home.
Laura E. Kerr
AITKIN -- Laura E. Kerr, age 83, of Aitkin, died Sunday, March 6, 2005, at the Riverwood Health Care Center in Aitkin.
Richard B. Beeson
NISSWA -- Richard B. Beeson, age 80, died Monday, March 7, 2005, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd. Services are pending with the Willim-St. Onge Family Funeral Home in Pequot Lakes.
Obituary policy
Obituary notices are charged at 34 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.
Open Forum
I'm writing to support our teachers because this strike has brought back years of hurt, tears and disappointment. My husband was a school teacher and we heard the same remarks every year at negotiation time. These retired teachers fought hard for raises that would help struggling young families buy homes, acquire decent health insurance and pay off their student loans, etc.
Guest column: Racism must be confronted
In past weeks, much print has been devoted to a controversy involving the Dispatch, Paul Koering, and the Crow Wing County Human Rights Commission. But no one as yet has cut to the heart of the matter, which is that racism exists in the lakes area both explicit racism, and implicit racism. Explicit racism is easy to recognize and unite against.
Correction / clarification
In a letter to the editor that was published in Sundays paper Lucille Schellin incorrectly described a benefit awarded to Crosby-Ironton teacher retirees. She had intended to refer to health insurance rather than life insurance.
Open Forum
Critics of the prescription drug discount cards like John Kerry and the AARP have been strangely quiet lately. Between April 2004 and the election, 2.9 million cards were issued. As of Feb. 18, 2005, over 6 million discount cards were in use with an average savings/prescription of 20 percent (CSPAN Washington Journal, Feb. 18) Silence is caused by success of the program.
What do you think?
Write us a letter or send us an e-mail
Vox Pop
Our governor wants to expand gambling in our state while cutting programs for the poor. Gambling is only a tax on the poor looking for "pie-in-the-sky" winnings. No one likes taxes but they are a fair way to pay for services we all need.
Scoreboard
Baseball
Sports shorts
The 16th annual North Central Speedway Car Show is scheduled March 25-26 at Westgate Mall.
U-14 girls take third
The Brainerd girls' U-14 hockey team finished third in the region tournament Feb. 25-27 at Detroit Lakes.
BHS falls to defending champs
Defending state champion and unbeaten Dakota United of Rosemount scored four second-period goals on its way to an 8-1 victory over the Brainerd Warriors in adapted floor hockey Saturday at Riverside Elementary School in Brainerd.
Hills alive with sound of snowmobiles
Lee Johnson, owner of Zorbaz in Crosslake and Lake Shore, and one of his regular customers, Wally Scheer, cooked up a hot racing event last year.
Upcoming sporting events
Monday
LF looks to regroup, repeat
MINNEAPOLIS -- Regardless of how the Minnesota State High School League realigns sections for the 2005-06 school year, the Little Falls Flyers have to be one of the favorites to repeat as Section 4, Class 1A boys' hockey champions.
S-M coach's bid for 600 denied
COLLEGEVILLE -- Victory No. 600 for Staples-Motley Cardinals boys' basketball coach Lynn Peterson will have to wait until the 2005-06 season.
Flying high again
Until the 2004-05 school year the Little Falls community, and fans of Flyers athletics, haven't had much to cheer about in the 21st century.
Rangers rally past rivals
GRAND RAPIDS -- Don't ask Brett Dickie what the word quit means because he doesn't know.
Sertoma Sunrise Liftathon this week
Participants will include 100 boys and 48 girls in grades 8-12. There are 14 fund-raising teams with 10-11 lifters per team. The average projected lift range is 4,000 to 6,000 pounds per team.
Mehr caps busy meet with honors
MINNEAPOLIS -- The 50-yard freestyle in swimming is a blink-an-eye-and-you'll-miss-it type of race. All a swimmer has to do is hiccup and he could quickly plummet from contention.
Brainerd's Rubin wins section title
WADENA -- Brainerd's Nate Rubin decisioned Wadena's Patchrick Szathmary for the championship in the Southern section Region 4 Golden Gloves boxing tournament Saturday at the Wadena Armory.
Flyers settle for sixth
MINNEAPOLIS -- Sixth place is better than no place. The Little Falls Flyers boys' hockey team should appreciate that following a 9-1 defeat administered by the Albert Lea Tigers in the consolation championship game of the Class 1A state tournament Saturday morning at Mariucci Arena.
Upcoming sporting events in the Brainerd lakes area:
TUESDAY
Scoreboard
Class 1A Section 4
PL, Pillager, Pierz ousted
GRAND RAPIDS -- No Pequot Lakes player was in double figures as the Patriots were defeated by Deer River 70-50 in the quarterfinals of the Section 7, Class 2A boys' basketball tournament Saturday.
State forecast for Minnesota
Wind advisory this morning for west central...Southwest and south
State forecast for S.D.
Wind advisory northwest today...
State forecast for S.D.
Wind advisory southeast this morning...
State forecast for Iowa
Today...Partly cloudy to mostly cloudy. Light snow northeast this
State forecast for Iowa
Wind advisory for much central and northern iowa this morning...
State forecast for Minnesota
Today...Partly to mostly sunny. Highs from the lower teens in the
Wisconsin state forecast
Lake effect snow warning in effect until midnight cst tuesday for ashland and iron counties...
State forecast for N.D.
Today...A chance of light snow west and central...Possibly mixed
Hey, my snowman!
Weather drawing by Kylie Halverson of Mr. Meyer's fourth grade class at Lowell school.
Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Partly cloudy with some lake effect snow showers near lake superior. Mostly sunny elsewhere. Highs from the mid teens far north to around 30 southwest.
Winter fishing fun
Weather drawing by Trelbie Sobiech of Mrs. Meyer's third grade class at Riverside school.
State forecast for N.D.
Today...Colder. Scattered snow flurries east...Then decreasing