LOCAL BRIEFS

ST. PAUL - Legislation that would establish a 65-bed chemical dependency facility on the Brainerd Regional Human Services Center campus passed unanimously in the Senate Health and Housing Policy Committee last week.

The measure would allow Teen Challenge, a provider of faith-based recovery services to operate at the site of the former state hospital.

Presenting the bill were Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, Rich Sherber, director of Teen Challenge Minneapolis, and two graduates of the program, both former methamphetamine users. The two former meth users have been clean for a total of five and a half years.

Koering testified the program has community support and said he was working with Rep. John Ward, D-Brainerd, on the bill.

Teen Challenge offers a yearlong treatment program for recovering addicts. Included in its faith-based recovery program are spiritual therapeutic recovery, family life training and kindergarten through 12 and college enrollment options.

"This is certainly an important step toward combating the growing addiction problem in our area," Koering said Friday.

Richardson Township voters elect officials, move election date

Voters in Richardson Township in Morrison County elected a supervisor and a treasurer and voted 60-42 to move elections to November of even-numbered years.

Thomas Schutta defeated Don Erickson 59-41 for the supervisor post.

Treasurer Ron Peterson was re-elected 78-1 with Lynn Crotty receiving a write-in vote.

Dog kennel public hearing scheduled

LITTLE FALLS - Morrison County scheduled a public hearing to consider a conditional use permit to operate a commercial dog breeding facility in Belle Prairie Township.

The Morrison County Board set the hearing for 7 p.m. March 26 in Meeting Room No. 1 in the Morrison County Government Center in Little Falls.

The county board is reconsidering the permit after the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that the board didn't follow correct procedure when it issued a conditional use permit to Gary McDuffee to operate a 600-dog breeding operation.

At the public hearing, attorneys for both parties involved in the litigation regarding the application will speak for 15 minutes. The general public will then be able to comment and their comments will be limited to three minutes per individual.

Written comments are encouraged to be submitted before the public hearing. Written comments may be sent to Timothy J. Houle, Morrison County administrator at the Government Center at 213 First Ave. S.E., Little Falls, Minn.

Telephone calls regarding the application will not be entered into the public record for use at the public hearing.

Brainerd Public Library goes wireless

Computer users at the Brainerd Public Library now have another way to access the Internet. All branches of Kitchigami Regional Library now provide wireless access within the library.

Branch librarian Marta Mersereau reports that public demand for wireless access has increased over the last year.

Wireless users must agree to follow Kitchigami Regional Library Internet policies before their wireless connection is activated.