Wednesday, March 23, 2005
FIRE
NISSWA -- The Nisswa Fire Department responded about 5 a.m. Monday to a house fire in the 20,000 block of Holman Point Drive in Nisswa.
Minnesota News Council looks at complaints
The Minnesota News Council is an independent organization that examines citizens complaints alleging inaccuracy, unfairness or unethical conduct by the media.
CRIME
VANDALISM -- Two residents in the 5,000 block of Birchdale Road on Sunday reported their mailboxes and one garage had been spray painted.
Wedll wins environmental stewardship award
ONAMIA -- Don Wedll, long-range planner for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, recently was recognized for more than 30 years of work in preserving the band's natural resources, as well as those of other tribes.
Two girls find Pot O' Gold in Crosslake
CROSSLAKE -- Elizabeth and Samantha Nelson found the Pot O' Gold in Crosslake in the bushes in front of the Crosslake Post Office.
At home up north
BAUDETTE -- Folks in the lakes area might wonder what became of Tom Briggs, Brainerd born and raised, operator of Great Northern Equipment in Nisswa for 10 years and a Nisswa fishing guide for 19 years.
Nisswa Women's Club lists style show committee members
Northwoods Magic is the theme for the 22nd annual Luncheon and Style Show sponsored by the Nisswa Women's Club.
Area briefs
Three Brainerd lakes area schools will receive grant money through the Education Minnesota Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
Living the language
BREEZY POINT -- The best way to learn a foreign language is to immerse yourself in the language and culture, preferably at a young age.
CLC adds online classes, mini-sessions for summer
Summer classes at Central Lakes College have taken on a new look.
Resorts along byway share a rich history
For more than 100 years, resorts have been an integral part of the lakes area through which the 54 miles of the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway now pass.
Crow Wing Junior Dairy Princesses named
Chelsey Hettver and Molli Koering were crowned Crow Wing Junior Dairy Princesses at the dairy banquet Saturday at the Pierz Ballroom.
Pillager students perform Disney songs at Grandparents' Day
PILLAGER -- Disney Diamonds was the theme for a Grandparents' Day program Friday at Pillager School.
This was Brainerd
20 years ago (1985) - A Brainerd landmark closed its doors this month as Leonard Strobel put the diner up for sale. Strobel worked at the restaurant since 1941 and owned it since 1953.
County, Elks agree on relocation costs
Crow Wing County commissioners reached a settlement with the Brainerd Elks for relocation costs.
More post office parking planned
Plans are under way to create more parking at the Brainerd Post Office.
College offices to be closed Friday morning
Central Lakes College offices on both the Brainerd and Staples campuses will be closed most of Friday morning.
Airport site OK'd for new highway building
The new Crow Wing County highway department building will be built near the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport.
CORRECTION
A story on Page 10A Sunday should have said Jake DeVine, winner of The Lakes Bee, is an eighth-grader at Mary of Lourdes Middle School in Little Falls.
LOCAL BRIEFS
Father Bill Skarich, who serves Brainerd area Catholic churches, delivered the opening prayer Monday in the Minnesota Senate.
Reprieve
LITTLE FALLS -- In a short-term solution to keep a juvenile center afloat financially, commissioners from three area counties agreed Monday to come up with an additional $200,000.
C-I residents can sound off Monday
Crosby-Ironton School District residents who were sent away from Monday's school board meeting will get their chance to sound off at 7 p.m. this Monday at the Deerwood Auditorium.
Citizen opposes store that would sell adult material
One Brainerd resident is upset with a proposed retail store that would have some adult content moving into the city.
City votes 5-2 to take part in Character Initiative
Though a couple were hesitant do to so, Brainerd City Council members will work to have Brainerd become a city of character.
City close to finalizing mobile home ordinance
As it has been in the past, the city of Brainerd is one step away from having an ordinance regulating mobile home park closings.
Overheard
"Please, senators, for the love of God, I'm begging you, don't let my daughter die of thirst."
Large crowd, no discussion
IRONTON -- Crosby-Ironton School District residents who jammed into the Ironton City Hall to talk about the 42-day-old teachers' strike were disappointed Monday night when the C-I School Board decided to reschedule the public part of the meeting for a later date at a site that could accommodate more people.
Overheard
"You read about it in the papers. It happens at other places, but not at our school. I thought our school was safe."
Council mulls requirements for Linden Hill proposals
LITTLE FALLS -- The Little Falls City Council may be looking for certain requirements in proposals for the Linden Hill Retreat and Conference Center.
Cass judge to preside at C-I injunction hearing
A Cass County judge will preside during a Wednesday hearing when the teachers' union seeks a temporary injunction against the Crosby-Ironton School District.
Pillager superintendent steps down
Pillager Superintendent Phil Johnson is stepping down and Pequot Lakes Middle School Principal Chuck Arns is stepping in.
Seven townships refuse to pay for dog ordinance
Last summer, Crow Wing County commissioners agreed to bill townships to offset canine costs incurred to enforce the county's dog ordinance, but a handful of townships must have felt the county was barking up the wrong tree.
Appeals court upholds finding for city, against Dispatch in open meeting dispute
The Minnesota Court of Appeals has upheld an earlier district court ruling that the city of Brainerd acted properly in closing a 2003 meeting to discuss a threatened lawsuit.
Planning and zoning to be separate branches
When the board deadlocked Tuesday, Crow Wing County Board Chairman Gary Walters reluctantly cast the deciding vote in favor of splitting the planning and zoning department into two entities that would report to one person.
Koeps flee to hotel due to noise, want county to pay
Mary and Walter Koep fled their Brainerd home Friday because of noise from Crow Wing County's building project and now they want the county to foot their hotel bill.
Merrifield man appears on 'Price is Right' -- really
Francis Justin of Merrifield got to hear that famous phrase "Price is Right" fans are familiar with. His family also heard, "Francis Justin, come on down," but unfortunately they didn't get to see much of him on the show Tuesday.
Dressed for the beach
Garfield Elementary School second-graders Carlie Plantenberg (left) and Kali Bible were dressed for the beach Tuesday while they ate lunch in the school cafeteria. To break up the long winter, the school hosted Beach Day for staff and students.
Koering introduces bill that would prevent teachers from striking in future
Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, introduced a bill to classify all public kindergarten-12th grade teachers as essential employees, preventing them from striking in the future.
Brainerd district could benefit from budget
The Brainerd School District could see about a half million more in revenue in the next two school years than originally expected if Gov. Tim Pawlenty's most recent K-12 budget proposal becomes law.
This was Brainerd
60 years ago (1945) - Forty-four Crow Wing county selective service registrants were scheduled to leave this afternoon for Ft. Snelling where they will undergo physical and mental examinations in preparation of entering a branch of the armed forces.
County tab for suspected killer's care set at $79,800
A bill for an incarcerated murder suspect could cost Crow Wing County $79,800 with that number expected to increase before a trial is set.
Melvin C. Peterson
HILLMAN -- Melvin C. Peterson, 80-year-old resident of rural Hillman, Minn., passed away Sunday, March 20, 2005, at his home in rural Hillman. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 23, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hillman.
Fred Bryniarski
RANDALL -- Fred Bryniarski, age 89, of Randall, passed away March 21, 2005, at the Long Prairie Nursing Home in Long Prairie. Arrangements are pending with the Brenny Simonet Funeral Home, West Chapel, in Little Falls.
Hattie Long
PINE RIVER -- Hattie Long, age 86, of Pine River, passed away Sunday, March 20, 2005, at Brownsburg Health Care Center in Brownsburg, Ind., after a long battle with cancer. For the last year Hattie has been living in Indiana to be near her son.
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.
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.
Harold F. Darsow
Harold Franklin Darsow, age 88, died Tuesday morning, March 22, 2005, at his home. Funeral services will be on Saturday, March 26, at 11 a.m. in the Lincoln Evangelical Free Church of Cushing. Family will receive friends on Friday evening from 5-7 p.m. at the Brenny Funeral Home of Staples.
Irene R. Lawerenz
MILWAUKEE -- Irene R. Lawerenz, age 79, former resident of the Elmdale area, passed away Friday, March 18, 2005, in Milwaukee.
Frederick W. Bryniarski
RANDALL -- Frederick Walter Bryniarski, age 89, of Randall, Minn., passed away Monday, March 21, 2005, at the Long Prairie Nursing Home.
Kenneth Hurst
PEQUOT LAKES -- Ken Hurst, 64, of Pequot Lakes, passed away in his home on March 17, 2005. He was born in Peoria, Ill., to Beatrice and Russell Hurst and was raised by Beatrice and James Wireman in Washington, Ill.
Open Forum
Secondhand smoke is a documented killer. The American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and countless other medical and scientific organizations agree that the chemicals in secondhand smoke cause life-threatening diseases including cancer and heart disease.
Open Forum
As long as education resources are being wasted now, what's the point of increasing funding to exceed the governor's 5.4 percent increase during the next budget cycle?
GUEST COLUMN: It's time for implementation
The March 7 issue of the Dispatch reprinted an article from the Duluth paper titled "Undeveloped chunks of northwoods being gobbled up."
What do you think?
Write us a letter or send us an e-mail
VOX POP
I also would like to know why the new Forestview School is not being used for graduation ceremonies? Why was the fanciness of the school so much more important than utilizing the building for more functional activities, such as enlarging the gymnasium? All of our school officials know how packed that gets at graduation ceremonies.
OUR OPINION: SHOOTINGS
Questions abound after a teen-age gunman's tragic shooting spree Monday that left 10 people dead on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.
CLC aims to continue with aggressive offense
Last season the Central Lakes College softball team had no problem scoring runs. The Raiders led the Northern Division with 174 runs scored, an average of 5.8 runs a game as CLC finished 19-11.
Sports shorts
Former Pillager standout and current basketball player for the University of Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles, Lee Roberts, was named to the Academic All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference team.
Puchalla named to all-tourney team
Brainerd Warriors sophomore wing Nate Puchalla was named Saturday to the Wells Fargo All-Tournament team at the State Adapted Floor Hockey tournament at Stillwater Area High School.
Upcoming sporting events
Radio guide
Raiders roster
(Name, position, hometown)
Upcoming sporting events in the Brainerd lakes area:
Thursday
3-on-3 hoops tourney slated
The Pierz boys' basketball program is hosting the seventh Annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament, April 16-17 at the Pierz Healy High School.
Scoreboard
Baseball
Pitching at a premium
The biggest question mark at the beginning of any junior college baseball season is whether or not a team will have enough pitching.
SCOREBOARD
Baseball
State forecast for S.D.
Winter storm watch west wednesday night and thursday...
State forecast for Minnesota
Today...Mostly cloudy north. Becoming partly cloudy south.
Bunny on the way
Weather drawing by Anna Greatens of Mr. Meyer's fourth grade class at Lowell school.
State forecast for Iowa
Winter weather advisory portions of eastern iowa until 9 am this
State forecast for Iowa
Today...Mostly cloudy with rain south mixed with snow at times
State forecast for S.D.
Winter storm watch far west late wednesday night through thursday...And parts of central thursday through thursday night...
State forecast for Minnesota
Today...Partly sunny. A slight chance of light snow northwest.
State forecast for N.D.
Winter storm watch far southwest late tonight and thursday...
Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 30s far north...To the mid 40s southwest.
Easter's coming
Weather drawing by JoAnna Miles of Mrs. Gardner's fifth grade class at Lowell school.
Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Partly to mostly cloudy. A chance of light snow early far south. Highs from the mid 30s east...To the mid 40s west.
State forecast for N.D.
Snow advisory for central north dakota until noon...