LOCAL BRIEFS: Police await autopsy in death investigation

BAXTER - Baxter police on Tuesday were still waiting for autopsy results that may shed light on the deaths of two people Sunday found in a car in a garage at a residence on Maplewood Drive.

The victims, Scott Douglas Goninan, 48, Baxter, and Tina Marie Huro, 39, Brainerd, were found about 10 a.m. Sunday by Goninan's brother, who lives at the Maplewood Drive residence with their grandmother.

Police have said the deaths appear to be accidental and have ruled out foul play as a cause. Their bodies were sent to the Ramsey County medical examiner's office for autopsies.

Utilities commission to meet Tuesday

The Brainerd Public Utilities Commission will meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday in the commission meeting room at the BPU Service Center.

Salvation Army food drive continues

The Brainerd Salvation Army March Food Share food drive is not yet halfway to its goal but time is running out.

Through Monday, the Brainerd food shelf had collected only about 15,000 pounds/dollars. The 2009 goal is 50,000 pounds/dollars.

All donations need to be received by April 3 to count toward the March Food Share drive.

Food donations to the Brainerd Salvation Army may be dropped off at 208 S. Fifth St. in Brainerd. Monetary donations may be made to Salvation Army, P.O. Box 385, Brainerd, MN 56401 and note March Food Share food shelf. U.S. Bank also is a drop-off location.

Crow Wing County Genealogy Society to meet

Crow Wing County Genealogy Society will meet from 6-9 p.m. Thursday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 418 Eighth Ave. N.E., Brainerd, with a short business meeting then Alan Larson and his wife will present a program at 7 p.m. on their research in Norway. For more information call 825-7825 or 829-1663.

Brainerd School Board committees to meet

The Brainerd School Board Curriculum/Student Activities Committee will meet at noon April 2.

Agenda items include the philosophy and purpose of the fee schedule changes from Activities Advisory Committee, activities and athletics fee schedule proposal for 2009-10, fundraising policy review and an Enrichment program update for 2009-10.

The school board Finance Committee will meet at noon April 9.

Agenda items for this meeting include staffing recommendations for 2009-10, approval of transportation contract extension, state budget update and a fiscal year 2010 budget update.

The meetings will take place in the board room at Washington Educational Services Building, 804 Oak St., Brainerd.

Town hall meeting via video conferencing is set for Brainerd

The Minnesota State Council on Disability will conduct town hall meetings at 10 locations through video conferences and Web streaming on April 6.

The meeting will be from 1:30 to 3 p.m. April 6. The Brainerd location will be the Crow Wing County Community Service Building at 204 Laurel St., room 31H.

Among the topics will be Minnesota's budget deficit and how it will affect people with disabilities and what kind of disability-related projects will the federal stimulus support in Minnesota.

Interested people may register by contacting the Minnesota State Council on Disability. Web stream will be available in Real Player and Windows Media with a closed captioning option. To access Web streaming and closed captioning options visit www.disability.state.mn.us on the day of the event. To receive PowerPoint handouts before the event participants must pre-register so documents may be sent ahead of time. Web streaming participants will have the opportunity to e-mail questions during the event to council.disability@state.mn.us.

March of Dimes plans fundraising events

The March of Dimes, along with this year's major sponsor Brainerd Lakes Health, is hosting the 2009 March for Babies at 9 a.m. May 2 at Central Lakes College in Brainerd. In conjunction with the March for Babies, additional events include:

• On March 27, Prairie Bay Restaurant along with Cashwise Liquor are teaming up to host a wine and hors d'oeuvres fundraising event from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The cost of the event is $15 at the door - $10 goes to the March of Dimes.

• On March 28 there will be a family kick-off from 9-11 a.m. at the Brainerd Family YMCA in Brainerd. Any individuals or families who are interested in participating in the Brainerd March for Babies are invited to attend.

To join in, visit marchforbabies.org or call toll-free (800) 525-9255 to sign up as an individual, to start a corporate, family or friends' team, or donate to help babies be born healthy.