Thursday, July 4, 2002
Subaru Forester comfortable, not quirky
Being trendy isn't easy. It takes time and energy -- not to mention nonstop interest -- to stay abreast of the latest fashion. And there's always the risk of being odd.
Lexus tries its hand at movie stardom
It's 2054 and Officer John Anderton, on the run from fellow cops, is fleeing in a wall-crawling magnetic-levitation car.
Incentive fever returns to auto retailing
If you've been waiting, it's time to start shopping.
It's what's inside that counts
The automotive interior, once relegated to beginners in the styling center, is becoming the designer's new frontier.
2002 Chevrolet Camaro SS: Zoom, zoom ... zzz
The Chevrolet Camaro is a 35-year-old teen-ager born and reared on the wrong side of the tracks. It's going to die that way. It goes out of production at the end of the 2002 model year.
Ford recalls Thunderbird
As if delaying the launch of its long-anticipated Thunderbird for several months last year because of quality glitches wasn't enough of a headache, Ford Motor Co. has announced a recall of 16,500 of the cars to fix a potential problem with the driver's seat belt.
Three of four small SUVS get poor rating in bumper tests
WASHINGTON -- Bumpers on three of four small sport utility vehicles performed poorly in 5 mph crash tests performed by the insurance industry, according to results released Tuesday.
Getting courses accepted can be tough for students transferring to four-year colleges
Gregory Spon was a drafting student at Pittsburgh Technical Institute when he decided to move on to a four-year college and earn a bachelor's degree in engineering or architecture. He got a nasty surprise.
Cash grain
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Wheat receipts Tuesday 223, a year ago 202.
Gas line cut
The Brainerd Fire Department responded Friday to a gas line cut on Laurel Street at the Lakes Country Journal's new office.
DNR warns of fire danger for holiday
While the fire danger has been low for a while, there is the potential it could increase during the remainder of this week, said Mark Mortensen, DNR program forester.
Fires
BAXTER -- A 7-year-old boy started a grass fire Tuesday from a sparkler he stole at a convenience store, said Baxter Police Capt. Dale Walz.
Write your federal lawmakers
Sen. Paul Wellstone
Accident
BAXTER -- The Baxter Police Department responded to a two-vehicle accident at Highways 210 and 371 in Baxter.
Golden Eagle offers picturesque play, drastic elevation changes
FIFTY LAKES -- "It's too far away."
Golf shorts
Crow Wing County United Way will host a benefit at the Legacy Courses at Cragun's the week of July 8-13.
Golf shorts
Kim Larson of Grand View Lodge shot 75 at the Lake City Country Club to advance to the 99th Minnesota Golf Association's Amateur Championship.
Pine Meadows
Shep's on 6th wrapped up the first-half championship in the men's Twilight Golf League at Pine Meadows June 27 with a 7-5 victory over Deerwood Bank.
Stopping blindness
BOSTON -- To doctors' amazement, experimental new medicines are rescuing people from the brink of blindness so they can read and drive and sometimes even regain perfect vision.
Prostate cancer test may be leading to unnecessary treatment
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Many men over 60 are receiving unnecessary surgery and other treatments for prostate cancer even though the disease is unlikely to progress far enough to cause health problems, according to one analysis.
More research in heart patients questions hormones benefits
CHICAGO -- Long-term hormone use doesn't reduce heart attack risks in postmenopausal women with heart disease and may increase their chances of developing blood clots and gallbladder disease, new research suggests.
Northland residents flood Ohio 8-year old with postcards
DULUTH (AP) -- Earlier this spring, Ben Kinsel got some postcards from Duluth.
Baxter teacher's board game marketed with emphasis on fun, as well as learning
Fossil Island is a place where children can have fun and learn. It's a board game invented by a teacher, created from a perceived need for learning materials that would actively engage students.
CLC-UND sign major transfer agreement
Central Lakes College students soon will find their graduation credits transferring to the University of North Dakota for degrees in any of 35 majors.
Hyatt named Mrs. Crow Wing County International
Michelle Hyatt was named Mrs. Crow Wing County International Year 2003 and will represent the county at the Year 2003 Mrs. Minnesota Inter-national Pageant on March 15 and 16 in St. Cloud.
State highway information is just three digits away
ST. PAUL (AP) -- The state of Minnesota has broadened a program that makes highway travel information more accessible.
I spent my summer vacation as a dock kid
LAKE SHORE -- Two adolescent boys sprawled across a dock at the Bar Harbor Supper Club one recent Sunday with their arms and heads dangling over the water. One dropped pieces of bread into the water while the other grabbed at the fish surfacing for food. A third boy dipped a fishing line into the three-foot water.
Youth As Resources receives training, funds three youth projects
Youth As Resources of Crow Wing County recently received its second annual training sponsored by the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls.
Fire station, pizza chain team up for fire prevention
ROSEVILLE (AP) -- A caravan pulls up outside your house. A uniformed crew steps out and approaches.
Area briefs
GARRISON -- The Mille Lacs Lake Lions and the Garrison Lions recently had 5M9 District Gov. Bob Beard visit their clubs to install newly elected officers.
'Thank a Farmer for Pizza'
Lowell Elementary School summer school students in Brainerd have turned into farmers.
Minnesotans prefer university academics over athletics, poll says
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Minnesotans put more value on academics and research at the University of Minnesota than they do on athletics, a new poll indicates.
Lakeshore: An endangered habitat
One of the most endangered natural habitats in Minnesota is native lakeshore.
Plat for Baxter apartment project revived
BAXTER -- A planned unit development plat on Clearwater Road approved more than a year ago, but since voided, is back to the starting point.
More funds on way
WALKER -- School districts, cities, townships and Cass County all will receive additional receipts from the state tax forfeited reforestation fund this year, because the county sold leased lots on Long Lake.
Board to tour garbage transfer station on Aug. 6
WALKER -- The Cass County Board will tour the county garbage transfer station north of Pine River at 5 p.m. Aug. 6.
Lake living
Bay Lake area homes will be part of a home tour for the first time to raise money for a Cuyuna Range charity. Look for the story Friday in the Housing section.
Auditor cites inadequate protection from identity theft
WALKER -- Cass County Recorder Katie Norby informed the Cass County Board on Tuesday that some documents being filed in Minnesota counties contain Social Security numbers.
Baxter amends city code on single-family residences
BAXTER -- A certificate of occupancy will no longer be required for Baxter residents who've lived in their home before Jan. 1, 2001.
Board declares Shingobee Island sewer system insufficient for restaurant
WALKER -- The Cass County Board passed resolutions Tuesday to declare Shingobee Island sewer system insufficient to handle the proposed Shimer restaurant and to assume management of the system until the Shimers' lawsuit is concluded.
Dewes, Klang file for county posts
Two more Crow Wing County candidates joined the ranks of candidates today as Commissioner Gil Dewes filed for re-election to his District 4 seat and Deputy Eric Klang filed for sheriff.
Cass to submit warranty claim for air conditioning
WALKER -- Cass County will submit a warranty claim for the air conditioning system at the Health and Human Services building.
This was Brainerd
JULY 3 - 20 years ago (1982) - George Nichols of Crosby, recently took first place in the National Chef Boyardee Pizza Cook-off Contest with the recipe for "Roller Coaster Pizza."
Cass continues capital improvement plan hearing
WALKER -- The Cass County Board continued a public hearing Tuesday to Aug. 6 on the county capital improvement plan.
All 5 Cass commissioners file
WALKER -- All five Cass County commissioners filed for re-election this year.
Cities group weighed
WALKER -- The Cass County Board will invite city officials from the 14 municipalities in the county to a 6:30 to 8 p.m. meeting Aug. 22 at Pine River Community Resource Center to consider forming a Cass County Association of Cities.
All American baseball
An American flag painted on the grass west of Brainerd High School provided a fitting background for Brainerd American Legion second baseman Mark Germain in Monday's game against Little Falls.
Cass will establish a dive team with Hubbard County
WALKER -- Cass County will establish a dive team collaboratively with Hubbard County.
July 4 events listed
Aitkin's Fourth of July Neighborhood Party sponsored by the Aitkin Chamber of Commerce will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Aitkin City Park next to Rippleside Elementary School.
Cass to study airport participation
WALKER -- The Cass County Board will name an airport committee of the board to consider the county's participation in one or more major neighboring airports as regional facilities.
Striving for development, LF council creates three new business districts
LITTLE FALLS -- The Little Falls City Council isn't waiting for economic development to happen, it is creating business opportunities.
Area skier making waves
Everyone, at one point in their lives, has strapped on a pair of water skis and has been pulled, or dragged, around a lake.
Messier, head of Vivendi Universal, resigns
Bowing to pressure from angry shareholders and a disillusioned board of directors, Jean-Marie Messier resigned as head of Vivendi Universal SA Tuesday, leaving the world's second-largest media conglomerate heavily in debt and without a clear vision for its future.
Jazz great Ray Brown dies
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Ray Brown, a legendary jazz bassist who played with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and his one-time wife Ella Fitzgerald in a career that spanned a half century, died in his sleep Tuesday in Indianapolis. He was 75.
Sharon Osbourne has cancer surgery
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Sharon Osbourne, wife of British rocker Ozzy Osbourne and star of the MTV reality show "The Osbournes," is set to undergo surgery Wednesday for a treatable cancer, her publicist said.
New jobless claims hit low
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment insurance fell to its lowest point in 15 months, suggesting that the pace of layoffs is stabilizing.
No indictment in FBI shooting of unarmed, innocent man in face
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A grand jury decided not to indict an FBI agent for mistakenly shooting an unarmed, innocent man in the face.
Arizona's biggest fire 80 percent contained; local tensions after Indian accused
CIBECUE, Ariz. (AP) -- Firefighters have gained the upper hand on the largest wildfire in Arizona history, but tensions remain high between white Arizonans and the area's White Mountain Apaches after a member of the tribe was accused of starting the fire.
Bush says U.S. will try to end stalemate over international court
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- President Bush said he would keep looking for a way to resolve a dispute with allies over the world's first permanent war crimes court as a deadline neared for continued peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.
Government sees no exact threat but will step up security for 4th of July
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Combat jets will patrol the skies over New York, Washington and other U.S. cities Thursday as part of the government's beefed-up security for Fourth of July celebrations.
Commemorative license plate honors heroes, victims of Sept. 11th
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) -- As more red, white, and blue come out for the Fourth of July, thousands of Virginia drivers are making plans to keep those colors on their cars permanently.
WorldCom CEO raises possibility of more layoffs
WASHINGTON -- The chief executive of WorldCom Inc. is raising the possibility of more layoffs as the company struggles to avoid bankruptcy and cooperates with government investigators probing nearly $4 billion in accounting improprieties.
More than 80 servicemen at Camp Lejeune busted during drug probe
RALEIGH, N.C. -- One of the largest military drug investigations in recent years has led to the conviction of more than 80 Marines and sailors at Camp Lejeune for using and selling Ecstasy, cocaine, LSD and methamphetamine.
Central Texas awash in floods, three dead
SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- After days of pummeling central and south Texas, a slow-moving storm system responsible for at least three deaths moved to the west after its floodwaters turned scores of communities into virtual islands.
Aniston settles topless sunbathing photo lawsuit
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- With husband Brad Pitt at her side, "Friends" star Jennifer Aniston on Tuesday settled her privacy lawsuit against two magazines that published photographs of her sunbathing topless in her back yard.
Rain continues to plague Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Wimbledon played another soggy waiting game Wednesday as rain delayed the start of play for the third day in a row.
Going, going, gone
Baseball's hitters got a head start on the Home Run Derby.
Joe Popowski
Joe Popowski, 87, Brainerd, died Tuesday, July 2, 2002, at home.
Larry L. Brill
STAPLES -- Larry L. Brill, 60, Staples, died Tuesday, July 2, 2002, at the Mary Rondorf Retirement Home in Staples.
Richard L. McPherson
BAXTER -- Richard L. McPherson, 77, Baxter, died Sunday, June 30, 2002, at Greater Staples Hospital in Staples.
Amanda J. Peterson
Amanda June Peterson, 80, Brainerd, died Monday, July 1, 2002, at Bethany Good Samaritan Village in Brainerd.
John B. Rengal
STAPLES -- John B. Rengal, 86, Staples, died today, July 3, 2002, at home.
Superstores
Generally, superstores are much larger than the discount centers that Brainerd area shoppers are familiar with and they include a full line of grocery goods as well as the more traditional discount center products.
Bring back the Superfund tax
This editorial appeared in Tuesday's Los Angeles Times:
Open Forum
The Fourth of July is coming, and with it an excessive display of obnoxiously loud fireworks. I imagine this year will be something even bigger, in order to fight terrorism.
Out of hospital, into winner's circle
Talk about a comeback.
Minnesota names first woman to lead medical school
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The University of Minnesota named Deborah E. Powell as dean of its medical school, the first woman and first outsider to lead the school.
Wife of firefighter was on scene, kept helping others
ESKO, Minn. (AP) -- As volunteer firefighter Kim Granholm lay dying Monday near a burning car that was struck by another, his wife, also a volunteer firefighter, kept working to save other victims.
Armed thief hits Wadena Subway
WADENA -- A person wearing all black clothing and brandishing a handgun robbed the Subway restaurant today in Wadena, fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash.
California athlete enjoys Mighty Gulls experience
Most athletes playing baseball in the Northwoods League dream of competing in the major leagues.
Brainerd Legion sweeps Bemidji
BEMIDJI -- The Brainerd American Legion baseball team swept a doubleheader from Bemidji Tuesday night.
Scoreboard
Northwoods League Baseball
Local sports shorts
The Brainerd Warrior 10-under baseball team won the Brainerd Invitational tournament last weekend and earned a trip to the Minnesota Sports Federation state tournament July 19-21 at Lakeville.
Woodchucks ground Mighty Gulls 3-1
All Brainerd Mighty Gulls pitcher Bryan Beck can do is shrug his shoulders.
Miami's Maturi named finalist for Minnesota AD job
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Miami of Ohio athletics director Joel Maturi will likely be the next sports chief at the University of Minnesota.
Wild names Stewart assistant coach
ST. PAUL (AP) -- The Minnesota Wild named former player Cam Stewart as assistant coach for the team's American Hockey League affiliate Houston Aeros.
Szczerbiak to seek maximum six-year deal
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota Timberwolves guard Wally Szczerbiak made the All-Star team last season and now he wants the contract to match.
Saenz's pinch-hit, ninth-inning homer lifts Athletics over Twins
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- This time, the wait was worth it for Olmedo Saenz.
What digital divide?
LOS ANGELES -- Researchers mining the data from their survey of 2,000 U.S. households recently came across an interesting fact about the "digital divide": There isn't one. Or, at least, the divide that once was clear seems to be disappearing.
Pequot man tours western United States on his Harley Davidson motorcycle
PEQUOT LAKES -- Fred Haeg returned to his residence west of Pequot Lakes the night of June 19 after racking up what he described as a few miles on his 1990 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail.
Area briefs
NISSWA -- The Nisswa Chamber of Commerce has raised $7,200 toward its $15,000 goal to build a gazebo south of the chamber building on Main Street.
Museum plans tribute to famous 'Lady of the Lake'
ON RAINY LAKE (AP) -- Since 1932, a beautiful woman has lured unsuspecting visitors to a certain spot on Rainy Lake.
Flowers
Flowers bloomed in Cass County.
Iowa state forecast
Today...Partly sunny with a chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s to around 90.
State forecast for North Dakota
Today...Mostly sunny. Highs 85 to 95.
State forecast for South Dakota
Today...Partly to mostly sunny. A slight chance of thunderstorms southwest this afternoon. Highs in the 80s to near 90.
Flower child
Weather drawing by Megan Marlatt of Mrs. Gramer's second grade class at Riverside school.
Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Scattered showers and thunderstorms north this morning. Partly sunny south with a chance of mainly afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Turning less humid north. Highs in the 80s.
Minnesota state forecast
Today...Mostly sunny north. A chance of showers and thunderstorms south. Highs in the 80s.
Israel agrees to ease curfews if Palestinian areas are calm
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government approved a plan Wednesday to lift daytime curfews in Palestinian areas that are quiet and may also allow as many as 5,000 Palestinians to enter Israel to work.
Officials: U.S. plane opened fire in Afghanistan because crew spotted ground fire
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. warplane that may have been responsible for dozens of civilian casualties in southern Afghanistan attacked several sites where the crew or its American ground spotters saw what they believed was anti-aircraft artillery fire, U.S. officials said.
Swiss say collision-warning system was undergoing maintenance at time of plane crash that killed 71
UEBERLINGEN, Germany -- Swiss authorities said a collision-warning system was out of service in the Zurich tower when it took control of a Russian airliner and a cargo jet shortly before they collided at 35,000 feet, killing 71 people, mostly children headed for an end-of-school beach holiday.