Sunday, July 8, 2007

Construction progress noted at CLC
Central Lakes College this summer is home to construction projects totaling more than $5 million on its Brainerd and Staples campuses.

Preliminary recommendations made in regional study
The Brainerd lakes area is forecasted to double its population by 2030.

KEY FINDINGS: A look at what area has - and what it needs
Individual Work Team key findings from the chamber regional planning venture include the following:

BUSINESS NOTES
The Brainerd Lakes Chamber announced Tom Reek, Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, Crosby, recently was appointed to the board of directors.

Research contract for solar heat announced
PINE RIVER - The Rural Renewable Energy Alliance, a nonprofit organization based in Pine River, announced the award of a large-scale research contract aimed at demonstrating the solar air heating collectors it is developing.

Young BHS grads take risk of starting business
BAXTER - While some of their peers are punching a clock or seeking their first careers out of college, two young Brainerd High School graduates are running their own business in Baxter.

BIZ BUZZ
Pet Connection Plus is a new home-based business on West Shore Drive in Crosslake catering to pet owners who need help walking dogs or need a pet sitter while they are on vacation.

PEQUOT LAKES MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR ROLL
The following students have been named to the fourth quarter honor roll at Pequot Lakes Middle School:

BRAINERD HIGH SCHOOL HONOR ROLL
The following students have been named to the honor roll at Brainerd High School:

BRAINERD HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH CAMPUS HONOR ROLL
The following students have been named to the second semester honor roll at the Brainerd High School South Campus:

Several fires reported in area
A small grass fire and tree on fire were reported behind the Community Services Building in Brainerd at 10:27 p.m. Wednesday. The Brainerd Fire Department put out the fire, the Brainerd Police Department reported.

City of Crosslake
Public Hearing

Crow Wing County Board
Meets 9 a.m. Tuesday

Cass County Court
WALKER The following appeared recently in Cass County District Court:

CRIME
BURGLARY - The concession stand at Jaycees Park was burglarized and items taken Monday on the 1600 block of Rosewood Street.

BIRTHS
Ricky and Jennifer Bourassa, Brainerd, a girl, Alyssa Ann, 6 pounds, 14 ounces, June 12, 2007. Grandparents are Tron and Kelly Olson, Brainerd, and Ricky and Twyla Bourassa, Brainerd.

BIRTH
Brandon and Joslin Leitold, St. Cloud, a boy, Gavin Clyde, 8 pounds, 4 ounces, June 27, 2007. Grandparents are Jan Leitold, Merrifield, Chris Horton, Big Falls, and Jeana Delzell, California. Great-grandmother is Norma Leitold, Crosslake.

Three people injured in broadside crash
Three people suffered injuries in a two-car collision Friday on Highway 25, the State Patrol reported.

Brainerd School Board
Meets 7 p.m. Monday

Volunteer opportunities
AMERICAN RED CROSS Tom Bickford 218-821-3598

RSVP Volunteer Services
PLEASE CONTACT: Mike Koecheler or Mari Jo Renstrom at:

WHAT'S DOING
Sen. Paul Koering recently presented a Distinguished Service Award to Tyler Rose, son of Steve and Charlotte Rose, Baxter, at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ceremony.

Hazel Haarup
Hometown: Dolliver, Iowa. Moved to Brainerd in 1973

Amanda Randall
Hometown: Brainerd

They want to enjoy the summer fun, too
There are lots of things to do in our wonderful vacationland. Those of us who are lucky to live here, we all too often take these events for granted.

Walking for a cause
Walkers began their treks for the eighth annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Saturday morning at Forestview Middle School in Baxter. The event drew breast cancer survivors, family members, friends and supporters as runners and walkers took part in activities.

COMING THURSDAY IN ENTERTAINMENT
Weaving a yarn

City utility work and detour are planned on Highway 25 in Brainerd
Traffic on Highway 25 in Brainerd will be detoured to allow for sanitary utility work to be completed just north of the intersection junction of Highway 18 and Highway 25 and Oak Street.

CWC Republicans to meet
CROSSLAKE - The Crow Wing County Republicans will meet at 5:30 p.m. July 19 in the Crosslake Community Center. Cullen Sheehan, a representative of U.S. Senator Norm Coleman's office, will update the group on what is currently happening in Congress. He will also answer questions.

Tickets indicate speeding doesn't pay
Flashing red lights in the rear-view mirror. That sinking feeling in your stomach. That's right. You've just been busted for speeding.

CORRECTIONS
A report on an accident in the Dispatch's June 30 edition should have said that Lukas Czech, 27, Woodbury, who was injured June 26 after falling from the ceiling of the Little Falls Chamber of Commerce building, was in critical condition at Hennepin County Medical Center in Robbinsdale. Czech was first taken to St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls, then sent to St. Cloud Hospital and then transferred to HCMC. The story reported that Czech was released from St. Cloud Hospital, but did not include information that he was transferred to HCMC.

Cass County to host discussions on proposed development standards
WALKR - Cass County Environmental Services has scheduled public information and input sessions to discuss proposed development standards adding conservation development design as an option for new land developments.

Crosslake council to meet Thursday
CROSSLAKE - The Crosslake City Council will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday at city hall.

COMING MONDAY
She's a busy woman

Cass, state reach agreement on Ah-Gwah-Ching
WALKER - The Cass County Board Tuesday approved, with contingencies, a purchase agreement with the state to buy the Ah-Gwah-Ching land and buildings.

Little Falls marks sister city anniversary
LITTLE FALLS - French delegates plan to travel to Little Falls for Sister City anniversary.

Race for the Cure
Claire (left) and Alex were pushed by their mother, Lisa Guillemot, Saturday as the walkers headed off for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at Forestview School.

This was Brainerd
Todd Revenig was selected Most Valuable Player for the 1987 Brainerd High School baseball team. Jay Imsande was chosen Most Improved Player. Catcher Jeff Heinlen earned the Golden Glove honor.

Kathleen Kathy' Hedin
ST. CLOUD - Kathleen "Kathy" D. Hedin, 53-year-old resident of St. Cloud, Minn., formerly of the Swanville area, passed away Saturday, June 30, 2007, at her residence in St. Cloud. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 9, 2007, at St. John's Catholic Church in Swanville. Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m. on Monday at St. John's Catholic Church.

Emma F. Payne
Emma F. Payne, 86, Brainerd, passed away Friday, July 6, 2007, at Bethany Good Samaritan Village in Brainerd.

Ruth M. Stahl
Ruth M. Stahl, 83, passed away Thursday morning, July 5, 2007, at Woodland Good Samaritan after a short bout of cancer.

Gordon Klingelhofer
AITKIN - Gordon Klingelhofer, age 90, of Aitkin, died on Thursday, July 5, 2007, at the Aicota Health Care Center in Aitkin. Funeral arrangements are pending at the Sorensen-Root-Thompson Funeral Home in Aitkin.

Yvonne Muellner
Yvonne Muellner, age 71, of Brainerd, passed away July 6, 2007, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. Memorial service pending. Arrangements are with Cremation Society of Minnesota.

Norma Ware
PINE RIVER - Norma Ware, age 68, of Pine River, passed away July 2, 2007, in Tucson, Ariz. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 11, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Pine River. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. with prayer services at 7:30 p.m. at Kline Funeral Home, Pine River.

VOX POP
With regard to your statement in your July 4 opinion piece that they are endowed with their creators with certain unalienable rights' is either factually wrong, or perhaps this is your attempt to improve upon an "imperfect document," as you call it. Which one is it? Evidently we and our creators are equals since they are also endowed just like we humans are. And there are more than one of them (notice the plural "creators"). Now, did they create us or do we create them?

Open Forum: Transportation funding debate won't go away
It appears that the finger-pointing continues for lack of progress on transportation funding. Let's stop the blame game and start building consensus for a meaningful package that can become law in 2008. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is committed to leading the charge.

OTHER OPINION: LEBANON
It has been nearly a year since the Hezbollah movement staged an unprovoked raid from southern Lebanon into Israel, killing eight soldiers, abducting two others and triggering a 34-day war in which 1,200 Lebanese and 160 Israelis died. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the war, provided for a greatly strengthened international force to keep the peace in southern Lebanon, along with the Lebanese army. It also mandated the disarmament of Hezbollah, a ban on arms shipments to non-government forces in Lebanon and the clear demarcation of the border between Lebanon and Syria.

Not your everyday guide trip when McDonalds come to town
Sometimes on a guide trip it's fun to have a little competition. A family I've fished with for the past seven years was at Grand View Lodge last week. For the past few years we've made our fishing trip into a tournament. Tony and Andrew have kicked Tony Jr. and me the past two years. It was looking as if it would happen again last week on the Whitefish Chain as we went to our last spot.

NORTH COUNTRY CALENDAR
13 - Elk license lottery deadline

Changes announced for 2007 deer seasons
Big changes are coming for Minnesota's deer seasons and they will take effect with the Sept. 15 opening of archery deer hunting.

Take time to watch ducklings along the lakeshore this summer
It's been great fun to watch ducklings during the past month. This year both nest boxes outside my office window have broods of wood ducks. This year I've had more wood ducks and fewer mallards on my side of the lake.

Fishing Has No Boundaries is Aug. 24-25
Now in its fifth year, Fishing Has No Boundaries is expected to bring 120 people with physical and developmental disabilities to Confidence Learning Center on Aug. 24-25.

Justin and Candi Vought
Candi Jacobus and Justin Vought were married June 9, 2007, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church with Pastor David Stevens officiating.

Amy and Jonathan Mertz
Amy Oakes and Jonathan Mertz were married April 28, 2007, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Castle Danger with Robert Kapitzke, the bride's uncle, officiating.

Engagement announced - Trista Marie Firkus and Jake Thomas Cameron
Trista Marie Firkus and Jake Thomas Cameron announce their engagement. Parents are Dana and Kim Firkus, Pequot Lakes, and Dave and Sue Cameron, Pequot Lakes. A Sept. 8 wedding is planned at the Breezy Point Chapel.

Jesse and Angela Kinzer
Angela Worden and Jesse Kinzer were married June 23, 2007, at the C-I Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Norma Spurgin officiating.

85th birthday - Lloyd "Bud" Wynn
Lloyd "Bud" Wynn, Pine River, will celebrate his 85th birthday with an open house from 1-4 p.m. July 14 at Pleasant Hill Community Church, CR 1 SW, Pequot Lakes. Call (218) 568-8621 for directions. The event is hosted by his family. He was born July 15, 1922, in Huntersville.

Wedding planned - Samantha Marie Sandoz and Lucas Samuel Johnsen
Samantha Marie Sandoz and Lucas Samuel Johnsen announce their engagement. Parents are Melodie Sandoz, Pine River, and Brad Salfisberg, Pequot Lakes, and Sarah and John deGrood, St. Paul, and Steve and Jody Johnsen, Pequot Lakes. A July wedding is planned in Crosslake.

50th anniversary - Peter and Carol Poepke
Peter and Carol Poepke, Brainerd, formerly of Coon Rapids and Crosby, recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. A family celebration hosted by their children was held in St. Cloud. The couple will also be taking an anniversary trip later this year with their family. They were married July 6, 1957, in St. Cloud.

Wedding planned - Stefanie Anderson and Matthew DeVries
Stefanie Anderson and Matthew DeVries announce their engagement. Parents are Connie and Jim Nelson, Merrifield, and John and Karen DeVries, East Gull Lake. A Sept. 8 wedding is planned at St. Francis Church.

Engagement announced - Rebecca Zaffke and Gavin Peterson
Rebecca Zaffke and Gavin Peterson announce their engagement. Parents are Kelvin and Lynn Zaffke, Backus, and Tony and Dawn Peterson, Hackensack. A Sept. 8 wedding is planned in Backus.

Wedding planned - Vesta Jacobs and Luke Radke
Vesta Jacobs and Luke Radke announce their engagement. Parents are Meg Wetherbee, Brainerd, and Dale and Susie Jacobs, Willow, Alaska, and Greg and Karen Radke, Mentor. An Aug. 18 wedding is planned in Brainerd.

Wedding planned - Giina Jacobs and Brad Clarine
Giina Jacobs and Brad Clarine announce their engagement. Parents are Jack Jacobs, Pequot Lakes, and Barbara Wilson Jacobs, Reno, Nev., and Karen Clarine, Brainerd, and Tim and Lori Clarine, Brainerd. A Sept. 15 wedding is planned in Nisswa.

Engagement announced - Brandi Bye and Shawn McCutcheon
Brandi Bye and Shawn McCutcheon announce their engagement. Parents are David and Lana Bye, Pine Island, and Robert and Patricia McCutcheon, Pine Island. An Oct. 6 wedding is planned at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Pine Island.

Engagement announced - Sunnie Engstrom and Christopher Hering
Sunnie Engstrom and Christopher Hering announce their engagement. Parents are Richard and Mary Engstrom, Pequot Lakes, and Mark and Eileen Hering, Waterville. A Oct. 13 wedding is planned at the Breezy Point Chapel.

Brainerd wins in wood bat game
NISSWA - The Brainerd and Nisswa Legion teams faced off for the fifth time this season in a nine-inning game Friday. To add an element of novelty, wood bats were used.

Choosing the right glove is important decision
I have coached youth baseball for many years in the Twin Cities and Aitkin. I have seen a lot of equipment over this time and I am constantly asked about what types of equipment I would recommend.

Scoreboard
Area events

McAllister, Grotzke pace Feet for Fools
Hannah McAllister and Dave Grotzke, both of Brainerd, paced the Feet For Fools 5-kilometer run/walk July 4 in Brainerd.

Brainerd freshmen sweep
CROSBY - The Brainerd freshmen VFW baseball team rapped 28 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Crosby on Friday.

Family golf at a family value
Golf clubs?

Thunder continue skid, lose eighth in a row
The Brainerd Blue Thunder continue to play the blues.

Bad Boyz Car Show brings host of events
The fourth annual Bad Boyz Car Show will be at Brainerd International Raceway July 13-15.

D.J. makes the NBA
For a passionate up and coming coaching prospect, with a desire to move up the ranks, it's all about networking with peers and winning.

Vanda to box July 13 at Hinckley
HINCKLEY - A former Olympic boxer and a former light middleweight champion are among the boxers who will compete in the Mille Lacs Band Boxing Commission's "Friday Night Fights" event at 7:30 p.m. July 13 at the Grand Casino Hinckley Events and Convention Center.

How does your garden grow?
Weather drawing by Jillian Ewald in the Lowell second grade of Mrs. Larson.

State forecast for South Dakota
Today...Hot. Sunny east to partly cloudy west. Isolated afternoon thunderstorms far northwest. Highs from 105 to 110 west to the upper 90s east.

State forecast for Iowa
.Today...Sunny. Highs 90 to 100.

Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Partly to mostly sunny. Very warm. Highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Tonight...A slight chance of thunderstorms far northwest. Otherwise partly cloudy and warm. Lows from the mid 60s north to mid 70s south.

State forecast for Minnesota
.Today...Sunny and very warm. A slight chance of afternoon

State forecast for North Dakota
.Today...Partly sunny and hot. Isolated late afternoon thunderstorms