Wednesday, August 7, 2002

Poll finds enthusiasm for vouchers fades when people hear that public schools could lose money
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Americans tend to favor the idea of school vouchers that help send low income children to private or parochial schools, says an Associated Press poll, at least until they hear that could decrease the money available for public schools.

Cash grain
MINNEAPOLI(AP) -- Wheat receipts Tuesday 307, a year ago 315.

Livestock
SOUTH ST. PAUL (AP) (USDA) -- Tuesday cattle estimate: 800. Last Tuesday: 885. Year ago Tuesday: 511. Monday actual: 289.

Cash grain
MINNEAPOLI(AP) -- Wheat receipts Monday 431, a year ago 240.

Livestock
SOUTH ST. PAUL (AP) (USDA) -- Monday cattle estimate: 300. Last Monday: 363. Year ago Monday: 309. Friday actual: 132.

Metals
NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices Monday.

State legislators' addresses
Area legislators and how to contact them.

Federal lawmakers' addresses
Sen. Paul Wellstone

Golf shorts
Thanks to an 8-4 win over Peoples Security, and a 6-6 tie between Dondelinger and GLS, the Bodyworks is back atop the men's twilight league at Pine Meadows.

Holes in one
Toby Boschert of Leawood, Kan., aced the 184-yard 16th hole at Golden Eagle Aug. 5 using a 6 iron.

Cragun hopes to give boost to Gophers' golf
Dutch Cragun still has his University of Minnesota swimming "Numerals" sweater from 1954.

Manners, please
The most important thing junior golfers learn when they participate in a clinic isn't the proper grip.

Study finds similar results when blacks and whites get same cancer care
WASHINGTON (AP) -- While blacks facing serious illnesses often do not fare as well as whites due to differences in their medical care, a study shows that when both groups get the same treatment the outcomes are similar.

Experts urge solidarity in fighting chronic wasting disease
DENVER -- Ranchers, hunters and wildlife authorities combating a fatal deer and elk disease in several states should concentrate on solutions rather than laying blame, government health officials said.

Study shows no link between pollution, breast cancer
NEW YORK (AP) -- A study on possible links between pollution and the high rates of breast cancer on Long Island failed to show a connection, results showed Tuesday.

OBESITY BREAKTHROUGH?
To help rescue us from our super-sized appetites, scientists say they have isolated the hormone that makes people feel full.

FDA panel backs new hepatitis B drug therapy
WASHINGTON -- An advisory panel of the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend approval of a new drug for hepatitis B, a potentially life-threatening liver ailment that afflicts more than 1 million Americans.

Hospital group says nursing shortage contributes to patient injuries, deaths
CHICAGO (AP) -- The nation's nursing shortage has had significant consequences during the past five years, even contributing to patient injuries and deaths, a hospital regulatory agency says.

Idea for bike lanes surfaced eight years ago
The concept behind bike lanes on Crow Wing County Road 16 began after resort owners and others living along the roadway became concerned over the safety of the many bicyclists who use the road.

Training course to become Master Gardener offered
Do you like to grow beautiful flowers? Maybe you are interested in trees that grow well in northern Minnesota or you're interested in helping your neighbors in restoring their shoreland back into native vegetation.

Backus man to travel down trail in wheelchair to raise money for children with cerebral palsy
BACKUS -- Mick Lamont, 37, Backus, wants to prove to children with cerebral palsy that there is life even if you're in a wheelchair.

Popular school teaches inline skating
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Before you learn to execute a trendy double push, complete a two-footed heel spin on five wheels or glide 26 miles in an inline skate marathon, you first must past the Sneeze Test.

Cass County Board talks about value of buildings, land it owns
PINE RIVER -- Cass County Assessor Steve Kuha presented a report to the county board Tuesday on his estimate of the current building and land values for property the county owns in downtown Walker.

Cass approves revised subdivision ordinance
PINE RIVER -- The Cass County Board approved a revised subdivision ordinance Tuesday, with one change from the previously published version.

Cass commissioners set meeting schedule
PINE RIVER -- The Cass County Board Tuesday set a revised commissioner meeting schedule through the end of this year and into February.

C-I Senior Citizens Club to host annual picnic
CROSBY -- The Crosby-Ironton Senior Citizens Club will hold its annual picnic Aug. 17 at the First Avenue Cafe.

Cass sees highest property value increase in four years
PINE RIVER -- Cass County Assessor Steve Kuha reported property values in Cass County rose 19 percent in the last year to $3.464 billion, the greatest increase in the last four years.

A nuisance to you, but it's home to small fry
If you think rooted aquatic plants are nothing more than nuisance "weeds," please think again.

Leech Lake Reservation asks Cass County Board for help to build hotel, convention center
PINE RIVER -- The Leech Lake Reservation has asked Cass County to sell revenue bonds on its behalf to fund a hotel and convention center to be built adjacent to Northern Lights Casino near Walker.

Fond memories of gathering berries in the summer
As the summer days become warmer, I remember the summer gathering I did as a child.

A safer bike ride from Jenkins to Crosslake
It was 1984.

Study finds lower suicide risk among college students on sports teams
WASHINGTON -- College students who play varsity or intramural sports are less likely to consider or attempt suicide, a federal study has found.

Orphan train reunion set Aug. 23-24 in Little Falls
LITTLE FALLS -- The 42nd annual Reunion of the New York Orphan Train Riders Group, their families and friends will be Aug. 23-24 at St. Francis Center, 116 Eighth Ave. S.E., Little Falls.

Cass hears request to increase law library fee
PINE RIVER -- The Cass County Board tabled until the Aug. 20 meeting the issue of whether to authorize increasing the law library fee from $5 to $10.

New Brainerd housing ordinance to be reviewed
Only two weeks in effect and the housing maintenance ordinance will be sent to a committee for review.

Contract award to raze Hackensack School
PINE RIVER -- Hackensack School will be demolished sometime after Aug. 9.

Local briefs
Steve Bradach, northeast regional office director for Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., will discuss the senator's Health Care Help Line, on Friday morning.

Fair schedule
Tuesday

Cass OKs pact for road work
PINE RIVER -- The Cass County Board awarded the contract Tuesday for rebuilding and paving County State Aid Highway 2 from Highway 64 to CSAH 25.

After hot debate, council votes 4-3 to pursue bonds
After heated debate over several options, it was decided Monday Brainerd will pursue bonding for its new city buildings.

First fair pet
Alice Craig, a member of the Clover Leaf 4-H Club, comforted her 6-month-old rabbit named Hershey at the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds this morning.

This was Brainerd
AUGUST 6 - 20 years ago (1982) - Total attendance at this year's Crow Wing County Fair was 85,500, up 6,500 from 1981 despite the warm weather, this year.

Horse judging
Several 4-H club members were judged in the halter and pleasure classes at the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds horse arena Tuesday.

Safer biking
A project to create safer biking on County Road 16 between Jenkins and Crosslake is complete. Look for a columnist's view of the lanes Wednesday in Neighbors.

Fair schedule
Wednesday

Sprucing up for the county fair
Peter Smith (left) steadied Dylan Eschenbacher's calf as Eschenbacher cleaned it at the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds this morning. Eschenbacher is a member of the Clover Leaf 4-H Club. The fair opens today.

This was Brainerd
AUGUST 7 - 30 years ago (1972) - Some 14,000 persons swarmed through the gates of the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds yesterday to make up for one of the poorest opening days on record, due to heavy rains.

Little Falls School Board grants teachers pay hike
LITTLE FALLS -- Teachers in the Little Falls School District will see an increase in their paychecks for the first time since the fall of 2000.

Mayor presents Tower Award to Sen. Samuelson
Sen. Don Samuelson, DFL-Brainerd, was presented with the Tower Award Monday.

COMING THURSDAY
The Star Tribune photographer who took this picture will speak in Brainerd, and an area wildlife photographer will be honored at a reception. Look for details in Tempo.

Skills put to test
For thousands of county residents, the Crow Wing County Fair means good food and carnival rides. For hundreds of others, it is a time to put their baking, canning, sewing or artistic skills to the test.

Local briefs
WALKER -- The Mississippi Headwaters Board will meet 9 a.m. Aug. 16 at the Cass County Courthouse in Walker.

Baxter reveals improvement cost
BAXTER -- Bronson Road and Michelle Circle residents got a preview of what their assessments could be for proposed road, water and sewer improvements.

Brekken to chair United Way
For Bill Brekken, newly named chair of the 2002 Crow Wing County United Way campaign, the timing was just right.

'Like finding a pirate treasure'
NEW YORK (AP) -- Detectives on the trail of $3.7 million in stolen Versace jewelry thought they had a break in the case when they got a warrant to search a Manhattan storage room -- only to find a cheap, ratty green recliner.

House panel wants to question Martha Stewart
NEW YORK (AP) -- House investigators sent a letter to Martha Stewart's lawyer asking again for the opportunity to question Stewart on her possible involvement in an insider trading scandal at ImClone Systems.

NY municipal workers accused of stealing millions from credit union after Sept. 11
NEW YORK (AP) -- In one of the largest fraud cases resulting from the terrorist attacks, thousands of people are accused of using ATMs to steal $15 million from a municipal employees' credit union whose computer security system was damaged on Sept. 11.

Bush's health gets thumbs-up
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush declared himself in "tip top" form Tuesday on the occasion of his annual medical checkup.

Blaze breaks through fire line near San Diego, forcing evacuations
JULIAN, Calif. (AP) -- Dozens of residents were evacuated because of a 47,000-acre wildfire that had jumped a containment line in the mountains east of San Diego.

Battered but beautiful
OFF CAPE HATTERAS, N.C. -- It's rusty, covered with coral and pocked with dents. But to the divers and scientists who pulled it from the ocean floor, it's irresistible.

Three girls die in Wisconsin after locking themselves in cedar chest
UNITY, Wis. (AP) -- Horse-drawn buggies, black vans and trucks with their chrome bumpers and hubcaps painted black were parked in the gravel driveway of the Oberholtzer farm. Men and boys in dark suits and white shirts gathered on the front lawn, comforting the family.

Surgery to separate heads of 1-year-old Guatemalan twins completed
LOS ANGELES -- In a risky procedure spanning about 20 hours, surgeons separated 1-year-old Guatemalan twins joined at the head, a doctor said Tuesday.

Louisiana West Nile Virus death toll reaches five
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- State officials have boosted mosquito-spraying efforts and stocked up on insect repellent to help battle the worst outbreak of the West Nile virus since it was first detected in the United States three years ago.

National briefs
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A woman whose ex-boyfriend wanted to stop her from having an abortion will be allowed to end her pregnancy now that a judge has ruled in her favor in a case that has outraged abortion rights activists.

Bush signs bill restoring trade authority to White House
CRAWFORD, Texas -- With a promise that more jobs and economic growth will result, President Bush celebrated a major legislative victory Tuesday by signing a trade bill restoring White House negotiating authority that Congress has withheld for eight years.

Teen Choice Awards honor 'Spider-Man' kiss
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) -- Mandy Moore and Shane West displayed the coolest chemistry in "A Walk to Remember," but Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst had the best "lip lock" for their rainy, upside-down smooch in "Spider-Man."

Airlines selectively cutting business fares
DALLAS (AP) -- Several big airlines have reduced their highest-priced business fares on some routes, but industry observers say the most intriguing aspect of the fare cuts is the stealthy way in which they were launched by American Airlines.

CDC: West Nile Virus here to stay
ATLANTA (AP) -- National health officials warned Monday that the West Nile Virus is here to stay and that simple prevention efforts, such as wearing insect repellent, is the best way to manage the epidemic.

Dear Abby creator has Alzheimer's
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Pauline Phillips, the creator of the Dear Abby advice column, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, family members revealed Tuesday.

Florida judge overturns state's school voucher law
MIAMI -- A few weeks after the Supreme Court upheld the use of school vouchers, a Florida judge ruled Monday that the nation's only statewide voucher program violates the Florida Constitution because it gives tax money to religious schools.

Dingell fends off challenge
Michigan Rep. John Dingell survived the toughest political challenge of his long House career to win a primary that pitted the old-school, union-backed Democrat against a colleague who represented the issues-oriented liberal wing of the party.

Report: Justice missing 775 weapons, 400 laptops
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FBI is instituting new security protocols after a government audit showed the Justice Department lost track of hundreds of weapons and laptop computers.

One of the Guatemalan girls joined at the head needed additional surgery
LOS ANGELES -- The Guatemalan twins who spent the first year of their lives joined at the head were reported doing well Wednesday, their first full day as physically separate sisters.

Bush reviews military options for Iraq with top general, key advisers
WASHINGTON -- The general who would command an invasion of Iraq has presented President Bush and his key advisers the latest Pentagon scenario for a U.S. attack.

Voucher supporters ready for state fights, but acknowledge rough road ahead
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Energized by this summer's Supreme Court decision, legislators in as many as 20 states will introduce bills that would allow families to use taxpayer funds for private or religious schools, voucher advocates say.

White pelicans return to Wisconsin after 100-year absence
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- After disappearing for more than a century in Wisconsin, white pelicans -- with their long wing spans and orange beaks -- have returned in surprising numbers to the area.

Heck, Madden and Michaels hit it off
John Madden gave viewers an early "boom!" and plenty of "hecks" in his "Monday Night Football" debut -- and nary a highfalutin' reference.

National briefs
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- NASCAR will sort through accounts of what led Tony Stewart to punch a photographer following the Brickyard 400 before deciding if the driver should be punished.

Texans tumble; Evans bruises spinal cord
CANTON, Ohio -- The expansion Houston Texans' first official football game -- a 34-17 exhibition loss to the New York Giants -- was tinged with sadness Monday night when reserve safety Leomont Evans had to be rushed to a local hospital after suffering a bruised spinal cord as he tried to rush a Giants punter.

Anyone else would fall short, too
Soon after I realized I wouldn't be Magic Johnson, I wanted to be Chick Hearn.

Legendary Lakers' broadcaster dies
LOS ANGELES -- Chick Hearn, the legendary broadcaster who provided the lively soundtrack to more than four decades of Los Angeles Laker basketball, inventing a new vocabulary along the way, died Monday. He was 85.

Bonds hits No. 599
Barry Bonds moved right to the brink of 600 homers Tuesday night.

Darrell Porter found dead
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Former All-Star catcher Darrell Porter, the Most Valuable Player of the 1982 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, was found dead in a park in suburban Kansas City. He was 50.

Baseball differences are 'solvable'
Amid a heightened pace and the possibility that the players union will set a strike date next week if there isn't significant progress in baseball's collective bargaining talks, lawyers for the players and owners reached agreement on some of the ancillary issues Monday while failing to resolve the core issue of revenue sharing.

Willis E. Rauen Jr.
Willis E. Rauen Jr., 80, Brainerd, died Sunday, Aug. 4, 2002, at home.

Clarita F. Urai
PIERZ -- Clarita F. Urai, 73, Pierz, died Monday, Aug. 5, 2002, at St. Cloud Hospital.

Carl F. Schach
LAKE SHORE -- Carl F. Schach, 95, Lake Shore, died Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2002, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.

Lyman D. Schmidt
LAPORTE -- Lyman D. Schmidt, 94, Laporte, died Thursday, Aug. 1, 2002, at the Havenwood Care Center in Bemidji.

Doris M. Page
CHESIRE, Conn. -- Doris M. (Page) Smith, 88, Chesire, Conn., died Sunday, Aug. 4, 2002, at the Midstate Medical Center in Meriden, Conn.

Christine Renee Beaupre
MINNEAPOLIS -- Christine Renee Beaupre, 16, Minneapolis, died Friday, Aug. 2, 2002, at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth.

Naomi J. Cain
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- Naomi J. Cain, 89, Federal Way, Wash., died Tuesday, July 30, 2002.

Judith 'Judy' Johnson
ERSKINE -- Judith "Judy" Johnson, 66, Erskine, formerly of Aitkin, died Friday, Aug. 2, 2002, at Pioneer Memorial Care Center in Erskine.

William 'Bill' W. Houle
STILLWATER -- William "Bill" W. Houle, 83, Stillwater, formerly of Hugo, died Sunday, Aug. 4, 2002.

Roger Benusa
BOWLUS -- Roger Benusa, 63, Bowlus, died today, Aug. 6, 2002, at home.

Jennie Sundberg Rego
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. -- Graveside services for Jennie Sundberg Rego, 85, San Rafael, Calif., formerly of Brainerd, who died Feb. 14, 2002, will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Evergreen Cemetery in Brainerd.

Aletha E. Hall
PEQUOT LAKES -- Aletha Edna Hall, 94, Pequot Lakes, died Monday, Aug. 5, 2002, at Cuyuna Regional Care Center in Crosby.

Clarita Urai
PIERZ -- Clarita Urai, 73, Pierz, died Monday, Aug. 5, 2002, at St. Cloud Hospital.

Gordon Dahlen
CROSSLAKE -- Gordon Dahlen, 83, Crosslake, died today, Aug. 7, 2002, at Cuyuna Regional Care Center.

Marie Teckla Rietzke
GARRISON -- Marie Teckla Rietzke, 90, Garrison, died Monday, Aug. 5, 2002, at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby.

John C. Serfling
McGREGOR -- John C. Serfling, 70, McGregor, died Sunday, Aug. 4, 2002, at Riverwood Health Care Center in Aitkin.

The Iraq threat
President Bush speaks at every opportunity of the need for a "regime change" in Iraq, one of the triumvirate in his axis of evil, but he has yet to make the case for U.S. military action to remove Saddam Hussein. Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee launched a much-needed inquiry into that topic, raising the question not just of how Hussein could be toppled but, more important, what sort of regime might follow.

Convicted for speech
The following editorial appeared in Monday's Washington Post:

Open Forum
In the Open Forum of August 3, 2002, it was stated that 'educated individuals' know that Planned Parenthood is not synonymous with abortion. A truly educated in

Is your house worth too much?
You agree that your house is worth too much, don't you?

The Twins
Leave it to baseball commissioner Bud Selig to put a damper on what's shaping up to be a tremendous Twins season.

The war against CEOs
"Tomorrow I'm going to sign a bill that says as clearly as we can possibly say it ... that if you're a CEO and you think you can fudge the books in order to make yourself look better, we're going to find you, we're going to arrest you, and we're going to hold you to account."

The Dispatch's editorial opinions
Editorial views in The Brainerd Dispatch represent a consensus of opinion by members of the newspaper's editorial board.

Don't blame the player's salaries
The refrain often heard about the economics of sports is that athlete salaries dramatically drive up ticket prices. In fact, this proposition has the financial connection exactly wrong. It is revenues, or projected revenues, that drive salaries and not the reverse.

BIR fans show generosity
The front gates at Brainerd International Raceway ushered in a steady stream of racers Aug. 1-2 until a record 604 had entered the bracket race.

Felony DWI charges hit Minnesota drivers
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- It is barely a week old, but authorities across the state are already using a new state drunken driving law that makes it a felony for recent repeat convictions.

Melissa cared
BLOOMER, Wis. (AP) -- Melissa Schmidt's family and friends, joined by hundreds of police officers and Minneapolis city leaders, remembered the slain police officer's devotion to the people she served.

Greenlee Textron closing Fairmont plant, 60 jobs cut
FAIRMONT (AP) -- Sixty jobs will be affected with the announced closing of the Greenlee Textron Inc. plant by the end of March.

Hundreds expected at funeral for fallen Minneapolis officer
BLOOMER, Wis. (AP) -- Hundreds of law enforcement officers have traveled to this small northwestern Wisconsin town to honor a Minneapolis police officer who was killed on duty.

Business money flows to Coleman campaign
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- GOP Senate candidate Norm Coleman has tapped corporate executives and political action committees for much of the $5.5 million he has raised through June 30.

West Nile Virus continues to spread in Minnesota
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Tests confirm 17 birds and seven horses in Minnesota have been infected with the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus, the state Health Department said Monday.

State briefs
ST. CLOUD (AP) -- A man sought by police on two criminal charges was severely injured when a propane tank in the back of his pickup truck exploded.

In field, DNR officers bear burden of court decision
SPICER (AP) -- Conservation officer Mike O'Brien eases his boat onto Green Lake, frowning as he considers how a recent court ruling will affect his efforts to guard the state's natural resources.

Gulls rebound in nightcap
Playing 31 innings in three previous games may have caught up with the Brainerd Mighty Gulls in the completion of a suspended game against the Mankato Moon Dogs Tuesday.

Brainerd wins Legion district title
ST. CLOUD -- It didn't matter who pitched for Brainerd in the District 6 American Legion baseball tournament in the last five days.

Local shorts
The ninth annual Crazy Daze Weightlifting Championship is scheduled noon Saturday at Nisswa.

Brainerd girls win state 16-and-under soccer title
The Brainerd Lakes Area Youth Soccer Association 16-under girls' soccer team captured the state championship Sunday at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

Scoreboard
Northwoods league baseball

Legion relies on pitching corps
Division I state tournament

Beetles overcome Gulls in 17th
For the past four games, the Brainerd Mighty Gulls have been able to edge their opponents with some last-minute heroics, sometimes in extra innings.

Scoreboard
Northwoods league baseball

Baxter Stingers face tough going in Georgia
One bad inning in each game spelled doom for the Baxter Stingers 12-under slow-pitch softball team at the national tournament in LaGrange, Ga., last weekend.

Local shorts
The Brainerd Mighty Gulls of the Northwoods League announced two schedule changes this week.

Lynx play spoiler
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Minnesota Lynx look like a team scratching for a playoff berth. Actually, they're just having fun playing spoiler.

Not just ducky DNR nixes early season
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Retreating from a plan to open the duck hunting season on the earliest date in 50 years, the state Department of Natural Resources has set Sept. 28 as the start of the 2002 season.

Gophers lose another top prospect
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- With a verbal commitment by Minneapolis North guard Kammron Taylor to Wisconsin, Minnesota has gone 0-for-3 in landing any of the state's top basketball recruits.

Royals stop Twins
MINNEAPOLIS -- While the Kansas City Royals were struggling to score, the bottom-third of their order helped them break the slump.

Twins fans starting to fill up Dome
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Just as encouraging as the Minnesota Twins' eight victories on their recently completed 10-game homestand was the number of people there to watch them.

Orioles thrash Twins
BALTIMORE -- The Orioles were doing a whole lot of missing Tuesday night until Marty Cordova found a pitch he could crush against Minnesota Twins emergency starter Johan Santana.

Crew adept at 19th-century sailing skills
ABOARD THE U.S. BRIG NIAGARA (AP) -- "All hands to take in sails," called out Deborah Hayes, fourth mate on the U.S. Brig Niagara.

Area briefs
NISSWA -- Nisswa merchants will be dressed in their pajamas, curlers, slippers and robes Friday and Saturday as part of the pajama party Crazy Days theme.

Taste of Longville event set Friday afternoon
LONGVILLE -- The dinner bell will ring the start of the Taste of Longville on Friday in downtown Longville.

Expanding a home and a family
My usual practice is to write this column Sunday evenings -- often the literal 11th hour of my deadline.

Conservation easements topic of workshop in Walker
WALKER -- A two-hour workshop, "Preserving Our Land Heritage: Conservation Easements for Estate Planning," will be presented at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at the American Legion in Walker.

Iowa state forecast
Today...Showers and thunderstorms likely northwestern third... Mainly this morning. A chance of thunderstorms central and southwest. Partly sunny with highs in the middle 70s northeast to lower 80s southwest.

Iowa state forecast
Today...Partly to mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 70s to mid 80s.

I like to play outside
Weather drawing by Amanda Craft of Mrs. Lykins' kindergarten class at Nisswa school.

State forecast for North Dakota
This afternoon...Fog lifting north central early...Otherwise partly to mostly sunny. A chance of thunderstorms west and north. Highs in the 80s and lower 90s. Tonight...Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the 60s to lower 70s.

Minnesota state forecast
This afternoon...Partly to mostly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms parts of central and south. A chance of thunderstorms northwest. Highs mainly in the 70s.

Fish are swimming
Weather drawing by Cayle Winkler of Mrs. Brenny's third grade class at Baxter school.

State forecast for North Dakota
This afternoon...Partly to mostly cloudy. A chance of late afternoon thunderstorms west with isolated thunderstorms east. Highs 75 to 85.

Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Sunny or mostly sunny. Highs from the upper 60s to the mid 70s.

State forecast for South Dakota
T0day...Partly cloudy west to mostly cloudy east. Scattered showers and thunderstorms ending in the east. A chance of afternoon thunderstorms in the west. Highs in the 80s east to the mid 90s southwest.

Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Partly to mostly sunny. Highs mainly in the 70s.

Minnesota state forecast
Today...Mostly cloudy north with a chance of thunderstorms. Partly sunny south. Highs from the lower 70s northeast to the lower 80s south.

State forecast for South Dakota
Today...Partly cloudy. A chance of thunderstorms in the west. Highs from the upper 80s far east to around 100 south central.

Names and faces
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) -- Tonya Harding drove drunk and has a problem with alcohol, she admitted as part of a deal that lets her avoid a conviction if she stays out of trouble for five years.

Foreign briefs
JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Saudi Arabia has made clear to Washington -- publicly and privately -- that the U.S. military will not be allowed to use the kingdom's soil in any way for an attack on Iraq, Foreign Minister Prince Saud said Wednesday.

Dam breaks in Tajikistan, killing 24
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan (AP) -- A dam holding water in a lake in the Pamir Mountains of eastern Tajikistan broke Wednesday, flooding a village and killing at least 24 people, emergency officials said.

Palestinian militiamen killed; high court upholds house demolitions
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli troops killed the suspected mastermind of a Tel Aviv suicide bombing and a second Palestinian militiaman during a West Bank chase Tuesday, and Israel's Supreme Court upheld the practice of demolishing homes of Palestinian terror suspects without warning.

Nine killed in attack on Hindu pilgrims in Kashmir
NUNWAN, India (AP) -- Suspected Islamic militants lobbed a grenade and opened fire Tuesday on Hindu pilgrims in Kashmir, killing nine of them and wounding 27 others, police said.