Friday, August 9, 2002
New Accord targets performance buffs
The guy in the brand-new Mercedes C-Class kept pulling up, then dropping back, obviously eyeballing the car we were driving down the freeway.
New Range Rover has dashing dash
It's not something you'd expect inside a squarish, large sport utility vehicle known for its world-traversing, four-wheel-drive capability.
New ranking finds U.S. cars lacking in resale value
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- U.S. carmakers fared poorly Tuesday in a first-ever ranking of auto resale values, with European and Japanese brands expected to keep more of their worth as used cars.
Seattle's acceptance of gay pastors clashes with Methodist church law
SEATTLE -- There is nothing ambiguous about the United Methodist Church law that forbids the appointment of "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals" as pastors.
Catholic orders hope to keep abusive priests within religious communities
PHILADELPHIA -- Leaders of Roman Catholic religious orders said they could keep young people safe from sexually abusive priests, rejecting criticism from victims' advocates who say the groups are too protective of errant clergy.
Interfaith Caregivers help woman in need
After only one year of business, Lakes Area Interfaith Caregivers has served many people in need.
What next for bored Sunday school classes? The Simpsons!
Sunday school teachers with restless teen-agers or distracted adults might consider something a little different this fall: "The Simpsons."
Boston Archdiocese newspaper criticizes comments by Oklahoma governor
BOSTON (AP) -- An editorial in the Boston Archdiocese's newspaper accused Oklahoma's governor of calling on Roman Catholics to "commit a mortal sin" when he urged parishioners to stop donating money or attending churches in dioceses that don't respond to the priest sex-abuse scandal.
Churches
The Grace trio will present a concert at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Garrison. The trio has produced five albums, including its most recent, "A Gift of Love," a Christmas album. The trio consists of Debi, Andover, Jan, St. Cloud, and Jessica, Garrison.
National Council of Churches reports end of financial woes
NEW YORK (AP) -- The National Council of Churches announced that, due in part to cutbacks in staff and programs, it has recovered from its financial problems following a decade of deficit spending.
Where has summer gone?
I get a queasy feeling in my stomach during this time of year when the first "Back to School" ads appear in the paper and the stores are fully stocked with crayons, notebooks and backpacks.
Livestock
SOUTH ST. PAUL (AP) (USDA) -- Wednesday cattle estimate: 300. Last Wednesday: 370. Year ago Wednesday: 298. Tuesday actual: 842.
Livestock
SOUTH ST. PAUL (AP) (USDA) -- Thursday cattle estimate: 350. Last Thursday: 345. Year ago Thursday: 257. Wednesday actual: 384.
Tuna-stuffed tomatoes are a summer classic
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- For these warm weather days, plan a Saturday supper on the patio. Don't grill. Don't heat up the kitchen. Think cool and classic. Serve old-fashioned tuna-stuffed tomatoes.
Fry and freeze bacon for easy BLTs
I crave a BLT, but frying bacon is such a mess. I recently tried an idea I read in a magazine -- fry two to three pounds at once and store strips layered in an airtight container in the freezer.
Beware of all-you-can-eat buffets
NEW YORK (AP) -- While on vacation and eating away from home, be wary of the all-you-can-eat buffet, reasonably priced though it may be.
Metals
NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices Wednesday.
Marriage licenses
Brian J. Gustafson, 29, and Kaylo M. Brooks, 26, both of Brainerd.
Fire
AITKIN -- The Aitkin Fire Department responded to a house fire at 5:30 a.m. today on First Street Northwest in Aitkin.
Woods two strokes back at Buick Open
GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) -- Even Tiger Woods' girlfriend had to get on her toes and stretch her neck to get a look at the world's best golfer at the Buick Open.
Irwin hopes to continue dominance
BLAINE (AP) -- Hale Irwin will try to continue his dominance at the 3M Championship that opens Friday while looking for his first tour win in five months.
New leukemia drug appears to restore color to gray hair
BOSTON (AP) -- A new leukemia drug has been found to have a startling side effect: It appears to restore color to gray hair in some people.
Study finds Botox can ease movement after stroke
BOSTON -- Botox, the wrinkle-smoothing botulism toxin that has become the biggest sensation in cosmetic medicine, also can help stroke victims regain use of their clenched and rigid hands.
CDC: Most West Nile Virus found in older men
ATLANTA (AP) -- This year's victims of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus have been mostly men and older people, government health officials reported Thursday.
Baxter issues 36 building permits
BAXTER -- Baxter issued 36 building permits in July for a total of $6,966,623 with a fee total of $64,635.89.
Home offers twin features
That two can be better than one is evidenced by this attractive two-story design, Plan K-30, by the Homestore Plans and Publications Designers Network. Its floor plan has 1,621 square feet of living space.
Tips to build a proper doghouse
Every year, when Sirius, the "Dog Star," appears in the night sky, it signals the official start of the "dog days of summer"-- 40 of the hottest, stickiest days of the year. They occur from July 3 through Aug. 15.
North Brainerd residents gather at Gregory Park
Music filled the air Tuesday in Gregory Park as neighbors gathered for an event they hope will be repeated in multiple area neighborhoods next year.
All wet in the garden
There is an old nursery rhyme that begins: "Jerry, Jerry, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?"
Home tour isn't just about new houses
Older log cabins on central Minnesota's lakes are being torn down to make room for new homes, leaving little of Minnesota's past behind.
Gardeners can often get a second yield
Once is not enough when it comes to sowing vegetables.
Housing brief
CROSSLAKE -- Bruce Larson, Larson Team Shores & More Realty Inc., Crosslake, recently was a speaker at the Star Power annual conference in Anaheim, Calif.
Eating bars are food for thought
As every parent knows, an eating bar is a handy place to serve kids breakfast, lunch, after-school snacks and, well, dinner. In short, it's a really good place to serve the kids any food at all. Sometimes Mom and Dad even join in.
Swimming pool design takes a big step
Life has taken on a shallowness that suits Mary Kay Jordan just fine. Sunk in a low-slung beach chair, knee-deep in water, she watches over her world with languid blue ripples reflecting in her sunglasses.
Here are some ways to beat the heat
Looking for ways to beat the heat?
Future garages will be more functional in Design K-30
If you number yourself among some 78 percent of Americans who love their cars and the 12 percent who say they value their car above anything or anyone else in their lives (these numbers according to a recent poll by Progressive.com), you may not see anything amiss with Design K-30.
Watering presents special challenges
Steaming temperatures present a challenge for any gardener not blessed with computerized soaker hoses and/or a sprinkler system.
Expanded Lindbergh Historic Site puts stronger focus on the Lone Eagle
LITTLE FALLS (AP) -- When the Minnesota Historical Society built the Lindbergh Historical Site nearly 30 years ago, it tried to honor a request by pioneering aviator Charles A. Lindbergh that he not be the focus of the exhibit.
This was Brainerd
AUGUST 9 - 20 years ago (1982) - More development has been planned for Baxter -- however, this project will be a neighborhood park. Approximately three acres of county property located near a residential subdivision in Baxter was deeded to that city yesterday for the development of a public park.
This was Brainerd
AUGUST 8 - 60 years ago (1942) - Tentative plans to consolidate the Garfield School with Lowell School and closing of the kindergarten have been in the minds of the Board members as a means of curtailing school expenses.
Crash test dummies share driving safety information at county fair
The leading cause of death for people ages 1 to 42 is traffic crashes, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Local briefs
A Baxter resident was awarded the promising new professional award for learning disabilities given by the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning in conjunction with St. Cloud State University.
Big catch
Two teens, one from Brainerd and the other from Plymouth, Mass., recently caught their first muskies. Look for their story in Sunday's North Country.
Details presented on new Baxter middle school
More development details about the new middle school in Baxter were presented Wednesday to the Brainerd School District's Building Committee.
Fair schedule
Ag Day
Fair earns lifetime affection
About a 100 seniors flocked to the Birney Wilkins Memorial Garden at noon Wednesday to receive cake and carnations on Senior Citizens Day at the Crow Wing County Fair.
Older cabins
The Crosslake Log Cabin and Home Tour included older cabins, as well as new construction. Look for the story that includes two older cabins Friday in the Housing section.
Fair schedule
Teen Day
20-cent hike in school meal prices advised
Students in the Brainerd School District may have to fork over another 20 cents for breakfast and lunch this school year.
Council agrees on plan to resolve street dispute
North Fourth Street residents got what they wanted at a city council meeting Thursday, but it ultimately may be costly to a few.
Local briefs
ST. PAUL -- Brainerd District State Patrol Troopers Troy Dumke and David Keenan received the patrol's Lifesaving Award for their work Nov. 7, 2001, to save the life of an 11-year-old Cambridge boy after he'd become tangled in a grain auger at a farm in Ogilvie.
Local briefs
Independence Party candidate Tim Penny, a former U.S. congressman, will be at the Crow Wing County Fair from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday.
CELEBRATION TIME AT TIMELESS STORE
FREEDHEM -- The creamery closed long ago in the tiny town of Freedhem, a small farming community about 12 miles northeast of Little Falls.
Ten feared dead in U.S. cargo plane crash
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- A U.S. Air Force cargo plane crashed on a Puerto Rican mountaintop with at least 10 military personnel on board, and the island's top emergency official said all were feared dead.
Missing girl, 6, is found dead
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Police arrested a man in the murder of a 6-year-old girl who disappeared from a sleepover and was found dead the next day in nearby woods.
Bush backs $30 billion bailout for Brazil
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration, which took office opposed to big international financial bailouts, has just given its endorsement to one of the biggest ever -- $30 billion in new loans from the International Monetary Fund to Brazil.
Study finds the nation's public school districts are resegregating by race
BOSTON (AP) -- Almost 50 years after state-sponsored school segregation was outlawed, public schools are becoming increasingly divided by race, even as minority populations increase nationwide, according to a new report.
Environmentalists seek to block powerful Navy sonar they say threatens whales
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Environmentalists have taken aim at a powerful low-frequency sonar system used by the U.S. Navy, which they say can strand, or even kill, marine mammals.
Town grapples with 10-year-old's death and playmate's arrest
EL RENO, Okla. (AP)-- As if they were signing a cast or a yearbook, Tremain Richey's classmates wrote messages to the slain 10-year-old on posterboard outside his home.
Twins' parents happy, grateful after surgery
LOS ANGELES -- The parents of twins who were once joined at the head gave thanks to God and to the doctors who separated them -- even if the girls were a little difficult to recognize.
Hopes rise on three-day upswing in the markets
Another strong rally in stocks on Thursday boosted hopes that the market's latest crisis has passed, as key indexes capped their best three-day performance since 1987.
NASA will help Lance Bass' space debut
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- NASA says it's ready for 'N Sync singer Lance Bass' space debut.
Judge hands setback to defense in SLA case
SACRAMENTO (AP) -- Defense lawyers in a 1975 Symbionese Liberation Army bank robbery-murder case received a setback Thursday when a judge promised to release tapes of their clients' prison phone calls and social visits to government investigators.
National briefs
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The body of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, recovered from a shallow grave where it was abandoned after his slaying by Islamic militants, was returned to his family for a proper burial.
WorldCom says it found another $3.3 billion in faulty accounting
Nearly doubling the scope of what was already the largest corporate scandal in U.S. history, battered telecom giant WorldCom Inc. said Thursday that its auditors have uncovered an additional $3.3 billion in faulty accounting dating to 1999.
Nixon's daughters resolve dispute
MIAMI (AP) -- Richard Nixon's daughters have resolved their two-year fight over how to spend a $20 million bequest for their father's presidential library in Yorma Linda, Calif.,, attorneys said.
National briefs
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A man still on probation for running up $81,000 in credit card bills in the name of a pro basketball player is awaiting trial on charges he allegedly did the same thing to actor Will Smith.
Wholesale prices dip good inflation news
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Wholesale prices dipped by 0.2 percent in July, providing more good news on the inflation front and giving Federal Reserve policy-makers leeway to keep interest rates at 40-year lows to help along the limping recovery.
Separated Guatemalan twins begin opening eyes, moving; Doctors 'cautiously optimistic'
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Guatemalan twins born joined at the head and separated in a lengthy surgery this week are opening their eyes and moving around, small gestures that doctors see as significant signs of progress.
Digital tuners required on TVs
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Dissatisfied with the speed at which the industry is going digital, the Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to require television manufacturers to have digital tuners on all sets by July 2007.
Tax cuts and spending boosts to spell deficits
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., can detail the federal government's reversal of fiscal fortune as if she's reading a script drafted by the Democratic Party: budget surpluses turning into widening deficits, plunging consumer confidence, a Social Security lockbox that has been picked and looted -- all since President Bush came to office.
National briefs
Attempts to cut a deal with prosecutors before a Friday deadline apparently broke down.
Teacher gets probation for setting a student's newspaper on fire
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A teacher who set a student's newspaper on fire to teach her a lesson about reading in class was convicted of two misdemeanors and barred from returning to the classroom anytime soon.
New low for 30-year mortgage rates
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rates for 30-year mortgages fell to a new low this week amid growing signs of a sluggish economic recovery.
Productivity grows sluggish
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Productivity grew at its most sluggish pace in a year, rising at an annual rate of 1.1 percent in the second quarter, reflecting an economic recovery that has lost considerable momentum from the beginning of the year.
GE agrees to pay $1 million fine to settle charges it failed to report dangerous dishwasher defects
WASHINGTON (AP) -- General Electric Co. has agreed to pay the government $1 million to settle charges the company failed to report serious safety defects with certain dishwashers that could catch fire.
Measuring the greatness of Bonds isn't easy
NEW YORK -- One milestone after another greets Barry Bonds. Less than 16 months since he became the 17th member of baseball's 500 Home Run Club, Bonds is about to join an even more elite group.
WNBA
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Transactions
BASEBALL
Unser says he will stay sober
SPARTA, Ky. (AP) -- An overnight stay in an Indianapolis jail convinced Al Unser Jr. to get help for a longtime drinking problem.
Long's catch robs Ramirez and Red Sox
Credit this save to Terrence Long.
Players, owners agree to minimum salary, benefits plan
NEW YORK (AP) -- Agreeing to a $100,000 increase in baseball's minimum salary, players and owners made more progress on minor issues as labor negotiations head into a key weekend.
Smoltz fastest to 40 saves
This isn't the type of record John Smoltz ever imagined setting.
Local revenues add to baseball disparity
Same sport. Similar-sized metropolitan areas. Two teams leading their divisions. And yet the Seattle Mariners and the Minnesota Twins are very different baseball franchises.
Jets were ready to prove something
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Maybe this was the difference -- the New York Jets treated it as if it were a regular season game. The Pittsburgh Steelers acted as if it were another AFC championship game.
Players propose steroid testing
The Major League Baseball Players Association made a major policy shift Wednesday in calling for its members to be tested for steroids, pleasing owners and continuing the positive tone of intensifying collective bargaining talks.
Mildred H. Shutter
LITTLE FALLS -- Mildred H. Shutter, 83, Little Falls, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2002, at St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls.
Gordon S. Dahlen
CROSSLAKE -- Gordon S. Dahlen, 83, Crosslake, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2002, at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby.
Roger C. Benusa
BOWLUS -- Roger Cyril Benusa, 63, Bowlus, died Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2002, at home.
Carl F. Schach
LAKE SHORE -- Carl Frederick Schach, 95, Lake Shore, died Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2002, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.
Lorraine Rubitschung
PINE RIVER -- Lorraine Rubitschung, 65, Pine River, died today, Aug. 9, 2002, at Whispering Pines Good Samaritan Center in Pine River.
Vikki Miller
Vikki Miller, 29, Brainerd, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2002, at St. Joseph's Medical Center.
Max Scott
ONAMIA -- Max Scott, 81, Onamia, formerly of Austin, died Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2002, in Onamia.
Jusef Ruzyckij
JAMAICA PLAIN, Mass. -- Jusef Ruzyckij, 95, Jamaica Plain, Mass., died Saturday, Aug. 3, 2002, at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.
Joyce C. Kaiser
DEERWOOD -- Joyce Clarice Kaiser, 75, Deerwood, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2002, at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby.
Big difference
Good intentions sometimes go astray. After the funeral of slain Minneapolis police officer Melissa Schmidt, city council member Natalie Johnson Lee wrote a letter asking residents in her ward to grieve for the officer. But she also expressed remorse for Martha Donald, who probably fired the shots that killed Schmidt and who also perished in the gunfight.
Exotic pet controls should be tightened
This editorial was published in the July 23 Rochester Post-Bulletin.
A civics lesson
The decision last week by U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ordering the Justice Department to release information about the approximately 1,200 people detained during the Sept. 11 investigation is a welcome rebuke to the obnoxious secrecy with which the federal government has surrounded the probe.
Open Forum
I was a little disappointed in the Paul Bunyan broken arm story. I have to question Ms. Paxton's statement that she was "disappointed that the boys who broke the arm didn't contact her department first. My goodness did they have their pho
Brainerd's space needs
Two years ago this present Brainerd City Council, with the exception of Alderman Scheeler, decided to demolish the present fire station and build a Public Safety Building and also remodel and build additional space at city hall. The cost of this project was $8 million.
It's not the cannabis, it's the Constitution
Even in a city where cross-dressing is a protected right -- if not a cherished tradition -- San Francisco
Open Forum
A recent letter writer accurately pointed out that Republicans are in favor of deregulation and that many of us pray for a better life where "you never die or pay taxes." I, for one, pray for a better life where you not only never die but where you may spend eternity free of socialist whiners demanding that big government take care of every problem, whether public and private.
Vox Pop
Vox Pop, voice of the people, publishes Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. To call in a comment, dial 829-2900 or 1-800-547-2909 then enter code 8008. To e-mail a comment, write to voxpop@brainerddispatch.com.
No shame
Anyone who denigrates the feminist movement of the 1970s -- including young women who declare, "I'm no feminist" - should take a look at a tape of an interview with two teen-age heroes who appeared together Monday on the "Today" show.
Drags drag in an interesting field of racers
Drag racers from as far away as International Falls and Rochester raced at the Wednesday Night Street Drags at Brainerd International Raceway July 31.
Winston Cup schedule and standings
The remaining 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup schedule and driver point standings:
Minnesotans switching from heating oil to gas
ST. CLOUD (AP) -- Mitch Kiffmeyer plans to join a 30-year statewide trend when he moves into his new home in St. Cloud and swaps a barrel of home heating oil for a natural-gas furnace.
Penny says he won't take special interest money
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Since he left Congress in 1995, Tim Penny has earned a healthy part of his income from special-interest groups.
Democrats looking for votes from corporate wrongdoing
ARDEN HILLS (AP) -- The message stayed the same whether Sen. Paul Wellstone was talking to angry Qwest workers or to a group called Business Democrats: Rogue executives are ruining the economy.
Dairy plant closes in Fergus Falls; 33 jobs cut
FERGUS FALLS (AP) -- With no warning, the Dairy Farmers of America has immediately closed its plant, leaving 33 employees without a job.
No more guarantees for undergraduate admissions at U of M
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The University of Minnesota will no longer guarantee admission to all of its undergraduate colleges at its Twin Cities campus, starting with students who apply this fall for 2003.
Iowans pick Minnesota as favorite neighbor
Did you hear the one about Iowans who like Minnesota?
Flood task force members hope to change Ventura's mind
ST. PAUL -- Just days after Gov. Jesse Ventura appeared to close the door on calling a special session to help people affected by flooding this summer, members of a legislative task force said they hope to change his mind.
Cheerleader sues school to recover captain's job
MENDOTA HEIGHTS (AP) -- A high school cheerleader is suing her school district to win back her job as captain of the squad, which she lost for violating her school's prohibitions against alcohol and tobacco.
Minneapolis politician seeks state auditor post
Rep. Gregory Gray, DFL-Minneapolis, sees his business background as a major reason why voters should support him in this fall's primary and general election.
Minneapolis police union upset by council woman's letter
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minneapolis police union leaders suggested that a city council member should resign after a letter in which she asked citizens to grieve for both Officer Melissa Schmidt and the woman whom union officials say killed her.
Lawmakers hear suggestions for improving child sex laws
ST. PAUL -- In the wake of the clergy child sexual abuse scandal, state lawmakers on Wednesday held a special hearing to find out whether the state's criminal laws are adequate.
Moussaoui inquired about UMinn crop-dusting program
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Barely two weeks before his arrest outside an Eagan hotel, Zacarias Moussaoui inquired about the University of Minnesota's crop-dusting program, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Gubernatorial candidates offer new ideas in agriculture debate
REDWOOD FALLS (AP) -- From global trade to state transportation, the four major party candidates running for governor planted some new ideas in a forum at the annual Farmfest exposition.
Ashcroft says security is necessary to protect liberty
DULUTH (AP) -- Americans are uncomfortable with the federal government taking on more police powers in the fight against terrorism, but it takes security to protect liberty, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said Wednesday.
'Ailing' Marsden hurls Gulls to win
If this is how Brainerd Mighty Gulls pitcher Aaron Marsden throws when his arm doesn't feel good before a game, he doesn't ever want to feel good before a start.
Brainerd has a short trip to state Legion meet
MARSHALL -- It was seven years since Brainerd last made a trip to the American Legion Division I state baseball tournament.
Scoreboard
Northwoods league baseball
Adams leads Gulls to win
One of the key components of a championship baseball team is a quality leadoff hitter, one who gets on base any way possible, setting the table for the middle of the order to drive him in.
Scoreboard
Northwoods league baseball
Local sports shorts
The 20th annual Nimrod Jubilee Run will be conducted Aug. 31.
Focused Orioles beat Twins
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Baltimore Orioles are a combined 13-10 against the three AL division leaders and 7-8 against Tampa Bay -- the worst team in baseball.
Culpepper is sharp in Wednesday scrimmage
MANKATO, (AP) -- Daunte Culpepper seemed to be in midseason form for Wednesday's scrimmage, completing 7 of 8 passes, but the quarterback said the Minnesota Vikings' offense still has plenty of work to do.
Kelly may be the key to avoiding line shuffle for Vikings
MANKATO (AP) -- Lewis Kelly walked back to the tackling dummies after Thursday morning's practice and continued pounding away while the rest of his teammates hurried off the field.
Twins not ready to panic after being swept by O's
BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles had the American League Central-leading Minnesota Twins down to their final out Thursday, when a fan standing in seats along the first-base line began screaming at the top of his lungs, "Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!"
XXX is Diesel-powered
Despite what its title may suggest, "XXX" isn't porn. It's a testosterone-charged guilty pleasure: big, loud, stupid fun filled with car chases and explosions and chicks dressed in fur-trimmed coats, and little else.
Crosslake Art Club's show on tap
CROSSLAKE -- The 18th annual Crosslake Art Club Show will run Friday through Sunday at the Crosslake Community Center, located off Daggett Pine Road.
Hendrix voted best guitar player
LONDON (AP) -- Jimi Hendrix has been voted the greatest guitar player in a poll conducted by Total Guitar magazine.
Variety of entertainment planned at county fair
When it's time for a breather at the Crow Wing County Fair, the Mills Free Stage, with its wide variety of entertainment, may be just the ticket.
Exhibits at area galleries include beadwork, fiber pieces and paintings
Two exhibits opened this week at area galleries, including an unusual display in the use of traditional beadwork.
Best bets
The 75th anniversary celebration in Little Falls of Charles Lindbergh's New York-to-Paris solo flight will offer something for everyone, including an air show, music and dance, and a parade.
Celebrate Crosslake Days
This is the Explore Minnesota events report from the Minnesota Office of Tourism.
Plays chosen for Readers Theatre in Grand Rapids
GRAND RAPIDS -- The Grand Rapids Players have chosen two new works for the Readers Theatre at 7:01 p.m. Aug. 15 at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids.
Bruce Springsteen has his best debut ever
NEW YORK (AP) -- Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" has risen to No. 1 in its first week, selling about 526,000 copies.
Tempo tidbits
Author Reeve Lindbergh will promote her latest children's book, "On Morning Wings," durin
State remains hot spot for country music
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The scorching sun was sinking like everybody's stock portfolio, the beer flowing like a frat-party kegger. Onstage at Country Fest in Cadott, Wis., Brad Paisley was singing the Up-North anthem of the summer -- "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)," about answering her ultimatum about angling.
Bluegrass festival finds new home
RICHMOND -- Roots music fans will gather on unfamiliar terrain for the annual Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Festival, which opens today at new digs in rural Richmond.
Quilt auction to benefit Camp Knutson children, their families
CROSSLAKE -- Camp Knutson's 16th annual quilt auction Saturday will feature colorful Minnesota made quilts.
New bios profile a stylist, a soldier and a sitcom star
Maybe Bill Blass, Gen. George S. Patton and Jerry Seinfeld didn't have anything in common before, but they do now.
Art event to feature area wildlife/outdoor photographer, Star Tribune photographer
The Crossing Arts Alliance will focus its lens on photography with a weeklong exhibit and a day of workshops with some of Minnesota's most celebrated photographers.
Entertainment Guide
Live music
Friends
Weather drawing by Jasmine Hayes of Sharon Jendro's first grade class at Lowell school.
I like to play with my dog
Weather drawing by Justin Dean of Mrs. Lykins' kindergarten class at Nisswa school.
State forecast for South Dakota
Today...Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms central and east. Highs from the 70s west to the 80s east.
Iowa state forecast
Today...Mostly sunny. A chance of afternoon thunderstorms west. Highs in the 80s.
Iowa state forecast
Today...Mostly sunny. Highs in the 80s.
State forecast for North Dakota
Today...Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms west. Scattered thunderstorms...Some possibly severe east. Highs from the upper 60s west to the upper 70s east.
Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Partly to mostly sunny. Highs in the 70s to around 80.
Minnesota state forecast
Flood watch today portions of northwest... Today...Partly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms west. A chance for mainly afternoon showers and thunderstorms east. Heavy rainfall possible northwest. Highs from the upper 70s to middle 80s. Tonight...Scattered showers and thunderstorms...Diminishing in the west later tonight. Lows mostly in the lower to middle 60s.
Wisconsin state forecast
Today...Partly sunny...With scattered morning showers or thunderstorms far northwest...Then a slight chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms far north. Mostly sunny elsewhere. Highs in the lower to middle 80s. Cooler along lake michigan.
State forecast for South Dakota
Today...Isolated early morning showers east. Otherwise partly sunny. Chance of afternoon thunderstorms west and central. Highs from the 80s northeast to the 90s central.
Minnesota state forecast
Flood watch northwest corner through friday morning... Today...Partly cloudy. Scattered thunderstorms statewide. Most numerous storms northwest with severe thunderstorms and heavy rain possible. Highs from around 80 northeast to the lower 90s southwest.
State forecast for North Dakota
Flash flood watch east this afternoon and tonight...
What's doing
The Holbrook family reunion will be Sunday at Baxter City Park. Coffee will be at 10 a.m., worship service at 10:30 a.m. and a potluck dinner at noon. Dishes, silverware and beverage provided. All relatives and friends invited.
Senior activities
LAKES AREA SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER
Mortar attack greets new Colombian leader
BOGOTA, Colombia -- In an attack blamed on leftist rebels, mortars rained down on Colombia's presidential palace and downtown neighborhoods Wednesday just moments before President Alvaro Uribe, who has vowed to crush the guerrillas, took the oath of office nearby.
Huge blast reportedly kills at least 10 in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- A powerful explosion ripped through an Afghan construction firm's building in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Friday, killing at least 10 people and injuring at least 25 others, the Jalalabad police chief said.
Grenade attack kills three nurses at Christian hospital in Pakistan
TAXILA, Pakistan -- Three attackers hurled grenades Friday at women leaving a church on the grounds of a Presbyterian hospital in Pakistan, killing three nurses and wounding about 25 people in the second attack this week against Christians.
Opposition urges attack on Iraq, Armey not so sure
WASHINGTON -- An Iraqi opposition leader here to meet top Bush administration officials said Baghdad's forces would succumb quickly in the event of a U.S. invasion, but a prominent Republican expressed reservations about an unprovoked attack.
Court rules Muslim women cannot wear headscarves in ID photos
MOSCOW (AP) -- A court in the Russian region of Tatarstan has ruled against three Muslim women who demanded the right to wear religious headscarves for official identification photos, a news agency reported.
U.S. soldier survives Afghan sniper attack
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (AP) -- An American soldier was in stable condition and on his way to a medical facility in Germany after being shot in the chest in a sniper attack in eastern Afghanistan, a military spokesman said Thursday.
Saddam: Don't dare attack Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Saddam Hussein warned Thursday that anyone who attacks Iraq will die "in disgraceful failure," as thousands of armed civilians marched through Baghdad in support of the Iraqi president.
No deal on troop pullback; Israel razes four homes
BEIT LAHIA, Gaza Strip (AP) -- Israeli troops demolished the homes of four Palestinian terror suspects and raided a Gaza Strip town Thursday, as negotiators failed to reach agreement, but scheduled more talks on a gradual Israeli troop pullback from some Palestinian areas.