Local briefs

Crow Wing County Sheriff Dick Ross is warning people, specifically women, about being approached at shopping malls or retail stores by people asking if they would like to smell perfume.

Ross said because of recent incidents in Bloomington and St. Cloud, in which women have been assaulted by men claiming to have perfume for their victims to smell but what is actually ether, he is asking people to be cautious at retail centers.

Ross said his office has had no reports of such assaults occurring, but he is asking that anyone who has been witness or victim of such incidents to call the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Department at 829-4749.

Highway 6 detour ends Thursday

Highway 6 on the south side of Deerwood has been detoured while Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad crews worked on the line and fixed a traffic crossing, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said.

Motorists are being asked to use County Road 12 and County Road 8 to travel between Highway 210 in Deerwood and Highway 18 west of Garrison.

The detour will end Thursday.

Senior driver improvement course offered in Crosslake

A two-day senior driver improvement course will be 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 28-29 at the Crosslake Community Center.

The course is open to the public. Pre-registration is required. A certified consultant will teach the class.

Cost is $18 for the four-hour refresher course and $20 for the eight-hour program.

For more information or to register, call toll-free at 1-888-234-1294.

Senior driver improvement course offered in Crosslake

A two-day senior driver improvement course will be 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 28-29 at the Crosslake Community Center.

The course is open to the public. Pre-registration is required. A certified consultant will teach the class.

Participants age 55 and older who complete the course qualify for a 10 percent discount on their auto insurance premiums for three years, according to Minnesota law. Students who have previously taken an eight-hour driver improvement course can maintain their eligibility for the insurance discount by taking a four-hour refresher course, which is the first day of any two-day course.

Cost is $18 for the four-hour refresher course and $20 for the eight-hour program.

For more information or to register, call toll-free at 1-888-234-1294.