Tuesday, October 31, 2000
Livestock
SOUTH ST. PAUL (AP) (USDA) -- Monday cattle midsession: 800.
Metals
NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices Monday.
New-home sales soar 9.2 percent
WASHINGTON -- Sales of new homes soared in September by a surprising 9.2 percent to the highest level in six months as cheaper mortgage rates encouraged buyers to lock in deals. But consumer confidence fell sharply in October to it lowest point in a year.
Cash grain
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Wheat receipts Monday 319, a year ago 173.
Siblings' plans for matrimony suffer from parents' parsimony
DEAR ABBY: Early this year, my brother and I both announced our engagements and agreed that our wedding dates would be within six months of each other. We're both in our early 20s, still living at home, and our parents are well-to-do.
Memory table is nice touch at funeral
Dear Heloise: A couple years ago, my beloved mother passed away. At her funeral, I thought to put up what I called a memory table.
Accidents
AITKIN -- One person suffered minor injuries in a single-vehicle accident Monday at Highways 169 and 210, one mile north of Aitkin.
Crime
BURGLARIES -- Bradley Fritch, Elk River, reported Friday his cabin on Alpha Lane, off of County Road 19, had been broken into.
Crimes
Dean Overlie, Danvers, reported the theft of his 1989 Chevy pickup from AmericInn Lodge and Suites in Pequot Lakes.
Baxter meets to air assessments dispute
BAXTER -- The Baxter City Council met at 6 a.m. today to address residents' concerns about the Parkwood Project assessments.
National convention focuses on American Indian education
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- A sense of community such as the American Indian culture provides can help teen-agers, an Augustana College professor told a national convention of Indian educators.
Local briefs
PILLAGER -- Diana Lynn Price, a candidate for mayor of Pillager, has received the endorsement of the Independence Party of Minnesota.
This was Brainerd
20 years ago (1980) - The memory of a pioneer Brainerd area resorter will be honored each year with a Brainerd Community College Foundation Scholarship, following a recent donation of $10,000 to the BCC Foundation's perpetual scholarship fund.
Polling youth
Gov. Jesse Ventura brought many young voters to the polls in 1998.
Man gored to death by pet deer
FOREST LAKE (AP) -- A man was killed when the family's pet whitetail buck gored him to death while he was in its pen.
Extra credit
Matthew Majka, the son of John and Laurie Majka of Nisswa, graduated with honors in October from the Brown Institute in Mendota Heights with a degree in personal computers and local area networking.
Group mobilizes against nursing shortage
ST. PAUL (AP) -- A statewide nursing shortage is forcing hospital staff members to work overtime, lowering morale and patient safety, Minnesota Nurses Association members said at a downtown rally.
Brainerd to explore plan for $8 million water park
Imagine driving down Washington Street and seeing the tops of water slides as bathers drop into splash pools below street level in the area by Franklin School known as "the hole."
Thursday a doughnut delight in city, thanks to seniors
Every Thursday morning as she's done for the past 14 years, Marguerite "Mugs" Christensen leaves her Staples home in the pre-dawn hours, arriving at the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center in Brainerd between 3:30 to 3:45 a.m. to make doughnuts.
Officials believe many newcomers were missed in the 2000 census
ST. PAUL (AP) -- City and census officials reviewing return rates for the 2000 census have been reminded that cultural details are important in making sure everyone is counted.
Teen shot by police officer may have taken LSD
APPLE VALLEY (AP) -- A Burnsville teen who was wounded by police gunfire after a scuffle with an Apple Valley officer may have been under the influence of the hallucinogenic drug LSD.
22 area candidates share views at forum
Twenty-two area politicians squeezed their messages into a three-hour televised candidate forum Monday night as they entered the last week of the 2000 campaign.
Government lax in E. coli prevention, report claims
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- An E. coli outbreak at a private school could happen again in Minnesota because state and federal procedures continue to put children at risk, according to a published report.
This was Brainerd
OCTOBER 31 - 20 years ago (1980) - Latest addition to the Brainerd Area Civic Center Arena, 550 to 600 seats have been installed and artificial ice will be available tonight for the first of two nights of free skating which will open the 1980-81 season.
Haunted house draws more people than expected to fairgrounds
More people than expected showed up to be spooked at the Crow Wing County 4-H ambassadors' haunted house at the county fairgrounds in Brainerd last weekend.
Correction
A Baxter City Council meeting story on Monday should have stated Baxter applied for state aid road funds in 1998 for the Parkwood project and that the next Baxter City Council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 8.
State deals another blow to Fairview-University hospital
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- State health investigators cited Fairview-University Medical Center on Friday for an incident last winter in which a nurse's aide provided care to a patient without proper supervision.
Good reading
"The 2001 Old Farmer's Almanac" offers helpful hints and entertaining stories. Look for the story Wednesday in Neighbors.
St. Cloud Frigidaire workers walk off job
ST. CLOUD (AP) -- Workers at the Frigidaire Freezer Products plant here went on strike Saturday after rejecting a contract that they said would allow health plan costs to chip away at wage gains.
Local briefs
Space is still available for two programs hosted by the Crow Wing County Historical Society.
Former legislator, appellate judge dies
MARINE ON ST. CROIX (AP) -- Fred Norton, who served in the Minnesota House for 20 years and as a Minnesota Court of Appeals judge for ten years, has died. He was 72.
Stewart found guilty of killing teen
ST. PAUL (AP) -- A St. Paul man dropped to his knees, sobbing, after he was convicted of murder in the drive-by slaying of a teen-age bicyclist.
Baxter officer attacked
BAXTER -- The Baxter Police Department is searching for a man who assaulted a Baxter police officer early Sunday.
Rezoning land for golf course emotional issue in E. Gull Lake
EAST GULL LAKE -- Faced with an emotional issue that has divided an East Gull Lake neighborhood, the East Gull Lake Planning and Zoning Commission Monday was also split on whether to rezone a portion of land for a golf course addition at the Legacy at Cragun's golf course.
Report: Expensive, sleek jet sits idle most of the time
ST. PAUL (AP) -- A sleek jet that the state bought for $1 million in 1998 spends more time in its hangar than in the air.
Proposal calls for pool, slides, 'lazy river'
Proposals for a Brainerd aquatic center include a 12,000-square-foot splash pool at the park's center with a zero-depth entry that mimics the lapping motion and gradual slope found in lakes.
Cass County offering absentee ballots
WALKER -- Cass County Auditor-Treasurer Sharon K. Anderson reminds voters that absentee ballots are available through Monday.
Court hears challenge to federal authority
WASHINGTON -- On its face, the fight over a patch of bog in Illinois is a run-of-the-mill tiff between the federal government and local officials over development rights.
USS Cole leaves Yemeni port to begin ride home
ADEN, Yemen -- Blasting "God Bless America" and Kid Rock rap through the shipboard PA system, the crippled $1 billion guided missile destroyer Cole inched out of this port city with the aid of four small Yemeni tugs Sunday, ending the first chapter in one of the most humbling attacks in modern U.S. naval history.
Fallout widens from Arizona's alternative fuel debacle
PHOENIX -- Gary King suspects he knows how the state will recoup the runaway costs from its botched subsidy program for alternative-fuel vehicles: his wallet.
Veto of congressional pay raise escalates budget war
WASHINGTON -- President Clinton's veto of legislation allowing a $3,800 pay raise for members of Congress intensifies his budget war with Republicans and could color the Nov. 7 presidential and congressional elections.
GOP leaders say they won't give in on budget
WASHINGTON -- In no rush to leave the Capitol despite an impending election, Republican congressional leaders say they will negotiate but not capitulate to President Clinton in this year's end-of-session budget and tax battle.
Heating-repair scam targets Ohio hospitals
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Dozens of Ohio hospitals have been the target of a scam in which a bogus heating-repair business billed them for repairs that were never done.
Tentative deal reached keeps Philadelphia schools open
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The city and its striking teachers reached a tentative agreement on a new contract before dawn Monday, allowing classes to proceed without interruption at the nation's seventh-largest school district.
Halloween tragedy
LOS ANGELES -- Friends of an actor shot to death by police as he allegedly wielded a fake gun at a Halloween costume party planned a vigil Monday, with some questioning whether race played a role in the killing.
Donations to charities way up
WASHINGTON -- America's leading charities raised more than $38 billion last year, an increase of 13 percent over 1998, a philanthropy journal reports in this week's issue.
Tobacco settlement challenge turned aside by Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court turned aside a challenge to the 2-year-old national tobacco settlement Monday.
Schoolhouse exams heat up as campaign issue
WASHINGTON -- Test every student. Publish the results in school "report cards." Use the scores to decide how much teachers earn, or even which schools should stay open.
Vick or not, Miami is ready for No. 2 Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is gearing up for its biggest game of the season -- at No. 3 Miami on Saturday in the Orange Bowl -- and the second-ranked Hokies won't know until later in the week if they will have star quarterback Michael Vick.
Arbitrator will hear arguments Thursday in Smith decision
Joe Smith's status will remain in limbo until Thursday, when an arbitrator will hold a hearing on NBA commissioner David Stern's decision to void Smith's past two contracts.
N.Y. fans cheer 3-time champs
NEW YORK (AP) -- Thousands of fans lined the Canyon of Heroes for the Yankees' third straight ticker-tape parade Monday as manager Joe Torre hailed his players as "maybe the best team of all time."
13 years later Oklahoma back at No. 1 in poll
Oklahoma is No. 1 for the first time in 13 years and it was almost unanimous.
Scoreboard
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Scoreboard
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Hurdles are stacking up against the Timberwolves
MINNEAPOLIS -- At this rate, the Minnesota Timberwolves might owe the NBA players by the 2001-02 season.
Rams fine without Warner
The St. Louis Rams finally got to play a full game with the quarterback for whom their virtually unstoppable offense is designed. And after a shaky start, Trent Green didn't let them down.
Blackhawks snap losing streak with win over Wild
ST. PAUL (AP) -- The Chicago Blackhawks saw a chance to seize momentum, and they didn't pass it up.
Thomas out for season
EDEN PRAIRIE -- Minnesota Vikings free safety Orlando Thomas has been sidelined by a broken shoulder for the second season in a row.
NFL summaries
At Cleveland
Brooks to coach U.S. team
Herb Brooks, who in 1980 led the United States to one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, will coach the U.S. hockey team at the Salt Lake City Olympics, a hockey source told The Associated Press on Monday.
Bucs hand Vikings first loss
TAMPA, Fla. -- The NFL's last unbeaten team went down without a whimper.
Titans find a way to win
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- In a few weeks, almost no one will remember how the Washington Redskins scored. Tennessee's touchdowns will be on highlight reels for a long time.
Gophers could lose '97 title
CHICAGO (AP) -- Minnesota could lose its 1996-97 Big Ten title as a result of the academic fraud scandal that's already resulted in NCAA probation and the loss of several scholarships.
NBA opens Tuesday night with 13 games
The ball gets tossed up in Atlanta, Orlando and New Jersey first. Three hours later, it's a rematch of the Western Conference finals.
Pat Heinz
RANDALL -- Pat Heinz, 40, Randall, died Sunday, Oct. 29, 2000, at home.
Meredith J. Dahl
STAPLES -- Meredith J. Dahl, 75, Staples, died Saturday, Oct. 28, 2000, at St. Cloud Hospital.
John Bienusa
STAPLES -- John Bienusa, 90, Staples, died today, Oct. 30, 2000, at Greater Staples Care Center.
John E. Bienusa
STAPLES -- John E. Bienusa, 91, Staples, died Monday, Oct. 30, 2000, at Greater Staples Care Center.
Patrick 'Pat' Heinz
RANDALL -- Patrick "Pat" Heinz, 41, Randall, died Sunday, Oct. 29, 2000, at home.
Barbara Shriver
PINE RIVER -- Barbara Shriver, 71, Pine River, died today, Oct. 30, 2000, at Woodrest Nursing Home of Walker.
Ross Gish
PEQUOT LAKES -- Ross Gish, 81, Pequot Lakes, died Friday, Oct. 27, 2000, as a result of injuries suffered in an automobile accident near Pequot Lakes.
Arlene Williamson Gatchell
BAY LAKE -- Arlene Williamson Gatchell, 89, Bay Lake, died Saturday, Oct. 28, 2000, at Cuyuna Regional Care Center of Crosby.
Barbara Shriver
PINE RIVER -- Barbara Shriver, 71, Pine River, died Monday, Oct. 30, 2000.
Open Forum guidelines
The Dispatch encourages readers to contribute to the Open Forum.
Open Forum
Commissioner Sluss has done a terrible job as leader for the E-911 system. Crow Wing County has spent almost three times as much as Cass County and still is not completed. Cass is complete. Vote for Mary Koep, a taxpayer watchdog, who will bring back effective job performance.
Legitimate reasons for being undecided
Last week The Brainerd Dispatch reprinted an op-ed piece by self-proclaimed political pundit Robert Reno. He told undecided voters to "stay home" rather than vote.
Whose views are expressed in Dispatch editorials?
Editorial views in The Brainerd Dispatch represent a consensus of opinion by members of the newspaper's editorial board.
OTHER OPINIONS Population woes
A large issue hangs over northern Minnesota going into the November election: population decline.
Kids Voting
Minnesota is among the best of a bad lot when it comes to voter turnout. Our state often leads the nation when it comes to citizen participation in elections. The sad part is that the number of U.S. citizens who take the trouble to exercise their right to vote is pitifully small.
Open Forum
When, our constitution was written the excesses of the religions, were fresh in mind, so the separation of the church and state was a natural. There was however a real question concerning whether the common man could m
The warming debate
The following editorial appeared in today's Washington Post:
Bush heads West, Gore focuses on economy
AUSTIN, Texas -- Summarizing their final arguments for voters, George W. Bush touted himself Monday as "a leader that brings people together" while Al Gore said only he would keep the economy growing. "Prosperity itself is on the ballot," the vice president said.
Star Tribune endorses Dayton for U.S. Senate
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The Star Tribune has endorsed DFL nominee Mark Dayton for the U.S. Senate.
Unique vote on green space nears in Washington County
STILLWATER (AP) -- Washington County voters will decide Nov. 7 whether to approve a referendum that would allow the county to buy development rights from rural landowners to preserve open space.
Poll shows Dayton ahead of Grams
A week before the election, challenger Mark Dayton has a small lead over incumbent U.S. Sen. Rod Grams in the race for U.S. Senate, according to a poll released Monday night.
Cheney visits Rochester as campaign enters final full week
ROCHESTER (AP) -- Republican vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney came to this Republican stronghold Monday to talk about education, taxes and why he believes he and Texas Gov. George W. Bush will win in Minnesota.
Ventura prefers third party over Bush or Gore
ST. PAUL (AP) -- Count Gov. Jesse Ventura among the nation's undecided voters.
Gore tries to sway voters away from Nader in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS -- Vice President Al Gore called Minnesota the "heart and soul of the Democratic Party" at a massive rally here Saturday night.
Democrat ticket hits Green Bay
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Vice President Al Gore campaigned Monday in what he called "ground zero" in the battle over who will be the next president of the United States.
Green Party vice presidential nominee LaDuke rallies in Duluth
DULUTH (AP) -- Green Party vice presidential nominee Winona LaDuke was in this northern Minnesota city Sunday night, rallying support at the University of Minnesota-Duluth from people searching for a political alternative.
Fight for control of House is closest in 50 years
WASHINGTON -- As the year's congressional session slowly winds down, House members will be leaving Washington in a rare state of uncertainty: No one knows for sure who will run the show when they come back after the Nov. 7 election.
Waldorf wins National Car Rental Classic
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Duffy Waldorf polished off a career-low 62 with a 12-foot birdie putt for a one-stroke victory over Steve Flesch on Sunday in the National Car Rental Classic.
De Ferran's driving title almost went up in smoke
FONTANA, Calif. (AP) -- Gil de Ferran's driving championship almost went up in smoke.
Force, Seeling clinch NHRA titles
BAYTOWN, Texas -- John Force and Angelle Seeling clinched 2000 NHRA Winston championships in their respective categories Sunday at the Matco Tools SuperNationals presented by Racing Champions at Houston Raceway Park.
Schmitt, Warn-Milless place fourth at state
MINNEAPOLIS -- Mikaela Schmitt of Wadena-Deer Creek and Laura Warn and Rose Milless of Staples-Motley placed fourth at the Class A girls' tennis tournament Saturday at the Nicollet Tennis Center.
Pillager advances to section final
PILLAGER -- The Pillager Huskies are one win away from their first appearance in the state football playoffs.
Warriors reach section final
In its four previous games the Brainerd Warriors football team had drilled the opposition by a collective score of 255-62.
PR-B advances in 7AA volleyball
GRAND RAPIDS -- The second-seeded Pine River-Backus Tigers defeated No. 3 Greenway 15-4, 15-3, 15-13 in the Subsection 7AA volleyball semifinals Saturday.
Scoreboard
High School Athletics
Pequot Lakes - GOING TO THE FARGODOME
PEQUOT LAKES -- The talk around the area was that Pequot Lakes would probably go to the state tournament next year, but the feeling in Patriot-land is why wait for next year.
Tricks aplenty but no treats
It's Halloween, when thoughts drift to all things having to do with fall. The smell of dried leaves burning in bonfires. The sound of exploding shotgun shells cracking the serenity of golden dawns. And the naming of the Headless Horseman award recipient for the year.
Scoreboard
High School Volleyball
Warriors stats
Moorhead 6 7 0 8 -- 21
Cardinals conclude Brainerd's season
ALEXANDRIA -- The fourth-seeded Brainerd Warriors volleyball team ended its season on Saturday night with a 15-5, 15-12, 15-7 loss to top-seeded Alexandria in the semifinals of the South Subsection 8AA tournament.
S-M/W-DC/V third in Mid-State meet
DETROIT LAKES -- The Staples-Motley/Wadena-Deer Creek/Verndale Cardinals swimming and diving team placed third with 272 points at the Mid-State Conference meet Saturday.
Scoreboard
Sept. 2 Louisiana-Monroe, W 47-10
Pequot smashes Deer River to gain 8AA final
PEQUOT LAKES -- The Pequot Lakes Patriots defeated Deer River 42-22 Saturday in the Section 8AA football semifinals.
Crookston ends PR-Backus football season again
PINE RIVER -- The Pine River-Backus Tigers will have to wait to see if the third time is a charm as they lost for the second consecutive year to the Crookston Pirates 29-7 in Section 8, Class 3A semifinal football action Saturday.
Local sports briefs
Freshman Laura Bogenschutz of Baxter set a school record with 73 set assists for the University of Wisconsin-Stout volleyball team in a 3-2 conference win over UW-Eau Claire Oct. 4.
Raiders capture state volleyball title
ROCHESTER -- The Central Lakes College Raiders volleyball team won the Minnesota Community College state championship in grand fashion Saturday.
Verndale - GOING TO THE FARGODOME
VERNDALE -- It's been three years filled with disappointing season-ending losses, but this fall the Verndale Pirates find themselves where they want to be.
Bemidji to play Warriors for title
The top-seeded Brainerd Warriors will play No. 3 Bemidji for the Section 8, Class 5A football championship 8 p.m. Friday at the Fargodome.
Warriors swim to conference title
COLD SPRING -- The Brainerd Warriors swimming and diving team won the Central Lakes Conference meet and the Little Falls Flyers were runners-up Saturday.
Rangers' football season ends
INTERNATIONAL FALLS -- The Crosby-Ironton Rangers football season ended Saturday as they were defeated 23-20 by International Falls in the Section 8, Class 3A semifinals.
'Hail Mary' stuns Gophers
MINNEAPOLIS -- Northwestern not only practices the desperation pass that would beat Minnesota 41-35 on the final play Saturday. The Wildcats complete most of them.
Happy Halloween
Weather drawing by Erik Carter in the Baxter School third-grade class of Mrs. Surma.
Brainerd forecast
Mostly cloudy and breezy Wednesday.
Spooks
Weather drawing by Katie Harris of Mr. Trucano's fourth grade class at Baxter school.
Names and faces
RADNOR, Pa. (AP) -- "ER" star Ming-Na might play a dedicated doctor on TV, but her own pregnancy was a shock.
'Call police' banner gives elderly driver measure of security
DEAR ABBY: Years ago, I purchased a "Please Call Police" banner that you mentioned in your column. It was to be used by people in need of emergency roadside assistance. I am 80 years old and all alone. I use two hearing aids and cannot use a car phone because I need a special one with "TTY."
Another home for old magazines
Dear Heloise: In reading your column in The Washington Post comic pages, there were hints about RECYCLING MAGAZINES.
Names and faces
LONDON (AP) -- Elton John is taking his top accountants to court to recoup millions of dollars in touring costs he claims they mistakenly charged him.
Rocket takes first crew to international space station
BAIKONUR, Kazakstan -- Up from the same launch pad where the Space Age began 43 years ago, a Russian rocket blasted off Tuesday carrying one American and two Russians -- the first crew slated to live in the new international space station.
Anti-Fujimori soldiers rebel, take hostages in Peru
LIMA, Peru (AP) -- Just when President Alberto Fujimori appeared to be wresting control of Peru's military from his ex-spy chief and defusing weeks of political turmoil, a group of 51 soldiers staged a daring revolt -- demanding Fujimori resign and the shadowy spymaster be put behind bars.
Israel to deploy guerrilla warfare units; Israeli killed in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel will take the offensive against Palestinian gunmen and deploy special army units trained in guerrilla warfare, a defense official said Monday as the death toll mounted with the first shooting of Israelis in Jerusalem since the recent violence began.
Severe storms batter Britain, France; at least four dead
LONDON (AP) -- Severe storms battered Britain and France on Monday, stranding ferry passengers at sea, uprooting trees, disrupting transportation and knocking out power to thousands of homes. At least four people have been killed.
Deadly blast in Spain
MADRID, Spain -- A car bomb exploded in a busy residential area during rush hour Monday, killing a Supreme Court judge, his bodyguard and driver in the deadliest attack blamed on the Basque separatist group ETA since it ended a 14-month cease-fire last December.