Sunday, December 2, 2007

Lakewood Reflections project starts
STAPLES - Remodeling is underway at the Lakewood Health System Senior Campus to not only give it an overall fresh look, but to utilize the space vacated by Lakewood Health System's Hospital and Clinic which relocated to its new facility just east of Staples in December 2006.

Taste of Lakes is Kinship's most successful fundraiser
The 19th annual "Taste of the Lakes" to benefit Kinship Partners was the most successful ever with 380 people in attendance, Kinship reported.

BUSINESS NOTES
Chris Kellett-Sawdey recently joined Sytek Marketing & Design as director of marketing.

BUSINESS NOTES
The Central Lakes College Business and Industry Center will host an introduction to voiceover from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 14.

Going up in Aitkin
Work continued on the Lake Country Auto Center in Aitkin on Highway 210 across from the 40 Club.

She knows the area business climate
Through a variety of business openings and now closings, Cathy Hughes retained a passion for cooking.

Now there's a touch of Tuscany in Aitkin
AITKIN - Now a trip to Tuscany doesn't mean leaving Aitkin's main street.

BIRTHS
Brian Hanson and Tanya Jones, Brainerd, a girl, MaKenzie Marie, 6 pounds, 11.6 ounces, Nov. 20, 2007.

Little Falls City Council
Meets 7:30 p.m. Monday

Brainerd City Council
Meets 7:30 p.m. Monday

BIRTHS
Brad and Rose (Johnson) Leidenfrost, Pierz, a boy, Ty Bradley, 8 pounds, 7 ounces, Nov. 25, 2007. Grandparents are Bill and Joy Leidenfrost, Pierz, and Dale and Becky Johnson, Deerwood.

Fire destroys recreational vehicle
The Brainerd Fire Department responded to a camper fire reported at 8:53 a.m. Saturday on Thompson Road.

SCHOOL MENUS
Brainerd

Cass County Board
Meets 3 p.m. Thursday

CRIMES
PROPERTY DAMAGE - Melissa Bartholomay Thursday reported the rear driver's side window was broken out on a vehicle while parked on the 1500 block of Norwood.

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

SENIOR CALENDARS
LAKES AREA SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER

Cami Anderson
Hometown: Brainerd

MUCH OBLIGED
Many of you may have participated and had a scary walk through the Arboretum's Haunted Trail, but what you might not be aware of is the number of youths, adults and community people who volunteer and serve to make this event happen.

WHAT'S DOING
The LWVBLA presents a second informational meeting regarding the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) Immigration Study at 11 a.m. Dec. 13 at their monthly meeting. The program will be held at the Brainerd Public Library in Brainerd. The membership meeting will be devoted to discussion and consensus of the LWVUS work on Immigration Policy in the United States. The LWVBLA will discuss three very thoughtful questions regarding immigration. The meeting is open to the public, however voting on the study consensus will be limited to members only.

Lois Buchin
Hometown: Baxter

Male mentors discovered
You know how the turtle came through at the end of the race with the rabbit?

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

This was Brainerd
A feasibility study approved by the Brainerd City Council on proposed construction of a building for the Brainerd Water and Light Department will also consider a new city hall.

Open house planned for road project
BREEZY POINT - A revised concept plan for improvements to Crow Wing County Highway 4 will be presented at an open house from 4-7 p.m. Dec. 17 at Breezy Point City Hall.

AARP seeking tax aide volunteers
The Brainerd lakes area AARP Tax-Aide program needs you.

Cass County partnership collects old cell phones for emergency use
The Cass County Triad, a partnership of law enforcement, seniors and community groups, is seeking community cell phone donations in conjunction with its partnership with the 911 Cell Phone Bank.

Local oratorical contest planned for Dec. 10 by Legion
The 71st National High School Oratorical Contest sponsored by the American Legion will be April 4-6 in Indianapolis.

W-H-A going to voters for help Tuesday
In a situation that already played out in Brainerd and Crosby-Ironton and nearly 100 other Minnesota school districts in November, taxpayers in the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School District will be asked to vote Tuesday on a school operating levy referendum.

CORRECTION
A story in Friday's edition about events for the Old Fashioned Holiday Celebration in downtown Brainerd Saturday should have said in addition to the entertainment Saturday activities also are planned from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 8 with a horse drawn trolley ride through the decorated historic downtown.

Olson's Star Lake proposal to be topic of meeting
Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji, is inviting area residents interested in protecting and enhancing Minnesota lakes to a meeting at the state Capitol from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday in room 123.

COMING TUESDAY
After serving almost two years in Iraq with the Minnesota National Guard, Mike Davis traded his sergeant's stripes for a deputy uniform.

COMING MONDAY
Trommald's Erika Mullen-Hagberg works with beads and embroidery to create unique art.

First Responder team looking for new members
The Nokasippi First Responder Team is seeking new members. These are volunteer positions providing initial emergency medical care at a First Responder Level in Nokay Lake and Oak Lawn townships. If interested, contact Val at 764-2670.

People, start your snow shovels
The first significant snow storm arrived Saturday just in time to ring in December.

POVERTY IN BRAINERD
State politicians took a back seat to Crow Wing County's poor last week.

COMING MONDAY IN SPORTS
With a win Sunday against the Detroit Lions the Vikings will reach the .500 mark.

Only days remain on Kinship mentor drive
Kinship Partners needs to recruit 30 people to achieve its goal of 100 mentors in 100 days.

Meretta E. Hanson
Meretta E. Hanson, 88, Brainerd, passed away on Nov. 30, 2007, at Bethany Good Samaritan Village in Brainerd.

Juliene Reed
CROSSLAKE - Juliene Reed, age 55, of Crosslake, died Friday, Nov. 30, 2007, at her home.

Harold Graves
NISSWA - Harold Graves, 88, of Nisswa, died Friday, Nov. 30, 2007, at St. Cloud Veterans Hospital. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Brenny Funeral Chapel of Baxter.

Jerry Kurtz
Jerry Kurtz, of Brainerd, died Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007, at his home. A graveside service will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007, at the Wildwood Cemetery in Pillager, Minn. The public is welcome. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Brenny Funeral Chapel of Baxter.

Helen G. Vadnais
Helen Geneva Vadnais, age 95, resident of Brainerd, died Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007, at her home. Helen was born on March 18, 1912, to Frank and Geneva (Poole) Dodsworth. She was a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Elks and the VFW Auxiliary. She was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church, the Rolling Rangers local chapter and Good Sam's Club. Helen was known as the "Cookie Grandma" to her grandchildren and she enjoyed baking cookies for her family and friends and great-grandchildren and making crafts.

VOX POP
School administrators and teachers keep voicing their concern for the kids. Then why does it appear that the kids are the ones losing? What are the administration and teachers going to lose or give up for the kids? Maybe retirement health insurance or lesser retirement?

OUR OPINION: KINSHIP
Time may be running out on one of the Brainerd lakes area's most successful recruitment campaigns but it's not too late to be a part of the excitement.

Obstacle or opportunity?
The District 181 referendum vote is counted and the people have spoken. Clearly, a mandate has been given to hold the line on taxes and economize even more on school expenditures. The administration has already identified the means, as painful as it will be. Our legislators may yet bail us out, but in the end the solution to quality education with a reduced budget rests with us, the citizens of this "village" raising its children.

We lose only when we stop trying
I have read like so many of us with great interest, most if not all, the Open Forum letters regarding the Brainerd school levy. A common theme in many of the letters has been about who has won and who has lost. There are no winners or losers as this journey has just started. Yes, this no vote on local education funding is a set back, but for heavens sake it is not a permanent set back. Does anyone believe the Warrior football team was losers after their first game with St Cloud Tech? Winning and losing is a temporary state of mind and often more times than not, we learn more from losing than winning. It is certainly evident that our Warrior football did.

Open Forum: Now is the time for you to be a mentor
You have heard about it. Kinship - mentors. You have thought about it. You have decided it is worthwhile and that someday you will do it.

STATE FISHING REPORT
The small lakes are ice-covered and there's a good chance you'll be able to fish them by this weekend or early next week. Lakes such as Reno and Mary would be likely first-ice options. The big lakes were still open earlier this week, and it may take a couple extra days for them to completely cap with ice.

REPORTS FROM AREA CONSERVATION OFFICERS
CO Nikki Shoutz (Pine River) reports many hunters are hunting with the All-Season license, using either muzzleloader or archery. Trappers are also out for only one week this year with the fisher and bobcat season through Dece. 2. Trappers are also required to wear blaze orange while checking traps in an area open for the taking of deer by muzzleloader. With the cold weather came a thin layer of ice and anglers were already out on some of the smaller lakes.

Some things don't change in ice fishing
Ice fishing season is here. Are we going to have a normal winter? You ask, what is normal? I am talking lots of ice (thickness), lots of snow and lots of fish.

80th birthday - Butch (Alex) Smude Sr
Butch (Alex) Smude Sr., Pine Center, will celebrate his 80th birthday with an open house from 1-4 p.m. Dec. 9 at JR's Junction Pine Center. No gifts please. The event is hosted by his children and grandchildren. He was born Dec. 12, 1927, in Morrison County.

Wedding planned - Jessica Berg and Phil Sampson
Jessica Berg and Phil Sampson announce their engagement. Parents are John and Jenifer Berg, Baxter, and Tom and Deb Sampson, Garrison. A Feb. 5, 2008, wedding is planned in Roatan, Honduras.

Four generations
Four generations recently gathered were Kenya Haugen-Springs, daughter, Brainerd; Chantel Haugen, mother, Brainerd; Cindy Jesinski, grandmother, West Bend, Wis.; and Bonnie LeDoux, great-grandmother, Brainerd.

Engagement announced - Andrea Marie Brown and Michael Jon Veith
Andrea Marie Brown and Michael Jon Veith announce their engagement. Parents are Robert and Deanna Brown, Brainerd, and Dan and Teri Veith, Baxter. A June 14, 2008, wedding is planned at St. Mathias Park.

RYAN AND CHRISTEN HERMAN
Christen Johnson and Ryan Herman were married July 21, 2007, at Peace Church in Eagan with Pastor Al Pruis officiating.

96th birthday - Ethel James
Ethel James, Brainerd, will celebrate her 96th birthday on Dec. 7 with lunch at the Red Roof Inn.

Mitchell and Lisa Thompson
Lisa Halverson and Mitchell Thompson were married Oct. 29, 2007, on a beach front in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

Dallas and Amy Fraser
Amy Kay Faust and Dallas John Fraser were married Aug. 6, 2007, in Maui, Hawaii, with Rick Jackson officiating.

Travis and Kelsey Steffensen
Kelsey Pederson and Travis Steffensen were married July 21, 2007, outside at the groom's grandparents' home in New London with Scott Pederson officiating.

50th anniversary
Ron and Barbara Martin, East Gull Lake, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a family dinner hosted by their daughters in September in Maple Grove. They were married Nov. 28, 1957, in Minneapolis.

Four generations - Bock
Four generations recently gathered were Ezra Bock, son; Mike Bock, father; Mike Bock, grandfather; and Patrick Bock, great-grandfather.

Four generations - Bock
Four generations recently gathered were Ezra Bock, son; Mike Bock, father; Mike Bock, grandfather; and Mary Bock, great-grandmother.

Fergus Falls defeats Flyers
LITTLE FALLS - Nhi Dinh stopped 29 shots for Little Falls in the Flyers' 8-1 loss to Fergus Falls in Central Lakes Conference play Friday night.

Area defensive player of year: Mike Valesano
If an opponent was spread-eagle on his back, No. 80 for the Brainerd Warriors was likely in the vicinity.

State teams head all-area team
Candidates for the Brainerd Dispatch All-Area football team are nominated by their coaches and selected by the sports staff.

Aitkin edges Onamia in OT
ONAMIA - Emily Mehr torched the net for 29 points and Sara Hoge added 25 for the Aitkin Gobblers as they defeated the Onamia Panthers 68-63 in overtime in non-conference girls' basketball Friday.

Area offensive player of year: Nate Schaefbauer
When the Brainerd Warriors were running the wishbone offense in the early 1990s, they attempted as few as 30 passes in a season.

W-DC defeats Eveleth-Gilbert
EVELETH - Colter Pettit had a goal and assisted on two others in a 3-2 non-conference victory for Wadena-Deer Creek over Eveleth Gilbert on Friday.

JV girls win twice
Nikker Graumann had 11 points and Kylie Stanfield nine as the Brainerd Warriors beat Sauk Rapids 44-18 in junior varsity girls' basketball Friday.

Flyers defeat Bemidji
BEMIDJI - Teri Stein won the all-around competition and Kaisha Gomez won the floor exercise for the Little Falls Flyers as they defeated the Bemidji Lumberjacks 120.25 to 119.30 in non-conference gymnastics Friday.

Confident Warriors storm past SR-R
It's only two games into the season but it's obvious the Brainerd Warrior girls' basketball team is playing with an abundance of confidence.

State forecast for Minnesota
...Winter storm warning for much of minnesota through sunday

Major winter storm brewing
Winter storm warning for much of Minnesota through Sunday morning. Snow advisory for northwest from noon through midnight...

State forecast for North Dakota
...Snow advisory today and tonight south central and parts of

State forecast for Iowa
...Ice storm warning central and south today...

How much snow will we get?
Weather drawing by Nicholas Schneider in the Lowell kindergarten of Jan Wilcox.

State forecast for South Dakota
Winter storm warning along and east of james river today and this evening....

Wisconsin state forecast
Winter storm warning today through sunday morning north...