Friday, December 4, 2009
Horsepower showdown
DETROIT (AP) - Ford is cranking up the horsepower on the 2011 Mustang as it tries to win back muscle car sales from its archrival, the Chevrolet Camaro.
Kia Sorento: A great family car
MOSCOW - Commercial globalism thrives on the idea that consumers everywhere want the same things - quality, affordability, safety and convenience.
ZDX adds sharp styling to conventional crossover
In biology it's called "convergent evolution" - unrelated organisms separately evolve the same trait.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Live music
BRIEFLY
LITTLE FALLS - Americana/folk singer and songwriter Dennis Warner will perform at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Great River Arts Center in Little Falls.
A different approach
The Rock 'n' Roll Xmas Extravaganza is headed to Brainerd.
FINE ARTS STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Melissa Morey
A special treat from a special time
When our sons were growing up, homemade hot fudge topping poured over ice cream was a special treat. I would let everyone be creative and top their sundae with whipped cream, cherries, bananas, nuts or whatever I had on hand.
POLICE BLOTTER
THEFTS - Kerry Dusner, 700 block of Laurel Street, Wednesday reported a theft.
Police blotter
Arrested a 17-year-old boy for fifth-degree assault, obstruction of the legal process and disorderly conduct following a fight reported at 8:21 a.m. Wednesday at Brainerd High School, 702 S. Fifth St. A 16-year-old boy was cited for disorderly conduct. The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Department assisted.
Senior calendar
Weekly activities
Dear master gardener
Dear Master Gardener: There are little pine trees with red bows on them out in stores for the holidays. Do these pine trees do well as a houseplant?
Housing briefs
Doris Mezzenga, director of the Crosslake Food Shelf, accepted a $1,200 donation from the Edina Realty Foundation in late November.
Festive time
Suzette Bush (left), with VisitBrainerd.com, and Marisa Mills of the Mills Companies chatted Thursday night at the Brainerd Lakes Chamber's Business Expo and Holiday Extravaganza at Madden's Town Hall. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
Local news briefs
Rep. Al Doty, DFL-Royalton, said news that Minnesota will face a $1.2 billion budget shortfall this year, in addition to the $6.4 billion gap closed last session is sobering news. Tom Stinson, Minnesota's top economist, also projected another $5.4 billion deficit in FY 2012-2013.
Overheard
"I need to be more aware of the speed I was going and not let it happen again."
Remembering Jack
His name was Jack.
Multiple jobs blamed on the economy
Times are tough and people are doing what they can, including getting a second job, to make ends meet.
BHS dance team nails first kick meet
The Brainerd High School dance team nailed its first Central Lakes Conference meet of the season Tuesday in Sartell.
A tale of two jobs
Mindy Salmon goes from being a legal secretary at the Minnesota Public Defender's Office in Brainerd during the week to a convenience store clerk on the weekends.
Area governments will feel pinch
For Crow Wing County, Administrator Tim Houle said the state's projected budget deficit is like having a parent with a financial problem.
Dancing for a cause
Jennifer Erickson, sponsored by Oakridge Woodview Residential and Support Services, danced with Crow Wing County Administrator Tim Houle Thursday at the Westgate Mall as part of a dance lesson exhibition. Houle agreed to learn ballroom dancing as part of the 16th annual Radiothon to End Child Abuse. In the background, volunteers were taking pledges for the cause. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
This was Brainerd
30 years ago (1979) - A paper bag containing $400 in cash and checks was stolen from a parked car in Nisswa. An employee of the Sportland Caf told deputies that he had placed the bag under his car seat after closing. He stopped at Red's Pizza and the bag was gone when he returned.
Rosenmeier forum on health care designed to be informational
Organizers of Tuesday's "Basic Health Care Reform" forum, sponsored by the Gordon Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government, emphasized this week the event is informational and apolitical.
It's starting to feel like December
Winter is finally on its way - for temperature, anyway, not so much for snow.
Paul Bunyan Land has a look of Christmas
Decorated with thousands of lights and animated displays, Paul Bunyan Land is opening its doors for free this month.
Reminder offered on Minnesota's cold weather rule
State Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd, has reminded residents about Minnesota's cold weather rule, a state statute that protects customers from disconnection of their heat during the winter months.
This was Brainerd
100 years ago (1909): Reports received in this city yesterday say that another very rich find of ore has been made by the Rogers-Brown Co. at Crosby, on the Cuyuna Range. They have been drilling there for months and say the ore tests at 60 to 68 percent metallic iron.
LOCAL BRIEFS
The Brainerd Parks and Recreation Department and the city of Brainerd will host the 26th annual Christmas celebration from 1-4 p.m. Sunday at Gregory Park.
Morrison County to host H1N1 clinics in LF area
LITTLE FALLS - Morrison County Public Health will host several clinics to dispense the H1N1 vaccine.
Flu shots for public coming
Three more mass H1N1 immunization clinics for high risk groups have been scheduled in Crow Wing County, including one Thursday in Brainerd.
Correction
Correction | In a Page 1A story Thursday about 3-year-old Jack Larson, the date of his death was incorrect. The boy died May 9 after being struck and killed by a vehicle, not May 5.
Corrections
The Brainerd Dispatch incorrectly reported that former Crow Wing County Attorney Jack Graham did not seek re-election to his post. He ran for re-election but was defeated in a primary.
People line up for flu shots at Brainerd High School
A long line formed Thursday night as the H1N1 immunization clinic opened at the Brainerd High School cafeteria, the first county-wide mass clinic to reach an expanded target group.
A battle against prostate cancer
If prostate cancer takes his life, Don Klein said he will die knowing he did everything he could to fight back against the disease.
Center sponsors CLC students at leadership event
The Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government at Central Lakes College recently provided $1,000 in funding to send four of the nine CLC students attending the Minnesota Student Leadership Summit in the Twin Cities.
Overheard
I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart.
Lukas Lewandowski
DEERWOOD - Lukas John Lewandowski, 19, of Deerwood, died at his home Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, at St. Francis Catholic Church, Brainerd, with Father Tony Wroblewski and Pastor Diane Ciesluk officiating. Friends may gather Friday evening from 5-7 p.m. at the Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter. Interment will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 7, at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Camp Ripley. Memorials are preferred.
Obituary policy
Obituary notices are charged at 40 cents a word, exclusive of the first 125 words, which are free. A $10 fee is charged for a half-column photograph.
Hazel Larson
Hazel E. Larson, age 91, resident of Brainerd, formerly of Pequot Lakes, died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009, at Good Samaritan Society-Bethany in Brainerd.
Hazel Larson
Hazel Elvira (Esklund) Larson, 91, formerly of Pequot Lakes, was called home to the Lord on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009, at Good Samaritan Society-Bethany in Brainerd.
Howard 'Jiggs' Blanck
Howard "Jiggs" Blanck, 73, Brainerd, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, at St. Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud, Minn.
Obituary policy
Obituary notices are charged at 40 cents a word, exclusive of the first 125 words, which are free. A $10 fee is charged for a half-column photograph. To place an obituary in the Dispatch, consult the funeral home handling arrangements.
Lillian Youngdahl
Lillian I. Youngdahl (nee Leifgren) passed suddenly at her home in Brainerd on Nov. 25, 2009, at the age of 70.
Mary Johnson
CROSBY - Mary Anna Johnson, age 92, of Crosby, died peacefully Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009, at the Cuyuna Regional Care Center in Crosby. She was born on July 14, 1917, in Rabbit Lake Township to Christopher and Mary (Heese) Dehning.
Howard 'Jiggs' Blanck
Howard Harvey "Jiggs" Blanck, age 73, of Brainerd, was called home to the Lord on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, at the St. Cloud Hospital after a lengthy battle with cancer.
OTHER OPINION: TREASURY
Modifying mortgages to provide more affordable terms can help borrowers, lenders and neighborhoods avoid the economic and social costs of foreclosure. With that in mind, the Obama administration unveiled the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) in March. HAMP provides $75 billion to help lenders reduce borrowers' monthly payments to 31 percent of their incomes. It offers loan servicers $1,000 per completed loan mod, plus another $1,000 for each one still performing after three years.
Breaking gossip, not news
WASHINGTON - The feeding frenzy over Tiger Woods' tiny run-in with a fire hydrant has taken voyeurism to new depths.
Our opinion: 'Jiggs' Blanck
Long before the advent of Facebook and e-mail and before the term "social networking" was commonplace, Howard H. "Jiggs" Blanck was connected to the people and city he loved. To say that "everyone in town knew Jiggs," might be an overstatement - but not much of one.
Open Forum
In the Open Forum on Tuesday, Nov. 24 it said that Oak Lawn township would not save any money by contracting Oak Lawn Township road work out. What Judy Zettervall's report showed was that if Oak Lawn would pay a contractor for the same amount of hours it has paid for a full-time maintenance worker then it would be more money.
Correction
The Dispatch inadvertently omitted the word evidently in a letter by Dolores Zaske that was published in Wednesday's paper. The sentence should have read I no longer trust or respect most members of Congress and as for the president, evidently he is not proud to be an American when he constantly apologizes about this country in every speech he makes abroad.
Open Forum: Tiger Woods is a victim
Tiger Woods ... We are living in an age of the creation of a new kind of government, a new society, a new religion, a new God and a new man with a new conscience and a new set of values.
Church news
The Brainerd Laestadian Lutheran Church annual bake sale will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Brainerd lakes area churches
Addresses and phone numbers. Call for service times.
Cardinals cruise past Pillager
PILLAGER - Caitlin Robinson, Nikki Pearson and Abby Smith all scored in double figures to lead Staples-Motley past the Pillager Huskies 54-38 Tuesday.
New coach shoots for a winning season
Wade Haapajoki has a chance to be a winner in his first season as head coach of the Brainerd Warriors.
Litchfield-DC blanks W-DC
WADENA - Nate Adams had a hat trick as the Litchfield-Dassel-Cokato Dragons iced the Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines 6-0 in a non-conference season opener Tuesday.
Here we go again in area boys' basketball
For those who thought last year's boys' basketball season was fun, it's about to get a lot better.
Clough to speak to boosters club
Brainerd Warriors dance team coach Cindy Clough will be the speaker at the Brainerd Sports Boosters Club meeting, which begins at noon Thursday at the Moose Lodge.
Detroit Lakes tops Northern Lakes
BREEZY POINT - The Northern Lakes Lightning put 28 shots on net, but were only able to convert on one, as they opened their season with a 6-1 loss to Detroit Lakes in a Mid-State Conference matchup.
Raiders roar to triumph
PARKERS PRAIRIE - The Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale Raiders scored six wins by pin to knock off the Parkers Prairie Panthers 43-24 Thursday.
Warriors have talent to contend for section title
In the 2008-09 postseason, the Brainerd Warriors roared into the Section 8-3A championship dual meet where they lost to St. Cloud Apollo 39-25.
Scoreboard
Area events
Walker redeems herself on floor
The start of Becky Walker's senior gymnastics season didn't go as planned.
Brainerd opens with win over Tech
ST. CLOUD - Sam Pagel's 25 second pin was one of eight Warrior pins as Brainerd dominated the St. Cloud Tech Tigers 62-12 Thusday to open the season with a Central Lakes Conference victory.
SCOREBOARD
Area events
Brainerd Silver wins title, qualifies for state
The Brainerd junior varsity Silver won the Minnesota qualifying tournament Sunday at AMF Southtown in Bloomington to become the second Warrior JV team to qualify for the state tournament Dec. 6 at Apple Place in Apple Valley.
State forecast for N.D.
This morning...Mostly sunny west. Variable cloudiness with morning
State forecast for S.D.
Today...Partly cloudy west. Mostly cloudy east with a chance of daytime flurries northeast. Highs from the upper teens to lower 20s northeast...To near 30 southwest.
Thank goodness it's Friday
Thank goodness it's Friday
A sign of things to come?
Weather drawing by Abigail Klink in the Baxter third grade of Ms. Hemstad.
State forecast for Minnesota
Today...Cloudy. Scattered snow showers or flurries north and
State forecast for Wisconsin
Today...Cloudy. Scattered snow showers or flurries. Highs in the 20s to around 30. Tonight...Cloudy. Scattered snow showers or flurries. Lows in the teens to low 20s. Saturday...Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of light snow showers far northwest. Highs in the mid 20s to low 30s.
State forecast for Iowa
Today...Partly to mostly cloudy. Scattered flurries. Highs 20
State forecast for Iowa
Today...Cloudy. Snow showers north and scattered flurries south.
State forecast for N.D.
Today...Cloudy and cold with light snow likely west and central. A
State forecast for Minnesota
Tonight...Cloudy. Scattered snow showers north...Flurries south. Lows
State forecast for S.D.
Today...Considerable clouds and blustery. Areas of light snow. Highs from the teens west to lower to mid 20s central and east.
State forecast for Wisconsin
Lake effect snow advisory for vilas county until 3 pm this afternoon and for ashland and iron counties until 10 pm this evening...