News Headlines for July 16th, 2010
Owatonna, MN
As of noon today, Highway 14 is closed in both directions west of Owatonna at 47th Ave Northwest due to a crash involving a semi.
Detour:
South on 34th Ave Northwest (Steele County Road 7), west on Steele County Road 18, north on Steele County Road 17 and back to Highway 14.
The road will remain closed for the next several hours.
Shakopee, MN
A Wisconsin judge refused Wednesday to dismiss charges against a Shakopee man accused of sexually assaulting a girl outside a Wisconsin mall.
35-year-old Jamie Lee Sames appeared in Outagamie County Court for a hearing on dismissal motions filed by his attorney. Sames claimed there was insufficient evidence to charge him.
Judge John Des Jardins denied both motions, saying the complaint was complete, and a transcript of the April 26 hearing supported the charges filed.
Sames is accused of impersonating a police officer in March to lure a 13-year-old girl, who stole a tube of mascara from Target, behind the store and touch her inappropriately.
Sames is charged with second-degree sexual assault of a child, child enticement and impersonating a police officer in the commission of a crime.
He faces separate charges of possessing child pornography in Scott County.
Chaska, MN
A 17-year-old Laketown boy was recently charged with fifth-degree assault and disorderly conduct for urinating in a water mug of a Chaska High School staff member.
The incident happened about June 1, and was reported on June 8 to police.
The boy allegedly admitted to the act and was arrested July 13.
The victim has not reported any health problems from the incident.
Belle Plaine, MN
The 52nd Annual Barbeque Days festival is going on in Belle Plaine this weekend. From 5:30 p.m. today to 10:00 p.m. Sunday, tens of thousands of people will visit the Belle Plaine area in search of food and entertainment. Barbeque Days Chairman Carl Kolden estimates they sell about 20,000 beef sandwiches over the course of the weekend.
Kolden says 22 committees, made up thousands of volunteers, make sure the festival runs smoothly. The annual parade takes place on Saturday at noon, and weekend activities wrap up on Sunday night with the annual fireworks.
Portions of Highway 25 through Belle Plaine will close down during the parade, and other area delays are expected throughout the weekend. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is reminding local motorists to plan ahead and allow extra time to travel through the area.
New Prague, MN and Lonsdale, MN
Traffic on Highway 19 between Highway 13 east of New prague and 3rd Ave SE will be detoured beginning today.
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation's website, this detour should last through the end of next week, and motorists will be detoured to Rice County Road 59.
Minneapolis, MN
If you're thinking about heading up to the metro area over the weekend, you may want to think again.
Even though a Twins' home stand, the city's Aquatennial Festival and the Lilith Fair concert are expected to draw an extra 100,000 people to the area, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is completely closing downtown sections of I-35W and I-94 and diverting an estimated 380,000 vehicles to other routes.
Alternative routes on Cedar, Hennepin and University Avenues and Olson Highway are suggested to avoid the interstate shutdown.
Mankato, MN (AP)
About 150 fans of pioneer author Laura Ingalls Wilder are in Mankato this week for an event called "LauraPalooza."
It's a scholarly event dedicated to the legacy of the author whose work inspired the "Little House on the Prairie" television series.
The speakers are discussing Wilder's writings, life, and even the music of her time. There's also a spelling bee and field trip to Walnut Grove, Wilder's home.
The conference is drawing people from around the country. Linda Starbuck says she drove five hours from Iowa and brought Ali Christensen, her niece, who lives in Texas.
The three-day conference started Thursday and continues today and tomorrow at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
News Headlines for July 14th, 2010
Lonsdale, MN
In response to a recent rash of break-ins to businesses and homes in the city of Lonsdale, the board of directors of the Lonsdale Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a safety seminar tonight at 7:00 p.m.
The seminar will cover personal and property safety and awareness, and will be held in the large meeting room of the Lonsdale Public Library.
Minneapolis, MN (AP)
Federal prosecturos added two new fraud charges against embattled auto dealer Denny Hecker Wednesday, while a money laundering charge was dropped.
A grand jury issued a second indictment against Hecker which supersedes the previous charges. The 58-year-old Hecker is now facing 26 counts, including the two additional charges of bankruptcy fraud and wire fraud.
Prosecutors also removed references to tax, title and license fees which they alleged Hecker's dealerships had not paid to the state shortly before his auto empire crumbled last year. Hecker's attorney, Brian Toder, says his client wasn't in control of the dealerships at the time.
Minneapolis, MN (AP)
Prosecutors say a Somali man who lied to FBI agents obstructed a "fast-moving" investigation into the disappearance of three men from Minnesota.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anders Folk wrote Tuesday that Abdow Munye Abdow lied when the truth mattered most. Folk says Abdow should get between 10 to 16 months at Friday's sentencing on an obstruction of justice charge.
Folk says Abdow lied in October about a trip he took with four others to San Diego. The filing says the trip was planned, and other documents show at least one of the men Abdow left in San Diego was on a terror watch list is now at large.
Abdow's attorney is asking for probation, saying Abdow has no prior arrests.
The FBI is investigating the travels of roughly 20 men who went to Somalia to join al-Shabab. Abdow was not among them.
St. Paul, MN (AP)
The latest version of the University of Minnesota's draft ethics policy is now online and open to public comment.
The policy is being re-written in response to concerns that outside income could influence decisions by university researchers and professors.
While the controversy has centered on the medical school, the new policy would apply to a broad range of employees throughout the university system.
The policy forces most university employees to report outside income over $10,000. Rules for employees at the medical school are stricter, requiring them to report all outside income.
U of M counsel Mark Rotenberg says the university admidnistration hopes to have the final policy in place by the end of the year.
Prior Lake, MN (AP)
Retirement just got a little sweeter for a St. Paul man who won big at the Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake.
Sixty-year-old Dick Warwick says he put two $20 bills in the Wild Cherry game Monday night and up popped three cherries, all in a row. Warwick says that's when he started screaming. He had just won $766,000.
Warwick says he had planned to retire in the next six months and hitting the jackpot makes the transition smoother. Warwick says the money will help pay college tuition for his two children. He says he and his wife also have an old Victorian house that needs some remodeling.
News Headlines for July 12th, 2010
New Prague, MN
New Prague city council members approved final payment for the Trunk Highway 19 and 11th Avenue roundabout, and also approved a resolution calling for a hearing on the proposed assessments, at last Tuesday night's city council meeting.
The costs for the project came in at about 5% less than originally proposed. Officials will conduct the assessment for affected landowners and then hold a public hearing on August 16th at 7:00 p.m.
Little Falls, MN (AP)
A 19-year-old Little Falls man drowned while wading with two other men below the Platte River Dam.
Alexander Kokett stepped off the edge of a drop-off Saturday and was swept away by the current.
The Morrison County sheriff's office says in a news release Sunday that Kokett went under before the other men could reach him. A dive team later found the body in 13 feet of water.
Kokett had been under water for about 40 minutes and paramedics were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is pending.
Black River Falls, MN (AP)
The victims of a fatal scuba diving accident in a central Wisconsin lake have been identified as Minnesota men.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Department said Monday 57-year-old James Jordan, of Eagan, MN, and 60-year-old Milton Floyd, of Minneapolis, died after diving at Lake Wazee in Jackson County Saturday.
A third diver, 53-year-old Milo Squires of Chaska, was injured and was treated at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis and released.
Sheriff's officials say the men were diving at between 140 and 200 feet and all three were in distress when they surfaced. Authorities say Jordan had an apparent heart attack. The Hennepin County medical examiner says Floyd's death was likely due to complications of rapid ascent.
New Prague, MN
Tonight's New Prague School Board meeting will be held as a "regular meeting" at 6:30, not as a 5:00 work session.
This change comes because of many board members' schedule conflicts over the original July 26 regular meeting. That meeting will be cancelled, and tonight's regular meeting will take its place.
The next board meeting will be a work seession on August 9, when the newest member of the school board will be sworn in.
News Headlines for July 9th, 2010
New Prague, MN
New Prague City Council members are at odds over the best course of action for solving some tough budget issues.
One of the proposals for decreasing expenditures included cutting a second city planner position. Mayor Bink Bender and Council Member Kay Wilcox expressed their approval of the personnel cut, based on what City Administrator Mike Johnson said is a lack of necessity for the position.
But the other council members voiced concern over cutting a person they considered valuable to the city, regardless of their position.
The council postponed taking any action on the budget for the second meeting in a row, and will resume discussions at the next meeting on July 19.
New Prague, MN
Residents of New Prague and the New Prague City Council received a visit from Tom Keefe, of Canada Goose Management, Inc., at the council meeting on Tuesday to discuss options for local goose management and eradication.
Keefe estimated that there are about 120 geese living near the Water Treatment Facility, Heritage Estates, and near Falcon Ridge Elementary school. He suggested the need for intervention during the months of June and July, when adults and goslings are flightless and easier to trap.
Council members opted to wait until they see how much the population grows next year before making any decisions. Affected residents wishing to make their lawns “less attractive to geese” can find suggestions on the MN DNR website.
Royalton, MN (AP)
City leaders in a small central Minnesota city have met twice a month for more than three decades.
But not anymore. The Royalton City Council has voted to cut the meeting schedule to once a month to save money.
WJON reports the city is dealing with the loss of about $14,000 in state aid. And by meeting just once a month, council members figure they save about $5,600 a year. That's because council members aren't salaried, but are paid for each meeting they attend.
News Headlines for July 8th, 2010
Shakopee, MN
The Shakopee School Board met with its attorney in a two-and-a-half hour closed session Tuesday but did not finish its discussion regarding allegations against Shakopee High School Principal Jim Murphy.
The board intends to pick up its discussions with a second closed session during Monday's regular School Board meeting. The board is contemplating whether to discipline Murphy after authorities charged his administrative assistant in May with theft from a high school student activity account.
There's no evidence Murphy was involved with the alleged thefts.
Cottage Grove, MN (AP)
One man is dead and another is wounded after officers opened fire during a traffic stop in Cottage Grove.
Police Capt. Pete Koerner says it happened about 11 p.m. Wednesday when the Washington County special response team stopped a vehicle in Cottage Grove.
One man died at the scene. The other was taken to Regions hospital. His condition hasn't been released. A third person in the car was taken into custody.
Police haven't said why the officers made the stop or what prompted them to open fire. No officers were injured, and those involved will go on standard administrative leave.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has taken over the investigation. The Washington County special response team deals with crisis, high-risk or other situations that require specialized officers.
Albert Lea, MN (AP)
An Austin teenager was killed and a 5-year-old boy injured in an all-terrain vehicle crash near Albert Lea.
The Freeborn County sheriff's office says 18-year-old Dennis McDermott died at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester.
Deputies found McDermott lying beside the ATV after Sunday's crash. The 5-year-old boy, whose name was not released, was conscious. The boy was treated and released from Albert Lea Medical Center.
Rochester, MN (AP)
Investigators in Rochester say they're treating the death of a man found along a gravel path in a wooded area as homicide.
The body was discovered about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in a residential area near Highway 52. Police Capt. Brian Winters says the man suffered from an apparent gunshot wound. He was dead at the scene when officers arrived.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was called in to assist in gathering evidence. The Post-Bulletin says police went door-to-door in the neighborhood, talked to residents.
Bloomington, MN (AP)
Immigration officials say they arrested 18 men during a weeklong operation that targeted gang members in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations says Thursday that 15 of them men are known gang members or associates of the Vatos Locos street gang. The others are members or associaites of the Sureno-13 gamg.
Some of the suspects were here illegally and are awaiting deportation. One of them men is in the Hennepin County Jail on an attempted murder charge.
ICE officials say gangs like Vatos Locos are becoming more involved with illegal drugs in Minnesota.
The weeklong operation ended July 2. ICE worked with police in Richfield, Bloomington and Minneapolis. The operation is part of a national initiative to target gangs.
Shakopee, MN
An ex-Minneapolis charter school director who formerly lived in Shakopee pleaded guilty Wednesday to embezzling more than $1 million from the American Indian school, according to the Associated Press
Joel Pourier, whose half-million dollar Shakopee home was foreclosed on and sold last year, pleaded guilty to eight felony counts of theft by swindle.
Pourier was accused of writing fraudulent checks and transferring money to bank accounts he controlled. He spent money from Oh Day Aki/Heart of the Earth school on houses, cars, and at strip clubs, whild students went without textbooks, supplies and field trips. The school's charter was eventually revoked.
(Sorry for the gap in news -- we've been having some problems with our website!)
News Headlines for July 5th, 2010
Minneapolis, MN (AP)
Two Minneapolis firefighters are recovering in a hospital from second and third-degree burns while battling a house fire.
The fire struck at a northeast Minneapolis home around lunchtime Saturday. As firefighters got to its third floor there was so-called "flashover" -- a burst of flames that blew out the south side of the roof.
Captain Dennis mack and firefighter Jacob LaFerriere both suffered serious burns. Mack is a 19-year veteran and LaFerriere has been on the force for nine years.
Both men are in satisfactory condition Sunday at Hennepin County Medical Center's burn unit.
Shakopee, MN
Jockey Scott Stevens, seriously injured Friday night when he was thrown from his horse after it broke a leg during a grace at Canterbury Park, is still in the intensive-care unit at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, but he has been upgraded from critical to stable condition.
THe 49-year-old Stevens suffered six broken ribs, punctured both of his lungs, broke both sides of his collarbone, and has a lacerated spleen. His horse was euthanized on the track due to the leg fracture.
Two other jockeys were injured when they fell off their horses trying to avoid Stevens and his horse.
St. Paul, MN (AP)
The former chairman of the Minnesota State Colleges and University system has been appointed to lead the search committee for a new system chancellor.
David Olson recently wrapped a three-year term as chairman of the board. New chairman Scott Thiss says he's pleased that Olson agreed to continue serving.
Chancellor James H. McCormick has announced plans to retire next summer. He had led the MnSCU system since 2001.
Later this month, the MnSCU board will discuss the search process and receive a recommendation from Olson on the makeup of the search committee. It is expected to include students, system leaders, legislators, employers and other members of the public.
