Saturday Night Sports Scores

Girls High School Hockey
Brainerd/Little Falls 2, East Grand Forks 1 OT
Cambridge-Isanti/Mora/Pine City 2, Saint Francis/North Branch 1
Roseville 3, Grand Rapids/Greenway 2
Sartell/Sauk Rapids-Rice 4, Detroit Lakes/Perham 0

Two Arrested in Todd County for Controlled Substance Possession

According to the Todd County Sheriff's Office, two people were arrested in the early morning hours of Tuesday, the 18th. Deputies made a traffic stop on Highway 71, south of Browerville, and arrested Richard Pechia, age 46, and James Bourke, age 28 of Braham, for first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), and also an outstanding warrant from Kanabec County. Formal charges are pending.

Friday Night Sports

In The NBA:

Boston Celtics 95, Minnesota Timberwolves 78

Girls High School Hockey:

Bemidji 6, Thief River Falls 0
Crookson Pirates 5, Brainerd/Little Falls 1
Grand Rapids/Greenway 5, White Bear Lake 4
Sartell/Sauk Rapids-Rice 3, River Lakes 2

Denny Hecker Closing 6 Dealerships

One of Minnesota's largest car dealers is closing six of its dealerships and selling three others effective immediately. WCCO-TV reported Friday night that 400 employees of the Denny Hecker Automotive Group in the Twin Cities are going to be out of a job. The Hecker Automotive Group says the sour economy and the crisis in the auto industry are forcing its hand. The dealerships that were shut down Saturday are the Blaine Bargain Lot, Forest Lake Chrysler Jeep Dodge Mitsubishi, Monticello Dodge Ford and Mercury, Rosedale Hyundai, Shakopee Chrysler Jeep Dodge, and Stillwater Ford Lincoln Mercury. Hecker will continue to run seven car dealerships, six in Minnesota and one in Los Angeles. Two dealerships in Brainerd are not included in the closings.

Annual City of Lights Festival on November 28th in Nisswa

Holiday festivities are on the way--one of the first being the Annual City of Lights happening in Nisswa . Chamber Executive, Susan Mazzenga, told K-Lakes' News that there is fun to be had all day, including Mr. and Mrs. Claus, shopping and eating, story-telling, and caroling. K-Lakes' own Bob Bundgaard will be on-hand for the count-down to the lighting of the city at 5:29 p.m., with the count-down to be carried live right here on FM 104.3. Other activites include a bonfire and fireworks. For more details, go to www.klks.com and click on "Events". . .or go to www.nisswa.com

Wall Street is Making Main Street Nervous

We won't know when the stock market has bottomed out until afterward, when we can look back and say, "yeah, that was it," according to Financial Planner Steven Hanson of Pine River Investment services. He tells KLKS News the market is reacting to uncertainty, and there has been a lot of it recently. Hanson reminds investors to remember, on average, there are six "up" years for every "down" year on Wall Street.

Doty Wins the Recount

It looks like Al Doty will hold on to his seat in the state legislature. The Royalton DFL-er has survived the recount of the close race with Republican Mike LeMieur of Little Falls. The final difference following the recount was a scant 76 votes. LeMieur, President of the Little Falls City Council, challenged only two votes, and Doty challenged one. There was no change in the Crow Wing County vote count, where five thousand votes were cast in the contest.

Thursday Night High School Scores

Girls Hockey

• Thief River Falls 6, Park Rapids/Menahga/Nevis/Walker-Hackensack-Akely 1.

Traffic and Speeds Pick Up

Lower gasoline prices have resulted in more cars on the road, according to Sergent Curt Mowers of the Brainerd office of the Minnesota State Patrol. He tells KLKS News, motorists, who had been driving slower to conserve expensive fuel, are now stepping it down once again. Mowers had been hoping for fatality counts to return to world war two levels, but that is jeopardized by increased speeds.

Klobuchar Predicts a Fair Recount

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar is confident of an accurate recount in the close Senate race between Norm Coleman and DFL Challenger Al Franken.
Klobuchar tells KLKS News, Minnesota has a history of fairness in elections, and can show Florida how it's done.
She says it is important to democracy that all votes be counted. She makes no predictions on the outcome.

First Annual Lakes Area Friends of Scouting Leadership Dinner Slated for December

A fund-raising dinner for Scouting in Central Minnesota is coming up on Thursday, December 4th, at the Quarterdeck's Boathouse. Organizer Lee Seipp told K-Lakes' News that it will be a wonderful evening, including hors d'oeuvres and a silent auction starting at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by a program featuring guest speaker Dan Werthman. Mr. Werthman's credentials inlcude Eagle Scout, Licensed Minister, Licensed Attorney, and he has a Doctorate from Hamline University's School of Law. Dan has also served in the U.S. Air Force as Judge Advocate. The evening is co-sponsored by The Mills Group and The Quarterdeck. For more information or reservations, you can contact Lee at 218-963-2482. If you are unable to attend, but would like to make a donation, contact Lee for more details.

Klobuchar says No to Auto Bailout

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar says she is glad the big three automaker bailout plan has been pulled from consideration. She tells KLKS News, you can't give them $25-billion without knowing if they will remain solvent. The Senator says GM seems to have the toughest situation without a good plan for recovery. Klobuchar said she had been leaning toward giving them help to save jobs, including many in Minnesota. She still likes the idea of federal help for re-tooling costs to help make American cars more energy efficient.

Area Fire Departments Receive Grants

Eleven fire departments in Northeast Minnesota have been awarded federal grants for new equipment. Congressman Jim Oberstar says the Department of Homeland Security will award $625,000 from its Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program.
Among the beneficiaries will be the Pillager Area Fire Protection Association for $154,000 and the Garrison Fire and Rescue Department for $49,000.
Congressman Jim Oberstar says It will help first responders in rural towns purchase the equipment they need to protect and serve their communities.

Crow Wing County Recount Begins Today

The Crow Wing County portion of the Minnesota Senate recount began at 9 a.m. today. County Auditor Debra Erickson says 25 election judges will be visually inspecting 36 thousand votes. Erickson says there was a three thousand vote difference between Senator Norm Coleman and challenger Al Frankin in Crow Wing County, with Coleman holding the lead. Erickson expects little change in the final outcome which she hopes will be complete by the end of the day. The process will be held in the lower level of the Land Services building in Brainerd.

Leech Lake Chairman Gets Probation

A former Chairman of the Leech Lake Bank of Ojibwe has been sentenced to two years of probation on corruption charges. Peter D. White was sentenced Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson. White was Chairman of the tribe from February 2003 to June 2004. He pleaded guilty in May to accepting two cash payments of $1,500 each. He had been accused of taking several payments totaling more than $20,000. The man accused of bribing the former Chairman, Craig Keith, was acquitted by a jury in July,

Brainerd Foresters Protect Seedlings

Brainerd Area Foresters of the DNR are trying to stop deer from browsing on new seedlings. Forestry Specialist Dean Makey tells KLKS News, they are protecting thousands of new seedlings in Crow Wing and southern Cass Counties. He says one method they use is called "Bud Capping," which involves stapling a piece of paper to the terminal bud. Another method is to spray on a repellent. Sometimes they have to use both methods.

Deer Harvest is Down

The cold weather has taken its toll on the deer harvest. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says the first 10 days of the fire arms season has shown a 20 percent reduction in the take compared to last year.
DNR Manager Tom Rusch says hunters spent less time in their stands because of the cold, windy and snowy conditions.
Last year 260-thousand white tails were harvested out of a population of 1.2 million.
The season for zone two, which encompasses most of the Brainerd Lakes Area, ended last Sunday. The other fire arms seasons will end this coming Sunday.

Tuesday High School Scores

Girls Hockey

• River Lakes 4, Brainerd-Little Falls 1.
• St. Cloud Icebreakers 9, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle-Wadena-Deer Creek 1.

Wrigley Looks to Keep His Promise to the Dru Sjodin Family

North Dakota Federal Prosecutor Drew Wrigley said he made a promise to the family of Dru Sjodin to stay on after President-elect Barack Obama takes over in January, and will not voluntarily step down. He is a Republican appointment by President Bush.
Wrigley prosecuted the abduction and murder case of Alfonso Rodrequez Jr. He was convicted of abducting the Pequot Lakes woman from a Grand Forks mall parking lot in 2003.
Rodriguez has since been sentenced to death and is appealing the verdict.
Oral arguments in Rodriguez's appeal are expected to take place in early 2009. Wrigley says he plans to be in the court room handling the case.

MPCA Fines Housing Developer

Ernest Zelinka, C.L. Preserve LLC, North Pine Aggregate Incorporated and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have reached an agreement that requires the three parties to pay the MPCA 25,000 dollars for alleged stormwater violations. The violations occurred at a 35-acre housing development construction site near Pine City.
Inspections at the site confirmed that construction had begun without a required stormwater permit and a pollution prevention plan had not been submitted by the developers. In addition, two ponds within the construction site received substantial amounts of sediment, one of which drains directly into a nearby Lake.

CLC Gets an Energy Grant

The Central Lakes College Ag Center at Staples is the recipient of a renewable energy grant from the state of Minnesota.
The center will receive $100,000 over two years to be used in partnership with seven area land owners and the University of Minnesota to determine the energy content of five perennial native crops.
This grant, and the seven others funded by the Next Generation Energy Board, will accelerate the development of bio fuels in Minnesota. The projects include cellulosic ethanol production, an anaerobic digester technology for hog manure, and using turf grass to produce electricity.

Crow Wing County Prepares for the Recount

The 36-thousand votes cast in Crow Wing County, in the Contested U.S. Senate race, will be recounted Thursday Morning at 9 a.m. Auditor Debra Erickson tells KLKS News, there will be 25 elections judges tabulating the ballots by hand. She expects little change in the results. Erickson says a recount in the county sheriff's race in 2006 showed only a four vote difference following the recount.
Coleman leads Frankin by over three thousand votes in Crow Wing County.
Elections officials will also be recounting the results of the House District 12 B race between incumbent Al Doty and Republican challenger Mike LeMieur. About five thousand votes were cast in Crow Wing County in that race.

Crow Wing County Sheriff Says, Stay Off Thin Ice

Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl says the ice that is beginning to form on area ponds is not safe. He tells KLKS News, it may look like it can hold a person, but it cannot. Dahl says the cold water sends the body in the shock. He says people can wind up under the ice whether they think it is over their head or not. He is urging people not to test it.

Crow Wing County Inmate Found Dead

Crow Wing County jailers discovered an inmate unresponsive in his cell about 2:20 a.m. Monday. He was taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd where he was pronounced dead. He has been identified as 42-year-old Kyle Jason Peterson of New Prague.
The incident is under investigation pending an autopsy.