Saturday, February 14 Sports Scores

Big Ten Conference at Penn State
Penn State 68, Minnesota 63

High School Boys Hockey
Northern Lakes Lightning 6, River Lakes 2
Next game on Monday at 2:00pm

"A Chapman Weekend" Coming Up at Pequot Lakes Baptist Church

Nationally known Steve and Annie Chapman will be in Pequot Lakes February 20th-22nd. Pastor Mark Whittemore tells K-Lakes' News that it's going to be an inspirational weekend including a Father & Son Sportsmen's Banquet with Steve on Friday night, a day-long seminar and luncheon on Saturday with Annie, and a Sunday morning service featuring the Chapmans. Friday and Saturday are ticket-events, with the Sunday service being free-will offering. For more information or reservations, call 218-568-4794, or go on-line to www.trailsidecenter.com

Friday Night, February 13, Sports Scores

Boys High School Basketball
Bertha-Hewitt 76, Upsala 65
Brainerd 59, Rocori 50
Cass Lake-Bena 104, Laporte 37
Cromwell 66, Barnum 46
Hawley 70, Frazee 32
Little Falls 56, Sartell 36
New York Mills 66, Menahga 55
Perham 70, West Central 44
Red Lake 83, Blackduck 62
Roseau 57, Pine River-Backus 54
Sauk Centre 65, Mora 54
Sebeka 70, Henning 54
St. John's Prep 58, Onamia 42
Staples-Motley 80, Detroit Lakes 67
Verndale 57, Pillager 52
Wadena-Deer Creek 74, Park Rapids 30

Girls High School Basketball
Aitkin 52, Hinckley-Finlayson 44
Bertha-Hewitt 64, Upsala 57
Cook County 60, McGregor 25
East Grand Forks 85, Crosby-Ironton 56
Frazee 55, Hawley 47
Onamia 48, Rush City 22
Sebeka 58, Henning 31
Wadena-Deer Creek 64, Park Rapids 48

High School Wrestling
Staples-Motley 45, Crosby-Ironton 15

Boys High School Hockey
Grand Rapids 2, International Falls 2, OT (Tie)
Little Falls 5, River Lakes 2

Area Airports Receive Grants

Eight airports in Northeast Minnesota will receive federal grants to make improvements and plan for future expansion. Congressman Jim Oberstar Friday announced that the Department of Transportation is awarding $47,500 to Aitkin Municipal-Steve Kurtz Field to conduct an environmental assessment on a proposed expansion; $147,250 to Little Falls/Morrison County-Lindberg Field to perform an environmental assessment of a proposed crosswind runway and $137,750 to Staples Municipal Airport to conduct a study of a proposed snow removal equipment building and to install a perimter fence around the airport.

Shrove Tuesday Celebration Slated for Motley

Motley United Methodist Church will be hosting their annual "Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Concert" coming up on Tuesday, February 24th. Organizer, Bill Berndt, tells K-Lakes' News that they'll be having their normal fare of pancakes, scrambled eggs, coffee, and sausage, along with buckwheat pancakes that can be ordered as a special. Serving runs from 4:30pm-6:30pm, with a Dixieland-Themed Concert scheduled for 7pm-9pm featuring Diane Saumer. K-Lakes' own John Collins will be the M.C. for the evening. For more information, call 218-352-6466.

Nisswa Winter Jubilee

"Loony in Minnesota" is the theme of the Nisswa Winter Jubilee Parade at noon on Saturday. Chamber Executive Director Ann Warling tells KLKS News, you will have to see for yourself if the loons are real, or your neighbors affected by a long winter. Spectators will also see four by four trucks performing tricks along the parade route.
Warling says clues will be posted at the Chamber of Commerce building in the medallion hunt. And, she says the event will conclude with an ice fishing contest on Nisswa Lake at noon Sunday.

Steenersons Laid to Rest

(AP) Funeral services will be held today for a rural couple from Mora. 61-year-old Larry Steenerson and his 66-year-old wife Lois were killed during a home invasion Sunday night.
Two are charged in their deaths, including Craig Hohenwald of Brook Park. Services will be held at 11 a.m. today at the Methven-Taylor Funeral Home in Anoka.
Hohenwald allegedly confronted the couple over a farm loan the Steenersons had made to his parents.

Gay Marriage Goes Before State Lawmakers

The Minnesota Legislature will consider legalizing same-sex marriage this session. State Senator Paul Koering, Fort Ripley Republican, tells KLKS News, he will oppose the effort. He says even though he's gay, he will vote against the legislation because lawmakers have bigger fish to fry dealing with a budget deficit estimated at five to seven billion dollars. A rally was held in St. Paul Thursday in support of gay marriage.

Two Sebeka Men Die Unloading Hay

(AP) Two area men died while unloading hay from a semi trailer truck in Wadena County Thursday. The Sheriff has identified them as 45-year-old Harold W. Skov and 62-year-old Douglas A Amundson of Sebeka. Sheriff Michael Carr says the pair were unloading large round hay bales in Orton Township, east of Sebeka when the accident occurred. Somehow, several bales came off the trailer and rolled on top of the victims.

Thursday Night, February 12, Sports Scores

Boys High School Basketball:
Crosby-Ironton 78, Pine River-Backus 55
Northland 72, Lake Region Christian 52
Moose Lake/Willow River 78, Aitkin 53
Mora 64, Rush City 45
Osakis 63, Upsala 59
Royalton 65, Eagle Valley 54
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 52, Clearbrook-Gonvick 50

Girls High School Basketball:
Bemidji 52, Moorhead 49
Bigfork 68, Hill City 26
Brainerd 47, Fergus Falls 33
Crosby-Ironton52, Deer River 43
Holdingford 72, Pierz 56
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 61, Foley 52
Grand Rapids 65, Cloquet 55
Lake Of The Woods 49, Blackduck 45
Pequot Lakes 70, Detroit Lakes 55
Pine River-Backus 40, Nevis 34
Verndale 33, Pillager 31
Willmar 60, Little Falls 38

Boys High School Hockey:
Brainerd/Pierz/Pillager 5, Sauk Rapids-Rice 4
Little Falls 4, Prairie Center 0
Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines 7, Northern Lakes 1

Girls High School Hockey:
Roseau 10, Park Rapids Area 0

High School Wrestling
Pelican Rapids 33, Staples-Motley 30
Wadena-Deer Creek 59, Barnesville 12
Eden Valley-Watkins 36, Pierz 28
Rockford 40, Pierz 39

Morrison County Verifies Sex Offenders in County

Morrison County Sheriff Michel Wetzel says a survey has been completed verififying the status of all registered sex offenders in the county. Of the 90 Morrison County residents present on the Predatory Offender Registry, 16 were Level One; 6 were Level Two; 1 was Level three; and 67 were not assigned a level. According to Wetzel, Level One offenders are generally considered least likely to reoffend while Level Three offenders are considered most likely to reoffend. Out of the 90 offenders checked, only one was found to be non-compliant. That case was forwarded to the Morrison County Attorney's Office for consideration of formal charges.

Annual Bluegrass Festival Cancelled

The Lakes Bluegrass Festival has been cancelled for this year. It is a summer event held at the Cass County Fair Grounds in Pine River. Organizer Tim Roggenkamps said after much consideration, they have decided to cancel the event. He says they had two great years and were glad to be able to raise enough funds to build a first-class stage on the fairgrounds, provide much needed power upgrades and were able to donate funds for repairs and maintenance. Over 20-thousand dollars were raised over two years and was reinvested in the fairgrounds.

"Born Yesterday" Comedy Starts Friday in Pequot Lakes

Pequot Lakes Community Theatre, in co-operation with Greater Lakes Area Performing Arts, is slated to open "Born Yesterday" on Friday, the 13th at the Pequot Lakes High School Theatre. The 1950 Academy Award winning comedy by Garson Kanin is set in 1945, and is staged around influence-peddling in Washington. David Allan Pundt plays the role of Ed Devery. He tells K-Lakes' News that his character is an ethically-challenged lawyer who was on the fast-track to become the Attorney General, but something went awry, and now he ". . .spends his time consuming adult beverages and arranging for bribes for Congressmen." The show runs weekends through the 22nd. For more information, go to www.glapa.info --or for tickets, call 218-568-9200.

Koering Supports Medical Marijuana

The state legislature will consider legalizing medical marijuana this session. State Senator Paul Koering of Fort Ripley, supports it. He says his mother suffered nine months before she died of cancer. If she had requested it to help ease her pain, no one should object.
Senator Koering says he is not aware of any differences between medical marijuana and the street variety. And, he bristles at objections from law enforcement officials who claim, legalizing it would cause abuses. Governor Pawlenty has already said he opposes its legalization.

No Quick End to the Recession

Duluth Economics Professor David Doorn has not seen a good solution yet to the banking crisis. He tells KLKS News, the administration certainly has not come up with a clear plan. And he says economists do not agree. Dr. Doorn says only the least insolvent banks ought to be saved.
Dr. Doorn says there is no clear path out of the recession. And, unemployment could climb to 10% nation-wide. Unemployment around the Brainerd Lakes is almost at that level.

Rodrigues Brings His Death Sentence Appeal to St. Paul

(AP) Alfonso Rodrigues Jr. will take his case to over-turn a death sentence against him to a three judge panel in St. Paul today. Rodrigues was convicted in the 2003 murder of University of North Dakota Student Dru Sjodin of Pequot Lakes.
Rodrigues lawyers are expected to focus on closing arguments and the trial location. They are claiming the jury was biased and mistakes were made by both the judge and prosecutors.
The prosecutors say he was treated fairly.
Dru was kidnapped from a shopping mall. Her body was found near Crookston in 2004.

Congress Hears The Family Pain from Nursing Home Poisonings

Stewart Parnell, President of Peanut Corporation of America had nothing to say to congressmen about products from his company that were linked to the deaths of nine. One of those was Shirley Almer, a resident of a Brainerd Nursing home. Her son, Jeffery had plenty to say in his testimony before lawmakers. He said the company's actions were criminal, and they should be forced to eat their own products. Two others died from salmonella poisoning from tainted peanut butter at the Brainerd nursing home. They were Clifford Tousignant, a three time purple heart winner, and Doris Flatgard.

A Top Dog Comes from Pequot Lakes

A dog bred by a Pequot Lakes couple has won the top obedience award for 2008. "Cash," a nova scotia duck tolling retriever was presented the award at a weekend banquet, at the Westminster Kennel club, for points accumulated during a year's worth of competition, according to Peggy Wills. She says her pooch was tops out of the 200-thousand that competed.
Wills says they did not breed any dogs last year, but will in the next year or two. She says they only have one litter at a time.

How to Avoid Fraud When Investing

A stock market retreat, such as we are seeing now, often reveals the bad apples, according to Steven Hanson, Certified Financial Planner with Pine River Investment Services. He was referring to the ponzi schemes of Bernard Madoff and Tom Petters. He told KLKS News, a tip-off to fraud is investment plans that consistently show abnormal rates of return.
Hanson says the investment plans originally may have been legitimate.

This is "Take a Kid Ice Fishing Weekend"

February 14th through the 16th is "Take a kid Ice fishing Weekend." Nadine Meyer of the MinnAqua Program says anyone 18 and over can take a kid 15 and under fishing this weekend without a license. She tells KLKS News, it's best to go for the action of pan fish, to keep the kids interested. She also says a fish finder or underwater camera can be a lot of fun for the kids to watch. Meyer says there is bound to be lots of water on the ice from the recent rain and snow melt, so rubber boots would be a good idea. She is also urging folks to be on the look-out for ice heaves that can result in open water.

Crow Wing Board Increases Hand Gun Permit Fees

The cost of a gun permit in Crow Wing County is going up by 15 bucks. The county commissioners increased the cost of carrying a heater on a 3-2 vote, because the permit process currently is subsidised by taxpayers. The Sheriff wanted to increase the fee by $40 to cover their costs, and return another $10 to the treasury. The county has about 1,200 permit holders.

Slippery Morning Commute

Very slippery conditions face Brainerd area commuters this morning. State Patrol Sergent Curt Mowers says the recent rains, melting and now re-freeze has caused widespread slipperiness. He says motorists need to be especially wary at intersections and on curves.

Mora Killings Began with a Text Message

(AP) A night of terror in Mora began with a text message. One suspect involved in the killing of an elderly Mora couple, texted the other asking, "Are you up for a crazy night?" Craig Hohenwald is accused of murder in the knifing death of Larry and Lois Steenerson Sunday. Jennifer Seiberlich has told authorities, when she received the message, she assumed Hohenwald was talking about marijuana. Seiberlich is accused of aiding her friend following the attack.
Funeral services for the Steenersons will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the Methven-Taylor Funeral Home in Anoka.

Tuesday Night High School Scores

Boys Basketball:
Bertha-Hewitt 71, Menahga 48
Cass Lake-Bena 106, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 70
Henning 62, Pillager 37
Hill City 64, Floodwood 58
Isle 81, Aitkin 47
Little Falls 63, Rocori 57
Pequot Lakes 79, Detroit Lakes 75
Pierz 77, Maple Lake 47
Red Lake 109, LaPorte 49
Sebeka 78, Verndale 39
St. Cloud Apollo 81, Brainerd 60
Pine River-Backus vs Blackduck PPD

Girls Basketball:
Aitkin 53, Onamia 49
Browerville 75, Swanville 37
Eden Valley-Watkins 71, Pierz 28
Grand Rapids 59, Brainerd 41
Isle 58, Ogilvie 45
Little Falls 61, St. Cloud Cathedral 49
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 47, Staples-Motley 44
Pequot Lakes 71, Northland 52
Verndale 76, Menahga 72

Boys Hockey:
Little Falls 10, St. Cloud Tech 2
Moorhead 4, Brainerd/Pierz/Pillager 0
Park Rapids/Menahga/Nevis vs Crookston PPD

Wrestling:
Aitkin 51, Hinckley-Finlayson/Pine City/Willow River 12
Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena vs Crookston PPD
Detroit Lakes 48, Wadena-Deer Creek 23
Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus 40, Detroit Lakes 39
Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus 41, Wadena-Deer Creek 33
Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus 33, Crosby-Ironton 4
Wadena-Deer Creek 57, Crosby Ironton 19
Detroit Lakes 48, Wadena-Deer Creek 23
Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale 33, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 28
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 56, Breckenridge 24.

Suspects Arrested in Mora Stabbings

(AP) A bad debt may have lead to a double murder near Mora, Sunday night. Kanabec Sheriff Steve Schulz says 61-year-old Larry Steenerson and his 66-year-old wife Lois were stabbed during a home invasion. The parents of a 25-year-old male suspect, owed the couple $250 thousand. Court records show the suspects mother had stopped making payments on a farm.

Three Year Old Killed in Long Prairie Fire

(AP) The farmhouse fire, near Long Prairie, that killed a 3-year-old boy was an accident, according to the Todd County Sheriff's office. The fire early Sunday took the life of Lucas James Ewertson, who was sleeping in a second story bedroom. The boy's grandfather was hospitalized with smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire should be known later this week. The house was a total loss.

Howes Says St. Paul is in a Holding Pattern

Even though the state is facing a budget crisis, it has been quiet at the State Legislature recently. State Representative Larry Howes of Walker, says they are in a holding pattern, while they await the results of the updated budget forecast March 2nd, and the results of the Federal stimulus package. Howes tells KLKS News, if the Feds are going to have money for infrastructure, he hopes it can be spent on roads, bridges, hospitals and schools. He says Minnesota would be spending money on those things anyway, and people could be put back to work now. Howes hopes Minnesota gets back as much money from the Federal government as it sends to Washington. And, he hopes it is spent wisely to avoid harming future generations.

When You See Emergency Lights, Pull Over

Sergent Curt Mowers of the Minnesota State Patrol says they are getting weird comments from motorists who don't know what to do when they see emergency lights. He tells KLKS News, it's easy. They must pull over. And, on the two lane highway, pull as far off the road onto the shoulder as possible, and come to a complete stop. Sergent Mowers says some aren't pulling over at all, and others stop in a lane of traffic. He says if you see a cruiser coming up behind with its lights on, it's best to assume they are interested in you.

Sheriff Expects an Increase in Domestic Abuse

Crow wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl expects the number of domestic abuse cases to increase with the failing economy. Dahl tells KLKS News, they get several calls a day now. Most are against women, and can take the form of both physical and mental abuse. He says there are options for those who find themselves in abusive relationships. And, everyone has an obligation to report violence to authorities.

Monday Night, February 9, High School Sports

Boys Hockey:
Park Rapids/Menahga/Nevis vs. Wadena-Deer Creed Wolverines- Postponed to February 16

Boys Basketball:
Upsala 77, Holdingford 57

Girls Basketball:
Hinckley-Finlayson 59, Mora 41
Sebeka vs. Park Rapids - Cancelled
Wadena-Deer Creek vs Frazee PPD
Hill City vs Northland PPD

Governor Pawlenty Coming To Brainerd

The Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce will be holding a lunch with Governor Tim Pawlenty on Thursday, February 19 from 11:30am - 1:00pm at the Lodge in Baxter. The Governor's remarks will not only focus on balancing the budget, but strategically positioning Minnesota to prosper in a new economy. He will share his priorities, including his proposal for a Minnesota Jobs Recovery Act which includes cutting the business tax rate in half over 6 years, converting the capital equipment sales tax refund to an upfront exemption and a nmber of other initiatives. Cost to attend the event is $15.00. Registration is open to Chamber members only. Cancellations must be made by February 17 for a refund. For more information, visit the Chamber website or call 800-450-2838 to register.

Fire Claims Three Year Old Long Prairie Boy

A house fire near Long Prairie has claimed the life of a three year old boy. Lucas James Ewertsen died inside a two story farmhouse, east of Long Prairie, Sunday morning. Fire Chief Jim Kreemer, says they were on the scene nine hours putting out the blaze. An investigation is being conducted by State Fire Marshal's Office and the Todd County Sheriff's Office.

Breezy Point Fire Saturday

Authorities are investigating a house fire in Breezy Point Saturday. The Pequot Lakes Volunteer Fire Department responded to the blaze around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, just west of the airport on Ski Chalet Drive. Fire Chief Tom Nelson says the home was a total loss. Fire fighters stayed on the scene into the evening hours dowsing with flare-ups. There were no reports of injuries.

Two Killed in Mora Home Invasion

A couple were killed following a home invasion near Mora Sunday morning. The Kanabec County Sheriff says they received a 911 call from a husband and wife living in the Knife Lake area saying they had been robbed and stabbed. One died at the scene, the other on the way to the hospital. Two suspects have been apprehended. No names have yet been released.

More Eligible for the Earned income Tax Credit

Workers who have lost their jobs, or had their hours cut back, should consider filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit this year. Minnesota IRS spokesperson Carrie Resch says one out of four who qualify for the credit, fail to claim it. The income threshold for a married filer, with two or more qualifying children, is just under $42 thousand. For those without children, the threshold is just under $16 thousand.

Freezing Rain Around Brainerd

The freezing rain that moved through the lakes area this morning, resulted in the closing of many area schools, and a two hour delay for many others. Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl told KLKS News, a lot of motorists, trying to get to work, found themselves in the ditch from the glazed surfaces. He had not heard of any injuries by mid morning.