IJANGO Under Investigation

(AP) Better Business Bureaus in Minnesota and North Dakota are warning consumers about IJANGO. They're a Texas-based company that's moving into the area offering to pay clients for recruiting customers and other recruiters. The investigation suggests the company may be offering an illegal pyramid scheme. The company has not commented.

Road Construction Continues On Highway 169

BAXTER, Minn. - Motorists traveling on Highway 169 two miles south of Aitkin will encounter a detour beginning Monday, Aug. 31.

The detour will use three miles of Aitkin County Road 76.

The road closure is necessary to replace two Ripple River cast-in-place box culverts.

The contractor plans to replace the southern culvert by early November, and the northern culvert next construction season.

Landwehr Construction, Inc. of St. Cloud is the prime contractor for the $980,700 improvement project.

Motorists are advised to allow for extra travel time and watch for detour signs.

Lutherans To Allow Sexually Active Gays To Serve In The Clergy

(AP) Leaders of the nation's largest Lutheran Church have voted to allow sexually active gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as cleagy. Gays and lesbians are currently allowed to serve as ministers in the ELCA only if they remain celibate. The proposal passed Friday night with 68-percent approval. The final decision on whether to hire gay clergy in committed relationships will lie with individual congregations. Critics predict that its passage will prompt individual congregations to split off from the denomination.

No "Deals" at Hecker Auction

(AP) Yesterday, many of Twin Cities' auto magnate Denny Hecker's possesions were auctioned off in New Germany. Proceeds were going to Hecker's long list of creditors. Hecker is reportedly $767 million in debt. Buyers looking to get a deal didn't have much luck. . .the auction and Hecker's name drove prices up. A CrestLiner pontoon valued at $5,000 went for $8900--and a pair of Vespa scooters valued at $1800 apiece went for $2700 each. Over 1200 people registered to bid.

Favre Dons the Purple and Gold

(AP) Quarterback, Brett Favre, a three-time MVP, will be playing with the Vikings--maybe even starting this weekend in the Minnesota team's second pre-season game. Favre has come out of retirement for a second time to take on the challenge. If Favre becomes the team's starter, that will leave Rosenfels and Jackson doing some bench-warming.

Night Cap Results Are In

Night-time Concentrated Area Patrols (NightCAP) this month were conducted during the B.I.R. National Races in the Brainerd lakes area and included ten members of the Minnesota State Patrol's Remove Alcohol Impaired Drivers (R.A.I.D. Team) and three Baxter Police Officers. According to State Patrol Lt. Amy Stanfield, the 13 officers stopped at least 656 vehicles, issued 145 citations, and arrested at least 39 persons. Of those charges, 16 were for DWI while ten were for Driving-After Suspension-Revocation or Cancellation. There were nine drug-related charges as well as three open bottle charges and one vehicle was forfeited.

The State Patrol stats show that other arrests and contacts included 34 speed citations, 210 speed warnings, 15 seat belt citations, 37 seat belt warnings, one child restraint warning, 11 equipment citations, 228 equipment warnings, one Move-Over law citation, five Move Over law warnings, 49 miscellaneous citations and 316 miscellaneous warnings. Lt. Stanfield said that,Each year the R.A.I.D. Team comes through in helping to keep the big race weekend safe for everyone and this year was no exception as we had no serious injury or fatal crashes at a time when the risk was very high. The State Patrol reports that the closest bad crash call over the weekend was a serious injury motorcycle related crash in the Onamia area. The R.A.I.D. Team has been coming to the lakes area during the National races since about 1991.

Duluth Wants to Retain It's Share

(AP) The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa may well end up in court, as the City of Duluth says it plans to go to court to force the Band to keep sharing revenue from it's downtown casino. The City and the Band had reached the revenue-sharing deal in 1986, as Duluth allowed the downtown property to become Federal Indian Land.

Washington Street Bridge Lane Closures Announced

Minnesota Department of Transportation
News Release

Aug. 17, 2009

Contact: Judy Jacobs, Communications - 218-828-5706

FOR IMMEDIATE USE

Lane closures on Washington Street Bridge in Brainerd in effect on Aug. 20

Location:
Highway 210/Washington Street Bridge over the Mississippi River in Brainerd.

Time frame:
Thursday, Aug. 20, from approximately 7:30 a.m. to late afternoon.

Traffic impact:
Right lane closed in the area where crews are working.

Project information:
Routine bridge inspection.

For updated statewide traffic, construction, weather and travel information, visit www.511mn.org.

ATV Rider Seriously Injured

According to the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office, an ATV accident Sunday morning on Birchdale Road near Brainerd International Speedway, sent a 47-year old Baxter man to the hospital. Officials say that John Frederick Schrader wasn't wearing a seatbelt when he reportedly rolled his ATV several times and was thrown from the vehicle. The Sherrif's Office says excessive speed and alcohol were contributing factors to the accident. The accident is still under investigation and Schrader's condition is not known at this time.

Don't Drink & Drive!!!!

Brainerd, Minn. The Minnesota 2009 Labor Day DWI Mobilization will feature enhanced patrols August 21 through the Labor Day holiday with a further focus on the weekends. Law enforcement officers from over 400 agencies will be cracking down on impaired drivers as part of this statewide enforcement effort with a goal aimed toward getting impaired drivers off the road and encouraging motorists to make safe driving decisions. In 2008, 163 motorists were killed in alcohol-related crashes, which is a record-low for alcohol related deaths. Working this project from the lakes area will be troopers from the State Patrol, deputies from the Crow Wing County Sheriffs department and officers from the police departments of Brainerd, Baxter, Breezy Point, Cuyuna, Crosby, Crosslake, Deerwood, Emily, Nisswa and Pequot Lakes.

Property Tax Refund Applications Due Today

(AP) The Minnesota Department of Revenue says today is the last day homeowners and renters can apply for State Property Tax Refunds. Roughly 410,000 homeowners and 307,000 renters are eligble. The maximum payout is $2300., with the average payout for renters at $585., and for homeowners--the average payout is $695.