Federal Stimulus Dollars doing their Job

(AP) According to the White House, more than 14,000 jobs in Minnesota were created or saved with Federal Stimulus dollars. That's approximately 2500 more jobs than Minnesota State Officials had reported weeks ago. The numbers, released by the White House yesterday, cover jobs directly attributed to the stimulus.

Annual Toys For Kids Program Is Up And Running

The 28th Annual "Toys For Kids" campaign, sponsored by Heartland Detachment, Marine Corps League is scheduled for November 23 through December 17. In 2008, the Marines and Auxiliary members and other vounteers collected and distributed Christmas gifts to children in more than 450 families in the southern Crow Wing County. The need is expected to equal or exceed that number this year.

Application can be made for the Toys for Kids Program at the Brainerd Salvation Army office between November 3rd and November 25th. Donations of new toys may be deposited between November 23rd and December 17th at more than 40 toys trops at businesses throughout the ara. Gifts will be distributed at the Brainerd National Guard Armory on December 17.

Other scheduled benefit events include the Hollyball at Grand View Lodge and the 5th Annual Family Christmas Party at the Green Lantern, both on December 5. For more information, conctact Jack Huber at 218-764-2723 or Jim Shubert at 218-543-5041.

Coats For All Ages Being Sought

Heart and Hands in Motley and the Social Justice Committee of Sacred Heart and St. Michael's Churhes along with the co-operation from Motley and Staples Churches are collecting winter coats for all ages. The can be dropped off at Heart and Hands (The former Methodist Church) in Motley on Thursdays from 9:00am - 1:00pm; on Fridays from 9:00am - 5:00pm and on Saturdays from 9:00am to 1:00pm, or call Sandy at 352-6970. These coats will be given free to anyone who needs one on Saturdays from 9:00am - 1:00pm at Heart and Hands.

CLC Readies for Spring Enrollment

Central Lakes College in Brainerd and Staples will begin online registration for the spring and summer terms of 2010 Nov. 12-18. The web site is www.clcmn.edu/registration.

There are different registration dates for the various class of students

EZ Enrollment Day includes everything needed to complete the admissions process. Applicants need only bring the $20 fee to complete the process with the assistance of CLC staff.

The spring semester starts Jan. 11, 2010. The summer session is from June 7-July 30, 2010.

For information, contact CLC Admissions at (218) 855-8037 or 800-933-0346, ext. 8037.

Some H1N1 Vaccine gets to Crow Wing County

Crow Wing County has received its first 300 doses of swine flu vaccine. Crow Wing County Medical Advisor, Dr. Peter Henry tells KLKS News, this is just first batch. He says it isn't nearly enough to meet the demand here, and says that young children and pregnant women will be first in line.

Dr. Henry says once a full supply of the vaccine arrives, he is recommending everyone get a shot. He says there should be adequate supply by the mid to end of November.

A walk-in clinic for the most at risk segment of the population will be held Monday at the National Guard Armory in Brainerd.

Dr. Henry says the H1N1 vaccine is safe, contrary to some Internet blog sites.

Alzheimers Strikes Former Football Players

As Vikings and Packers fans await the clash of their titans Sunday, there are those who says the clash comes with a cost.

Neuroscience researcher Mark Underwood of Madison, Wisconsin, says former NFL players have a disproportionately higher incidence of early Alzheimer's disease, compared to the population as a whole. He tells KLKS News, it's time to gauge the impact of those collisions.

Underwood says the number of bumps and bruises in life add up.

Brainerd Woman Scratches Her Way to Riches

A Brainerd woman has pocketed $21 thousand from the Minnesota State Lottery. Yvonne Detuncq won the cash by playing the Triple Cash Crossword scratch game. She picked up the winning ticket at a gas station in Cloquet, and claimed her prize October 22nd.

High School Sectional Play-Downs

Girls Volleyball:
3-0 Albany def Little Falls
3-0 Pierz def Holdingford
3-0 Sauk Centre def Staples-Motley
3-0 Wadena-Deer Creek def Pequot Lakes
3-0 East Central def McGregor
3-0 Onamia def Isle
3-0 Upsala def Eden Valley-Watkins
3-0 Indus def Bug-o-Nay-Ge Shig
3-1 Crookston def Walker-Hackensack-Akeley
3-1 Browerville def Menahga
3-1 Osakis def Royalton
3-1 Cass Lake-Bena def Blackduck

Target is making some Cuts

(AP) Target Corporation is cutting 85 jobs from it's Marketing Department. In a statement released today, the Minneapolis company said that the move was part of it's normal practices of re-evaluating all areas of the company. Although most discount retailers have fared well during the Recession, Target has been hurting because much of their revenue comes from fashionable non-essentials, like home decor and accessories.

Illness Hits Breezy Point's Eagle View

While parents wait for the H1N1 vaccine to make its way to the lakes area, an area elementary school has been hard hit by illness. The Pequot Lakes school district reports heavy absenteeism from influenza-like illness. Symptoms include a fever of 100 or more, cough and sore throat.

The district is reporting 21% of the students at Eagle View Elementary in Breezy Point were out with illness Wednesday, which is a slight improvement over the day before. While illness is also being reported in both the Pequot Lakes middle school and high school, it is not nearly as high, 6 % in the middle school and 2% in the high school.

The incidence seems to be representative of national trends in which the younger students have been hit the hardest.

School officials are asking parents to keep the ill students home for at least 24 hours after the fever has broken without the use of medicine. They say it takes 5 to 7 days for the illness to run its course.

Wednesday Section Scores

Girls Volleyball:
3-0 Esko def Aitkin
3-1 St. Cloud Tech def Brainerd
3-1 Crosby-Ironton def Moose Lake/Willow river
3-1 Deer River def Northland

Petters' Trial Gets Underway

(AP) Opening statements have been made by prosecutors in the trial of Minnesota businessman Tom Petters. They allege that he engineered a Ponzi Scheme that bilked investors out of billions of dollars. Joe Dickson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, made his opening statements today in Petters' fraud trial in U.S. District Court in St. Paul.

Meth Bust in Garrison

A raid at a Garrison residence resulted in the arrest of a man and woman in connection with a methamphetamine operation. 28-year-old Jason Timothy Bowes is being held on state charges. 29-year-old Sara Jo Bloomquist is charged in Federal court for trafficking meth.

Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl says they seized 5 ounces of meth with a street value of $12 thousand. They also confiscated $2 thousand in cash.

The raid was the result of an 8 month investigation by the Lakes Area Drug Investigation Division, which was part of a larger investigation by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration

Limits on ATV's During Deer Season

The DNR is restricting the use of ATV's during the upcoming deer hunting season. Public Information Officer Jean Goad tells KLKS News, hunters may only use the vehicles to get to and from their stands, and to drag a deer out of the woods. She says it has become a safety issue, and a way to limit noise that may scare the deer.

The rifle season for deer opens Saturday, November 7th.

The 1st Week of November Could be Mild

October will go down in the books as both wet and cold. K-Lakes Meteorologist Tony Schumacher says, the first of November looks cool and possibly damp. But, beyond that, a bit warmer. We could get temperatures five or six degrees above normal.

Tony says the end of October looks to be cool again, with rain in the forecast.

Ice Fishing Restrictions on Upper Red

(AP) Anglers will have to keep rulers handy while fishing Upper Red Lake this winter.

Beginning the first of December, the slot will be adjusted, requiring the release of all walleyes between 17 to 26 inches. Anglers can still keep four walleyes, and one over 26 inches.

The DNR is increasing the restrictions because fishing pressure has been higher on the ice than during open-water angling. Still, the prospects are expected to be pretty good for fish shorter than 17 inches.

Bemidji Man Dies in Afghanistan

(AP) A Minnsota man, born in Bemidji, has died in Afghanistan. 53-year-old Randy Bergquist was killed when the C-12 Huron twin-engine turboprop he was piloting went down in a rugged mountainous area two weeks ago.

Bergquist was born in Bemidji and graduated from Princeton High School. He and two other victims were working for Lockheed Martin subcontractors. He was a former marine who worked for U.S. Customs doing drug interdiction.

Tuesday Night Football

Quarter Finals Sectional Football:
Little Falls 21, Rocori 7
Pine City 22, Aitkin 6
Pequot Lakes 55, Roseau 0
Perham 36, Park Rapids Area 22
Staples-Motley 44, East Grand Forks 0
Crosby-Ironton 35, Wadena-Deer Creek 21
Pierz 48, West Central 12
Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 48, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 0
Browerville 28, Pillager 6
Lake Park Audubon 40, Pine River-Backus 0
Royalton 28, Upsala/Swanville 26
Fosston 47, Cass Lake-Bena 0
Isle 24, Underwood 22
Verndale 48, Ashby 0
Waubun 34, Nevis 28, 2OT

Pequot Lakes High School Announces Wendy's Heisman Candidates

Celebrating its milestone 15th Anniversary, Wendy's has begun the quest to find the next class of High School Heisman recipients, students who excel in academics, athletics and community involvement.

Seniors Megan Lenz and Matt Mickelson have been selected as Pequot lakes Wendy's High School Heisman winners. Lenz and Mickelson will represent Pequot Lakes in the upcoming statewide competition.

Lenz is involved in athletics where she is a six-time letterwinner in tennis and is also a three-time MVP on the golf team.

Mickelson is currently a captain on the conference championship football team and also plays basketball for the Patriots.

According to Archie Griffin, two-time collegiate Heisman Memorial Trophy winner, "The program is a stepping stone towards higher achievement in school and community leadership."

Three Drug Arrests In Little Falls

During the execution of a search warrant Morrison County Sheriff's Deputies and Little Falls Police Officers, arrested three persons on drug-related charges. Arrested were 43-year old James Ronald Dickison of Little Falls, 28-year old Amy Lynn Coffman of Little Falls and 38-year old Leslie Ellyn Peterson of Little Falls. According to Morrison County Sheriff Michel Wetzel, items seized during the execution of the warrant will be forwarded to the BCA Lab for testing. It's likely that additional controlled substance charges will be filed once the results are received back from the BCA Lab.

State Patrol Releases "October Wave" Results

According to Curt Mower, Minnesota State Patrol, during "Operation October Wave," officers spent a total of 172 hours participating in the program in Crow Wing County and made a total of 279 stops for various violations. 72 motorists were sited for not wearing a seatbelt; 1 child seat citation was issued; with 4 move-over warnings issued and 1 DWI arrest. Other violations were for speed with a total of 201 warnings in various categories issued.

Ramsey County will say Goodbye--

(AP) A car accidentally struck a Ramsey County Sheriff's Deputy while he was volunteering on traffic detail at "Fright Farm" in Maplewood. According to investigators, alcohol and speed to not appear to be factors in the accident that killed 56-year-old Mike Wilken on Saturday. The driver is cooperating with the investigation, and has not been arrested. Services are scheduled for Friday.

Police Entertain Ghosts And Goblins In Brainerd

The Brainerd Police, Brainerd Fire and several associations and businesses are once again teaming up to make Halloween activities safer for Brainerd area children. The Brainerd Police Department will host an event from 3:30pm - 6:30pm on Saturday, October 31. The first 1200 children can receive a glow in the dark necklace, a trick-or-treat bag, and candy by stopping by the police station during the event.

The event is sponsored by the Brainerd Police Department, The Brainerd Fire Department, Lakes Area Law Enforcement Association, The National Child Safety Council, The Brainerd Police Department Patrolman Association and First Impression Printing. This is a great opportunity for kids to go to a safe place if they out on Halloween. All children are welcome.

School Bus Accident in Baxter

No students were injured in a school bus accident this morning in Baxter. Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl says the bus struck another vehicle on Highland Scenic Road about 8 a.m. A passenger in the other vehicle had to be extricated by emergency services officers.

Sheriff Dahl says County Road 48 by College Square had to be closed off for a time while police cleared the scene.

Level 3 Offender in Long Prairie

A level 3 predatory offender has moved into the 100 block of 3rd Street South in Long Prairie.

Christopher Nicholas Sonsalla has completed the sentence against him. A Community Notification Meeting will be held at Long Prairie/Grey Eagle High School, Thursday at 6 p.m. Representatives from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Department of Corrections and Long Prairie Police will answer questions.

Sonsalla was convicted of sexual contact with females between the ages of 14 and 16.

PRB Schools Delayed 2 Hours.

Pine River-Backus Schools openied two hours late today.

Superintendant of Schools Cathy Betinno reports minor weekend vandalism at the schools resulting in the delay.