Parkers Farm of Coon Rapids Issues Recalls

(AP) Parkers Farm, based out of Coon Rapids, is voluntarily recalling some products because of potential bacterial contamination. Consumers should discard certain peanut butter, salsa, cream cheese bagel spreads, cheese, dips and spreads made by the company. No illnesses have been reported. Their website is www.parkersfarm.com

Ice Fest This Weekend

Breezy Point comes alive with the excitement of Ice Fest this weekend. It all begins tonight with a bonfire at the resort. General Manager Dave Gravdahl expects a big crowd for the many events.

Among the highlights are the World Championship Ice Auger Contest, horse drawn sleigh rides and pond hockey.

The fireworks are set to light up the sky at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Hecker Raids Couple's Retirement Fund

(AP) A judge is ordering former auto mogul Denny Hecker to stop bickering with his wife, and repay money he raided from the couples retirement account. Hennepin County Judge Jay Quam says Hecker must replenish the $125 thousand he took from the couple's 401 K account.

If Hecker doesn't repay the money or provide a reasonable excuse by February 19th, he will get 90 days in jail.

Hecker says he liquidated the account to pay expenses related to 11 lawsuits he is currently fighting.

Thursday Night High School Scores

Wrestling:
Park Rapids 45, Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus 30
Staples-Motley 38, Park Rapids 27

Boys Hockey:
Little Falls 4, River Lakes 2
Park Rapids/Menahga/Nevis 8, Bagley/Fisston/Clearbrook-Gonvick 1
Red Lake Count Central/Red Lake Falls 15, WHA/Cass Lake Bena 0

Girls Hockey:
Brainerd/Little Falls 4 River Lakes 2
Crookston 3, Park Rapids 1

Boys Basketball:
Bertha-Hewitt 65, Pillager 29
Isle 63, Lake Region Christian 36
Menahga 63, Henning 48
Milaca 73, Foley 60
Sebeka 70, New York Mills 41
St. Cloud Tech 57, Little Falls 51
Willmar 79, Brainerd 74

Girls Basketball:
Aitkin 53, Onamia 27
Big Fork 74, Northland 46
Browerville 58, Verndale 48
Crosby-Ironton 56, Cloquet 41
Mora 50, Milaca 36
New York Mills 62, Wadena-Deer Creek 55
Pine River-Backus 78, Blackduck 27

Charges Not To Be Filed for Anti-Muslim Cartoons

(AP) Charges won't be filed against a man who investigators say admitted posting anti-muslim cartoons in front of a Somali-owned store, a mosque, and other locations. That's according to two County Attorneys in the St. Cloud area. According to the Chief Prosecutors in Benton and Stearns Counties, the cartoons are protected speech.

Traffic Deaths Down

Minnesota had the fewest number of traffic fatalities last since since 1944. Minnesota State Patrol Sergent Curt Mowers says there were a number of contributing factors, including introduction of the primary seat belt law. He says the new law went into effect mid year, so there ought to be a more significant benefit this year.

Mowers says the safe and sober campaigns have worked too. There were far fewer DWI arresst last year. The goal is to have fewer than 400 traffic deaths in 2010.

January Thaw Follows Big Chill

Believe it or not, a January thaw may be headed our way for next week. K-Lakes Meteorologist Tony Schumacher, says it will be frigid through Saturday morning, when things begin to change. He says there should be gradual warming through early next week.

Schumacher says by mid week, we could see temperatures in the 30's, that may last for through the following weekend.

Two More Swine Flu Deaths Reported in the State

(AP) Two more deaths from Swine Flu have been reported in Minnesota, bringing the total of confirmed deaths to 54. Other indicators, however, show that the second wave of infections has fallen dramatically. There were no outbreaks reported by schools last week--that's the second week in a row that no outbreaks were reported by schools. Only one person was hospitalized with a confirmed case of Swine Flu last week.

Tuesday High School Scores

Boys Basketball:
Aitkin 68, Ogilvie 40
Bertha-Hewitt 63, Wadena-Deer Creek 52
Cromwell 59, Hill City 57
Holy Family Catholic 64, Annandale 53
McGregor 56, Two Harbors 42
New York Mills 60, Verndale 59
Northome/Kelliher 59, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 45
Pequot Lakes 81, Pillager 39
Pine River-Backus 65, Blackduck 60

Girls Basketball:
Bertha-Hewitt 68, Pillager 31
Braham 74, Aitkin 48
Detroit Lakes 65, Wadena-Deer Creek 63
Holy Family Catholic 90, LeSueur-Henderson 75
Isle 68, Onamia 27
Kimball 45, Milaca 41
Little Falls 65, Rocori 61
Menahga 75, Henning 46
Nevis 55, Cass Lake-Bena 45
Northland 59, Pine River-Backus 50
Pequot Lakes 62, Crosby-Ironton 47
Pierz 59, Foley 46
St. Cloud Apollo 54, Brainerd 47
St. Michael-Albertville 63, Big Lake 52
Staples-Motley 54, Park Rapids 37

Boys Hockey:
Brainerd/Pierz/Pillager 8, Little Falls 1
Park Rapids/Menahga/Nevis 5, Northern Lakes 0

Girls Hockey:
Brainerd/Little Falls 5, Moorhead 4
Moose Lake 4, Pequot Lakes 0

St. Cloud Man Rescued from the Mississippi

(AP) 46-year old Robert Potvin of St. Cloud was rescued by members of the Sartell Fire Department earlier today. The Stearn's County Sheriff's office says Potvin was found hanging onto an ice ledge in open water today. According to authorities, Potvin told rescuers he was walking on the edge of the ice along the open water to see how thick the ice was, when he fell through. Potvin was in good condition today at St. Cloud Hospital.

Ward Favors Compromise on Money Issues

State Representative John Ward of Brainerd says the legislative leadership will be meeting with Governor Pawlenty later this week over money issues. The state is facing a $1.2 billion dollar deficit, and the prospect of state payment delays to school districts.

Ward tells KLKS News, he is not in favor of delaying school payments, but is willing to compromise with the Governor. He says that's what he wanted to do last spring. But, the Governor decided to unallot, or cut spending on his own.

Ward says there will have to be agreement among the House, Senate and Governor, if a special session is to be held prior to the regular session beginning February 4th. The Governor has said he wants to get a jump on fiscal problems facing the state.

Cold Weather Not Unusual

Is the recent cold snap historic? Not so, says K-Lakes Meteorologist Tony Schumacher. He says we did set some record lows over the weekend, when the mercury plunged to 30 below and colder. But, that's not unusual for a typical Minnesota winter.

A lot of attention has been focused on the south, where they are enduring sustained cold. Even there, Schumachers says it is not record setting cold.

Carbon Monoxide Claims Another Victim

A 22-Year-old victim of carbon monoxide poisoning at a Cass County cabin died last month at Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul. Michael Swarze of Hutchinson was staying at the family cabin near Longville in October when he and his parents were over-come.

Lee and Nancy Swarze, also of Hutchinson died as a result of the incident.

Cass County Sheriff Randy Fisher says authorities suspect a poorly ventilated gas heater may be to blame.

Pine River Gets Clean Water Money

The Pine River Watershed Alliance will get $105 thousand for establishing the Pine River Watershed Stream Baseline Water Quality as a result of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency uses a portion of the Fund for grants to cities, counties, watershed groups and others to work on water quality problems.

MPCA assistant commissioner Rebecca Flood says Clean Water Legacy funding is going to projects at the local level, where people have the best understanding of their water quality problems and how to address them.

Todd County Ice Conditions Not Good

The Todd County sheriff is advising caution on area lakes.

The wide variety of weather experienced the last two months has resulted in questionable ice conditions. A warm November, followed by lots of snow in December, followed by the recent cold have resulted in some problems on area lakes.

A fish house broke partially through the ice on Long Lake in mid December. Saturday, open water was reported on Dower Lake near Staples. Monday, a pick-up truck broke partially through the ice on Pine Island Lake.

Monday High School Scores

Boys Basketball:
Nevis 66, Menahga 53

Girls Basketball:
McGregor 40, Two Harbors 32

January's Big Chill

It's January in central Minnesota, so it's supposed to be cold. Old man winter has been living up to his reputation with temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below normal.

Meteorologist Tony Schumacher says there should be some relief by the end of the upcoming weekend.

In the meantime, we can expect some light snow Wednesday and Thursday, following by frigid conditions Thursday and Friday.

Designated Driver Keeps Crow Wing Quiet

The New Year's weekend brings a lot of parties and a lot of drinking. Fortunately, not a lot of incidents in Crow Wing County, according to Sheriff Todd Dahl. He tells KLKS News, he called the office a couple of times over the weekend, just to make sure his phone was working.

Dahl credits the use of designated drivers. He says the use of common sense has removed Crow Wing County from one of the deadliest in the state.

Sheriff Dahl is also reminding homeowners to clean and check their smoke detectors and place fully charged fire extinguishers around the home just in case. He says three homes were destroyed by fire in the Fifty Lakes - Crosslake area over the weekend.

Friday Deadline for Turkey Lottery

(AP) The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources continues to encourage young people to get involved in the outdoor sports. Hunters 17 and under no longer need to apply for turkey hunting permit through the lottery. They can purchase a spring turkey permit for any permit area directly through a license agent.

For all other hunters, Friday is the deadline to apply for one of 57 thousand permits to hunt a five or seven day season in one of 77 permit areas this spring.

MPL Taps North Dakota Wind

Minnesota Power has finalized the purchase of a 465-mile transmission line. The Duluth based company will use the line to import renewable energy from North Dakota.

For approximately $70 million, Minnesota Power has acquired a 250-kilovolt line connecting Center, N.D. with its Arrowhead Substation in Hermantown, Minn.
The purchase will further Minnesota Power's long range plan to bring more renewable energy into its system.

The company plans to develop several hundred megawatts of new wind generation in North Dakota and deliver wind-fueled electricity to customers via the DC line.

Minnesota Power is already laying the groundwork for construction of its Bison wind farm, a 75-megawatt installation near New Salem, N.D. The project, consisting of 33 turbines with a 2.3 MW capacity each, will be installed in two phases. Phase one, which will involve the construction of the first 16 turbines, is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2010.

Fire Fighting Tough in Bitter Conditions

This is not the kind of weather fire fighters want to battle a blaze, yet that was the case over the weekend. Fire heavily damaged a home on Sand Pointe Drive in Crosslake Friday night. The occupants heard a popping noise just after 10 p.m. When they went outside to look, flames were already through the roof. The million dollar home suffered heavy damage.

An over-heated wood burner caused another fire on County Road 145 in Jenkins Saturday morning. The heater got too hot when a fan that circulates air was off because of a power outage.

Bitter weather in both fires created miserable conditions for fire fighters.