Hecker Could be Spending More Time in Jail

(AP)  Denny Hecker could be headed back to lock-up.

Federal prosecutors accuse the fallen auto mogul of committing crimes while free on bail.  They claim he defied the court by hiding $150 thousand in insurance checks to pay country club fees and lease a car.  Prosecutors also question why taxpayers are paying his lawyer fees. 

Hecker's attorney says things don't look for his man.  Brian Toder says judges tend to throw defendants in jail when the prosecution makes such a request.

The trial for Hecker, who owned two auto dealerships in Baxter, is scheduled to begin October 18th.

Thursday High School Scores

Football:
Browerville 35, United North Central 6
Ottertail Central 36, Upsala/Swanville 8
Pequot Lakes 26, Staples-Motley 20
Pierz 58, Hibbing 0
Pillager 33, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 0
Pine River-Backus 28, Cass Lake-Bena 0
Royalton 45, New York Mills 7

Volleyball:
3-0  Nevis def Bertha-Hewitt
3-0  Northland def LaPorte
3-0  Walker-Hackensack-Akeley def Park Rapids
3-1  Northome/Kelliher def Cass Lake Bena
3-2  Verndale def Eagle Valley

Tainted Peanut Butter Claims Paid

(AP)  The family of two Brainerd nursing home residents will share in a $12 million settlement with a Virginia based peanut processor.

78-year-old Clifford Tousignant and 72-year-old Shirley Mae Almer died after they ate contaminated peanut butter at their nursing homes last year.

U.S. District Judge Norman Moon issued a ruling to pay more than 120 personal injury claims related to the outbreak. 

Peanut Corp. of America filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy following the event.  The settlement is being paid by the company's insurer and Kellogg company.

Big Sandy Tribe Wants Recognition

(AP)  A group of Indians in Aitkin county says the Bureau of Indian Affairs must recognize them. 

The Sandy Lake Band of Mississippi Chippewa is suing BIA officials to get back on the federally recognized tribes list.   They say a an 1825 treaty recognized the group as its own tribe.  They say without the designation, they can't get services. 

Sandy Lake Band Chairwoman Sandy Skinaway says there are about 90 people in the group.  She says it is not about the money, but about maintaining identity and giving their children a sense of history.

Wadena Woman Accused of Taking GOP Money

(AP)  Gambling with somebody elses' money has landed the former Treasurer of the Wadenda County GOP Committee in hot water.

61-year-old Linda Sue Rebischke is accused of stealing $10 thousand from the party over two years. 

Wadena Police Chief Bruce Uselman says Rebischke admitted to taking the money.  She also claims to have repaid most of it. 

Rebischke received a one-year suspended sentence, she will have 20 days of home monitoring and community service.  The balance will have to be paid back and she must undergo a gambling addiction assessment.

A DNR Muskies Open House

An open house will be held at the DNR office in Brainerd Thursday on a proposal to stock muskies in three area lakes.   The lakes are Upper and Lower South Long Lakes south and west of Brainerd, and Roosevelt Lake near Outing. 

Fish and Wildlife Outreach Chief C. B. Bylander tells KLKS News, they would not have proposed the stocking program if they suspected damage to the walleye population.  He says a 2007 study, conducted out of the Brainerd office, indicates their main diet is perch and white suckers. 

Bylander says muskies are known to eat other muskies before they consume walleyes. 

The Open house will be held from noon to 8 p.m.

An Average September Predicted

September is beginning on a warm and sunny note. 

K-Lakes Meteorologist Tony Schumacher says it looks to be a pretty typical 9th month of the year.  Although he says the area just to the southeast of us looks to be warmer than normal.

Schumacher says precipitation could be above normal.

Tuesday High School Scores

Girls Volleyball
3-0  Brainerd def Pequot Lakes
3-0  Cromwell def McGregor
3-0  Deer River def Cass Lake-Bena
3-0  Little Falls def Pierz
3-0  Long Prairie-Grey Eagle def Osakis
3-0  Menahga def Eagle Valley
3-0  Nevis def Park Rapids
3-0  Pillager def Hill City
3-0  Swanville def Isle
3-1  Bertha-Hewitt def Browerville
3-1  Parkers Prairie def Verndale
3-1  Sebeka def Walker-Hackensack-Akeley
3-2  Aitkin def Staples-Motley
3-2  Milaca def Onamia

A Wet and Warm August

August enters the history books as a wet and warm month.

K-Lakes Meteorologist Tony Schumacher says it was about three to five degrees above normal with about two inches more rain than usual.  He says the average temperatures were helped along by overnight lows well above average.

Schumacher says September will begin with a cooling trend.  The high Saturday may fall short of the mid 60's.  However, the temperatures should moderate during the course of the weekend.

Concern Over Musky Stocking In Area Lakes

Some lakeshore residents and resort owners are concerned about the impact a state Muskie stocking plan will have on other fish and on waterway traffic.  The DNR wants to stock Roosevelt Lake in Crow Wing and Cass Counties, Upper South Long and Lower South Long in Crow Wing County, Tetonka in LeSeueur County and the Sauk River Chain in the Fall of 2011. The DNR is planning meetings on the plan on Thursday. 

"Tee It Up" a Success

The Nisswa Lions say the Project New Hope Tee it "Up for the Troops" fundraiser last week was a big success.

Project New Hope is a retreat for returning veterans from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Vietnam. One is located on Glacier Lake near McGregor Minnesota. It is entirely free to the veterans and their families.

Twenty five golf teams and 26 veterans were swinging sticks in the event at the Pines golf course and dining at Grandview's Gull Lake convention center last Thursday.

The Lions also raffled off a 2011 Red Mustang GT convertible.

Minnesota was the first state to setup a Camp New Hope. Similar facilities have since been established in Wisconsin, Iowa and New York, with a goal to have one in every state by 2016.

Gull Lake Drowning

(AP)  An Albertville man drown in Gull Lake over the weekend. 

The Cass County Sheriff's office say the body of 55-year-old Rick Williver was pulled from three feet of water in a marshy area near the Gull River.

He had last been seen Friday about 8:30 p.m.  He had been camping in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Campground.  Williver was reported missing around 3:30 p.m. Saturday.  His body was taken to the Ramsey County Medical Examiners office for an autopsy.