Boys Hockey - Saturday

2A Sec 8

Brd/Pierz/Pillager  5, Bemidji 2

Girls Basketball - Saturday

Crosby-Ironton  65, Hill City  15

Friday Night High School Sports

BOYS BASKETBALL

Aitkin 52, Pine City 44
Bertha-Hewitt 57, Wadena-Deer Creek 53
Crosby-Ironton 70, Staples-Motley 50
East Grand Forks 60, Crookston 46
Henning 69, Sebeka 57
Hill City 70, Northland 65, OT
Isle 71, Pine River-Backus 65
Menahga 75, New York Mills 52
Pillager 55, Verndale 49
Rocori 58, Brainerd 47
Royalton 67, Onamia 53

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Ashby 49, New York Mills 26
Crosby-Ironton 47, Aitkin 33
McGregor 68, Silver Bay 19
Mora 76, Proctor 41
Pequot Lakes 80, Wadena-Deer Creek 69
Pierz 38, Kimball 29
Princeton 62, Milaca 40
St. Cloud Cathedral 61, Little Falls 58
Verndale 52, Laporte 39
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 50, Cass Lake-Bena 39

Little Falls Bank Shuttered By The Feds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators have shut down a Minnesota bank. The FDIC closed Little Falls-based Home Savings of America, with $434.1 million in assets and $432.2 million in deposits. The FDIC will mail out checks to depositors in the amount of their insured funds.

Bena Family Gets Help from Red Cross

The North Star Chapter of the Red Cross assisted a family of five from Bena, including three children, following a fire that destroyed their Cass County home earlier this month. The family received assistance for food and seasonal clothing, as well as personal care items and a quilt handmade by an area church group.

Red Cross disaster relief includes emergency lodging, food, clothing, medicine, and medical supplies, health services and mental health counseling. Relief is typically provided in the form of vouchers for use in local businesses, designed to encourage clients to participate in their own recovery and support local economic growth.

The North Star Chapter of the American Red Cross, which responds to about 35 local emergencies each year, is accepting donations now. You can help victims of this and other local disasters by visiting http://www.redcrossmn.org/.

Cravaack Hopes Northern MN Mail Remains Reliable

It looks like the U.S postal workers at the Duluth mail processing center are about to be consolidated out of a job.

The functions at the plant will be merged with the processing center in St. Paul.  The Duluth operation is scheduled to close in 120 days.

Eighth District Congressman Chip Cravaack said, “I hope the USPS is correct in its findings, because the Duluth facility is a major part our community. As we work toward postal reforms, Congress must do everything possible to ensure reliable postal delivery for central and northern Minnesota.”

Employees of the Duluth facility were given the news Wednesday.

Thursday Night High School Scores

Boys Basketball:
Pillager 67, Pine River-Backus 52
Nevis 52, Staples-Motley 45
Browerville 54, Osakis 31
Foley 51, Milaca 49
Isle 62, Hinckley-Finlayson 43
Little Falls 74, Willmar 62
Pierz 61, Kimball Area 25
Swanville 58, Verndale 54
Upsala 66, West Central Area 58

Girls Basketball:
Sartell-St. Stephen 72, Brainerd 62
Pine River-Backus 60 Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 45
Browerville 60, St. John's Prep 36
Clearbrook-Gonvick 56, Laporte 20
McGregor 69, East Central 31
Northland 73, Hill City 45
Pierz 66, Sauk Rapids-Rice 46
Sebeka 64, Perham 61
Staples-Motley 76, Nevis 49
Upsala 76, Royalton 52
Wadena-Deer Creek 57, Park Rapids Area 19

Boys Hockey:
Park Rapids/Men/Nev/WHA 3, Crookston 1

Pundt Declares for 10B

And now we have two announced candidates for the state legislature from the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Broadcaster David Allan Pundt has declared his intentions to seek the Republican nomination for House District 10 B, which includes southern and western Crow Wing County and all of Aitkin County. 

The area has no sitting House Representative following a court ordered redistricting released earlier this week.

Pundt currently serves as news director and co-host of a local Internet station.  He previously served as news director at KLKS.  Pundt is often seen on stage in area theatrical productions.

Pundt has previously run an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Representative John Ward of Brainerd.

Pundt Joins Kurt Martin, of rural Brainerd who announced his candidacy for Minnesota House District 10A Wednesday.

Martin Throws Hat in Ring

It took less than 24 hours following the release of the new legislative district boundaries to get the first local candidate to step forward.

Kurt Martin, of rural Brainerd officially announced this morning his candidacy for Minnesota House Representative, District 10A.

The 54-year-old Martin was born and raised in NE Brainerd, graduated from Brainerd High School and resides in rural Brainerd with his wife, Tami.  He has owned and operated Martin Communications Inc, a technology company, for the past 27 years.  

Martin states he will be seeking the Republican Party endorsement during the Crow Wing County endorsing convention at 9:00AM this Saturday at Central Lakes College. 

Martin has been active in the Republican Party for well over 10 years holding a seat on the Executive Committee and serving as both a county and state delegate.

Martin says jobs and the economy are the most significant issues facing the state.  He says his mission as State Representative would be to reduce total government spending to less than 30% of the GDP.  He believes this would be instrumental in bringing jobs to the state and would also allow a family to once again enjoy a middle class lifestyle from a single income household, which he holds is essential to preserving the family.

Break Time for the State Fish

The walleye, sauger and northern pike season ends Sunday on Minnesota waters.

Brainerd Area DNR Fisheries Supervisor Marc Bacigalupi tells KLKS News, it is important the sport fish get a break before the open water season begins in May.

Bacigalupi says fish houses need to be off Brainerd area lakes by Monday March 5th.  They will still permitted on the lakes during day light hours.

Frozen Fore This Weekend on Gull

The 7th annual Frozen Fore Golf and Snowmobile event will be held on Gull Lake this weekend.
The theme is; party your ice off.

Organizer Nikki Shoutz tells KLKS News, the event begins Friday night with a party and band on Hole in the Day Bay.  She says there's lots more fun on Saturday.  There will be holes set up on the lake on Hole in the Day Bay and in front of lake front establishments.

For those who won't be snowmobiling between events, a bus will be provided.

Pond hockey teams are still invited to sign-p.

Proceeds go to area charities including Ski Gull, Camp Confidence and the Blue Line Club which provides funding for high school hockey expenses.

Man Hunt for Escapee in Red Lake

(AP)  A manhunt is underway in northern Minnesota for a jail escapee.

The Beltrami County Sheriff's office says 21-year-old Jason Lee King of Redby escaped while being escorted to a medical appointment Tuesday afternoon.

Police caught up with him on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.  A high speed chase ensued, reaching 90 miles per hour before he chashed and fled into the woods.

Authorities from Red Lake, Koochiching County, Cloearwater County, the State Patrol, FBI and U.S. Border Patrol are assisting in the search.

Local Man Wins the Lottery

An Ironton man has a little extra metal in his pockets.  Robert Barry claimed a $200 thousand Powerball prize February 17th. 

Barry purchased the winning ticket at a service station in Owatonna.

The Minnesota State Lottery says the lottery has raised over $2 billion for state programs.

New Legislative Lines for Brainerd Lakes

The legislative boundaries saw a significant shift in the Brainerd Lakes area, the result of redistricting.

Crow Wing County, which had for many years been paired with Morrison County, now will be matched with Aitkin County in Senate District 10.  Legislative district 10 A will take in Brainerd and on north into the Brainerd Lakes country.  10B will include southern and western Crow Wing County and all of Aitkin county. 

Incumbent John Ward resides in 10A.  There is no representative in 10B.

The new lines will put Republican Representative Larry Howes of Walker and DFL Representative John Persell of Bemidji in the same district and DFL Senator Tom Saxhaug of Grand Rapids will be in the same district as Republican Senator John Carlson of Bemidji.

Area legislators were surprised by the new lines.  A panel formed by the Chief Justice of the MN Supreme Court created the new boundaries following the 2010 census, because DFL Governor Mark Dayton and Legislative Republicans could not agree on a common plan.

Tuesday Night High School Scores

Boys Basketball:
Perham 61,  Pequot Lakes 36
Brainerd 75, St. Cloud Apollo 65
Bagley 85, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 53
Browerville 78, Parkers Prairie 41
East Grand Forks 57, Park Rapids Area 47
Henning 56, Pillager 53
Legacy Christian 66, Milaca 54
Little Falls 75, Rocori 65
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 51, Royalton 40
Maple Lake 66,Pierz 63
Northome/Kelliher 62, Nevis 59
Onamia 56, Ogilvie 41
Verndale 75, Sebeka 62
Upsala 59, Osakis 48

Girls Basketball:
Pine River-Backus 66, Menahga 54
Moorhead 46, Brainerd 37
Staples-Motley 85, Pillager 20
Aitkin 57, Pine City 37
Bertha-Hewitt 59, Wadena-Deer Creek 58
Isle 77, Rush City 39
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 71, Browerville 50
Northland 61, Deer River 41
Perham 65, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 56
Princeton 48, Little Falls 30
Royalton 68, Onamia 40
Sebeka 62, Parkers Prairie 55
Upsala 88, Swanville 49

Boys Hockey:
Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz 4, St. Cloud Tech 1
Little Falls 9, Morris Benson Area  2

Ward Awaits Redistricting

State Representative John Ward of Brainerd says expect a lot of announcements once the new political boundaries have been drawn.  Legislative and congressional lines are redrawn following the 10 year census.

A panel established by the Chief Justice of the MN Supreme Court will issue the new boundaries this afternoon.  The court action became necessary because the Governor and Republican led legislature could not agree on what the new lines should be.

Among those making an announcement will be Representative Ward.  He tells KLKS News, he will be running for office again, he just not sure where.  Ward expects to lose parts his district to the north while expanding to the east and south.

Representative Ward says the Mississippi North Woods Project is making headway at the capitol.  The project is a parcel of land owned by Potlatch on the Mississippi River near the Brainerd Regional airport.

Approval would prevent commercial development of the land and would result in county control of the parcel for outdoor activities.

Monday Night High School Scores

Boys Basketball:
Cromwell 61, Northland 55

Girls Basketball:
Pequot Lakes 70, Rocori 48
Staples-Motley 60, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 39
Upsala 67, St. John's Prep 27

Predatory Offender to be Released Wednesday

A Level 3 Predatory Offender will be released into the Brainerd city limits Wednesday.

27-year-old Joshua Paul Rinde was scheduled to be released from the Crow Wing County Jail February 13th.  However, that was delayed in an attempt to find a different address.  He had first planned to reside on the 900 block of South 7th Street.  That has now been changed to the 200 block of 4th Avenue NE, also in Brainerd.

Rinde was jailed in January for a supervision violation.  He has a history of sexual contact with female children between the ages of 11 and 15.

Gazelka Says GOP Wants to Work with Dayton

State Senator Paul Gazelka says he wants to work with the Governor on things that they can agree on, but says the Governor has got to turn down the negative rhetoric.

Gazelka says they balanced the most difficult state budget in modern history last year, turning a $5 billion budget shortfall into an $876 million surplus, without raising taxes.

The session got off to a rocky start when the Republican majority turned down a couple of the Governor's key appointments, and cut the DFL staff budget in half.

Senator Gazelka says Minnesota is better today than it was a year ago. He goes on to say, the legislature has shown that they are willing to make the tough, and sometimes unpopular decisions necessary to reduce the government footprint in the lives of Minnesota citizens.