MN News

6TH DISTRICT-AD        Graves ad attacks Bachmann on closed paper mill        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Democrat Jim Graves is attacking Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann with a new TV ad featuring workers who lost their jobs at a Sartell paper mill.        Graves started running the ad Wednesday on Twin Cities networks as he tries to upset Bachmann in Minnesota’s 6th District in the northern suburbs and St. Cloud area.        The ad shows several workers who say they didn’t hear from Bachmann after an explosion and fire led to the closure of Verso Paper Corp.’s mill, putting almost 260 out of work. One worker accuses Bachmann of being “too worried about her own career.”        Bachmann’s campaign is calling the ad “a false character smear” and says she has been involved since the explosion, including sending letters to Sartell residents offering help.        A Graves spokeswoman says the campaign is spending $60,000 on both the paper mill ad and another ad introducing Graves this week and about $240,000 next week.

WEST NILE VIRUS-MINNESOTA        8 more West Nile virus cases confirmed in Minn.        (Information in the following story is from: Minnesota Public Radio News, http://www.mpr.org)        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota health officials say eight more cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed in the state.        Since late August, Minnesota has seen about eight new cases of the mosquito-borne disease a week. The latest additions bring the number of West Nile illnesses in Minnesota for the year to 60, with one death.        Minnesota Public Radio News reports the number of new cases is expected to start declining soon as cooler weather arrives. Some parts of Minnesota recorded temperatures below freezing this week, which should reduce the threat in those areas.        Nationwide, more than 3,100 cases have been reported, resulting in 134 deaths. Texas has seen by far the most cases, with more than 1,200.

LEXUS TRUNK-CHILD ENDANGERMENT        Boy rides in trunk, Minn. aunt charged        (Information in the following story is from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com)        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A Twin Cities woman accused of having her nephew ride in the trunk of her Lexus is charged with child endangerment.        A criminal complaint says Susan Marie McCarty picked up her nephew at a Shakopee amusement park last month. Witnesses saw the 11-year-old boy climb into the trunk and wrote down the car’s license number.        The complaint says the 38-year-old Edina woman told police her nephew had gone on a water ride and she didn’t want him to drip water on the car’s leather seats, so she had him ride in the trunk with the back seat console folded down. The boy’s grandmother and 14-year-old sister were also in the car, but didn’t question the aunt’s decision.        McCarty tells the Star Tribune she would never purposely put her family in danger.        BEE ATTACK        Bees attack daycare group in St. Paul        (Information in the following story is from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, http://www.twincities.com)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A group of children out for a daily walk was attacked by a swarm of bees in St. Paul.        The fire department says the bees stung 11 children and two caregivers Wednesday. Two paramedics who arrived also were stung.        Fire Marshal Steve Zaccard says the daycare group at first refused medical treatment. But one young girl who suffered about 30 stings was taken to a hospital as a precaution.        Jim Masters, director of A Child’s View, tells the St. Paul Pioneer Press the 3-year-old girl is “doing good.”        The group of preschoolers was looking at flowers. Masters speculates that a child accidentally disturbed a bees’ nest.        Last month, firefighters accidentally disturbed a bees’ nest while rescuing a woman who fell down a Mississippi River bluff. Several rescuers were stung.

BEST WATER        International Falls water is named ‘best in glass’        DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – International Falls can now brag that its water is “Best in Glass.”        Drinking water from the city known as “the Nation’s Icebox” was judged the best-tasting in Minnesota Wednesday. The contest was held at the annual convention of the Minnesota chapter of the American Water Works Association in Duluth.        Conference attendees voted International Falls, St. Cloud and East Grand Forks as the top three contenders. A panel of taste testing experts then named International Falls the winner.        The winning city takes home a trophy and wall plaque. It’s the first win for International Falls. Last year, St. Cloud Public Utilities took home the Best in Glass trophy.  Moorhead Public Service won it in 2009 and 2010.

DEPUTIES ASSAULT SENTENCE        Man gets 2 years in prison for ramming squad cars        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A man convicted of an assault on two deputies of the U.S. Marshals Service in Minnesota has been sentenced to two years in prison.        A federal judge also ordered 27-year-old Shawn Olthoff Tuesday to pay nearly $7,000 in restitution. The deputies were attempting to arrest Olthoff last October in North Branch for violating terms of his supervised release on a prior federal offense.        Olthoff and his girlfriend tried to flee. Deputies blocked their vehicle, the woman surrendered, but Olthoff rammed the deputies’ squad cars and took off. Olthoff hit a number of other vehicles before he fled on foot. He was captured the next day.        DEVELOPER SENTENCED        Twin Cities developer gets 4 years in prison        (Information in the following story is from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, http://www.twincities.com)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A Twin Cities waterpark developer has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States.        U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery also on Wednesday ordered 53-year-old Jeffrey Wirth to pay nearly $6.5 million in restitution.        Wirth pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Prosecutors had sought a five-year sentence.        The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports Wirth’s attorney says he will appeal the restitution amount.        In entering his guilty plea, Wirth said he and his ex-wife, Holly Damiani, used The Wirth Companies and other businesses to fund a lavish lifestyle, including $2 million to buy an island in Lake Minnetonka.        Damiani and Wirth’s tax preparer, Michael Murry, await sentencing after pleading guilty to tax-related charges.

MOSS-BACK TO MINNESOTA        Moss ready to face former Vikings team with 49ers        SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) – Randy Moss is prepared for cheers, he’s prepared for boos. He is embracing all the hype surrounding his return to Minnesota, where his illustrious career began 14 years ago.        Moss is headed back to the Metrodome on Sunday in his Number 84 jersey for the San Francisco 49ers, eager to step onto the very field where he played some of his best games in seven-plus seasons with the Vikings and leave one final impression. Especially after his short stint back with the team in 2010 didn’t go quite as planned.        The 35-year-old Moss also plans to do his part to keep his new Niners team (2-0) on a nice early season roll after showing the NFL it is among the best with wins over NFC powers Green Bay and Detroit.

 

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