MN News

MEDICAL MISTAKES        Report: Serious falls rise at Minn. hospitals        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – An annual report says a rise in serious falls was the main reason for an increase in accidental deaths and serious injuries to patients at Minnesota hospitals last year.        The Health Department report says total number of “adverse health events” in 2012 remained about the same as in 2011 – 314. But deaths from these incidents rose from five in 2011 to 14, and there were 89 serious injuries, up from 84.        Pressure ulcers, including bedsores, were the most commonly reported problem, but falls accounted for nearly 90 percent of the serious injuries or deaths. There were 79 falls in 2012, up 11 percent, and they resulted in 73 serious injuries and six deaths.        Health Commissioner Ed Ehlinger says the report shows Minnesota needs to redouble its efforts to reduce falls.

MAYO CLINIC-EXPANSION        Mayo vies for public money for Minnesota expansion        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Mayo Clinic is pressing Minnesota state lawmakers to direct more than $500 million toward an ambitious development project tied to the renowned medical center in Rochester.        The proposal Mayo officials outlined publicly on Wednesday includes projections that it will lead to as many as 45,000 new jobs over the next 20 years and leverage more than $5 billion in private investment. They’re calling it the Destination Medical Center plan.        Mayo already is Minnesota’s largest private employer.        The plan focuses on upgrading Mayo’s research and care facilities and giving its mid-sized host city amenities that make it more attractive to physicians being recruited and to patients who come from worldwide for treatment. Officials say the public money would go toward infrastructure.

VERSO PAPER MILL        New owners: Verso paper mill will not be reopened        COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (AP) – A paper mill in the central Minnesota town of Sartell bought last week by a Montreal-based scrap metal and recycling company is not going to be reopened, company officials say.        Minnesota Public Radio reports American Iron & Metal Co. president and CEO Hebert Black plans to reuse the Verso paper mill’s buildings in an as-yet undetermined development. Black says there is no market to operate a paper mill and that he hopes to get a better idea of how the site could be developed during a visit planned for February.        MPR reports that Verso was cited with serious violations after a man was killed in a blast at the plant on Memorial Day.

MINNESOTA POWER-COAL PLANTS        Minn. Power to stop burning coal at 3 generators        (Information in the following story is from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com)        DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Power says it will stop burning coal at three of its older generators.        The Duluth-based electric utility plans to convert both coal-fired generators at its Laskin Energy Center in Hoyt Lakes to burn natural gas in 2015. The project will cost $15 million.        The company says one of the three coal-fired units at its Taconite Harbor power plant in Schroeder will be retired. Two other coal units at the plant will keep operating with upgraded environmental controls.        In a statement, Minnesota Power also said it intends to add other natural gas-fired generation after 2020, but gave no details.        The Star Tribune reports the company says its goal is to supply electricity to its 144,000 customers with one-third renewable energy, one-third natural gas and one-third coal-fired generation.

OBAMA-GUN CONTROL        Obama making first trip to pitch for gun proposals        WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama will travel to Minneapolis Monday to pitch his proposals for reducing gun violence.        It will be the president’s first trip outside of Washington centered on the gun proposals, which include a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as universal background checks. Obama unveiled his plan in response to the horrific shooting of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.        While in Minneapolis, the White House says Obama will meet with local leaders and law enforcement officials. Some of those officials have been part of discussions with Obama on ways to curb gun violence.        One of those officials, and Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek, has been leading a group of Minnesota sheriffs pushing stronger background checks in the state.

MISSING SOMALIS        FBI looking at Somali man’s intimidation complaint        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The FBI says it is looking into allegations that two agents intimidated a Somali man.        The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations sent the FBI a letter last week, saying man said he felt pressured when he was approached in October and asked to become an informant.        CAIR-MN Executive Director Lori Saroya says the agents reportedly threatened to delay the man’s asylum request, defame him in the community, and visit his workplace. Days later, the man was fired.        FBI spokesman Kyle Loven says an FBI supervisor called CAIR and acknowledged the FBI got the letter and would look into it. Loven says there was no promise of a formal investigation.        For years, the Minneapolis FBI has been investigating recruitment of fighters for a terror group in Somalia.

HEROIN-MOM-DAUGHTER        Mom who gave daughter heroin pleads guilty        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A woman accused of regularly giving heroin to her 12-year-old daughter has pleaded guilty to a drug charge in Hennepin County.        Prosecutor Mike Freeman says the 37-year-old woman is expected to be sentenced Feb. 12 to four years in prison. Charges of child endangerment, motor vehicle theft and giving false information to police will be dropped.        The woman was arrested on an outstanding warrant Oct. 14 at the Mall of America after store security caught her and her daughter stealing clothes. The girl was allowed to leave with her grandmother.        The next day, the girl’s father called police and said he had taken his daughter to a hospital because she was suffering from withdrawal.        Freeman’s office says the girl successfully made it through drug withdrawal but is continuing treatment.

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