MN News

POPE-STUDENTS-TV        Minn. students watch pope announcement on TV        (Information in the following story is from: St. Cloud Times, http://www.sctimes.com )        ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) – Some students at St. Cloud’s Cathedral High School got to watch the historic announcement of the new pope from their classroom.        Theology teacher Jim Trout turned on the live broadcast Wednesday for his students. Trout says he felt it was important for his students to witness it.        More than 20 students watched on TV as Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio was announced as the first pope from the Americas. He will take the name Pope Francis.        After the new pope finished the remarks, the class of ninth-graders asked a range of questions from how the pope is chosen to what role the pope plays in Catholicism and the world.        The St. Cloud Times (http://on.sctimes.com/12QO87J) reports many students wished the ceremony had been subtitled.

TEXT-SUICIDE PREVENTION        Minn. text hotline: a “lifeline” in teens’ pockets        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota lawmakers are moving to set up a statewide text message suicide prevention program.        The House Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday passed a bill that would take a seven-county pilot program in northeastern Minnesota to the state level. That program, called TXT4Life, lets teens get in touch via text message with counselors.        Officials who help run that program say teens would rather send a text than call for help. TXT4Life counselors have talked with 400 people a month, on average. The state’s suicide prevention phone line gets fewer than 15 calls per month.        Rep. Mike Sundin, an Esko Democrat, says he had that demand in mind with his bill. He says the state may need to provide $2.5 million annually to fund the program.

BEARGREASE RACE        Chisholm man wins John Beargrease sled dog race        (Information in the following story is from: WDIO-TV, http://www.wdio.com )        DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – A Chisholm musher has won the annual John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon along the North Shore of Lake Superior.        Nathan Schroeder was first to cross the finish line in Duluth Wednesday morning. It’s the second Beargrease win for Schroeder, who also won the race in 2010. WDIO-TV (http://bit.ly/WnrMFC ) says the second place musher is Keith Aili of Ray.        The nearly 400-mile sled dog marathon began Sunday.

DULUTH-THEATER RESTORATION        Developer to bring back Duluth theater marquee        (Information in the following story is from: Duluth News Tribune, http://www.duluthsuperior.com )        DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – A developer plans to bring back a distinctive six-story tower that once fronted Duluth’s NorShor Theatre.        Developer George Sherman of Minneapolis-based Sherman Associates confirmed the plan to rebuild the marquee as part of a $19 million renovation of the 1910s-era theater.        Sherman says the restoration will begin in August and will take about 14 months. He says they’ll do their best to duplicate the art deco-style tower that was removed decades ago.        The Duluth News Tribune (http://bit.ly/16swAhd) reports Sherman confirmed his plan to rebuild the marquee Tuesday after speaking to a sold-out Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon.        In its day, the 64-foot-tall lighted tower with the theater’s name could be seen dozens of miles away.        The NorShor will be managed and operated by the Duluth Playhouse community theater organization.

GAY MARRIAGE        Minn. gay marriage bill survives GOP move to block        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The bill to allow gay weddings in Minnesota has survived several moves by Senate Republicans to block it.        Majority Democrats defeated Republicans motions on Wednesday to stall the bill’s progress during a Senate floor session and in a Rules Committee meeting. Republicans say they want more information about whether it would cost tax money to allow gay couples to marry, either in court costs or state employee benefits.        The bill’s backers say any costs would be tough to estimate and not very high.        Four rural Democratic senators sided with the GOP. One Republican, Sen. Branden Petersen, sided with Democrats. That was enough to keep the bill alive.        The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the gay marriage bill on Tuesday. A full Senate vote is not likely until later this spring.

CIRRUS-PRESIDENT        Former intern named Cirrus Aircraft president        (Information in the following story is from: Duluth News Tribune, http://www.duluthsuperior.com )        DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – A former intern has worked his way up the ranks to become president of Duluth-based Cirrus Aircraft.        Patrick Waddick was named president of the airplane manufacturer Tuesday. Waddick, 47, started with Cirrus 25 years ago as an intern.        Cirrus co-founder and CEO Dale Klapmeier tells the Duluth News Tribune (http://bit.ly/XuuEUl) “it’s the perfect time” for Waddick to take over.        The president’s position has been open since September 2011, when former CEO and president Brent Wouters left the company. Klapmeier succeeded Wouters as CEO.        Klapmeier had tapped Waddick, the company’s chief operating officer, for the president’s position months ago. But he waited until Cirrus’ Generation Five series of revamped SR-22 and SR-22T models that can seat five people was successfully launched before making the appointment official and public.

DAYTON-BUSINESS        Dayton confronts Minn. businesses over taxes        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Mark Dayton has told Minnesota business leaders to expect his revised budget plan to call for $1.8 billion in new state taxes, largely by raising rates on the highest earners.        In an often-confrontational speech, the Democratic governor said he won’t retreat from a bid to create a new top bracket on taxable income above $250,000 for couples and $150,000 for single filers. He has already dropped a controversial proposal to expand the sales tax in the face of stiff business opposition.        Dayton says the revised budget won’t contain property tax or corporate tax breaks he initially proposed. His new budget comes on Thursday.        Chamber president David Olson says the business lobby won’t endorse any new taxes and wants spending cuts instead to erase a deficit.

SENATE-BRODKORB-CRASH        Former Senate aide pleads guilty to DUI        (Information in the following story is from: WCCO-TV, http://www.wcco.com )        MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Former Minnesota Senate aide Michael Brodkorb has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving in a January interstate crash that left him seriously injured.        Brodkorb was sentenced to 1 year of probation Wednesday and ordered to pay a $500 fine. He released a statement in which he apologized for his behavior and acknowledged he could have died if not for the work of first responders and others. Brodkorb crashed his SUV into a bridge wall on Interstate 35 near St. Paul Jan. 23.        WCCO-TV (http://cbsloc.al/10GBVx9 ) reports Brodkorb pleaded guilty to fourth-degree driving under the influence. The former communications aide to Senate Republicans was fired in 2011 after an affair with then-Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch. He sued the Senate, alleging he was discriminated against because of his gender. That lawsuit is pending.

 

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