MN News
Sun, 11 May 2008 11:15:55 CDT

FISHING OPENER
UPDATED: Pawlenty, Molnau land walleyes in fishing opener
BREEZY POINT, Minn. (AP) - Governor Tim Pawlenty landed a
17-inch walleye during the Governor's 60th Annual Fishing Opener at
Breezy Point on Pelican Lake.
But Lieutenant Governor Carol Molnau got a 19-inch walleye about
two-and-a-half hours earlier.
In the past six years, Molnau and Pawlenty have had a friendly
competition for first fish caught, longest fish and most fish
caught on opening day. Molnau has been the unofficial winner each
year -- and this year was no different.
First lady Mary Pawlenty was fishing with her husband. She says
she got a few bites, but nothing in the boat.
WAGON TRAIN
UPDATED: Dakota Indians block wagon train near Fort Snelling
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Protesters blocked the Minnesota
Sesquicentennial Wagon Train for about an hour as it reached
Historic Fort Snelling, saying the state's 150th birthday is no
cause for celebration.
About two dozen people, including many Dakota Indians, carried
signs in the rain, burned sage and beat on drums while singing. Two
of them lay on the wet pavement in front of horses pulling the
first of several dozen wagons on their way from Cannon Falls to the
Sesquicentennial celebration in St. Paul.
Sheriff's deputies arrested five adults and two adolescents and
ushered them to squad cars. They were released with warning tickets
less than an hour later.
The Indian group said it's planning a march today from Mounds
Park in St. Paul to the Capitol, where it may meet the wagon train
again.
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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com
GOP CONVENTION-RESIGNATION
NEW: Leader of GOP convention quits after Myanmar ties reported
ST. PAUL (AP) - The man picked by the John McCain campaign to
run the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul has
resigned.
Doug Goodyear stepped down as convention coordinator after
Newsweek reported that his lobbying firm used to represent the
military regime in Myanmar.
Goodyear issued a statement saying he resigned "so as not to
become a distraction in this campaign."
Goodyear is chief executive of DCI Group, a lobbying firm that
Newsweek reports was paid $348,000 in 2002 to represent Myanmar's
junta.
The magazine quoted Goodyear as saying the regime's record in
the current cyclone crisis is "reprehensible."
The cyclone left more than 60,000 people dead or missing. Human
rights and dissident groups have accused the junta of neglecting
disaster victims and blocking foreign donations of relief supplies.
MYANMAR-MINN
NEW: Minnesota woman working to help cyclone survivors
WILLMAR, Minn. (AP) - While some international assistance is
being kept out of Myanmar, a Minnesota woman is in the southeast
Asian country hand-delivering rice and bottles of water to cyclone
survivors.
Susan Semmler is from New London. She is in her fourth and final
year of teaching at the International School of Yangon in Myanmar.
She is using her own money to buy staples for those in need.
She is also trying to secure money, supplies and labor to
rebuild homes destroyed by the cyclone.
Semmler says that before she leaves the country at the end of
the month, she will set up a network of Burmese people to repair a
heavily damaged Baptist church in Yangon.
In a journal entry sent to her family in west-central Minnesota,
Semmler says that each time a roof goes up, it gives people hope.
---
Information from: West Central Tribune, http://www.wctrib.com
CHILD ABUSE CHARGE
NEW: Spring Lake Park man charged in baby's beating
ANOKA, Minn. (AP) - A 24-year-old Spring Lake Park man is in
custody for allegedly beating a seven-month-old baby so badly that
the boy was left in a coma.
James C. McCartney is charged with first-degree assault. Police
say he was baby-sitting his girlfriend's child Thursday when the
boy began crying and McCartney struck the boy in the head.
The boy suffered a fractured skull and bleeding in the brain. He
was in intensive care at North Memorial hospital on Friday, but his
condition was unavailable yesterday.
McCartney is in the Anoka County Jail and can't be reached for
comment. A recording at the jail says inmates can't receive
incoming calls and messages aren't given to inmates.
---
Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press,
http://www.twincities.com
STUDENT DEATH
NEW: Death of UMD student being investigated
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - Authorities in St. Louis County are
investigating the death of a University of Minnesota Duluth
student.
Thirty-one-year-old Michael R. Mayhew of Rochester died on
Monday, just one day after taking an Army fitness test. The test at
Camp Ripley included a two-mile run, two minutes of sit-ups and two
minutes of push-ups.
The cause of death has not been determined.
St. Louis County Medical Examiner Thomas Uncini says the death
doesn't appear suspicious.
Mayhew was a 1995 graduate of Rochester Mayo High School and was
a member of the 134th Brigade Support Battalion based in Cottage
Grove.
---
Information from: Duluth News Tribune,
http://www.duluthsuperior.com
COAL TRAIN E-MAILS
NEW: S.D. rail supporters tell foes to stop delays
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - South Dakota groups that support the
Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad expansion are challenging
opponents in Rochester, Minnesota, to stop trying to delay the
project.
Representatives from the Farm Bureau and Corn Growers
Association told opponents at a news conference in Sioux Falls to
stop the tactics and suggested an inquiry should be done.
The criticism stems from a court filing in Wyoming accusing
consultants for the opponents of secretly instructing landowners
how to drag out DM&E's good faith efforts to acquire land.
The president of the Rochester City Council says if railroad
opponents had considered delaying tactics to kill the project, that
is not happening now.
NETTING NEW ANGLERS
DNR tries to attract new anglers in Minn.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
has been working on an aggressive campaign to lure new anglers to
the state's waters.
It started with billboards and mail ads, then included radio
spots. Last month, the campaign kicked into high gear, as the DNR
mailed 40,000 postcards to anglers who bought licenses in previous
years but not in 2007. Another 5,000 postcards went to anglers who
bought licenses last year.
Last week, the DNR counted down the days to yesterday's opener
on electronic billboards.
DNR Fish and Wildlife Division Outreach Chief C.B. Bylander says
the state wanted to create a buzz around fishing. He says when
ranked nationally, Minnesota still fares well in retaining licensed
anglers.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the number of people
nationwide who fish dropped from 35 million to 30 million between
1996 and 2006. Minnesota's numbers have held steady at about 1.2
million for the past two decades.
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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP-NY-05-11-08 0230EDT

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