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| Back to: Home > Local News & Info > KRWC News Archives 2004 |
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| KRWC News 9/13/04 - 9/19/04 |
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'Sailing Ahead With Hope' Fundraising Walk Saturday
A fundraising walk to benefit research in battling Alzheimer's Disease and to help dementia patients and their families in Wright County will be held tomorrow in Buffalo. The 5th annual “Sailing Ahead With Hope” walk will be held at Sturges Park in Buffalo. The title of the walk is returning to its original title this year after being known as the “Memory Walk” in recent years. Prizes will be given for those raising the highest dollar totals, and everyone is welcome to participate or view the walk and after-the-walk activities. Registration for the walk begins at 9 AM, with the walk beginning at 10. |
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2nd Minnesota West Nile Fatality
Minnesota has recorded its second death this year from West Nile virus. The State Department of Health reports a man in his 60's from southwestern Minnesota died after being hospitalized when he became ill in mid-August. The state's first reported fatality from the mosquito-borne disease came late last week. So far this year, there have been 19 cases of West Nile, compared with 31 at this time last year. Minnesota recorded 148 total cases of human West Nile virus last year, with 4 fatalities. Health officials say while the chances of becoming infected are dropping, they still advise using insect repellent with DEET, wearing long clothing in areas where mosquitos are biting, and if possible, avoiding outdoor activity at dawn and dusk when mosquitos are most active. |
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Buffalo Area Drivers, Students, Getting Used to New Traffic Lights
Motorists who travel County Road 35 to or from Buffalo on a regular basis are getting used to new traffic signals which were recently installed at the intersection of the highway and Bison Boulevard which runs past Buffalo High School. Wright County Highway Engineer Wayne Fingalson says a number of serious crashes which included at least one fatality at or near the intersection prompted the installation of the lights. Work continues on County Road 35 a bit farther west, where a new alignment of the highway is being constructed in conjunction with the work on State Highway 55. Officials say they hope that work on that portion of the project can be completed soon in order to re-open the old portion of the County Road which has been detoured for several months. |
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Minnesota Unemployment up in August
Minnesota's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August rose 4/10ths of a percent to 4.8%. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Matt Kramer says despite the rise in the unemployment rate, renewed strength is being seen in several industries along with healthy overall growth in employment numbers. The county by county statistics for August will be released next week. |
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Monticello-Big Lake Hospital Expansion Open House Saturday
Monticello-Big Lake Hospital will unveil its new 50 thousand square foot expansion at an open house this weekend. A new surgical department, sleep center, private patient rooms, and intensive care units are a part of the new facility. The open house is scheduled at the hospital Saturday from 1 to 3 PM, with a ribbon cutting at 1:15 at the hospital's new Solarium Lobby. Hospital officials say the new hospital facilities will be phased into use over the next several weeks. |
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New Dist. 877 Superintendent Enjoying Transition
District 877's new Superintendent says the transition to the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose district has been pretty smooth so far. Dr. Jim Bauck says he has enjoyed a transition period that has been reasonably free from controversy. Bauck says the growth that the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose district is experiencing presents challenges, but he says he has seen districts that have had the opposite problem, where declining enrollments have forced schools to close, which he believes is even more difficult. Bauck says he plans to take the first several months of the school year to get to know the students, the residents of the district, and its communities before recommending any major changes. Bauck is beginning his first year of heading up the district's administration after the retirement of Tom Nelson at the end of the 2004 school year. |
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President Bush to Visit St. Cloud Among Minnesota Stops Today
Presidential politics will take center stage in Minnesota again today as President George W. Bush returns to the state for three campaign stops. The President will be close by as he visits St. Cloud in neighboring Stearns County, with later stops in Rochester and Blaine. Minnesota is considered a "swing state" this year despite its long history of supporting Democratic candidates. Democratic presidential and vice-presidential candidates John Kerry and John Edwards and others campaigning on their behalf have also made recent stops in the state. Closer to home, 6th District U.S. Representative Mark Kennedy is scheduled to appear at a "Meet the Candidate" forum tonight in Delano. The forum is slated for 7 PM at the Delano Middle School Auditorium. Later this month, a state house candidate forum will be held in Waverly. District 18B candidates Dean Urdahl and Dave Detert, and District 19B candidates Tom Emmer and Lori Schmidt will participate in the forum scheduled for Saturday, September 25th at 9:30 AM at the KC Hall in Waverly. |
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President Bush to Visit St. Cloud Thursday
Presidential candidates continue to pay a lot of attention to Minnesota, as the state is considered "up for grabs" despite its long history of supporting Democratic candidates. President Bush will make three stops in Minnesota tomorrow, including a visit to St. Cloud in neighboring Stearns County. The wife of Democratic vice-presidential candidate John Edwards made stops in the state Tuesday. |
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Primary Election Day Today in Minnesota
Voters in Wright County go to the polls today to set the field of candidates that will appear on the ballot in November's general election. Today's primary elections will be held throughout the state regardless of whether or not there is a need to narrow a field of candidates. In Wright County, the only area where voters need to narrow their choice of candidates is in the St. Michael-Albertville School Board race, where 11 candidates filed for three open seats. The field of candidates needs to be narrowed to 6, two for each open seat. Just outside of Wright County, the City of Dayton had 3 candidates file for Mayor, and 6 people file for City Council. The filed of candidates for both offices needs to be narrowed to two. Polls are open until 8 PM. Contact your city or township office or the Wright County Auditor-Treasurer's office for information on specifics on where to vote. |
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Primary Election Results
Voter turnout was predictably low across the state and in Wright County in Tuesday's primary elections. Many of the primary races in our area were more of a formality than an actual race, as in most cases there were not multiple candidates from any given party seeking the same office. Some Wright County voters however were helping to narrow the field of candidates in the Elk River School Board race, where 11 candidates filed for three open seats. James Tralle, incumbent Jack Hines, Sue Farber, Marv Ziner, Mary McDevitt Kraljic, and Mark Kraemer were the top 6 vote-getters, and will advance to the November elections. Just outside of Wright County, the City of Dayton had 3 candidates file for Mayor. Challenger Doug Anderson and incumbent Jim Jadwin will advance to the November elections. 6 people filed for City Council in Dayton, and the field needed to be narrowed to four. Scott Hoke, Phil Forseth, Michael Lilja, and Dennis Fischer received the top 4 vote percentages and will advance. Tune to KRWC News throughout the day for other vote totals in uncontested races. |
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Two Car Crash Seriously Injurs One
A Wright County man is hospitalized in the Twin Cities after a two-vehicle crash north of Cokato Wednesday afternoon. The Wright County Sheriff's Department says the collision happened around 2 o'clock at the intersection of County Roads 3 and 35. Authorities report that a pickup truck that was westbound on County Road 35, driven by 44-year-old Jerome Schaufler of Maple Lake apparently ran the stop sign at the junction with County Road 3. The pickup was hit on the driver's side by a northbound car driven by 75-year-old Melvin Alama of Annandale. Both vehicles reportedly ended up in an adjacent corn field after the collision. The drivers of both vehicles were transported to Buffalo Hospital. The driver of the northbound car, Melvin Alama was treated for minor injuries and released. The driver of the pickup truck, Jerome Schaufler was transferred by air ambulance to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale where he is reported to be in stable condition today. Sheriff's Department officials say that an investigation is continuing, and that charges may be filed. |
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