Minnesota News Briefs: Local police arrest wanted fugatives

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BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - A Bloomington man accused in several incidents where objects were thrown at cars and trucks is back in custody.

Thirty-nine-year old Gerret Parks was re-arrested by Bloomington Police early this morning. Prosecutors say Parks is linked to at least five of 14 incidents reported in the Bloomington area since late December. One driver was seriously injured when a metal vise crashed through his windshield. Prosecutors have filed formal assault charges against Parks.

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St. Cloud Police have arrested a North Dakota man wanted for the stabbing death of his wife. The 49-year-old from Fargo was the target of a nationwide search after 52-year-old Kathy Deniger's body was found in the couple's southside apartment Tuesday afternoon. Investigators say she may have been dead since last week. Police Lieutentant Joel Vettel says they were able to follow up on some credit card charges and one of those leads led police right to the restaurant where the suspect ate last night. The man offered no resistance when police moved in on him in the restaurant's parking lot around seven.

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A regional economist feels Minnesota has moved beyond a recovery. Toby Madden from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis spoke in Fergus Falls Wednesday, saying it is his opinion that recession is a thing of the past. He sited real estate advances, a lower delinquency rate in credit, and other trends to support his theory that the business climate in Minnesota is getting much better.

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This is Agriculture Day at the state Capitol. University of Minnesota Dean of Agricultural Extension Bev Dergin says it's all about educating the general public about what we gain from Minnesota's farmers. She says it takes a great deal of effort from many people from the time that crop is planted or that animal is born, to put that food in a store. Agriculture Day has been celebrated in Minnesota for about 40 years.

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Statewide highs in the 40's and 50's return soon as winter draws to an official close within two weeks. The National Weather Service ranks this as the fourth-warmest winter on record in the lower 48 states. Minnesota's warmth was considered much above normal. And while February snow totals were above normal in Minnesota, snow cover across the Upper Midwest so far this winter has amounted to the third-smallest on record. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows all but the far-southeastern tip of Minnesota still much drier than normal.

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Authorities have not released the name of the woman found dead after a house fire in the eastern Minnesota city of Lindstrom. Officials believe the fire was accidental. Just a few miles away, two people were identified following a fatal house fire Tuesday in Osceola, Wisconsin. Investigators are still looking for a cause of the fire which killed 43-year-old Shelli Maier and her 16-year-old daughter, Makayla Corbin.

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The Minnesota State Boys' Hockey Tournament is expected to draw nearly 100,000 fans to the Xcel Energy Center over four days. Visit St. Paul CEO Carolyn Kirchgesler says the annual tournament has about a seven-million dollar economic impact. Kirchgesler says the city and downtown businesses love hosting hockey fans and their families.

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The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis says it has dismissed an employee for alleged irregularities in credit card transactions. The archdiocese says the matter won't affect its ability to meet its financial obligations, and that insurance will "substantially" cover the loss. The archdiocese says it had conducted a preliminary investigation and as evidence was uncovered, the employee was dismissed and the information turned over to law enforcement. As of yet, criminal charges have not been filed.

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This is National Colon Cancer Screening Day. Doctor John Popp says colon cancer is curable if treated early, so men in their 40's and 50's need to get checked. He says the key to risk is whether there is a family history or a chronic inflammation of the bowel, otherwise refered to as hemorrhoids. Doctor Popp adds that men who go in for a colonoscopy when they're 50 don't usually need another for 10 years.

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The results are in from the latest Minnesota congressional "Hotdish Off." From the mostly starchy offerings entered Wednesday in Washington, first place ended up being a tie. The winners were Senator Al Franken's "Mom's Mahnomen Madness Hotdish" and Representative Chip Cravaack's "Minnesota Wild Strata Hotdish."

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A grand jury has determined that a Winona County deputy sheriff was justified in fatally shooting a man who confronted him on a bridge last September in Winona. The deputy, John Hazelton, shot Chase Kolstad during the confrontation. The case was handled by a Hennepin County prosecutor to avoid any conflict of interest.

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Former State Representative Frank Moe and his sled-dog team pulled up in front of the Capitol this morning after a 300-plus-mile trip from Grand Marais. They have 10,000 petition signatures for Governor Dayton opposing expansion of sulfide mining in northern Minnesota. Moe warns mine pollution will endanger 30,000 tourism jobs. But Iron Range Representative Tom Rukavina (DFL-Virginia) says no agency will issue a permit to anyone who's going to pollute the environment. Rukavina adds, without taxes from Iron Range taconite mines, Moe wouldn't be able to live the North Shore community of Hovland "because they wouldn't be able to plow a road."

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Welfare activists protested outside a committee hearing today and another group will deliver petitions demanding a video apology (11am), after State Representative Mary Franson made controversial comments on YouTube about Food Stamp recipients. Franson, a Republican from Alexandria, read what she called a "funny little clip" from a friend equating Food Stamps to feeding animals in the national parks, so they no longer can take care of themselves. Angel Buechner with the Welfare Rights Committee says Franson should resign. Buechner says she's a working mom, receives food stamp, and doesn't consider herself and her children wild animals. Franson argues she said in the clip that she wants to lift people out of poverty. "What is so wrong with wanting people to be successful?" she asks. Franson says Douglas County authorities are investigating e-mail threats she received.

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Minnesota's favorite rodent is at it again. A gopher, weighing approximately half-a-pound, halted an eight-thousand-ton freight train north of the Twin Cities on Tuesday. Centerpoint Energy officials ordered a Burlington-Northern Santa-Fe train to stop near Coon Rapids after the critter gnawed through a gas line, causing an underground leak. The leak was fixed and the train was allowed to proceed about three hours later.

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The man who heads Best Buy's technology office is going west. Robert Stephens, founder of the "Geek Squad," says he plans to start new companies in California. It's been 18 years since the 42-year old Stephens started the "Geek Squad," known for its computer repair service featuring black, white and orange VW Beetles.

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Here are the winning numbers from the Minnesota State Lottery for Wednesday, March 7th, 2012. The Daily Three: 1-9-2. Northstar Cash: 5-10-17-25-30. Gopher Five: 19-30-42-45-47. Hot Lotto: 14-20-22-26-28 and the Hot Ball was 16. Powerball: 12-35-45-46-47 and the Powerball was 12.

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