Minnesota News Briefs: Best Buy to close five percent of its stores

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(Richfield, MN) -- Despite a stengthening economy, one Minnesota company is cutting back due to slow sales. Richfield-based Best Buy is reportedly closing 50 U.S. stores and laying off around 400 employees.

Most of the job losses will be at Best Buy's corporate offices. The electronic giant recently posted a one-point-seven billion dollar loss compared to a $650-million profit a year earlier. There's no word yet on what stores will be closed as Best Buy aims to cut costs by $800-million dollars within the next three years.

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There's still no word on the whereabouts of a seven-year old boy who authorities think was abducted by his father in St. Louis County. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension earlier issued an alert that Wyatt Nordrum should have been returned to court by his father, 41-year-old James Nordrum Junior. Police report no progress in the search for the two. Those with information are asked to call 911.

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Minnesota law designates today - March 29th - Vietnam Veterans Day. Twin Cities resident Diane Finnemann spearheaded the drive to get the law on the books. She says Vietnam vets richly deserve the recognition. Finnemann notes that soldiers returned from Vietnam to a hostile and badly-devided nation - and many people blamed them for the unpopular war. At least 1,072 Minnesotans died in the conflict - and their names are on Vietnam memorials in Washington and St. Paul.

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A judge has ruled that an Eden Prairie man who drowned his six-month-old son in a laundry tub not be committed indefinitely as mentally ill and dangerous. Prosecutors wanted 38-year-old Randel Richardson to remain at the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter. But the judge ordered Richardson to receive intensive treatment before an eventual return to society, which could be several months or years. Prior to his son's death in 2010, Richardson had no criminal record but did struggle with depression and mental illness and was taking medication.

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An autopsy is being done today on a Minnesota man who died after jumping in the Red River earlier this week while fleeing police in Fargo. The body of 23-year-old Steven Franek of Moorhead was pulled from the water Wednesday. Police say Franek fled from an officer who was investigating a possible theft at a convenience store. The suspect then jumped in the river on the North Dakota side and tried to cross to the Minnesota side but didn't make it. Moorhead police officers saw Franek in the river and threw him a life ring, but he went under.

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A group of Minnesotans is witnessing the growth of the world's most populous country first-hand. More than two dozen Minnesota soybean farmers are touring parts of China over the next several days. But Paul Burke with the U-S Soybean Export Council says China's feverish growth has slowed. He says the construction sites are still erected but you don't see as many workers. He says that's because the property market in China has gotten very weak. About a third of all soybeans grown in Minnesota end up in China. The group returns home late next week.

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Minnesota-based ATK will shut down its operations at an ammunition plant just over the border from Winona County. The move at Brice Prairie, Wisconsin will put 130 people out of work by May, less than a year after ATK added employees there. The nearly 50-year-old plant makes gun-cleaning products, targets, scope mounts and replacement gun stocks.

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A portion of Highway-52 in southeastern Minnesota is closed after a tanker truck went off the road into the median early this morning. The State Patrol say the accident happened about halfway between Rochester and the Twin Cities near the town of Hader. It left a fuel spill and responders are on the scene. The driver of the truck is expected to recover. No other vehicles were involved.

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A Minneapolis firefighter is due in court today, charged with felony drug possession while he was on-duty. Prosecutors have charged 42-year-old Lawrence Wajda Junior with one count of fifth-degree drug possession. Police say they found a half-gram of methamphetamine on Wajda while they were executing a search warrant at a Minneapolis fire station Tuesday. Officers also found Ecstasy inside a luggage bag in Wajda's sleeping area, but 33-year-old Autumn Ronning, who was also at the station at the time, said the Ecstasy belonged to her. She is not a city employee. Ronning is also due in court today.

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Minnesotans love their bicycles and officials are looking for better ways to serve the state's growing bicycling population. Tonight at 6pm in north Minneapolis, citizens are invited to a meeting on bicycle planning for the entire state. MnDOT's Tim Mitchell notes that Minnesota already boasts some excellent biking trails all over the state. Mitchell says tonight's meeting is the last in a series of statewide meetings on improving Minnesota's bicycling opportunities. He says more public sessions are likely later this year to explain plans developed from citizen ideas.

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Minnesotans are among those mourning the death of bluegrass great Earl Scruggs. Scruggs became famous for the legendary "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" among many other songs. Earl Scruggs and partner Lester Flatt also recorded themes for movies and TV shows such as "The Beverly Hillbillies." Scruggs died Wednesday in Tennessee. He was 88.

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Minnesota said hello to a major political figure on this day in 1916. It's the birthday of Eugene McCarthy, who served in both the Senate and House, and ran unsuccessfully for president in 1968, 1972, 1976, 1988 and 1992. This day in 1980 also marks the death of Walter Deubener in St. Paul. Deubener is best known for inventing handled grocery bags, attaching a string around the bottom of the bag, which helped shoppers carry more goods at a time.

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Waterparks around Minnesota are on high alert after several reports of a waterborne disease. Earlier this week, an outbreak of cryptosporidium closed Duluth's Edgewater Resort and Waterpark. It has since reopened. A Minnesota Department of Health official says there have been at least three confirmed cases and six suspected cases from Minnesota through Wisconsin. Crypto is a parasite that is spread through feces and often causes diarrhea. Health officials say it can take anywhere from two days to two weeks to make its presence known.

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The long-standing dispute between the U-of-M and state lawmakers over liquor sales at TCF Bank Stadium may be on the way to being resolved. U-of-M officials wanted to serve alcohol in suites only. The legislature required, if served at all, that liquor be available in at least one-third of general seating at TCF Bank stadium -- and so the Board of Regents decided not to sell alcohol there at all. But now the Senate has passed a compromise measure that would allow liquor sales through half time at one location in the stadium convenient to the general public. The U-of-M says it supports this "legislative fix" but adds the Board of Regents will determine how alcohol sales would be managed at the stadium.

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Senator Amy Klobuchar (DFL-Plymouth) wants the U.S. House to approve the Surface Transportation reauthorization bill right away. It passed the Senate on a 74-22 vote and the old highway bill expires Sunday. Klobuchar says House Republicans do not have alternative legislation and predicts they'll "come to their senses" and pass the bill. Klobuchar says the Senate version includes $700-million for transportation projects and driver safety programs in Minnesota. One of her amendments fully restores the Agriculture "hours-of-service" exemption which makes it easier for farmers to transport goods.

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St. Cloud boosters have made significant progress in their push to entice an airline to fly between the Granite City and Chicago. The group is hoping to secure five-million dollars in travel spending commitments. Officials report since February, more than 95 businesses and individuals in the area have pledged more than two-million dollars in inbound and outbound flights between St. Cloud and Chicago. John Kraemer of the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation says the annual economic impact of reinstated local air service to Chicago is estimated at $17-million. St. Cloud lost the direct connection in 2009.

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The Fergus Falls School District is looking to hire more staff to keep up with demand for its online school. "IQ Academy" started the school year with fewer than 200 students. By Tuesday, they had more than doubled the count with a total of 500 enrollees. "IQ Academy" uses open enrollment, where any Minnesota student can enroll -- and that benefits the Fergus Falls School District with more per-pupil state aid. Fergus Falls is one of three online schools and the biggest in Minnesota.

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Here are the winning numbers from the Minnesota State Lottery for Wednesday, March 28th, 2012. The Daily Three: 4-3-2. Northstar Cash: 1-10-16-18-25. Gopher Five: 5-36-37-38-43. Hot Lotto: 3-17-20-21-27 and the Hot Ball was 14. Powerball: 11-16-29-50-58 and the Powerball was 33.

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