Minnesota News Briefs: Architect chosen for new Vikings stadium

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MINNEAPOLIS -- The firm that designed Cowboys Stadium in Texas and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indiana will be the architect of the new Vikings stadium.

The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority and Vikings agreed to a $34-million-dollar contract today with HKS Sports & Entertainment Group. Vikings owner/president Mark Wilf says they strongly believe HKS will deliver the ultimate game-day experience for Vikings fans while also ensuring the facility serves Minnesotans throughout the year. HKS has pledged to work with a local firm for a portion of the design. Groundbreaking near the Metrodome site is expected next year with the new $975-million-dollar stadium scheduled to open in 2016.

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In just the past month, Mankato Police have responded to nearly 30 intoxication calls and officials say it's taking them away from other duties. Matt Westermeyer with the Mankato Department of Public Safety says these individuals are not breaking any laws and don't need an ambulance. He says police can't do it alone and are asking for help from bars and the medical community. Westermeyer says they are trying to make it easier for folks to get home safely by implementing late night express buses downtown, relocating taxi stands. In addition officials are meeting with the onsale liquor license establishments on a regular basis to address issues related to alcohol. Westermeyer says in some cases police are tied up for hours when they have to drive an intoxicated person to another town for detox because Mankato has no detox facility.

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A pastor from West St. Paul is jailed in Illinois after skipping town with a 16-year-old female parishoner. Dakota County prosecutors charged 39-year-old Gustaro Resendiz Talabera with criminal sexual conduct and deprivation of parental rights for his alleged affair with the girl. County Attorney Jim Backstrom says Talabera was arrested Thursday in Joilet, Illinois and the girl was taken into protective custody. Talabera's son told police his father was having an affair with a young woman who might be pregnant and they were attemping to flee to Mexico together. The extradition process has begun to return Talabera to Minnesota.

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The Orono High School boy's soccer team retired the jersey of former captain Colton Gleason of Greenfield at last (Thurs) night's game. The 2010 graduate died one week ago after being punched in the head while walking with friends in a St. Cloud alley. The Spartans honored 20-year-old Gleason by wearing his number-15 jersey in warms-ups and it was retired during a half-time ceremony. Visitation and a celebration of life for Gleason are this afternoon at Woodridge Church in Medina.

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Has your home's siding taken on a red tint thanks to a certain summer and fall pest? U-of-M Entomologist Jeff Hahn says boxelder bugs gather in the heat of the sun. He says the good news is they don't bite people and don't carry disease. Hahn says boxelder bugs are mostly annoying and a nuisance. Hahn says boxelder bugs are especially numerous this year because it's been mostly hot and dry. He adds that now is the time to seal up your home to keep the bug from coming in a wintering-over inside.

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Folks from western Minnesota might have flashbacks if they see the new film "Tornado Alley" at the Science Museum in St. Paul. It features ten years of storm-chasing footage including Minnesota's record tornado outbreak on June 17th, 2010. Museum spokesman Mike Day says they filmed the F-4 Wadena tornado as they were driving away from it. He says it's it's one of the most spectacular pieces of film footage because they were shooting right out of the back of the tornado intercept vehicle as this 175-mile-an-hour tornado comes up across the road, it got within 25 yards of the vehicle. Day says you are literally inside the movie under the Omnitheater's 90-foot domed screen. The tornado intercept vehicle used in the film is on display in the Science Museum's lobby. "Tornado Alley" opens this afternoon.

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Polaris Industries breaks ground today on a 144,000 expansion of its production facility in the city of Wyoming. Polaris expects to employ 350 workers in the new building once it's completed though it's not certain how many will be new hires. The product development facility is used to test ATVs, snowmobiles and motorcycles. Polaris set a record with $755-million dollars in sales during the second quarter of 2012.

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Dry conditions have worsened and there's still no rain in sight. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows areas of extreme drought widening in northwestern and southern Minnesota. Amid the varied dry conditions throughout the state, a patch of moderate drought has now developed across central Minnesota. The only area with normal soil conditions is Cook County, at the far northeastern tip of the state.

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Despite the drought, farm yields around the state generally look good. Agronomist Dave Heimkes says central Minnesota, which has escaped the worst of the drought, has seen a strong harvest so far, adding: "guys are snapping pictures on their phone of field monitors and sending them in." The overall harvest in Minnesota is around half-finished for both soybeans and corn.

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A 25-year-old man has pleaded guilty to robbing Citizens Bank in Hutchinson in July. Eric Ebbers gave the teller a note demanding money and warning her he had a gun. Ebbers put nearly six-thousand dollars in his backpack and left the bank in a waiting vehicle. During the police chase, the getaway car exceeded speeds of 100 miles-per-hour, wove around traffic and passed a police roadblock. When the car finally disabled, Ebbers fled on foot into a cornfield and was apprehended the next day. Ebbers also admitted to robbing banks in Lake City and also in Gresham, Oregon in June. Sentencing will be held at a later date.

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A Duluth man was sentenced to five years in prison for manufacturing marijuana. In his plea agreement, 60-year-old James Lyons admitted that between January and November of 2009, he grew over 200 marijuana plants at his home in Duluth. Following prison Lyons will be on four years of supervised release.

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