REMER, Minn. (WCCO) – The tragedy and terror of the Newtown massacre was felt some 1,500 miles away by Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch.

“After the incident at Sandy Hook, it really brought a new light to, you know, that this could come home really easily,” Burch said.

Sheriff Burch laid out a line of defense: getting his deputies off the roads and out of their vehicles, and into the communities’ schools.

Deputies stop in a few times a week, walking through the hallways and doing their paperwork in the school office.

Deputy Eric Alger says the experience is positive for both the school and the deputies.

“It’s going very well. We’ve got a real good feel from the students as far as us being in here and interacting with them,” Alger said.

In the few weeks it’s been going on, teachers have noticed a peace of mind. Northland Community Schools student Jordan Perkins says he feels safer with law enforcement on the premises.

“it’s nice having someone who’s trained and can carry a weapon at school,” Perkins said.

Feeling safe may be more of a challenge in Remer than in a metro school. Deputies patrol 2,400 square miles. And in some cases, it could take more than a half hour to respond to an emergency.

Northland Community Schools Principal Joe Akre says having deputies in the building is helpful in several ways.

“The presence of law enforcement in the building is not only a deterrent but it’s a way to help educate our kids on the process and what law enforcement does,” Akre said.

That’s just one more goal of all of this – to show students they can have a future in these small towns.

“All too often our communities don’t have a lot to offer, so the kids move on,” Burch said.

The new generation will be provided with options, and protection from a grim reality.

“We don’t have a lot of problems, but Sandy Hook didn’t either,” he said.

Right now deputies only stop at the schools in Remer and Pillager. But Sheriff Burch says they’ll add more schools to their stops next school year.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Now that the weather has finally warmed up, farmer’s markets are back in business. But you may not see some of your favorite foods right away. Fresh fruits and the honey supply will be delayed this year.

Step into the packing facility at Ames Farm Unlimited, and it seems like business as usual. But owner Brian Fredricksen says all the jarred honey, candles and honeycomb are leftovers from last summer.

“Luckily we still have honey from last year to sell,” Fredricksen said.

Weather has slowed this year’s supply.

“We had, of course, a very long winter, longer than anyone could’ve expected. So that means the bees were in their hives about an extra four-to six-weeks longer than normal,” he said.

Fredricksen is just starting to see increased activity in his more than 40 hives.

“They’re very into the trees right now, the maples, willows and box elders are flowering,” he said.

Bees are searching for pollen and building their hive, a key part of the honey-making process.

“Our new crop probably won’t be available until June or July or even a little later,” he said.

This late spring isn’t just having an effect on honey production. It could also have an impact on berries, melon and even apples.

The bees have yet to find the budding trees of Apple Jack’s Orchard, potentially pushing back the start of the apple-picking season.

Still, Mike Dekarski expects a full crop.

“It’s just going to be a week later, so if you’re used to coming out to an orchard and getting a honey crisp on the 15th of September, it may be seven days later,” Dekarski said.

Anyone in agriculture knows success depends on the weather, and forecasting the future leads to an unpredictable outcome.

“Could be a smaller crop depending if things warm up and stay warm,” Fredricksen said. “It’s anyone’s guess at this point.”

Many beekeepers are now starting to move their hives to southern states in the winter so they can start growing their hives early.

MINNETONKA, Minn. (WCCO) – Brooke Welch is out on Lake Minnetonka, enjoying a boat ride that’s been months in the making.

“It’s been a long winter, really cold so we are happy to be out on the water,” Welch said.

Unfortunately for most boaters enjoying the weekend on water, gas prices in Minnesota are currently the third highest in the nation – right behind Alaska and Hawaii.

The temporary closing of two Minnesota refineries for cleaning has caused prices to explode throughout the Midwest.

At Tonka Bay Marina, gas is currently at $5.39 per gallon. And analysts expect prices to stay high in Minnesota through the Fourth of July.

“I think the hard part is you still have to get gas. I don’t even look at it, just fill up the tank and go,” Welch said. “Boat needs gas, or car needs gas. Gonna stop and get it. Doesn’t stop us from doing what we need to do.”

A new survey with BankRate.com shows 60 percent of Americans do cut back on other spending when gas prices go up.

The winner numbers are 10, 13, 14, 22, 52 and the Powerball is 11.

Businesses that sell lottery tickets were busy all Saturday with people hoping luck will make them millionaires.

Joe Brady bought his ticket out of the thrill of the big payout,

“I think it’s the idea of winning something really, really big. That’s why I’m here,” Brady said.

Bobby & Steve’s Auto World told WCCO that on a regular day, they sell $150 worth of lottery tickets.

Saturday, they sold $1,000 worth of tickets in just two hours.

If there is a winner after Saturday night’s drawing, they can choose the cash option of $377 million.

Wyoming Police say a 30-year-old man suffered severe burns after a minor flashover explosion in the garage at 7002 Lake Blvd. late Saturday morning.

After the man was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, police discovered materials used to make fireworks. After acquiring a search warrant, authorities found a small manufacturing operation, producing illegal 2-3 inch mortar-style aerial fireworks.

Wyoming Police, with assistance from the St. Paul Bomb Squad and the ATF, dismantled and removed the equipment.

Two adult males are currently in custody.

According to a police news release, Lyrik James Schmelz was last seen getting on the bus after classes ended Thursday afternoon at Lincoln Park Middle School.

When Schmelz’ bus arrived at his stop, Schmelz was not on it.

Police say investigators have been checking numerous locations and following leads but haven’t yet found him.

He’s described as 5 feet tall and 120 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.

The department asks that anyone with information call Duluth police at 218-730-5515 during the day or 218-727-8770 on nights and weekends.

A message left for a police spokesman Sunday evening wasn’t immediately returned.

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“If there is an oxymoron in America, it’s a humble anchorman,” Brokaw said. “But this is truly a humbling experience.”

The 73-year-old journalist, who hosted NBC Nightly News for 22 years, joined Mayo Clinic’s Board of Trustees in 2008. He’s also developed three documentaries about health care in America.

Brokaw also gave a 20-minute commencement speech for the 84-member graduating class, according to the Post-Bulletin of Rochester.

Brokaw, a South Dakota native, urged graduates to hold compassionate dialogue with patients, while also improving transparency with regard to medical bills. He compared current receipts to “hieroglyphics.”

Brokaw acknowledged that those goals might prove difficult due to the overall uncertainty regarding the Affordable Care Act but encouraged them to tackle what’s become a “radioactive issue” within the political world.

“You should go out and make a buck, but also remember (to) make a difference,” Brokaw said as he signed off from the podium.

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The St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the best thing a person can do to stay safe on the water is to wear a life vest or personal flotation device.

According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, there were 4,515 recreational boating accidents last year that resulted in 651 deaths nationwide. Almost 71 percent of all fatal boating accidents were the result of drowning; and of those, almost 85 percent of the victims were not wearing a life jacket.

Some of northern Minnesota’s large fishing lakes remain at least partly covered by ice, but many smaller lakes, and lakes to the south, have opened up.

___

National Safe Boating Council site: http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com

Minnesota DNR Boat and Water Safety: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/boatwater/index.html

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP/WCCO) — oving in fits and starts Saturday, the Minnesota Legislature tried to nail down the final pieces of the next state budget, including votes on a nearly $16 billion school funding bill that’s been one of the chief priorities for Democrats running things at the Capitol.

Floor sessions also were likely on Sunday, as the late Monday deadline for adjourning grew closer.

In addition to House and Senate votes on a cluster of budget bills, House Democratic leaders said they planned to bring up a bill to authorize a union vote for home daycare providers and another for personal care attendants who serve the elderly or disabled. That measure, intensely opposed by Republicans, drew crowds of demonstrators from both sides of the issue to the Capitol on a soggy Saturday.

Green-shirted backers of the bill framed it as an incremental step toward unionization, which would only occur through a subsequent election among those affected. One held a sign, “It’s America. Let us vote.”

Opponents were just as vocal in trying to head the bill off, and House Republicans filed more than 100 amendments and prolonged debate. Lisa Coonan, an in-home provider in Mendota Heights, said she’s worried about having to pay union dues without much tangible return.

“This isn’t going to give me a right to strike. We’re not going to get more days off, or any other benefits,” Coonan said. “I’m an independent business owner. I don’t need a union to represent me. I have a voice. I’m here today.”

But budget bills were up first, including the single biggest: the $16 billion education funding package, which amounts to more than 40 percent of Democrats’ proposed $38 billion total budget for the next two years. The bill boosts state spending by $475 million over the last two years on programs that reach from early childhood to 12th grade.

“It’s a bill that will actually make a huge difference, not only for the students of our state but for the future economy of our state,” said the chief House author, DFL Rep. Paul Marquart of Dilworth. Much of the new spending is aimed at young children, including funds for all-day kindergarten in districts statewide, and grants to help low-income families pay for Head Start or school-based daycare programs.

Marquart said the latter would mean better early learning options for about 8,000 students. That and the expanded kindergarten are aimed at erasing large divides in academic performance between white and non-white students in the state, what’s often called the achievement gap. While traditionally boasting some of the country’s best test scores, Minnesota has struggled to close that gap.

“If we can close that achievement gap, that will have such huge economic benefits,” Marquart said.

If passed by the House, the education funding bill heads to the Senate and then Dayton. By Saturday afternoon, lawmakers had sent Dayton four budget bills: a health and assistance programs budget that includes 5-percent pay hikes for nursing home workers; a courts and public safety budget that increases pay for judges; a higher education budget that freezes public college and university tuition; and a budget for jobs and economic development programs.

The Senate passed the $11 billion health and human services budget on Saturday, after the House passed it late Friday. In addition to the nursing home worker pay increase, it also includes a 1-percent pay increase for care workers for the disabled. Republicans said with Democrats planning to raise more than $2 billion in new taxes, that those raises should have been bigger.

“We have priorities in this chamber that I’m just amazed at,” said Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont.

Democrats want to cover much of the new spending with a 2-percent income tax hike on the wealthiest 2 percent of Minnesotans, a cigarette tax hike of at least a dollar more per pack, and some sales tax hikes on businesses. Tax bill negotiators continued to plug away Saturday morning to finalize those details. Late Friday, they unanimously agreed their final bill would include $400 million in state funds to help fund infrastructure improvements in Rochester that were sought by Mayo Clinic as the medical giant seeks to expand in its home city.

One proposed fee hike fell out of the mix Saturday, after House and Senate negotiators on the environment and agriculture budget dropped a House DFL provision to raise water fees by about $6 million to pay for improving water quality. Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, said those programs would instead be funded by the general fund. The House looked likely to take that bill up later Saturday, too.

A number of big issues were uncertain as Monday’s deadline approached. It was unclear if the Senate would take up a constitutional amendment, passed Friday by the House, which proposes establishing an independent council to set pay for state lawmakers. A proposed state minimum wage hike remained stuck between House and Senate Democrats unable to agree how much it should go up. And a proposed $109 million in construction bonds to help pay for state Capitol renovations was in limbo after a larger, $800 million construction bill fell a few votes short of passage in the House.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Bill Upping Spending On Minn. Schools Almost Law

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota schools are in line for a bunch of new money from the state.

The Legislature was ready Saturday to sign off on a massive education finance bill that puts $485 million more into programs from early childhood through high school graduation.

Every school district would get at least $78 more per student next year and $80 on top of that the following year. That chews up about $235 million of the new spending.

The other major change would have the state pick up the full cost of all-day kindergarten. Districts that offer it would no longer charge parents an extra fee for extra hours beyond their half-day programs.

The education bill consumes a big chunk of the new money from tax increases sought by the Democratic-led Legislature.

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Officials showed off the new 13,000-square-foot building Friday at a grand opening ceremony, giving the public a chance to see how the unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, work.

The only one like it in Minnesota, the facility will provide a place for troops and civilians to practice with the technology before using it in real-life situations.

“Getting the operators, the pilots, the intelligence gatherers along with the commanders to train — this just makes it so much more effective when you get into a theater and have to use it for real,” said Col. Scott St. Sauver, Camp Ripley’s post commander.

The facility is also capable of storing, maintaining and launching the drones.

The Guard has flown the drones since 2004 and has seven at Camp Ripley: three Shadows with 14-foot wing spans; and four smaller Ravens with 5-foot wing spans that can be carried in a backpack, quickly assembled and launched by hand.

They are used for both reconnaissance missions, such as going ahead of convoys to provide information on what’s happening in an area, as well as for surveillance, allowing operators to monitor an area from a bird’s-eye point of view.

Traditionally, such missions were performed by a pilot in a plane, which was difficult and much more costly, said Spc. Cody Anderson, who was demonstrating how operators can control the drones from a truck equipped with a satellite dish.

“We can provide 24-hour surveillance over a target, whereas a plane can’t do that,” Anderson said.

Camp Ripley officials expect the facility will be used not only by Minnesota National Guard troops, but units from around the country, Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Dampier said. It’s also expected to draw Minnesota Department of Natural Resources staff, law enforcement officers and private companies training to use the equipment, he said.

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The Senate passed the Democratic-crafted bill on Saturday afternoon by a 39-28 vote along party lines. The House passed the bill late Friday. It funds medical and other assistance programs that together make up nearly a third of all projected state spending in the next two years.

The pay increases for nursing home workers is the first in four years. The bill also has a smaller, 1-percent hike for care workers for the disabled. Republicans say those workers deserve more given that Democrats are raising more than $2 billion in new tax revenue in their budget plan.

Lawmakers are busy Saturday passing budget bills as they stretch toward a late Monday deadline to adjourn the regular session.

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Legislative leaders on Saturday set their return date. It’s Feb. 25.

The late start leaves a shorter window for the Legislature in 2014 because they still must finish by mid-May before heading out on the campaign trail.

Next year’s main focus will be on a construction budget and dealing with any unanticipated surplus dollars or deficit projection. They will be coming back right around time that a key economic forecast is due.

There’s a side benefit to starting late: Candidates and caucuses face fundraising restrictions during session. The schedule gives them two more months to stock up on campaign cash from lobbyists and political action committees.

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According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, Glenn Michael Augustine was walking away from his own semi at the Hixton Travel Plaza parking lot, when he was hit and killed around 4:07 p.m. Friday by another semi pulling into the station to fuel up.

The driver of the other semi, 52-year-old Douglas Allen Hendrickson, of South Haven, Minn., was uninjured.

The state patrol is investigating.

But that’s the job of Macalester College registrar Jayne Niemi during Saturday’s commencement.

“I do sort of test drives of the cards that students have given me,” she said. “And if I have doubts, I will call them and ask them.”

NewsRadio 830 WCCO’s Susie Jones Reports

So far, she’s only had trouble with one young man’s name, who’s from Africa. His name had a “click” sound in it, which she stumbled over upon reading.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The term “Going Green” can be a little intimidating.

But Saturday at the Union Depot in St. Paul, MN Goes Green organizers hope to make it easy with everything from repurposing items in your house, to fashion and food.

“I think most people want to do the right thing,” said Scott Mayer of MN Goes Green. “They want to recycle and make the earth a friendly place.”

And MN Goes Green can help.

“We have over 35 vendors who are going to be there offering some really simple do it yourself ways to be environmentally friendly,” Mayer said.

Co-ops such as Mississippi Market get fresh food, grown locally, no matter the season.

“We have more co-ops in Minnesota than anywhere else in the country,” said Liz McMann of Mississippi Market

People will also be able to bring old garments from their closet to have them turned into something new — a dress was even made out of a shower curtain.

And knick knacks from around the house turn into treasures, like cigar boxes becoming bird houses.

Owners of electric cars will also be outside the Union Depot, and can answer questions about how the cars work and how much they cost to run.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — What’s 10,000 Minutes of Minnesota Craft Beer?

It’s a packed week with member events and 612 Brew is a good place to start, as a cold one could, in fact, be considered art.

“When you look at art, you want to appreciate it, you want to take it in — it’s the same thing with beer, a lot of work goes into it,” Robert Kasak said.

This isn’t the only taproom to taste.

“There’s 10,000 variations of beer when you look at the industry, the home brewers in the state of Minnesota,” said Clint Roberts, executive director of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild.

And with 10,000 minutes in a week, the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild is hoping everyone fills their time with ales and lagers — like 612 Brew’s ginger beer.

“I literally grate 70 pounds of ginger and throw it into the boiler,” Kasak said.

The labor of love can be found in the 50 breweries across the state.

“When you buy a Minnesota craft beer, or a local item, it literally is brewed by the guy down the street in your town,” Roberts said. “It supports your friends and neighbors.”

If you don’t want to fight the crowds in northeast Minneapolis, there are events all over the state, from Duluth to Rochester.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The 18th-annual Art-A-Whirl is underway in northeast Minneapolis this weekend.

It’s the largest weekend-long open studio tour in the country.

Check out the video to see what artists say they love about their craft, and what it means to them.

Organizers expect tens of thousands to visit artists at 70 locations.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It’s not exactly grilling weather this weekend with the rain, but that won’t be stopping Minnesota Monthly’s Second-Annual Grill Fest on Saturday and Sunday.

The best lesson? Everything can go on a grill, from vegetables to meat, say the executive chefs at The Dakota.

Though the chefs prefer the taste that comes from charcoal, they don’t mind the ease of using gas.

Drooling a bit? Head on down to The Depot in Minneapolis and check it out.

It’s $35 and click here for more.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A long-time Twin Cities concert promoter has died.

According to her website, Sue McLean died Friday at the age of 63 after a battle with breast cancer.

McLean’s company was responsible for booking many live music acts, including the Live at the Guthrie Series, the Minnesota Zoo concerts and the Basilica Block Party. She also had a talent for discovering up-and-comers.

Her death comes as a surprise to many in the music community. Sue kept details of her illness quiet from most people outside of her family.

She brought in her niece, Patricia McLean, to learn how to run her company a few months ago.

“There’s no way I could fill her shoes or attempt to fill her shoes and be anything near what she was in the industry, but I’ll do my best to continue on,” McLean said.

Valerie Jones, a close friend of McLean’s, says she was a true original.

“Sue McLean was a trail blazer and she set the bar high for anyone who wanted to follow in her footsteps,” Jones said.

Her family says she’ll be remembered for her humility and generosity. McLean was also a big donor to area animal shelters.

Her funeral is set to be held at 11 a.m. next Friday at the Basilica of St. Mary.

The theater will bring its production of “Beyond the Rainbow: Garland at Carnegie Hall” to three theaters. The show recreates singer Judy Garland’s famous 1961 Carnegie Hall concert.

Performances will be held at the Historic Holmes Theatre in Detroit Lakes on June 13, the Myles Reif Performing Arts Center in Grand Rapids on June 15 and the Dawson-Boyd Performing Arts Center in Dawson on June 18.

The performance in Grand Rapids will take place during the annual Judy Garland Festival in Garland’s hometown.

The History Theatre’s production of “Lombardi” about legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi will play in Alexandria July 9-14.

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The pay hike is included in a broader, $6 billion a year budget for health and human services programs that the House passed Friday night by a party-line vote of 73-61. It’s one of the biggest chunks of state spending and includes funding for services for the poor, elderly and disabled. The Democratic-drafted bill trims spending on such programs by $50 million compared to projected demand for the services, which is a smaller reduction than DFL legislative leaders wanted but bigger than sought by Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton.

It’s the first pay increase for nursing home workers in four years. The bill also has a smaller, 1-percent hike for care workers for the disabled. Republicans said that raise should be higher.

The bill awaits a final vote in the Senate.

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Saturday’s Powerball jackpot is a record $600 million. And Kjirsten Johnson from Forest Lake asked: What happens if a winner doesn’t claim it?

By law, if someone wins, but doesn’t claim their prize, the money goes into the state’s General Fund — the main bank account for state government.

That happens with scratch offs, or any Minnesota Lottery game.

If it’s a multi-state game, like Mega Millions or Powerball, they take the prize and send it back to all the states involved in the game.

So Minnesota would get a piece of an unclaimed Powerball, in proportion to the percentage of tickets typically sold in the state.

Sherrie Stableski from St. Louis Park wondered: Can leaving my cell phone charger plugged in really run up my electric bill?

Sherrie, WCCO wants to know, since I have a bunch of chargers plugged in at my desk.

Phone chargers typically consume 0.1 watts of electricity when not charging. Compare that to a microwave, which consumes 3.5 watts.

Your Nintendo Wii, moreover, is the equivalent of 95 mobile phone chargers.

The truth is that your cell phone charger is barely sucking up a trickle — and having a couple chargers plugged in is not a big deal.

Every Friday at noon for years, WCCO has had an adopt-a-pet segment. Jessica Barnum from Bemidji wondered: How many WCCO pets get adopted?

We asked Carrie Libera from the Animal Humane Society, and the answer is…all of them.

They don’t know if the TV segment directly leads to the adoptions — they don’t track that.

However, Carrie said the phones start ringing the minute the pet is on TV.

It generates a lot of interest, and often, but not always, the pet goes home with a viewer.

The Green Valley Fire has destroyed 12 residences, two commercial properties and 41 other structures since flaring up on private property near Menahga, Minn., Tuesday afternoon.

Crews battled the blaze Friday, locating hotspots with a helicopter and then snuffing them on foot. Saturday’s forecast of significant rain should help firefighters contain the wildfire further.

On Saturday, landowners in the area will be visited to discuss rehabilitation needs, such as leveling bulldozer lines, the Minnesota Incident Command System said. 

The bill fell five votes short of an 81-vote supermajority needed for passage, a rare area where Republicans wielded veto power in a state government controlled by Democrats. The bill involved selling long-term bonds, which subjects it to a three-fifths threshold for passage. Its failure left a major renovation of the Capitol, already well underway, in question with just over three days left in the session.

“Just one word: Tragic,” said Rep. Alice Hausman, the St. Paul Democrat who sponsored the measure. Hausman said a handful of Republicans who voted no had promised their support.

Construction bills often win backing from both parties for their ability to generate local construction jobs and spread dollars to communities around the state. In addition to getting stymied on that bill, Democratic legislative leaders also abandoned another goal of many in the party: increases in the state gas tax and the Twin Cities metro area sales tax to pay for road and transit projects, which struggled after Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton refused to support the gas tax hike.

Both the House and Senate worked into the night Friday, rushing to finish the state budget before the late Monday deadline for adjourning the regular session. The House voted 73-61 in favor of the health and human services budget late on Friday, one of the biggest chunks of state spending. The massive document, finalized in recent days by House and Senate negotiators, includes a 5-percent pay increase for nursing home workers.

The Legislature also sent Dayton a higher education budget that includes a tuition freeze at public colleges and universities, puts more money into state grants to students, and grants resident tuition to the children of immigrants who are not documented.

While that bill won some Republican backing, the construction bill spurred partisan rancor in the House. Only three Republicans voted for the bill; Hausman said she had commitments of support from eight, which would have been enough to pass the bill; she wouldn’t name who reneged.

Rep. Rod Hamilton, R-Mountain Lake, rose angrily before the vote to complain that the fate of natural disaster aid for his southern Minnesota area was tied to the legislation.

“We are being held hostage!” Hamilton said. He voted against the bill.

GOP leaders had insisted for days that they wouldn’t go along with a bill they considered too bulky.

“Time is running out and we shouldn’t be distracted with borrowing huge amounts of money right now on the state’s credit card,” said House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown.

Hausman said she wouldn’t try to revive the bill. But few major bills are truly dead in the final hours of a legislative session. Lawmakers were preparing to work through the weekend, with late and even overnight sessions possible.

The state Capitol renovation project was the largest in the construction bill, consuming $109 million. Those overseeing the building work say the money is needed this year to avoid costly delays. Dayton and a bipartisan slate of lawmakers are on record supporting the fix-up to the 107-year-old state Capitol, where safety concerns have been patched over for years.

Lawmakers could insert money for the project in budget bills that haven’t reached the floor yet.

Daudt wouldn’t rule that out. “If they want to talk about an alternate plan, I’m happy to come to the table,” he said.

Hausman said she didn’t support borrowing for the Capitol renovation project separately.

“The Capitol is a noble project, an important project. We should do it,” she said. “But why is it more important than higher education, building laboratories and classrooms for all of our kids in the state?”

The vote against the bonding bill, as it is known, could carry political risks. Several Republicans voted against a plan for wastewater treatment and flood mitigation projects in their districts, and several were under pressure from local business groups to support civic center renovations in Mankato, Rochester and St. Cloud. Some of the nearly $200 million in college campus projects are in districts represented by Republicans.

Most of them will have another shot to advance the hometown projects before the next election. Big bonding bills usually are considered in election-year sessions.

But proponents of the defeated measure said forgoing a bill this year will come at a cost. There’s no guarantee that currently low interest rates, which make construction dollars go further, will stay that way.

Rep. Lyndon Carlson, DFL-Crystal, said the projects would come at a perfect time in the state’s economic recovery.

“We have many Minnesotans in the construction industry and the various support industries who are ready, willing and able to go to work,” he said.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Friday that authorities found the body of 31-year-old Matthew Pulis about 100 yards off shore near Lake Irving’s northwest corner during an aerial search.

Pulis was last seen on Oct. 20, 2012, at a bar in downtown Bemidji.

FORT RIPLEY, Minn. (WCCO) – Minnesota National Guard Sgt. Charles Freese is looking at a simulation of a map of Baghdad on a computer screen in a brand-new building in Minnesota.

“Our mission here is just to fly along the route,” he said. “We’re looking for anything that looks suspicious. We’ve been tasked to basically make sure there aren’t any IEDs or unfriendly troops in the area.”

On Friday, the Minnesota National Guard opened a training facility for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), or surveillance drones, at Camp Ripley.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, soldiers showed off their two UAVs – the five-pound Raven and the 475-pound Shadow. Both are equipped with cameras that are controlled from the ground. They have three Ravens and three Shadows at Camp Ripley. A Shadow costs about $1 million.

“If a troop’s on the ground and you want to see over the next hill or the next corner, you would take this out of a backpack and you would launch it by hand and you see what’s on the next hill or corner,” Sgt. Christopher Storkamp said.

The Raven can zoom up to four times and show clear video from up to 500 feet away. The Shadow can zoom up to 33 times and streams clear video up to 5,000 feet in the air.

There are only four or five facilities like this in the United States and the Minnesota National Guard hopes to eventually use it for guard troops from other Midwest states as well. Camp Ripley was chosen partly because of its size – 53,000 acres. Crews are only allowed to use the UAVs on base.

“It’s very helpful,” said Sgt. Freese. “It’s an extra set of eyes they don’t have.”

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Lisa Garys Korsland enjoyed a busy lifestyle for years, living abroad in the U.K. and Switzerland, raising her three children and working as an engineer for General Mills.

But it all came to an abrupt end in December of 2010.

A simple twist of an ankle led to a diagnosis of leukemia. She knew it was just a matter of time before she would need a life-saving marrow transplant.

Lisa was one of the lucky ones; her match was anxious to help.

“My donor happens to be German, so we know they looked all over the world,” Korsland said. “This bubbly, smiley face student says, “I was called and I answered.’ And I always say ‘thank you,’ and she said, ‘Why would somebody not do this? I could spend a few days of taking some medicine, I can go in for a few hours and I saved a life,’” she said.

Mary Halet of Be the Match says marrow donation is an easy way to change a life.

“Its ordinary people doing extraordinary things – and you don’t have to wear a cape to be a super hero,” Halet said. “Anybody can make a difference and save somebody’s life.”

Registration involves completing a health history form and giving a swab of cheek cells. About 75 percent of the time, a patient’s doctors requests a peripheral blood stem cell donation, a non-surgical out-patient procedure – similar to donating platelets or plasma.

Lisa is not only on the mend, but she’s almost as active as ever. Her experience sparked her to lead a team, the Mud Bloods, in the Bet the Match Walk Run.

“I can walk Lake Harriet, I can do it under an hour and I’m going to raise some money,” Korsland said.

The Mud Bloods have raised close to $50,000 – money Lisa says can never repay what Be The Match has done for her and her family.

“I feel blessed,” she said.

Lisa hopes to expand her involvement with Be the Match by using her international connections to increase the ethnic diversity of the registry.

Patients are most likely to match someone of their own race or ethnicity.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Once again, it’s time to head over to Northeast Minneapolis to check out local arts, enjoy a wealth of foods and the flavor of one of the Twin Cities’ most unique neighborhoods.

The Art-A-Whirl is one of the largest open studio tours in the country, and it takes place at more than 70 locations in Northeast Minneapolis.

“I think a lot of people are surprised when they step into a studio building and see these hundreds of artists that work here all year around,” said Alejandra Pelinka, the executive director at the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association.

More than 500 local artists participate in the event.

“Artists really try to show as much artwork as they can within their studio, so they cram it packed with artwork,” Pelinka said.

This year marks the 18th for the annual event, which runs from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Art-A-Whirl participants will get the unique opportunity to experience and purchase locally-produced works of art, as well as talk one-on-one with the artists behind them.

Participants can also enjoy the old Minneapolis buildings that have been converted into studio spaces. One studio, for instance, is in the old Grain Belt Bottling House. Another, which used to hold General Mills, now holds Foci Glass, home to some of the most talented glass artists in Minnesota. (To watch one artist make a glass horse in under 60 seconds, watch the video above.)

The event is organized by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association. The organization, according to Pelinka, is trying to give the city’s northeast side the reputation as a hub for arts.

For more information, click here.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Some elementary school kids in south Minneapolis got some real show-and-tell this morning.

FFA high school kids from the Morris area brought real farm animals to Risen Christ Catholic School. The idea was to teach city kids where their food comes from, and the big grills were fired up.

Everyone who wanted a burger got one for lunch.

“You ask them questions like, Where does your burger come from? And they say the grill. Where does your pizza come from? Little Ceaser’s. You know, they have all these ideas of the food comes from a grocery store or a restaurant,” said Natasha Mortenson, an FFA advisor.

The Future Farmers of America (FAA) get funding for this outreach from commodity groups, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and others.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Getting a speeding ticket can be aggravating, and finding the time to fight it only adds to the frustration.

But get in some minor traffic trouble with the Centennial Lakes Police Department and you have options.

Whether it’s for speeding, blowing a stop sign or not wearing a seat belt – people who get a ticket can take a safety course online.

Russel Blanck, the administrative sergeant for Centennial Lakes Police, says the program is a hit.

“So far, it’s been very successful. People seem to really like it,” Blanck said.

Kurt Glaser is the city attorney for Lexington and Centerville. He’s also the computer programmer that came up with the idea for the course which is considered the first of its kind across the country.

“They type in their citation number and then we already have their ticket data in the system,” Glaser said. “They get a good education, but they get their ticket dismissed. It’s also cheaper than going to court and paying the scheduled fines that you would see in court.”

Low-level offenders who log on pay ten percent less than the ticketed price. Pass a short quiz and the offense won’t show up on your driving record.

“You can go to get college course credit, high schools do it – why can’t police departments do it? And, that’s what we decided to try,” he said.

In the year Centennial Lakes has been using it, more than 1,000 drivers have taken the course.

Dozens of other departments are signing up with the hope of making it less of a hassle to send a message.

They’ll be colors instead of being named after streets, or the areas they serve.

The Hiawatha Light Rail Line will now be called the Metro Blue Line.

Metro Transit workers unveiled the new signs at the 46th Street Station, and the trains will have three cars to help with the increase of passengers.

Some of the other lines are getting new names, too.

The Green Line will run between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis when it begins service next year.

The Red Line will open on Cedar Avenue in June, and it’ll provide bus rapid transit between Apple Valley and Mall of America.

In 2018, the Orange Line will run along 35W.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Nearly 50 elementary school students are sick following a trip to YMCA Camp Pepin earlier this week, officials say.

Farmington Schools Superintendent Jay Haugen said a group of fifth graders from Akin Road Elementary brought the illness – which is reportedly acting like a norovirus – with them to the camp earlier this week.

The Monday to Wednesday trip ended on a bad note after dozens fell ill on Tuesday night. A second group from North Trail Elementary arrived on Wednesday and went home a day early as a precaution seeing a total of 47 children are now sick.

Camp Pepin is taking an extra day to thoroughly clean the campsite and Hauger said the camp itself had nothing to do with students getting sick.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Maple Grove bartender faces charges, authorities say, after she allegedly served a 20-year-old man liquor before he left the bar intoxicated, broke through the ice of a nearby pond and drowned last month.

Andrew Michael Pitts, of Brooklyn Park, drowned on April 26 in a pond near 12300 Elm Creek Boulevard. The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said Friday that  one of Pitts’ friends, a bartender at Claddagh Irish Pub, did not ID him and served him alcohol.

Witnesses told investigators that Pitts left the bar drunk, walked a sort distance to the pond southeast of the bar and broke through the ice. Authorities pulled Pitts from the pond, and he died a day later.

The Claddagh bartender, Rebekah Michal Thomas, is charged with selling liquor to someone under 21, a gross misdemeanor.

The incident remains under investigation, the sheriff’s office said.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Minneapolis Police Department has named the officer who was driving the SUV involved in a collision last week that killed a 24-year-old motorcyclist in Uptown.

Officer Joshua Young, police said Friday, was driving the squad SUV on May 10. The collision that day killed Ivan Romero and injured his girlfriend, Joselin Torrejon. Young was on his way to the scene of a shooting that left two officers injured and one burglary suspect, Terrance Franklin, dead.

The State Patrol is reconstructing the crash that killed Romero, police said. All interviews in relation to that crash – including one with Young – have been completed.

Young joined the Minneapolis Police Department in 2006. He has also served in the Minnesota National Guard in combat deployments to Somalia and Iraq. He has been awarded the Medal of Commendation and the Life Saving Award while working with Minneapolis Police. He was also one of two people named National Adult Learner of the Year in 2012.

Police also announced Friday that they plan to interview the two officers wounded in the May 10 shooting next week. Witnesses are still being interviewed in relation to that incident, and DNA from the scene is being analyzed by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Ballistics evidence is being examined by the MPD crime lab.

The Senate passed a state higher education budget by a bipartisan, 44-22 vote on Friday that includes a $250 million spending increase. More than half the increase goes to pay for the tuition freezes at University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities campuses. The bill also includes new money to increase the number of students who get state grants to help pay for college.

The bill also makes children of immigrants who are undocumented eligible for resident tuition rates at state colleges and universities.

Republicans who voted against the bill say the University of Minnesota hasn’t demonstrated responsible use of taxpayer dollars.

The bill awaits a final vote in the House.

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The Greater North Dakota Chamber has created billboards that mock proposals in the Minnesota Legislature, including bills that would raise certain taxes.

The first billboard went up Thursday along Interstate 94 in Moorhead, Minn., which is across the Red River from Fargo. It reads “NORTH DAKOTA” on the top line and “OPEN FOR BUSINESS” on the bottom.

Moorhead City Council member Mark Hintermeyer says he considers the message unproductive and confrontational and wants the sign taken down immediately.

North Dakota Chamber President Andy Peterson says one of the objectives of the campaign is to help Minnesota improve its business environment. He says that would benefit the entire region.

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The volume foreshadows a long fight should the House brings the bill up on Saturday as planned. The Legislature has until midnight Monday to finish its session, including passage of the next state budget.

The debate on a companion Senate bill stretched 17 hours earlier in the week.

The bill is part of an effort by two service employee unions to organize in the personal care industries. It would set up a possible vote among certain providers.

Supporters say it will give providers greater leverage in bargaining for state reimbursement rates. Critics see it as a grab for union dues.

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Vincent Kartheiser, who plays the malcontent Pete Campbell on AMC’s “Mad Men,” will star this summer in a new Guthrie production of “Pride and Prejudice” as the brooding hero of Jane Austen’s most famous novel.

“It’s interesting playing a character that people have such strong feelings about before I’ve even begun playing him,” he said Friday by phone from Los Angeles. “I don’t have a lot of experience playing famous characters and it’s an interesting expectation that lays on my head.”

Kartheiser is a native of Minneapolis and first appeared at the Guthrie in 1986 at age 7 as Tiny Tim in “A Christmas Carol.” He returned to play small roles in the company’s 1990 productions of “Henry V” and “Henry IV.”

“I think my biggest scene I was being carried around dead,” he joked.

His film credits include “Untamed Heart” with Marisa Tomei, and “Little Big League,” ”The Indian in the Cupboard,” ”Crime and Punishment in Suburbia” and 2011′s thriller “In Time.”

Kartheiser has often dipped in and out of theater projects, most recently playing the lead in the world premiere of “The Death of the Novel” at the San Jose Repertory Theatre last year. In 2005, he was in New York at the Cherry Lane Theatre in “Slag Heap.”

“I started returning to the stage in my late 20s to get back in touch with my roots and to challenge myself,” he said. “It really is our medium.”

“Pride and Prejudice,” which will be directed by the Guthrie’s leader Joe Dowling, will play from July 6-Aug. 31. It will mark the 200th anniversary of the publication of Austen’s novel which has been adapted into films, miniseries and even a Broadway musical.

The Guthrie did “Pride and Prejudice” in the 2003-2004 season with an adaptation by James Maxwell which was revised by Alan Stanford. This new version has been adapted for the stage by Simon Reade.

Set in late 18th-century England, “Pride and Prejudice” concerns Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, who try to find wealthy husbands for their five daughters. At its heart, it is a love story between Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy, an aloof, unmarried wealthy landowner seen by many as having as excessive pride. Who will play Elizabeth has not been revealed.

In real life, Kartheiser is engaged to “Gilmore Girls” alum Alexis Bledel, who appeared on the show as the mentally unstable mistress of Kartheiser’s character. He wouldn’t reveal if a date for the wedding has been made.

“I wouldn’t tell you even if I could,” he said.

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Authorities said the incident happened at about 2:25 p.m. back on May 5 near the area of 36th Street West and Zenith Avenue South. The victim, a 13-year-old girl, told police that three white men approached her. One of the men grabbed her and threatened her. She then screamed, and the three men fled the area on foot.

NewsRadio 830 WCCO’s Susie Jones Reports

Police said one suspect is described as a 35 to 40-year-old white man with a muscular build similar to a WWF wrestler. Another is a 35 to 40-year-old white man with a blonde buzzed haircut. The third suspect is also 35 to 40 years old, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident or who can identify the man in the sketch is asked to call Minneapolis Police at (612) 673-2864.

Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott said three people are injured after a school bus, which had stopped, was struck from behind by another vehicle about 2:30 p.m. Thursday on County Road 5 in Big Lake Township.

That car then hit a tree after continuing into the ditch. The driver of the car was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital.

A juvenile passenger from the bus, and the driver of the bus, 45-year-old Rachelle Bayer of Big Lake, were transported to CentraCare Hospital in Monticello with minor injuries.