According to the CDC, the figures from their tests of polls conducted during last summer’s swim season showed about 58 percent of the samples tested positive for E. coli and bacteria typically found in human feces.

However, while fecal matter was present in the majority of samples, none of the water tested contained the specific E. coli strain that causes illness.

The CDC said their findings indicate swimmers are contaminating the water either through “fecal incidents” in the pool, or because they haven’t showered properly before entering the pool.

The study also showed 59 percent of pools testing positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause skin rashes and ear infections.

The entire CDC report is available here.

Eighteen-year-old Charlie Gainey is taking Miss Minnesota USA Danielle Hooper to the Menomonie High School prom on Saturday.

The date was arranged by a mutual friend after Gainey was nominated for his school’s prom court. He has Down syndrome, and Hooper has a 2-year-old cousin with Down syndrome. Hooper says going to the prom with Gainey is a wonderful opportunity to make people happy.

Gainey told the Leader-Telegram that it doesn’t matter if he is elected prom king. He will have a good day because he is competing in a Special Olympics swim meet earlier Saturday and then will have dinner with Hooper and attend the prom.

Hooper competes in the Miss USA pageant in June.

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

A.J. Clemente says on Twitter that KFYR-TV fired him Monday.

The NBC affiliate said in an earlier statement that Clemente was suspended following the Sunday evening broadcast. General manager Dick Heidt says he can’t discuss the incident because it’s a personnel matter.

The station posted an apology online and co-anchorwoman Van Tieu also apologized during the 10 p.m. newscast.

Following his gaffe during the 5 p.m., Tieu introduced a nervous Clemente who said he was a graduate of West Virginia University.

“I’m used to, you know, from being from the East Coast,” he said. Clemente then read a news story about a fatal all-terrain vehicle crash.

Video of Clemente’s two-word uttering was immediately posted online via social media sites, and the hashtag “Keep AJ” started trending on Twitter supporting him.

Clemente tweeted after the broadcast: “That couldn’t have gone any worse!”

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

The latest case happened at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, where officials on Wednesday apologized after the body of a stillborn boy was found in a sheet at a commercial laundry.

An Associated Press review of news coverage in recent years found accounts of a dozen similar incidents from 1996 through 2009 at hospitals across the U.S. and Canada. In some cases the body went through the wash before it was found. Some cases led to legal action.

The AP search also found several other cases where the remains of stillborn babies were allegedly lost, discarded in the trash, disposed of without the family’s knowledge or kept indefinitely.

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

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – City Pages and its readers are honoring some familiar ‘CCO faces.

Amelia Santaniello has been named this year’s Best TV Newscaster, Mark Rosen is honored as the Best TV Sports Anchor and WCCO Radio’s Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl has been named Best Columnist.

According to City Pages, Amelia is a professional, “no-nonsense yet comforting voice” in local TV news.

As for Rosie, City Pages said he is a “ Twin Cities treasure, and we’re lucky he’s always liked it here too much to leave.”

(credit: Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl)

City Pages praised Moskowitz Grumdahl for her “no-nonsense and accessible writing style” adding “we just can’t get enough of her impeccable sense of humor, her sparkling wit, and her general right-on-edness.”

MSOE hired Ezelagu Obasi as a part-time teacher in 2010, despite concerns that he had some problems communicating in English. During the third week of classes the department head received emailed complaints from a number of Obasi’s students.

The school terminated Obasi’s contract and he sued, alleging his contract was breached. A jury concluded the termination was justified, in part because the school’s policies didn’t offer part-time professors the same protections that full-time teachers get.

Obasi appealed the ruling. However, an appeals court on Tuesday affirmed the jury’s verdict.

Obasi declined to comment to The Associated Press.

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

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Target has apologized to customers after some took issue with how clothing meant for plus-sized shoppers was labeled.

A shopper noticed that two identical dresses were branded differently on Target’s website. The color of the standard-sized version of the dress was termed “dark heather gray,” whereas the dress meant for plus-sized women was labeled “manatee gray.”

A manatee, as you may know, is a large sea creature.

In a statement to Forbes, Target said: “We apologize for any discomfort this might have caused and are working to update the name of the dress to reflect Dark Heather Gray. This was an unfortunate oversight.”

Target added that “manatee gray” is the name of a color used to describe many other Target products. But in this case, there were two buyers for the same type of dress who didn’t communicate when picking color names.

The customer who originally brought the labels to the retailer’s attention later tweeted that she wasn’t expecting the apology, and that she’s still a fan of Target.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – A St. Paul icon is opening its doors to the public for the first time in more than 50 years.

The Pearson’s Candy Company’s factory along West 7th Street has been virtually unchanged since it started production there in 1959.

“There’s a little bit of magic built into these products because they’ve been passed from generation to generation within families,” Pearson’s CEO and President Michael Keller said.

Nut Goodie and Salted Nut Rolls have been fresh off the assembly line for more than a century. Starting Monday, there’s something new to enjoy in honor of Nut Goodie’s 100th birthday — special tours.

“We know we’re satisfying some pretty serious pent-up demand. People want to get inside this plant,” said Keller.

This rare peek inside Pearson’s plant is a familiar plot line, made famous in Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” later made into the film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

“There was certainly inspiration from the movie,” Keller explained. “The whole idea of touring a candy factory felt like a good fit for Pearson’s.”

Local theater and production specialists Brush Strokes and Star Exhibits are constructing a vibrant and elaborate “House of Pearson” storefront at the main door. The hope is the exterior of the plant will spike some curiosity and excitement for the families coming through.

Once inside, visitors will get an exclusive look at how the iconic treats are made from start to finish. They’ll get to see where the primary ingredients are made in the kitchen, then follow the process to where the candy is made. Pearson’s promises fun tasting stations along the way with trivia about the iconic treats sprinkled in.

Keller says watching the magic of candy making through the eyes of a child is priceless.

“To see their smiles, or to see their jaws drop when they see candy being made is kind of what it’s all about,” he said. “There are some things on the production line that still tickle me. Like no matter how many times you’ve seen it, you’re like ‘Wow, that’s really how a Salted Nut Roll is made!’”

The grand finale of the tour concludes with 100 pounds of Nut Goodie — 914 candy bars for the families to take home with them.

There were two ways to win the tours: matching a special code in candy wrappers or by bidding on an auction item from one of three partnering non-profits.

Keller says if these tours go well, they’ll consider doing more public tours in the future.

Related stories:
Pearson’s Introduces New Nut Goody
Good Question: What’s The Secret To Making A Salted Nut Roll?

This is the second year organizers are hosting the alternative prom in St. Cloud. The Saturday night event is free and open to students from all school districts. It has been promoted in Duluth, Bemidji and the Twin Cities.

The St. Cloud Times reports organizers hope to attract 100 attendees ages 17 to 21.

Co-organizer Bill Weber-Brown says the alternative prom gives teens a chance to celebrate who they are without fear of repercussions.

The prom will have traditional dancing, decorations and refreshments, and royalty will be crowned.

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

Here are a few notable April 1st pranks from around the state:

Dennis Rodman To Settle Twin Cities Rivalry

If Dennis Rodman can solve the crisis over in North Korea, surely he can help resolve the long-standing rivalry between Minneapolis and St. Paul, right?

The St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce said on Monday they had recruited the diplomatic talents of the former NBA superstar and fashion icon so that he might broker a peace accord between the Twin Cities.

“Our differences divide us when our similarities should unite us,” chamber president Matt Kramer said. “While the Aquatennial is a weak-kneed imitation of a true Minnesotan Festival like the Winter Carnival, and no Minneapolis Mayor has yet to skate Crashed Ice as a Saint Paul Mayor has done, we mean no malice to our cousins in commerce across the river. It is our hope that Mr. Rodman can find that common ground that has so long eluded us.”

The Chamber of Commerce said they are confident that Rodman can help unite the bitterly divided populace, claiming a visit to Minneapolis yielded the following statement from Rodman: “They are good people, odd for sure, but good people nonetheless.”

——-

U Researchers Cure ‘Bieber Fever’

The University of Minnesota announced on Monday that researchers had confirmed their first successful cure of Bieber Fever.

The affliction has been causing fainting, screaming, confusion and crying among millions of people, mainly between the ages of 3 and 25 years old.

The university reported that a 12-year-old patient from Minnesota was deemed cured after she maintained her wits while “As Long As You Love Me” played at 120 decibels for over 30 minutes.

Dr. Michael Osterholm, the director of the University’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, said that the department is optimistic about the results.

“It was touch and go for a while, but the success seen with this case really gives us hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Osterholm said. “I shudder to think what our world would become if had we not found a cure when we did.”

Osterholm suggested the medical breakthrough came not a moment too soon, as researchers have been taken aback by the advent of the newest virus to afflict the same demographic — One Directzafluenza.

A note at the bottom of the release read: “April fools! There is, of course, still no cure for Bieber Fever.”

——-

Ely’s Social Media Ban

Starting Monday, the small northern Minnesota town of Ely is banning social media. They have a new campaign that emphasizes, “only the birds tweet.”

The northern Minnesota city wants visitors to look up at the trees, water and nature, and not down their phones and laptops. Unnamed city officials are hinting that all electronic devices may be banned at the Boundary Waters because, they say, there is plenty of non-electronic fun to partake in their town summer.

Of course, Monday is April 1 so consider the timing of this announcement.

In the past, Ely’s April Fool’s Day antics have included a claim that Dairy Queen was going sponsor the Boundary Waters, so it would be known as the I-D-Q-B-W-C-A-W. And in 2009, they announced their bid to host the 2016 Olympics, and said they’d pay for it through meat raffles.

——-

Someone Somewhere Put Saran Wrap Over The Toilet Bowl

Authorities said.

Dayton posted word of the passing on his Facebook page. He says the German shepherd died suddenly while recovering from surgery earlier in the week to remove its spleen and a potentially cancerous tumor.

In his posting, Dayton paid tribute to his “loyal, devoted friend.” He wrote of watching him patrol the front yard of the official Summit Avenue mansion, barking at other dogs that walked by with their owners.

Mesabi was almost 11 years old. Dayton lost a second dog earlier in his term. He has two younger German shepherd dogs, Itasca and Wanamingo, which like Dayton’s other pets were named after places on the Minnesota map.

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

Neal Schon says Judy Kozan, the former mayor of Waseca, has “attacked and harassed” him for years through Internet postings and comments in the media. Schon’s lawsuit says Kozan suggested that he has failed to support his ex-wife and their two daughters.

The lawsuit references a Hennepin County family court judge who determined that Schon has exceeded his required payments to his ex-wife, Amber Schon, and their children.

Kozan denies ever mentioning Schon or her daughter in her blog postings. She blames a British tabloid for incorrectly concluding that she considered her former son-in-law a deadbeat dad.

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

Tyree S. Carter is charged with misdemeanor counts of lewd behavior and disorderly conduct. He’s due in court next month for a pre-trial conference.

A Journal Times of Racine report says Carter is accused of openly masturbating in the Racine Public Library last week. A witness told investigators Carter was out in the open, not trying to conceal his act.

The criminal complaint says he apologized to responding police officers.

His signature bond was set at $1,000. Court records say as a condition of his bond, he was told to “stay out of all the libraries on the face of the earth.”

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

MOUND, Minn. (WCCO) — The activities director of Westonka Public Schools has resigned following the prolonged controversy over the suspension of a group of students following their “Harlem Shake” music video.

Last month, six hockey players from Mound Westonka High School were suspended for filming the music video during lunch time. They said they had permission from school officials.

Some students and parents say that the suspensions that followed the dissemination of the video cost the hockey team their sectional game, which they lost to a lower-seeded opponent.

The suspensions were later downgraded from two days to one, but for many in the district, the damage had been done.

The students were also handed disorderly conduct citations after the incident.

This week, officials with Westonka Public Schools said activities director Dion Koltes, who had been placed on administrative leave in the aftermath of the incident, had resigned from his position.

“I really hope the school as a whole makes sure something like this doesn’t happen again,” said player Jack Brandstetter, who was one of the five suspended. “I think it’s the proper action he took not coming back. He’s really not welcome back.”

District superintendent Kevin Borg released a statement, saying Koltes would be paid for the remainder of this school year, but not the entirety of his contract, which went until the end of the 2013-2014 school year. He’ll get about $26,000.

The school district said they have an attorney performing an investigation into the incident, and some parents feel not using a third party for legal representation is a conflict of interest.

Brandstetter’s mother, Michelle, has issues with more than just Koltes. She’s frustrated with the administration’s unapologetic decision making, adding “if that means more must lose their jobs, then so bet it.” (Her full statement is at the bottom of this article).

“In order to give these events the thorough examination that is clearly warranted, it would be premature to set a completion date,” school board chair Dave Botts said. “This investigation is the top priority of the board and we will use these findings to determine what changes should be made.”

A steering committee made up from coaches, parents and others will be formed to help find the next activities director.

Michelle Brandstetter’s full statement verbatim.

“We are please to hear that Dion koltes will no longer be serving as athletic director for westonka public schools. His resignation is only part of the solution to the problems created by the district’ administration when they suspended students without good reason. The ultimate decision to suspend was made by the principal and vice principal. Neither of these men have apologized or explained fully to any of the parents why they made these decisions and why they refused to reconsider and or delay the decision before having all the information before them. Policies and procedures were either not followed or must be changed and we feel that these administrators that made the decisions to suspend must be held accountable. An investigation is being conducted by the school district regarding the steps that were taken yet it is being investigated by the law firm that regularly represents the westonka school district. Impartiality may be lacking. We as parents demand an apology from those that made these decisions, an acknowledgement of wrong doing and or mistakes and assurances that this will never happen again. If that means more must lose their jobs , then so be it.”

Rory Meeks of Marion was convicted Friday on one count of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, and acquitted on a second charge.

Federal prosecutors said Meeks planted marijuana along corn and soybean fields in secluded spots in Jones County, tending the plants throughout the summer. They say the 55-year-old and others harvested and processed the plants in the fall, and sold the marijuana in fall and winter.

Jurors found Meeks was involved in growing more than 1,000 marijuana plants between 2004 and 2011.

Meeks had worked as a rodeo clown and bullfighter in local and national rodeos. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison.

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

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — For those of you who can’t stand the “Harlem Shake” trend, the Minnesota Timberwolves have just the “Harlem Shake” video for you.

Team mascot, Crunch, takes out the dancer in a Miami Heat jersey.

The Heat got a lot of attention after releasing their version of the viral dance in a video last week.

The Heat may have defeated Minnesota on Monday but this video is a win for Crunch and the Wolves.

A lone female Indiana bat was found just over a mile from the $31 million proposed Interstate 80 interchange south of Waukee. The bat is considered endangered by state and federal agencies.

Federal officials have asked for a study to determine whether the Indiana bat population would be harmed by the interchange construction.

The Des Moines Register reports that the discovery of the bat won’t kill plans for the interchange, but it comes as the cities were preparing to start working on a final design. Officials want to have the construction begin later this year.

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

The Journal Sentinel in Milwaukee is reporting the 7-foot Italian sausage costume, usually seen racing around Miller Park during Brewers games, has been found after going missing for nearly two weeks.

Guido, the sausage with the chef’s hat and bow tie, was dropped off a bar in Cedarburg Wednesday night, hours after the missing costume became national news.

Jen Mohney, a bartender at TJ Ryan’s, tells the Journal Sentinel two men — one wearing a hoodie pulled over his face — lugged the costume into the bar, dropped it onto a stool and told her “You did not see anything.”

She says they left quickly, and she called police.

The costume — with someone on it — was last seen bar hopping in the area Feb. 16 for a fundraiser at local bars.

Police were searching for the missing costume, question bar patrons where it was last spotted.

The costume is owned by Milwaukee-based sausage company Klement’s. The Racing Sausages, including the Bratwurst, the Polish Sausage, the Hot Dog and the Chorizo, are a popular sight running bases at Brewers home games. The costumes are available for rent.

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

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Friday night at home with her daughters Jaida and Ana was what Kristine Ramos-Walker was really looking forward to. She wasn’t due for another 12 days, but just after 7 p.m. she started having contractions.

“I thought I had time. I thought I had a lot of time. And then all of the sudden, they got really strong and really close,” said Ramos-Walker.

That’s when 6-year-old Jaida called her dad. Michael Walker was at a restaurant with friends in St. Paul, 20 miles away.

“Jaida said, ‘Mommy’s in labor. You need to get home.’ But I thought we had about 10 hours, 8 hours. So I was kind of lollygagging and waiting for my bill to pay and then I was going to walk to my car,” said Walker.

But the baby wasn’t waiting. Ramos-Walker went into labor in her own bathroom.

“She was screaming, and I was crying. I didn’t want to hear that. I was too scared,” said Jaida.

“When I told them to call 911 I felt the head and I knew I wasn’t going to make it into the car at all,” said Ramos-Walker.

Five-year-old Ana was the one who called 911, telling them: “My mommy’s having a baby!”

“They started asking her questions and they asked her the address,” said Ramos-Walker. “And she said… ‘Jaida, I don’t know!’ So Jaida took the phone and gave them the address.”

No sooner did she do that than the newest addition to the Walker family was born in his parents’ bathroom.

“You know. One hour of labor is not bad, after all,” said Ramos-Walker.

Paramedics arrived shortly after and took the new mother and her son to the hospital. Michael Veron Walker II weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces.

Doctors say he is a perfectly healthy baby. His parents can only hope he’s as quick-thinking as his big sisters.

“They are pretty smart girls. They get it from their mom, a little from their dad. They pay attention to a lot of stuff, so I think they were ready to jump into action when needed. And that’s what they did,” said Walker.

“They are my heroes. I’m absolutely proud of them,” said Ramos-Walker.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – St. Paul turned on the magic of colored light over the weekend, as more than 500,000 small bulbs added up to one gigantic illuminated portrait.

On Saturday night, they flipped the lights on a giant Lite Brite mural at the Union Depot to kick off the Forever St. Paul Challenge, which calls for the next “million-dollar-idea” for the city.

The huge version of the popular retro kids’ toy had more than half a million pegs.

The previous record for the largest Lite Brite was set five years ago with just 347,000 pegs.

Joan Najbar received the returned letter sent to her son in Iraq in 2006. Najbar said the letter made her angry because she knew her son wasn’t dead. She had just talked to him.

An investigation by a postal inspector’s office failed to track down who might have stamped the letter or why. Najbar said the Postal Service never apologized after the investigation was dropped. Najbar filed a lawsuit in 2009 against the United States, but it was later dismissed.

Najbar last month decided to contact U.S. Sen. Al Franken’s office. The Duluth News Tribune says Najbar finally got a letter of apology from a Postal Service district manager in Minneapolis.

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

The charter festival was initially supposed to be an amusing lark, but like all things viral, it virtually exploded. An estimated 10,000-plus people and more than just a few cats attended the Walker’s first cat video festival, which was held on the open field adjacent to the museum, last August.

The event attracted so many people, in fact, that this year’s fest has been relocated to a new venue: the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, “bringing along the same spirit of community and collaboration,” organizers said.

As before, the Walker invites the public to submit nominations via YouTube or Vimeo in a number of categories — comedy (which presumably includes feline bloopers), drama, foreign, musical and documentary. There will also be a category for “lifetime achievement.”

This year’s cat festival will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the event will cost $10 and go on sale on Saturday, March 9.

Howie Padilla confirmed a second investigation is underway, but would not confirm any information about the identity of the man pictured in the new image.

Last weekend, journalist Mukhtar Ibrahim tweeted a photo of Officer Robert Buth dressed up as a female Muslim Target employee at a private Halloween party.

St. Paul Police (@sppdPIO) says it's investigating an alleged policeman dressed as a Somali woman. #CultureNotCostume http://t.co/PEftUNUV—
Mukhtar Ibrahim (@mukhtaryare) February 04, 2013

Buth issued an apology on Tuesday after the photo made its way through social media, saying “I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by the recently publicized photo.”

On Friday morning, Ibrahim sent another tweet out with a picture of a different person dressed in what appeared to be a hijab.

.@sppdPIO: I want to know if this man in the photo could b one of your officers? I've a clear photo of him w/o a mask http://t.co/2tnD4gGQ—
Mukhtar Ibrahim (@mukhtaryare) February 08, 2013

Police responded to the tweet, saying “Chief Smith is very aware of this photo. He is taking swift action looking into the matter.”

Dave Titus, president of the Saint Paul Police Federation, released the following statement on Friday night:

“The Federation will not comment on the identity of the man in the second photo. What I can tell you is that these photos are not connected and no member of the St. Paul Federation meant to disrespect to anyone. St. Paul Police officers bring a level of professionalism to the job, as high as you will find anywhere in the country. Officers also have personal lives, just as any citizen. Halloween to most is about being something you are not, laughing at one’s self and individual expression. Many Halloween costumes could be considered offensive, that does not mean the custom was created with ill intentions. No disrespect was intended.”

Orrin Hager pleaded guilty to one felony count of second-degree assault on Monday.

According to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Hager pulled up to a group of kids near 27th Street and Brunswick Avenue last November. The kids say Hager began yelling at them and then got out of his car to confront them.

That’s when he pointed an AK-47 at the group of kids. He told them he pulled out the gun because he thought the kids weren’t taking him seriously.

Hager’s attorney initially told WCCO that his client never pointed a gun at anyone, but does regret the confrontation he had with the kids.

Hager will be sentenced on Feb. 26. The charge carries a potential plea of seven years in prison.

The seven-year study involved more than 4,000 teens in England who were questioned yearly through 2010, until they were 19 and 20 years old. At the start, just over half of the 187 gay, lesbian and bisexual teens said they had been bullied; by 2010 that dropped to 9 percent of gay and bisexual boys and 6 percent of lesbian and bisexual girls.

The researchers said the same results likely would be found in the United States.

In both countries, a “sea change” in cultural acceptance of gays and growing intolerance for bullying occurred during the study years, which partly explains the results, said study co-author Ian Rivers, a psychologist and professor of human development at Brunel University in London.

That includes a government mandate in England that schools work to prevent bullying, and changes in the United States permitting same-sex marriage in several states.

In 2010, syndicated columnist Dan Savage launched the “It Gets Better” video project to encourage bullied gay teens. It was prompted by widely publicized suicides of young gays, and includes videos from politicians and celebrities.

“Bullying tends to decline with age regardless of sexual orientation and gender,” and the study confirms that, said co-author Joseph Robinson, a researcher and assistant professor of educational psychology at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. “In absolute terms, this would suggest that yes, it gets better.”

The study appears online Monday in the journal Pediatrics.

Eliza Byard, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, said the results mirror surveys by her anti-bullying advocacy group that show bullying is more common in U.S. middle schools than in high schools.

But the researchers said their results show the situation is more nuanced for young gay men.

In the first years of the study, gay boys and girls were almost twice as likely to be bullied as their straight peers. By the last year, bullying dropped overall and was at about the same level for lesbians and straight girls. But the difference between men got worse by ages 19 and 20, with gay young men almost four times more likely than their straight peers to be bullied.

The mixed results for young gay men may reflect the fact that masculine tendencies in girls and women are more culturally acceptable than femininity in boys and men, Robinson said.

Savage, who was not involved in the study, agreed.

“A lot of the disgust that people feel when you bring up homosexuality … centers around gay male sexuality,” Savage said. “There’s more of a comfort level” around gay women, he said.

Kendall Johnson, 21, a junior theater major at the University of Illinois, said he was bullied for being gay in high school, mostly when he brought boyfriends to school dances or football games.

“One year at prom, I had a guy tell us that we were disgusting and he didn’t want to see us dancing anymore,” Johnson said. A football player and the president of the drama club intervened on his behalf, he recalled.

Johnson hasn’t been bullied in college, but he said that’s partly because he hangs out with the theater crowd and avoids the fraternity scene. Still, he agreed, that it generally gets better for gays as they mature.

“As you grow older, you become more accepting of yourself,” Johnson said.

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

As reported in their article for this year’s edition of the Ad Meter: “For the first time, the Ad Meter panel was opened up to anyone who wanted to register. More than 7,000 panelists logged in on Super Bowl Sunday to vote on ads.”

Here are the top 10 highest ranking ads for Super Bowl XLVII, as well as the 5 worst-received spots.

Top 10

01. Anheuser-Busch, “Horse and Trainer Reunited” (Ad Meter Score: 7.76)

02. Tide, “Miracle Stain” (7.75)

03. RAM, “Farmers” (7.43)

04. Doritos, “Fashionista Dad” (7.27)

05. JEEP, “Families waiting” (7.20)

06. Kia, “Space Babies” (6.74)

07. Doritos, “Goat 4 Sale” (6.71)

08. NFL, “Deion Sanders returns” (6.68)

09. Hyundai, “Kid Assembles Team” (6.65)

10. Audi, “Prom” (6.64)

Bottom 5

05. Calvin Klein, “Guy in Underwear” (3.88)

04. Anheuser-Busch, “Black Crown Party” (3.73)

03. Anheuser-Busch, “Beck’s Sapphire Fish Singing” (3.66)

02. Anheuser-Busch, “Black Crown Coronation” (3.64)

01. GoDaddy.co, “Bar Refeali Make Out” (3.30)

Loretta Lacy, of Sioux Falls, S.D., was heading to Racine, Wis. and trying to make it in time for her granddaughter’s formal dance that evening.

Lacy was first stopped in Martin County at 2:25 p.m. after authorities received multiple complaints of her speeding, and weaving in and out of traffic. She was ticketed for speeding (she passed the trooper at 112 mph), no insurance and possession of marijuana.

Just 20 miles later, though she did slow down to 99 mph, she was again ticketed for speeding and no proof of insurance. At this point, Minnesota and Wisconsin State Patrols were advised, and on the lookout.

About 70 minutes later, Lacy was ticketed traveling at 88 mph in Freeborn County for speeding and no insurance.

The fourth and final ticket came before she entered Wisconsin, as she was going 88 mph in a 70 mph zone.

State Patrol Lieutenant Eric Roeske said all of her offenses are petty misdemeanors, so jailing Lacy wasn’t an option.

After all of the traffic stops, she did not make it to Racine in time for her granddaughter’s dance, Roeske said.

Lacy faces more than $500 in fines.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The long-held view of fat in our diets is that it causes health problems. The trend for decades now has been to eat only non-fat foods or substitutes for fat.

One registered dietitian says that’s not the case anymore and that we need fat to stay healthy and thin. Christina Meyer-Jax from the University of St. Thomas even went so far as to say that fat is “awesome.”

It seems like people work so hard to get away from it, but fat is actually an essential nutrient needed for human health. Meyer-Jax is working hard to crush that negative fat notion that started decades ago.

“There were a lot of studies done in the ’60s and ’70s that really pointed the risk of heart disease being related to fat,” she said. “And fat also has the most calories per gram.  So people associated that with negative health outcomes.”

Some of those outcomes include, obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure, for example. But that’s not the whole story of fat.

“It’s a great source of calories. Calories, in a good way, are what promote your performance and your ability to do things. It also insulates your body,” Meyer-Jax said.

Fat also gives us satiety, or the sense of fullness or satisfaction you get in what you’re eating.

“Research shows that people who include good fats in their diet in moderation actually consume less calories in a day than those on a high-carb diet,” Meyer-Jax said.

Avocados and olives are great sources of good fat that will help a salad feel and be more substantial. Oils like olive oil and peanut oil enhance flavor.

“Research shows that when you eat spicy foods that have a little bit of the right kind of oil, you actually eat less,” she said.

Coconut oil is often vilified because there are 12 grams of saturated fat in a tablespoon, but Meyer-Jax says the sort of saturated fat in coconut oil doesn’t adversely affect your blood cholesterol in the way saturated fats from animal products do.

If you’re on the go, try nuts like almonds. They are easy to keep and stay fresh for a long time. You can also take flax seeds for a test drive.

Meyer-Jax also said dairy can be a great source of necessary fats.

“I love this milk from grass-fed cows.  You don’t have to do skim; 1 percent is just fine,” she said.

The key to healthy eating is to eat whole foods as close to nature as possible.

One side note: there is one kind of fat you should absolutely stay away from, and it’s the kind used in deep-fat frying called transfat. Look for that and hydrogenated oil on labels. If you see that listed, don’t eat it.

Seventy-four-year-old Dave Bell of St. Cloud received a package of candy last week after sending an email reminding Pearson’s Candy Co. in St. Paul of the complaint he made as a teenager.

In 1952, Bell was 14 when he bit into a nut roll and discovered a twig. He tells the St. Cloud Times he sent a letter to Pearson’s “to obviously get some candy.”

He got a letter of apology from the son of one of the company’s founders. But no candy.

Last year Bell came across the letter, so he reminded the company about the candy. The candy arrived Friday.

Bell jokes he’s not sharing the candy.

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Not so. The postmaster in the St. Louis County township of Embarrass says life goes on. Residents have reported to work. Children are in school. And the mail is being delivered.

The National Weather Service says Embarrass is the coldest spot in Minnesota Thursday. But, other communities in the region aren’t far behind. The temperature in Ash Lake dropped to 39 below and 36 below in International Falls. That’s without the wind chill factor.

Embarrass Postmaster Paul Thesenvitz says his postal carriers deliver mail in the rural township by car, so only their arms get cold when they reach out to a mailbox.

Thesenvitz has only one complaint. He says the power has gone out so his coffee pot isn’t working.

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

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Ever feel a little twinge of jealousy when you look at a friend’s vacation photos on Facebook? Turns out, you’re not alone.

According to a pair of German researchers, Facebook triggers feelings of envy. In fact, in one-third of all cases, people feel worse after browsing the site.

When Cori Johnson’s husband posted Facebook photos of their recent Puerto Rico vacation, she wasn’t surprised at the response.

“Some people were like, ‘Wow, that was fabulous, that looks great.’ But there were also some comments like, ‘So jealous’ and ‘BRAT!,’ she said with a laugh.

The researchers found people who followed Facebook, but didn’t contribute much were the most likely to be affected.

According to Reuters, researcher Hanna Krasnova of Berlin’s Humboldt University said, “We were surprised by how many people have a negative experience from Facebook with envy leaving them lonely, frustrated or angry.”

The report is called “Envy on Facebook: A Hidden Threat to Users’ Life.” The researchers interviewed almost 600 German students about their emotions after looking at Facebook.

After vacation envy, they found people were also jealous when comparing status or photo likes as well as Happy Birthday posts. In general, they found people in their mid-30s were more likely to be jealous of family happiness. Women were more likely to envy physical attractiveness.

According to the paper’s abstract, “From a provider’s perspective, our findings signal that users frequently perceive Facebook as a stressful environment, which may, in the long-run, endanger platform sustainability.”

To read more about the study, click here.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota high school wrestler had his moment in the spotlight cut short when the lighting fixture crashed down on him during a match.

Michael McComish, a Madison High School senior, received stitches after the accident that happened about 50 seconds into his match with an opponent from Chamberlain High School.

Madison High School athletic director Bud Postma said it was a scary moment for everyone gathered in the Madison Middle School gym, where the tournament took place.

“We are thankful to report that the student/athlete injured is recovering and is in school today,” Postma said Monday in a statement.

One of the trademarks of the triangular tournament nicknamed “Madison Square Garden” is an overhead light fixture that spotlights the featured match. The fixture is about the size of a large truck tire.

A video posted on YouTube shows the wrestlers had been sparring for just under a minute when McComish got into the referee’s position with his hands and knees on the middle of the mat. Just before the Chamberlain wrestler prepared to take the top position, the circular light fixture crashed down on McComish.

The referee and the Chamberlain wrestler quickly lifted the fixture, allowing McComish to walk over to the side for medical attention.

A telephone listing for McComish could not be found, and an attempt by The Associated Press to reach the student through the social media site Twitter was unsuccessful.

McComish told The Daily Leader of Madison on Monday afternoon that he had 15 to 20 stitches on his forehead and the back of his head. He said the rope on the lighting fixture broke and he heard the chains rattle, then thought, “What the heck happened?”

His mother, Heather Bergheim, said her son has been a devoted wrestler since sixth grade and had to miss wrestling at the Kingsbury Tournament on Saturday. But she said he was there supporting the Bulldogs.

“We are very thankful it was not more serious,” she told the newspaper. “We are hoping for the best and taking it just one day at a time.”

Madison won its Friday night matches against both Harrisburg and Chamberlain.

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

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — With construction of the new light rail line to St. Paul nearing completion, many other improvements are being made to the area.

Those improvements include road projects and installing new street signs. But not every sign marked an improvement.

Crews installed a sign that featured an embarrassing typo. It read “Unversity Avenue” instead of the correct University Avenue.

St. Paul city officials told the Pioneer Press that the Central Corridor subcontractor — Safety Signs — installed the misspelled street sign. They’ll be replacing it on Monday.

A Post-Crescent of Appleton report says one of the women is pregnant.

Dodge County deputies say they were called to Silk Exotic last week to break up a fight. They say it started when a customer tried to give a dollar to one of the dancers but the other dancer took it.

The sheriff’s report says both women began to brawl. They tussled on the floor, punching, slapping and pulling each other’s hair. Other dancers and customers separated the two.

Both women were cited for disorderly conduct.

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

But the attorney for Antonio Frasion Jenkins Jr. says the state grant that paid for removal of gang-related body art ran out.

Jenkins appeared in Hennepin County court Tuesday. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports defense lawyer Cindy McCollum told the judge they’re exploring ways to remove the homemade tattoo, which shows a person holding a pistol to the mouth of a pig wearing a Minneapolis police uniform.

The pig carries the badge number of an officer Jenkins told police he was angry with.

The 20-year-old St. Louis Park man was charged last November with making terroristic threats after a photo of the tattoo was posted on Facebook.

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

The state Department of Health Services released a report Tuesday detailing statistics of 2011 deaths and death rates. It found that 47 percent of people were cremated that year, while 46 percent were buried.

Another 6.5 percent were entombed and less than 1 percent donated their bodies.

Barbara Kemmis is the executive director of the Cremation Association of North America in Wheeling, Ill. She says people across the U.S. are increasingly choosing cremation. She says in the 11 westernmost states, Utah is the only state where fewer than 51 percent of people are cremated.

She says cremation can be substantially cheaper and more environmentally friendly than burial.

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

Minneapolis was named the gayest city in America just two short years ago, but according to the 2013 rankings, the combined Twin Cities has fallen to 10th gayest.

Some of the reasons remain the same — the magazine cites our sexy rugby team Mayhem as part of its reasons — but this year Tacoma and Springfield, Mass. took top honors, being named first and second, respectively.

The online ranking lists pro-LGBT Sen. Al Franken, “early antidiscrimination ordinances, a no-nonsense attitude,” and of course, the Mall of America as other factors for our top 10 ranking and even gives a shout-out to the Town House bar.

It also refers to the Twin Cities as “Midwestern gay mecca.”

The full ranking is below:

15. St. Louis
14. Salem
13. Colorado Springs
12. Providence
11. Oakland
10. Minneapolis-St. Paul
9. Atlanta
8. Madison
7. Eugene
6. Salt Lake City
5. Seattle
4. Washington, D.C.
3. Spokane
2. Springfield, Mass.
1. Tacoma

Anthony Lavell Frazier was charged with theft and damage to property after being arrested around 1 p.m. on Dec. 8 near Robert Street in St. Paul.

Police had been given a description of Frazier while investigating a theft complaint, where the suspect took off running north on Robert Street away from the business where the theft occurred.

When police located Frazier, he began resisting arrest and said, “Don’t take me to jail for just stealing a stupid pair of shoes. Man, I didn’t have any money and it’s my birthday.”

Police say Frazier then smashed his head against the squad car while officers were removing items from Frazier’s pocket. Officers later discovered that Frazier’s head left a dent in the squad car.

Frazier admitted to police that he took the shoes because he heard it was easy to steal things from that particular store and because it was his birthday, but he didn’t have any money. He also said he smashed his head into the squad car because he doesn’t always think before he acts.

The shoes were valued at $99.99. The damage to the squad car was estimated at $1,079.17.

Moorhead police say a one-carat diamond found in a parking lot near a Little Caesar’s Pizza restaurant hasn’t been claimed by anyone. So it has been returned to the person who found it and turned it over to police last October.

The oval diamond has been appraised at $7,000. It has an identification number, but police say the International Gemological Institute confirmed the diamond was never registered.

Authorities say they did receive some inquiries about the diamond, but the owner could not be found. So, the anonymous person from Moorhead who found it is now the new owner.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Minneapolis was the only American city to make the magazine’s list of the hottest travel destinations for 2013.

The magazine cited Minneapolis’s growing Scandinavian restaurant scene as a draw for tourists hoping to experience the “foraging-and-farming ethos of Copenhagen’s famed Noma.”

The magazine cited Bachelor Farmer for its rooftop garden, noted the recent opening of the American Swedish Institute’s Fika, and also heralded Union as the potential next big thing.

Brie Roland is the food and beverage operations manager at Fika.

“I’m ecstatic, and a bit surprised,” Roland said.

Roland said the restaurant community is pretty close knit, and she commends the other restaurants mentioned.

She said Swedish food gets a bad rap.

“I don’t even know how it caught on, but this whole new Nordic idea where you are taking this heritage and then combining it with idea of local and really simple but just beautiful clean flavors,” she said.

NewsRadio 830 WCCO’s Susie Jones Reports

The magazine called Minneapolis “an unexpected foodie mecca in the American heartland.”

The rest of the list was comprised of such far-flung places as Italy’s Basilicata, Nepal, Zambia and Amsterdam.

Fika and Union say the phone has been ringing off the hook since the magazine came out.

Bachelor Farmer will reopen Tuesday after a one-week vacation so we’re not sure how full their answering machine is.