Listener Poll
Kim David KROC-AM NEWS
July 30, 2010
A Stewartville man has been arraigned on charges of breaking his girlfriend's jaw and then leaving her unconscious alongside a road last month. The girlfriend of 44-year old Danny Wheeler says they left a bar on his motorcycle in the early morning hours of June 20th and that when she asked him to slow down, he elbowed her in the face and she ended up in a ditch. She says while on the ground, Wheeler stomped on her face and she was knocked out. The woman says when she came to, Wheeler was gone. She says she then walked to a nearby truck and asked the driver to call 911. Wheeler has been charged with two felony assault counts. Wheeler's conditional bail has been set at $150,000. One of the conditions he faces is a court order to stay away from the victim and stay out of Stewartville.
Rochester man pleads guilty in costly vandalism case
Kim David KROC-AM NEWS
July 30, 2010
A Rochester man who vandalized the Outback restaurant twice within a seven month period pleaded guilty today and will be sentenced in September. 33-year old Matthew Kernler pleaded guilty to two felony counts of criminal damage to property while several other charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement. The first incident occurred last October. The other took place this past May when Kernler broke a natural gas line and caused other damage, estimated at $20,000. After he was identified through a surveillance camera recording, he admitted to both crimes. Kernler told investigators he was angry because he had been ordered to stay away from the business.
Fatal crash occurred while street lights were dark
Andy Brownell KROC-AM NEWS
July 30, 2010
The State Patrol says an elderly Saint Paul woman was killed yesterday in a traffic crash that occurred at a Twin Cities intersection where the traffic lights had been knocked out by a power outage. The 78-year-old woman was driving a car that slammed into the back of a vehicle that had stopped at the uncontrolled intersection in Oakdale.
Busy weekend in Duluth
Minnesota News Network
July 30, 2010
Traffic in Duluth is being described as "extremely congested." Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to converge on the Duluth area this weekend for a couple big attractions. Not only are 9 tall sailing ships docked in the Duluth Harbor, but tomorrow the historic Split Rock lighthouse beacon will be activated at sunset to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first time the beacon was lit to help guide ships on Lake Superior.
Rochester man charged in attack on ex-girlfriend
Kim David, KROC AM News
July 30, 2010
Two counts of attempted murder ( 1st and 2nd ) have been filed against the Rochester man who attacked his former girlfriend Tuesday night on a rural Olmsted County road. 30-year old Mitchell Good is also facing a felony assault charge and two other counts. During a court appearance this morning, his conditional bail was set at $250,000. Good is accused of driving the woman and her young daughter to the 7000 block of 65th street northwest. Investigators say he then attacked her with two knives, cutting her arms, hands and face before running into some nearby woods. Law enforcement officers spent a few hours looking for Good but could not find him. He was spotted the next night at the Douglas Saloon but fled before officers arrived. He was caught a short while later and taken into custody.
ConAgra cuts MN jobs
Minnesota News Network
July 30, 2010
ConAgra Foods is cutting 120 jobs in Minnesota by moving its snack headquarters from Edina to Naperville, Illinois. A company spokesman says 65 local employees were given offers to move and 30 accepted. Fifty-five workers in Edina were moved to a sales office in Bloomington. ConAgra still has more than 850 employees in Minnesota, including 530 at its Lakeville plant. ConAgra's snack foods include Slim Jim sticks, Orville Redebacher popcorn and Act Two microwave popcorn.
Dewey tribute
Minnesota News Network
July 30, 2010
Dozens of people lined Highway 59 north of Detroit Lakes last night to honor Mahnomen County Deputy Chris Dewey, who was shot in the line of duty 18 months ago. Dewey is now in hospice care with just days to live. Charene Vogel organized last night's tribute saying it was to honor the Dewey family and give him his standing ovation. Dewey's friend and colleague, Sheriff Doug Krier drove the deputy's squad car along the route, saying it was an honor and a special moment. According to Dewey's Caring Bridge Web site, the family is in a holding pattern, keeping Chris comfortable and enjoying every moment with him.
Missing Michigan plane found
Kim David, KROC AM News
July 30, 2010
The small airplane that crashed into Lake Michigan last Friday while on its way to Rochester has been found. The plane went down about an hour after taking off from Alma, Michigan. The pilot was the only survivor. He was flying a cancer patient to the Mayo Clinic. The patient's wife and doctor were also on board. Those three and the co-pilot apparently went down with the plane. Their bodies haven't been located yet.
Federal Appeals Court strikes down rules for Minnesota judicial candidates
Minnesota News Network
July 29, 2010
A ruling issued by a federal appeals court could have a significant impact on the election of judges in Minnesota. The appeals court found some restrictions placed on judicial candidates in Minnesota are unconstitutional. The ruling struck down rules that prohibited judicial candidates from endorsing candidates for political offices and soliciting for campaign contributions. The case was brought to the court by Greg Wersal, who is a candidate for a position on the Minnesota Supreme Court and has fought a decade long battle to dismantle the strict rules that had basically kept candidates seeking to be elected as judges from actively campaigning for the positions.
Former prosecutor charged with running prostitution ring
Minnesota News Network
July 29, 2010
A former assistant Hennepin County attorney is charged with running a so-called "nice guys" prostitution ring in Minneapolis. Prosecutors allege that 66-year-old John Paul St. Marie operated a website that advertised prostitution services - then set up appointments with men he called "nice guys." Investigators say St. Marie used "nice guys" to describe men he considered non-informants who would pay well. They say police began surveillance at Minneapolis hotels two years ago and arrested several men who said St. Marie made appointments with prostitutes for them. Because St. Marie is a former employee of Hennepin County, Ramsey County is handling the case to avoid any conflict of interest.
Couple charged with leaving newborn in sweltering car
Minnesota News Network
July 29, 2010
A Minneapolis couple faces child neglect and endangerment charges for leaving their six-week-old baby inside a sweltering car Tuesday. Authorities say Angel Garcia-Tapia and Rosa Perez-Siguencia spent more than 20 minutes in a pharmacy before police arrived and removed the infant. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says the temperature in the car was 111 degrees. He says the child was in great distress but has fully recovered.
Two men charged with setting man on fire
Minnesota News Network
July 29, 2010
Two men have been charged with first-degree attempted murder and assault for allegedly pouring gasoline on a man and setting him ablaze earlier this week up on the Iron Range. If convicted, 38-year-old Cory TwoCrow and 28-year-old Vince Hanson, could be sentenced to life in prison. The 21-year-old victim was involved in a fight with TwoCrow when both men allegedly doused him and ignited the fuel. He was found naked on a street in Virginia with serious burns on over half of his body. At last report, he was in critical condition at a hospital in Duluth.
NASCAR team owner hospitalized in Rochester
Andy Brownell KROC-AM NEWS
July 29, 2010
A well-known NASCAR team owner is in Rochester to be treated for injuries suffered in a plane crash earlier in the week at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. A statement from Roush Fenway Racing says Jack Roush was transferred to the Mayo Clinic from a hospital in Wisconsin last night. The statement says Roush is being treated for facial injuries and remains in serious, but stable condition.
Accident victim dies
Kim David, KROC AM News
July 29, 2010
A woman from southwestern Minnesota who survived a deadly traffic wreck earlier this month has died from her injuries. 22-year old Amanda Persinger of St. James was with four young men in a car that collided with a semi-truck July 10th near Fairmont. The men were dead at the scene while Persinger was brought to St. Mary's where she had been listed in critical condition. She died there this past Monday. Persinger was the mother of two children. Her funeral will be held in St. James on Saturday.
Robbery suspect caught
Kim David, KROC AM News
July 29, 2010
Authorities in Houston County have filed charges against a man suspected of robbing a convenience store around 5:30 yesterday morning in the town of Houston. The same man is a suspect in an armed robbery of another convenience store in the small Winona County town of Nodine 12 hours earlier. The suspect - identified as Mark Richmond - was later apprehended in La Crosse where he has been living.
Powerball Drawing
July 29, 2010
Powerball numbers for 07/28/2010 are: 01 11 20 25 27 Powerball 2 . Powerplay 5.
The estimated Grand Prize was $68,500,000 ($36,500,000 cash). There was no Grand Prize Winner. The next Powerball drawing will be on Saturday, July 31st, 2010 with an estimated Grand Prize of $85,000,000 ($45,400,000 cash).