The U.S. Senate has passed Congressman Jim Oberstar's bill to improve safety and pilot training requirements for regional airlines.

The 8th District DFL-er says the legislation is the culmination of the work begun after the Northwest Airlink Crash in Hibbing 16 years ago.

The new rules require all airline pilots hold an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, which requires a minimum of 1,500 flight hours; the current requirement is 250 flight hours.

Pilots will be trained on how to recover from stalls and upsets.

Oberstar says it is important that passengers be assured all pilots have the same qualifications and training, no matter where the flight originates.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is seeking comments on a water quality improvement report for Big Sandy Lake and Lake Minnewawa in Aitkin County, north of McGregor.

The report, known as a Total Maximum Daily Load study, focuses on pollution caused by excess nutrients in the lake. These lakes were placed on Minnesota’s list of impaired waters in 2006. A public comment period begins August 2nd, and continues through September 1st.

The report and information about who to contact with comments is available on the M-P-C-A website at www.pca.state.mn.us.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Brainerd Lakes Chamber will be hosting what is anticipated to be the first gubernatorial candidate debate following the August 10 primary election.

The debate will be held at the Grand View Lodge Gull Lake Center, Tuesday, August 17 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

So far, the Republican and Independence Party candidates are confirmed, and expect confirmation from the DFL candidate after the results of the three way primary race.

The Chamber says the candidates will respond to real-life questions about jobs, the economy, and the overall concern for the future of Minnesota. The debate format will allow each candidate time to answer prepared questions from the business community.

Cost for the program and luncheon is $25 for members and $35 for nonmembers.

(AP)  A Red Lake woman will spend the next 30 years of her life in prison. 

19-year-old Patricia Ann Brown was convicted of one count of murder and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. 

The U.S. Attorney says Brown killed 14-year-old Jason May, stabbing him in the heart on April 12th, 2009 while he was leaving a gathering, and cutting a 17-year-old, resulting in permanent damage.

During the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen called Brown " A danger to the community."

Crosslake DNR Conservation Officer Nikki Shoutz received a half dozen calls recently about a loon on the Whitefish Chain that became entangled in fishing line  and was trailing a bobber.  She tells KLKS News, sometimes they can help the critter, and sometimes they can't.  Catching diving loons is nearly impossible, but helping an eagle with a broken wing can result in success.  The Garrison Animal Clinic does treat wild animals.

Shoutz says, unfortunately, sometimes the best advice is to let nature take its course.

The Central Lakes College Agricultural and Energy Center at Staples will host Energy and Horticulture Day on Thursday, Aug. 12.


The event starts at 2 p.m. with a free energy crop tour and bio-diesel presentations. Oilseed and bio-diesel crop production will be discussed at 3 p.m.

At 5:15 p.m., a dinner featuring local foods will be followed by Horticulture presentations. The cost for the evening program and dinner is $10. Experts will discuss garden-fresh meals, Minnesota vineyards, raised-bed gardening, hoop-house food production, and the benefits of backyard birds.

Register by calling 218-894-5161.

Minnesota's second season continues.  

Brainerd Lakes area traffic heading south of St. Cloud should be aware of a traffic shift that begins today.  Motorists traveling south on the east and westbound lanes of Highway 10 from east of the intersection with Highway 24 to just east of County Road 3 near Clear Lake will be directed onto the new eastbound concrete roadway today.

All east and westbound traffic will be traveling on the two eastbound lanes between Clear Lake and County Road 3. 

Once the traffic switch is completed, the detour on Highway 24 will be removed and the roadway will be opened to traffic.

Traffic will continue to use the eastbound lanes for approximately two months while construction crews complete the new concrete westbound roadway.

(AP)  Two Onamia men have been charged in the death of 19-year-old William Nickaboine, a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

Authorities charged 20-year-old Joshua Simon Boyd with second-degree murder, and 20-year-old Aaron James Beaulieu with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Nickaboine was last seen alive July 17th.  His partially burned body was found in a wooded area last Friday.

Bail for the suspects was set at $800 thousand.

(AP)  The Superintendent of the Cass Lake-Bena School District is on paid administrative leave while a sexual  misconduct allegation is investigated. 

65-year-old Carl Remmers has been charged with fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly fondling a 17-year-old boy. 

The boy told authorities Remmers touched him inappropriately while in an office at the Learning Center.  He says Remmers drove him to Bemidji July 18th, bought him some clothes and then took him to a motel where he assaulted him.

Hunters interested in the regular archery deer hunts at Camp Ripley near Little Falls are reminded that this year’s  deadline is August 13th.

Hunters may pick from only one of two hunting seasons, Oct. 21-22 or Oct. 30-31 .

A total of 5,000 permits, 2,500 per two-day hunt, will be made available. Successful applicants must purchase a valid archery license at least two days before their hunt to participate. The bag limit for this year’s hunt is two, and bonus permits may be used to take antlerless deer.

The application fee for the hunt is $8 per applicant. Those who apply by phone or Internet will be charged an additional convenience fee of 3 percent ($0.24) per transaction.

The archery hunt at Camp Ripley is an annual event. The DNR coordinates the hunt with the Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation.

The power will be out to about 100 customers of Crow Wing Power on the south side of Lake Ossawinnamakee.  It is not storm related.

The planned outage is set to run from 11 a.m. to noon and is a planned outage.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will hold two public meetings seeking comment on a proposal to implement special fishing regulations in Aitkin County. The regulations would apply to Farm Island Lake, and the experimental fishing regulations would affect the Big Sandy Lake system.

The DNR proposes to implement the following regulations:
· Farm Island: 16- to 19-inch protected slot for walleyes (currently experimental).
· Big Sandy and connected waters: 14-inch to 18-inch harvest slot for walleyes and bag limit of five sunfish.

The meetings will take place Friday, Aug. 27, at the Hazelton Town Hall, on Highway 169, from 6 to 9 p.m.; and in St. Paul on Wednesday, Sept. 29, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the DNR Central Office.

For those unable to attend the public input meetings, written comments may be sent to Rick Bruesewitz, DNR Area Fisheries Office, 1200 Minnesota Ave. S, Aitkin, MN, 56431, or via e-mail to Rick.Bruesewitz@state.mn.us. Comments will be received until Oct. 10th.

(AP) Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Tribal Police are now investigating a missing person's case as a homicide.  A body believed to be that of a missing 19-year old Mille Lacs Band member was found on Friday.

William Anthony Nickaboine desappeared on July 17.  He was last seen on Gebeshi Lane on the Mille Lacs Reservation in Vineland, north of Onamia.

A community search party discovered the body on Timber Trail Road in Onamia, about 2 miles from the Gebeshi Lane. 

Tribal Police and Tribal DNR Officers arrested two suspects on Saturday with the help of the Minnesota State Patrol and Onamia Police.  The two were in the Mille Lacs County Jail pending charges. 

Deborah Erickson, Crow Wing County Auditor, reminds residents who have not pre-registered to vote that you can register at the polls on Tuesday, August 10.  You may prove your residence by showing a Minnesota Driver's License or Minnesota Photo ID with current address; Show a Photo ID plus yellow receipt for a Minnesota Drivers License with current address; show Student Photo ID with current fee statement showing address; have a Tribal ID recognized by the BIA with name, address, signature and picture; prior registration in precint; notice of Late Registration from the Crow Wing County Auditor; a voucher or a utility bill in addition to a Photo ID.  These are the only means of identification  authorized by Minnesota Law.  Also Erickson reminds voters that Minnesota Election Laws state that you cannot vote for candidates of more than one political party in the Primary Election on Tuesday, August 10.  For more information, call the County Auditor's Office at 218-824-1045.

The Akeley segment of the Heartland State Trail is closed temporarily while the old railroad trestle across the Crow Wing River is replaced with a new steel truss bridge, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.    The DNR says there is no efficient alternate route around the construction area.

The trail will essentially come to a dead end at Akeley,  according to Dave Schotzko, area supervisor for the DNR’s Division of Parks and Trails.  He says there is no short, safe, bike-friendly way around the project. 

The Heartland State Trail extends for many miles on both sides of Akeley, so hikers, bikers, and inline skaters are encouraged to explore those portions of the trail until the bridge construction is complete.

The new bridge will be 160 feet long and feature hand-railings and a concrete deck, and should be complete by December.

The proper use of seat belts and child car seats paid off Sunday in a two car accident north of Merrifield. 

The Crow Wing County Sheriff says 52-year-old Donald Tracy Berry of Crosslake pulled out from a stop sign on County Road 3 at the "Y" junction and was struck by a car traveling south on County Road 4, driven by 19-year-old Lindsey Jo Hanson of Brainerd. 

The Sheriff says because they were all buckled properly, the injuries appeared to be non life threatening. 

They were treated on the scene by paramedics and transported to St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.

A 17-year-old Eden Prairie girl was injured in a parasailing accident on Lower Cullen Lake Sunday. 

The Crow Wing County Sheriff says Natalie Lyn Carlson of Eden Prarie, was attempting to parasail behind a boat from the lake near Nisswa.  She struck a pontoon boat docked nearby as she attempted to take flight from shore. The girl was wearing a lifejacket at the time of the accident.

Witnesses and family were able to assist Natalie to shore and render first aid until emergency personnel arrived. The driver of the boat, 52-year-old Clayton John Carlson of Eden Prairie and a passenger in the boat, 44-year-old Scott Michael Dufour of Pequot Lakes, were not injured in the accident.

Natalie Carlson was treated at the scene by North Memorial Ambulance Paramedics and transported to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd.