Rep Ward, Gov Dayton & Roberta Jay

Brainerd, MN–Preliminary estimates indicate that over 10,000 people were in attendance at the world’s largest charitable ice fishing tournament Saturday for the 21st annual Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza. Participants came from as far as Sweden, plus many from across the country – Texas, Florida and New York to name a few.
In amongst the sea of anglers was Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, the first sitting governor to attend this unique winter tourism event. He was invited to the Extravaganza by Minnesota State Representative John Ward, a Brainerd native, and spent the morning discussing the economic impact of tourism in the Brainerd-lakes area. Although he didn’t catch a fish, Dayton stated that he enjoyed the Extravaganza experience and said, “This is what Minnesota tourism is all about.”

At 12:03 p.m. the first angler was welcomed to the weigh-in tent by on-lookers ringing cow bells. There were 724 fish registered this year. Andrew Schultz landed the winning fish, a 7.18 pound Northern in 11 feet of water using a minnow and a tip-up. A first-time Extravaganza attendee from Donsman, WI, Schultz had this to say, “I was really excited because this was the biggest fish I’ve ever caught.” Schultz had his choice between a Ford or GMC pick-up truck – he chose the Ford. In 100th place, winning an Ice Castle Fish House was Brandon Popp from Sauk Rapids, MN. He caught a .55 pound Walleye. In last place (150th) was Bill Werner from Cloquet, MN, and he landed on the leader board with a .43 pound Perch which won him an Arctic Cat ATV 550 Power Steering.

There are two notable characteristics about this event – it is completely volunteer run and 100% of the proceeds are donated to area charities. The Brainerd Jaycees invests more than 20,000 hours in the planning of the contest. Amongst the 400 volunteers was Roberta Jay, the chairman of the contest this year. She said, “I grew up around this event and am amazed every year at its success and the commitment of our volunteers.” The largest beneficiary is Confidence Learning Center, an outdoor recreational facility for people with developmental disabilities, but it’s estimated that 50 charities will benefit from the successful event. The Brainerd Jaycees have donated $2.6-million to charities since the first Extravaganza was held in 1991.

All of the official event information can be found online at www.icefishing.org including a complete winner’s list. Next year’s event will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2012.

Girls' Basketball:
Albany 76, St. Cloud Cathedral 39
Alexandria 64, Little Falls 38
Bertha-Hewitt 60, Verndale 39
Blackduck 53, Northome/Kelliher 51
Foley 61, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 56
Pillager 49, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 43
Sartell 84, St. Cloud Apollo 51
Sauk Rapids-Rice 37, Rocori 34
Staples-Motley 55, Menahga 48

Boys' Basketball:
Aitkin 48, Pine City 41
Braham 81, Onamia 41
Detroit Lakes 58, Crosby-Ironton 43
McGregor 47, Barnum 44
Pequot Lakes 65, Wadena-Deer Creek 54
Red Lake 61, Pine River-Backus 60
Staples-Motley 69, Park Rapids 36

Girls' Hockey:
Fergus Falls 2, Brainerd/Little Falls 0
Willmar 9, LPGE/WDC 0

Boys' Hockey:
Bemidji 5, Brainerd/Pierz/Pillager 3
Willmar 5, Sauk Rapids-Rice 2

Wrestling:
Little Falls 37, Brainerd 31

Pierz Quadrangular;
Pierz def. Croby-Ironton
Pierz def. Rush City/Braham
Rush City/Braham def. Crosby-Ironton
Sauk Rapids-Rice def. Crosby-Ironton
Sauk Rapids-Rice def. Pierz

Princeton Quadrangular;
Milaca/Faith Christian def. Mille Lacs
  "  "     def. Grand Rapids
  "  "     def. Princeton

Boys Basketball:
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 84, Pierz 80
Fergus Falls 72, Brainerd 52
Little Falls 70, Willmar 60
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 58, Foley 48
Milaca 57, Mora 48
Nevis 79, Park Rapids 34
New York Mills 90, Menhga 60
Pequot Lakes 68, Aitkin 27
Sebeka 68, Henning 43
Verndale 60, Pillager 54,

Girls Basketball:
Barnum 64, McGregor 22
Brainerd 50, Bemidji 46
Browerville 46, Osakis 45
Crosby-Ironton 39, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 35
Deer River 55, Aitkin 42
Eagle Valley 72, Verndale 42
Kimball 62, Pierz 53
New London-Spicer 77, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 40
Onamia 54, Henckley-Finlayson 33
Pequot Lakes 67, Grand Rapids 53
Pine River-Backus 73, Nevis 41
Rush City 59, Isle 51
Upsala 64, Royalton 45
Wadena-Deer Creek 45, Hawley 27

Boys Hockey:
Prairie Centre 5, Park Rapids/Menahga/Nevis 3

Girls Hockey:
Park Rapids 5, Northern Lakes 3

Wrestling:
Wadena-Deer Creek 41, Parkers Prairie/Brandon 29
Wadena-Deer Creek 43, Ottertail Central 30
Pierz 39, Rockford 27
Pierz 45, Eden Valley-Watkinsw 29

Friday January 21st
BUG-O-NAY-GE-SHIG Closed
CASS LAKE/ BENA Closed
CROSBY-IRONTON Delayed 2 hours
CROSSLAKE COMMUNITY SCHOOL Delayed 2 hours
LAKE REGION CHRISTIAN SCHOOL CLOSED, No after school activities
MCGREGOR SCHOOLS Closed
MILACA SCHOOLS Delayed 2 hours
NAY AH SHING Closed
ROYALTON Closed
PILLAGER SCHOOLS Delayed 2 hours

ROYALTON SCHOOLS

Closed

WALKER-HACKENSACK-AKELEY Delayed 2 hours

Bitterly cold weather is moving into the Brainerd Lakes through the end of the work week.  The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Chill advisory through 9 a.m. Saturday with wind chills between 20 and 35 below.

KLKS Meteorologist Tony Schumacher says frostbite can occur quickly.  He says it would take only a couple of minutes for exposed flesh to freeze.  And, he says hypothermia can affect those who are out in the elements for prolonged periods of time without bundling up properly.

Schumacher expects a short cold snap.  He says temperatures could top out in the 20's next week.

State Senator Paul Gazelka of Brainerd says his Republican majority looks to eliminate the $6.2 billion revenue shortfall for the next biennium through cuts and government reorganization.

Gazelka tells KLKS News, there will be pain to all sectors, and suggests freezing all salaries in education for two years.

Gazelka says the republicans have already cut their daily expense allowance, and reduced the number of committees, which increased their work load, but cut costs by $125 thousand.

The State Patrol is girding-up for the throngs of sports men and women who will be participating in the annual Jaycees ice Fishing Extravaganza Saturday.   More than 10 thousand are expected.

Sergent Curt Mowers tells KLKS News, it can cause some traffic headaches on Highway 371 at Hole in the Day Bay. 

Sergent Mowers suggests motorists park at BIR and take the shuttle in.

Governor Mark Dayton is scheduled to join in the event.

Hours of peak traffic are from 8 a.m. until noon and after 3 p.m.

Boys Basketball:
Class 2A:
1.    Plainview-Elgin-Millville (13-1)
7.    Pequot Lakes (9-3)

Class 1A:
1.    Minnesota Transitions (7-2)
2.    Sebeka (8-0)

Girls Basketball:
Class 2A:
1.    Braham (14-1)
10.  Pequot Lakes (13-1)

Class 1A:
1.    Barnum (16-0)
6.    Sebeka (9-2)
7.    Upsala (14-0)

Boys Hockey:
Class 1A:
1.    St. Thomas Academy
11.  Little Falls

Freshman Republican Congressman Chip Cravaack fulfilled a campaign promise and voted along party lines to repeal health care reform Wednesday.

In a statement from his office he said Minnesotans should have access to high quality, affordable health care, but said he does not support what describes as increased regulation, taxation and government interference found in the legislation. 

Congressman Cravaack says he wants to replace it with legislation that expands the accessibility of coverage, lowers costs and focuses on the quality of patient care – without laying the bill at the feet of Minnesota taxpayers and future generations of Americans.

State DFL Chair Brian Melendez chided Cravaack charging he used his first vote on a major piece of legislation to push Minnesota’s seniors back into the Medicare doughnut hole and to kick Minnesota’s young adults off their parents’ health insurance.

Cravaack's 8th district covers the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Even though deer sightings may be down, doesn't mean they are struggling through this harsh winter. 

Jean Goad, Grand Rapids DNR Public Information Officer tells KLKS News, the severity index is growing.  She says one point is added for every day below zero, and every day with 15 inches or more of snow on the ground.  The deer are yarding-up and living off tree tops and stored fat, and are doing well for now.

Goad says the situation could change in a month or so, if the harsh conditions don't break.

(AP)  An Aitkin man is in jail, accused in the attempted murder of the his wife's unborn child. 

24-year-old Rory Northrup was arrested at his rural Aitkin home late last week and charged with premeditated attempted murder of an unborn child and third-degree assault.  He is accused of kicking and punching his wife in the stomach when he learned she was pregnant.

The woman was taken to a Brainerd hospital where she and the unborn child are expected to recover.

Bail has been set at a half million dollars with no conditions, and $100 thousand with conditions.

D-h-s Farms in northern Wadena county has been fined $30 thousand by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for alleged feedlot violations. In addition to paying the civil penalty, D-h-s Farms is completing a number of corrective actions.

According to inspection reports, the feedlot exceeded its allowable limit of cattle, failed to obtain required permits and notify local zoning authorities of its expansion, allowed manure and manure-contaminated runoff to discharge into waters of the state, failed to notify the M-P-C-A of the discharges, and failed to keep records of manure transfers for land application.

Boys Basketball:
Bemidji 73, Little Falls 58
Braham 82, Isle 40
Browerville 61, Swanville 50
Hill City 76, Laporte 18
Kimball 56, Pierz 54
McGregor 71, Floodwood 48
Nevis 71, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 23
New London-Spicer 65, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 59
Onamia 58, Ogilvie 53
Parkers Prairie 54, Verdale 43
Perham 76, Park Rapids 23
Royalton 64, Osakis 57

Girls Basketball:
Aitkin 75, Hinckley-Finlayson 25
Crosby-Ironton 40, Detroit Lakes 33
Isle 72, East Central 53
Little Falls 50, Brainerd 47
Maple Lake 47, Milaca 23
Melrose 59, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 28
Menahga 65, Verndale 49
Pierz 74, Foley 48
Pillager 55, New York Mills 29
Pine River-Backus 59, Eagle Valley 43
Sebeka 65, Bertha-Hewitt 54
Staples-Motley 78, Park Rapids 34
Upsala 68, Onamia 24
Wadena-Deer Creek 81, Pequot Lakes 75  (OT)
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 46, Nevis 40

Wrestling:
Crookston 54, Park Rapids 21
Staples-Motley 44, Wadena-Deer Creek 30
United North Central 45, Pequot Lakes/Pine River-Backus 33
Aitkin 60, Crosby-Ironton 18
Mille Lacs 31, Aitkin 30
Mille Lacs 48, Crosby-Ironton 23
Thief River Falls/Goodridge 52, Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena/Indus 24
Detroit Lakes 49, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley/Nevis 24
Roseau 54, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley/Nevis 30
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley/Nevis 42, East Grand Forks/Sacred Heart 31

Boys Hockey:
Brainerd/Pierz/Pillager 5, Sartell 0
Park Rapids/Menahga/Nevis 6, Northern Lakes 3
Willmar 4, Little Falls 2

Girls Hockey:
Brainerd/Little Falls 3, Sartell/Sauk Rapids-Rice 1

State Representative John Ward has introduced Joey's law.  It is named after Joey Jordan, a Pequot Lakes High School student who was killed by a repeat drunk driver.

Ward tells KLKS News, in other state's it is referred to as the 24/7 sobriety program.  He says it requires offenders to go to the jail every day for a Breathalyzer test.  If passed the individual can go on with his or her daily routine.  If not, a short jail stay is ordered.

Representative Ward says the cost is borne by the individual and not the state.  He says states that have the law have seen a reduction in jail time, DWI incidents and injuries.

Members of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber are Cautiously optimistic about their prospects for 2011.

A chamber survey done last fall revealed that 70 percent of respondents enjoyed business at least as good in 2010 as it was in 2009.

Area businesses are said to be optimistic about the future. 59 percent have a positive outlook on the new year, while 31 percent are unsure and 10 percent are less optimistic about the 2011 Brainerd Lakes Area economy.

Chamber CEO Lisa Paxton said members worry that future government policy would distract from their ability to focus on operating and rebuilding their businesses.  Members would like to see government cut spending and redesign services.

They also report the cost of employee health insurance continues to be a concern. The majority of respondents, 65 percent, said it is a problem, nearly 40 percent described it as a severe problem. Only 50 percent of respondents said they offer employer subsidized health insurance for employees.

(AP)  More kudos for former Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar. 

The 36 year veteran of Minnesota's 8th district will be honored for his public service at the Humprhey Center in Minneapolis today. 

Oberstar will speak at the event and discuss his new role a the Humprhey school.

Political new-comer Chip Cravaack unseated the DFL-er who was Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  Oberstar has said he wants to remain involved in public policy following his exit from Capitol Hill.

The Brainerd Lakes Area are included in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District.

Boys Basketball:
Browerville 54, Parkers Prairie 50
Deer River 65, Cass Lake-Bena 58
Grand Rapids 73, Staples-Motley 53

Girls Basketball:
Browerville 70, Swanville 56
Floodwood 64, McGregor 47
Upsala 79, Kimball 59

Authorities have rescued four people whose snowmobiles went through the ice on Lake Bemidji.

Three snowmobiles broke through the ice while crossing the east side of the lake on Sunday Evening.

The Beltrami County Sheriff's Office says four were rescued and there were no injuries.

The annual Brainerd Jaycees Fishing Extravaganza, which attracts more than 10 thousand anglers, is a go for Saturday. 

Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl measured 18-22 inches of ice on Hole in the Day Bay on Gull Lake.  And, while he says there is no such thing as safe ice, he describes the sheet as "good ice." 

Among those on the ice Saturday will be Governor Mark Dayton.  Sheriff Dahl tells KLKS News, having the state's Chief Executive in the mix creates some challenges.  The State Patrol is in charge of the Governor's security, and Sheriff's deputies will assist.

Those wishing to avoid the congestion on Highway 371 Saturday may want to use County Road 77 to the west and County Road 4 to the east.

Proceeds from the event are distributed to many charities, including Camp Confidence.

(AP)  A man who has been on the run since early November has been collared by the FBI on the Red Lake Reservation.

22-year-old Donald Leigh Clark was grabbed while hiding under a blanket in the back seat of his girlfriend's car late Saturday.  He was wanted in the shooting death of Julian Demarrias November 3rd in Redby. 

The shooting followed a home invasion in which clark's toddler son was allegedly threatened.

19-year-old Cruz Anthony White remains at large.