Mpls. cops shoot 2 attacking pit bulls, killing 1

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis police say officers shot two pit bulls that attacked them and a pedestrian, killing one dog and wounding the other.

A police report says the pit bulls were roaming free Wednesday evening when they attacked a man. The man got away, and as police responded the dogs ran off.

The report said about 45 minutes later, two officers were looking through an alley two blocks away when the pit bulls attacked them. Police said the officers fired at the dogs several times.

One pit bull died, and the second one ran off wounded and hasn’t been found.

Minn. man, 84, struck, killed in hit-and-run

HERMANTOWN (AP) — Hermantown police are looking for the hit-and-run driver who struck and killed an 84-year-old man.

Police say Laurence Sundquist apparently was trying to get a newspaper from a roadside box when he was struck.

A motorist found Sundquist lying unconscious on the road and not breathing about 5 a.m. Thursday. Sundquist was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The driver who struck Sundquist might not have realized it because of poor road conditions. It was foggy and before dawn at the time.

2 die in recent Twin Cities roof falls

COTTAGE GROVE (AP) — A Cottage Grove paramedic is the second person in the Twin Cities to recently die after falling from a roof while clearing ice or snow.

Bill McMackins, 54, slipped off a ladder Tuesday while removing an ice dam from the roof of his home.

His son, Reid McMackins, said his father suffered a major head injury. He died at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

It was the second fatality from a roof fall in the Twin Cities within a week.

John Rohwer died on Christmas, a day after he fell onto his driveway while removing snow from the roof of his Shoreview home. Rohwer was chairman of the University of St. Thomas’ Health and Human Performance Department.

Metro Transit: Girl in Mpls. was not kidnapped

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Metro Transit has determined that a teenage girl was not kidnapped in Minneapolis.

The FBI was asking for information after a report that a girl may have been abducted from a Nicollet Avenue bus stop Thursday. The girl reportedly had refused to go with a group of young men when one of the men forced her into a sport utility vehicle that took off.

Metro Transit says police located the girl, who confirmed the incident resulted from a dispute with her boyfriend that has been resolved.

Investigators tracked down the vehicle, which led to an identification of the girl. Transit police interviewed her and determined no charges were warranted.

Teen accused in Mpls. sex assaults on the loose

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — One of four teens accused in several sexual assaults in south Minneapolis’ Powderhorn Park is on the loose after reportedly cutting off his ankle bracelet monitor.

The 15-year-old cut off his monitor Wednesday and was still at large Friday evening.

The station says the boy had been staying with his grandmother in south Minneapolis.

The teen was among four arrested after police say a woman was sexually assaulted while cross-country skiing in the park with her son and daughter in November. Police followed footprints in the snow to a garage, where officers stopped an alleged sexual assault on two girls, ages 16 and 18.

A judge signed an order on Dec. 14 allowing the 15-year-old released with electronic monitoring.

New Year’s Eve snowfall snarls Midwest roads

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A powerful winter storm dumped several inches of snow on a swath of the nation’s midsection on Friday, making roads icy and snarling traffic by causing fender benders and forcing road closures.

In Minnesota, Interstate 94 between Alexandria and the North Dakota border closed as gusty winds and blowing snow reduced visibilities.

Heavy snow fell in parts of Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas and Minnesota as the storm swept north over the region.

In Iowa, freezing rain and sleet made for hazardous travel early in the day with numerous accidents being reported. Most were minor fender benders as motorists slid off the road after hitting an icy patch.

“We’re seeing a lot of sliders,” said Jessica Lown, a spokeswoman for the Iowa State Patrol.

Winter storms force changes in NSIC schedules

MARSHALL (AP) — A winter storm sweeping the Upper Midwest has forced the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference to reschedule this weekend’s basketball games.

All NSIC men’s and women’s games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 1-2, have been pushed back to Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 3-4.

The women’s games on both nights will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the men’s games at 8 p.m.

The Bemidji State at Minnesota Duluth doubleheader will be played on Monday night.

The NSIC games schedule for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 7-8, will be moved to Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 8-9. Women’s games will begin at 2 p.m., followed by men’s games at 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Reward offered for info on Twin Cities robberies

ST. PAUL (AP) — Authorities are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in a recent string of robberies in the Twin Cities.

Nineteen fast-food restaurants, auto parts stores and other businesses have been hit by robbers since Nov. 17.

The most recent hold-up was Wednesday night when a masked man fired shots and stole cash from the Super USA convenience store in St. Paul. No one was hurt.

Police have not confirmed if the robberies are connected, but the multiple crimes have triggered a joint investigation among 12 agencies including the Minneapolis and St. Paul police departments.

Mpls. teachers get details of proposed contract

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Details of the tentative contract between the Minneapolis public schools and the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, which took more than a year to reach, could be released this week.

The two sides announced a settlement on Dec. 27, but then said they wouldn’t talk about the details publicly until at least Monday.

The negotiations took 1 1/2 years. They were often hostile, particularly on two points.

The district wanted to freeze salaries and eliminate automatic pay increases. It also decided not to make payouts under a system that pays teachers extra for working outside the classroom to improve their skills.

Because the district didn’t settle the contract by the legal deadline of Jan. 15, 2010, it has to pay an $800,000 fine.

Trial dates set for teen charged in store slayings

ALGONA, Iowa (AP) — Trial dates have been set for a Minnesota teenager charged in the slayings of two convenience store clerks in northern Iowa.

Seventeen-year-old Michael Swanson, of St. Louis Park, is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in Kossuth and Humboldt counties.

He is accused of killing a store clerk during a robbery in Algona on Nov. 15. Authorities say he then drove to Humboldt where he is accused of shooting and killing another store clerk.

The trial for the Humboldt slaying is set for Feb. 16. Trial for the Algona slaying is scheduled for March 1 in Kossuth County.

Swanson remains held in the Kossuth County jail on $1 million bond.

First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without parole.

Minn. wrestling fans stranded by storm in SD

MARSHALL (AP) — Wrestling fans from southwestern Minnesota had to spend the night at a South Dakota truck stop after getting stranded in Thursday’s snowstorm.

The fans had hoped to beat the weather home from a wrestling tournament in Fargo, N.D. But they had to stay overnight at a Sinclair store after taking an exit off Interstate 29 in Summit, S.D., then finding the exit blocked.

Kevin Swedzinski of rural Taunton tells the Independent of Marshall a “whole blend of characters,” ranging from “truckers to college students and grandparents” were at the store.

Another stranded traveler, Larry Doom of Marshall, says the sleeping arrangements consisted of “floor space.”

But Doom says the chili, soup and deli sandwiches made it feel “like a winter campout.”

The fan caravan got back on the road Friday.

Minn. assistant fire chief charged with OWI

ROGERS (AP) — An assistant fire chief in the city of Rogers has been charged with second-degree driving while intoxicated, his second such charge in seven years.

The criminal complaint say Jason Hines’ was blood-alcohol content was more than three times the legal limit.

The complaint says another driver called 911 Tuesday to report a Jeep speeding and weaving. Police say the 40-year-old Hines was driving.

A message left at Hines’ home Friday was not immediately returned.

Steve Stahmer is the city administrator in Rogers, which is about 25 miles northwest of Minneapolis. He says Hines is on administrative leave.

Hines pleaded guilty to fourth-degree driving while intoxicated in 2003.

Hines is scheduled to make a court appearance Jan. 12.

Dayton names heads for education, 2 other depts.

ST. PAUL (AP) — Gov.-elect Mark Dayton expanded his cabinet Friday by appointing three people to head the state’s education, health and pollution-control agencies.

Dayton, a Democrat who takes office Monday, selected Dr. Brenda Cassellius to lead the Department of Education, Paul Aasen to run the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Dr. Edward Ehlinger to head the Department of Health.

Dayton’s office said all three appointees are known and respected throughout their professions and across partisan lines.

The Associated Press sent e-mails seeking reaction to Kevin Watterson, a spokesman for the GOP caucus in the state House, and state Deputy GOP Chairman Michael Brodkorb. The e-mails were not immediately returned.

Cassellius has spent 20 years as a teacher, administrator and superintendent in Minnesota and Tennessee. She is currently the superintendent of the East Metro Integration District.

Cassellius previously served as an associate superintendent in the Minneapolis Public Schools, covering 19 middle and high schools.

“This is a great privilege and responsibility,” she said of her appointment, in the statement released by Dayton’s office.

Dayton said Cassellius brings proven leadership in education innovation. He said she has a level of experience in building consensus “that public education in Minnesota has been lacking for too long.”

The governor-elect turned to Aasen to run the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, a pick that was lauded by a number of environmental groups. Dayton said Aasen shares his view that the agency’s mission and name should be changed from “Pollution Control” to ‘Pollution Reduction.”

Aasen served as the director of government relations and policy under former Gov. Jesse Ventura. Most recently he was the advocacy director for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy.

Pawlenty orders flags lowered in Marine’s memory

ST. PAUL (AP) — Gov. Tim Pawlenty has ordered all U.S. and Minnesota flags flown at half-staff Tuesday at state and federal buildings to honor a slain Minnesota Marine.

Twenty-one-year-old Cpl. Sean Osterman of Princeton was shot by a sniper in Afghanistan on Dec. 14. He died two days later at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany.

A memorial service for Osterman will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Atonement Lutheran Church in St. Cloud. A funeral service and burial will be held Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery.

Osterman was part of a Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based unit that had been in Afghanistan since about Thanksgiving. The La Crosse, Wis., native graduated from St. Cloud Technical High in 2007.

Dayton to sign Medicaid executive order

ST. PAUL (AP) — Incoming Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton plans to make signing an executive order expanding the state’s Medicaid program one of his first official acts.

Dayton will be sworn in Monday. On Tuesday he plans to sign the order in the governor’s reception room at the state Capitol. The public is invited to attend.

A news release from the Democratic governor-elect says expanding the state’s Medicaid program will provide new or improved health care coverage to over 95,000 Minnesotans and retain 20,000 health care-related jobs.

Outgoing Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a likely Republican candidate for president, opposed the Medicaid expansion.

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park gets bigger

TWO HARBORS (AP) — Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is getting bigger.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says it’s adding a 19-acre parcel of land within the park.

The Division of Parks and Trails had been pursuing the property for the past 25 years and closed the deal on Dec. 23.

Funding comes from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

The addition of the new land brings the size of Split Rock Lighthouse State Park to 2,089 acres. The property is about 150 feet above Lake Superior along both sides of Highway 61.

The Split Rock Lighthouse celebrated its 100th birthday in 2010. Of Minnesota’s 73 state parks and recreation acres, Split Rock Lighthouse State Park was the sixth most visited in 2010.

Minnesotans urged to practice safe winter driving

ST. PAUL (AP) — With another snowstorm blowing into Minnesota, the state Public Safety and Transportation departments are urging motorists to practice safe winter driving skills.

Among their winter driving tips are to be buckled up and to make sure child restraints are secured tight and properly.

Motorists should drive at safe speeds according to road conditions, and plan for additional travel time.

With the possibility of icy roads, drivers should increase their safe stopping distance between vehicles. And motorists should keep at least five car-lengths behind snowplows.

Keep snow and ice cleared from windows, hoods, headlights, brake lights and turn signals. Minnesota officials remind drivers their headlights must be turned on when it is snowing or sleeting.

And don’t use cruise control on snowy, icy or wet roads.