Mall of America breaks Black Friday record

BLOOMINGTON — The Mall of America has broken its Black Friday record for shoppers, thanks to a midnight opening.

Mall spokeswoman Bridget Jewell said 210,000 visitors came through the doors Friday. That breaks the Bloomington mall’s Black Friday record of 200,000 shoppers set last year.

For the first time, the Mall of America opened Black Friday shopping at midnight. More than 120 stores at the mall opened at midnight.

 

Protesters appear at Bachmann book signing

BLOOMINGTON — Local police and Mall of America security kept close watch Friday on anti-Wall Street protesters who bought copies of Republican Michele Bachmann’s memoir so they could approach the hometown presidential candidate during a book signing.

No arrests or major disruptions were reported during the roughly two hours Bachmann was signing her “Core of Conviction” autobiography in a sequestered area of the megamall. At least a dozen members from the Minnesota offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement paid the $23.13 for the book so they could meet the congresswoman face to face.

One of them, Ben Painter, said he asked Bachmann if she would seek to reverse the ability of corporations to influence political campaigns with donations.

“I don’t think she answered my question so I did not have my book signed because I was not comfortable with her answer,” Painter said.

Bachmann foes and fans alike were subject to bag searches and pat-downs before entering. Reporters were removed from the room by the time the protesters came through.

 

Regions Hospital to discontinue most abortions

ST. PAUL — Regions Hospital in St. Paul says it will stop providing abortions except in emergencies when it closes its GYN Special Services Clinic next month.

The hospital said Friday the clinic will close on Dec. 9.

Chris Boese, vice president of patient care at Regions, said women in Minnesota can turn to community-based providers for abortion services in a professional medical setting.

Hospital officials say the closing is consistent with its planning approach, and that medical care that can be provided in a non-hospital setting reduces overall costs.

Regions is part of HealthPartners. Last year the clinic performed 545 abortions.

 

Pilot’s body, helicopter found in Minn. lake

HACKENSACK — Authorities have recovered the body of a helicopter pilot whose chopper crashed into Ten Mile Lake in northern Minnesota’s Cass County.

Chief Deputy Eric Hoglund said the body was found outside of the submerged helicopter about 150 feet from shore, in 30 feet of water.

The pilot’s body was recovered about 10:30 a.m. Friday. A passenger in the helicopter swam to shore and called 911, setting off a search that began Thursday night. The female passenger was taken to a hospital.

Names of the pilot and the passenger have not yet been released.

The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash.

Ten Mile Lake is located in Hiram Township of Cass County.

 

Bald eagle rescued with wing broken in Minn. euthanized

EAST GRAND FORKS — A bald eagle with a broken wing has been euthanized after being rescued in East Grand Forks.

The eagle was rescued Tuesday along the Red Lake River. Rick Galstad noticed the bird in a neighbor’s yard on his way home for lunch. Tim Driscoll, director of the Urban Raptor Research Project in Grand Forks, N.D., was able to capture the eagle with Galstad’s help.

The bird was transported to the Raptor Center in St. Paul. But the center’s executive director, Julie Ponder said too much bone had been exposed on the eagle’s fractured wing.

As required by law, the eagle’s remains will be sent to the National Eagle Repository in Colorado, where American Indian groups can submit requests to use the birds for ceremonial purposes.

 

Downtown St. Paul to kick off holiday season

ST. PAUL — It should start looking a lot like Christmas Saturday in downtown St. Paul.

St. Paul kicks off the holiday season with the grand opening of Wells Fargo WinterSkate at 4:30 p.m., followed by the official tree lighting of Rice Park at 5 p.m.

WinterSkate is downtown St. Paul’s free, outdoor ice rink. Rice Park’s sixth annual holiday tree stands 70 feet tall and is lit with 15,000 lights.

After the switch is flipped, a fireworks display will turn on the Christmas tree, which will be on display and lit until Jan. 1. Cast members from the Ordway’s production of “Cinderella” will perform holiday music during the tree lighting ceremony.

Children also will have a chance to take their pictures with Santa in front of the tree.

 

College student dead after Wisconsin plane crash

MERRILL, Wis. — An aviation student at Minnesota State University, Mankato, is dead after a plane crash in central Wisconsin.

Authorities say 24-year-old Matthew Zocher was piloting a single-engine plane on his way to his family’s home in Merrill when the plane crashed in a heavily wooded area. Zocher was alone on board and was dead when rescuers found him.

The plane had a Minnesota State University logo on its tail. An MSU spokesman says the school has an aviation training program that uses planes owned by North Star Aviation in Mankato.

Marathon County Sheriff’s Lt. Randy Albert says the Federal Aviation Administration notified them at about 5 p.m. Thursday of a missing plane.