Minn. AG won’t help prosecute homeowner in deaths

LITTLE FALLS — The Minnesota attorney general’s office has rejected a request to help prosecute a rural Little Falls man accused of killing two teenagers.

Morrison County Attorney Brian Middendorf had asked for help prosecuting 64-year-old Byron David Smith. Middendorf cited the high volume of serious criminal cases his office has been handling.

Although the state attorney general’s office helped in the days after Smith’s arrest, the office turned down the county attorney’s request to prosecute Smith.

An attorney general’s spokesman said that county prosecutors “seem well-positioned to handle such a trial.”

Smith is accused of fatally shooting 18-year-old Haile Kifer and 17-year-old Nick Brady after the two cousins broke into his home on Thanksgiving. A hearing is scheduled Monday on whether to reduce Smith’s $2 million bail.

 

Officer-involved shooting investigated in New Hope

NEW HOPE — Hennepin County sheriff’s officials are investigating an officer-involved shooting at a gas station in New Hope.

Authorities said a male suspect encountered an off-duty Crystal police officer outside the Holiday gas station about 6 a.m. Friday and that there was evidence a gun was fired. The suspect drove off in the officer’s personal vehicle.

Police arrested the suspect and recovered the stolen vehicle in south Minneapolis. Sheriff’s officials said the suspect had what appears to be a gunshot wound and was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center.

Investigators said the suspect may have been involved in two earlier overnight incidents, including an assault at a SuperAmerica store in Crystal and an assault on a man in New Hope.

 

Minn. DNR closes NE wolf zone Saturday

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources was set to close the northeast wolf hunting and trapping zone.

The DNR said the northeast zone was set to close for the rest of the late season at the end of shooting and trapping hours Saturday.

It’s the second zone closing in two days. The east-central zone closed Friday.

The harvest target for the northeast zone during the late season is 56 wolves. Fifty-two were registered as of Friday.

The northwest zone remains open through Jan. 31 or until its quota is reached. Permits are not zone-specific, so hunters and trappers can hunt or trap in any open zone.

 

Fire at Minneapolis warehouse under investigation

MINNEAPOLIS — A fire at a warehouse in northeast Minneapolis is under investigation.

Firefighters arrived at Marshall Concrete about 7:30 a.m. Friday and saw smoke and fire in the top tier of the 30-foot building. A conveyer belt that runs from the ground to the top of the building was also on fire. Firefighters brought the fire under control before it spread to an adjacent lumberyard.

 

No bidder found for letters by ‘Peanuts’ creator

NEW YORK — A rare archive of letters and drawings by “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz did not find a buyer at a New York City auction.

Sotheby’s had estimated that the letters would sell for $250,000 to $350,000 at Friday’s sale.

The Minneapolis-born cartoonist wrote the affectionate letters to a young woman in 1970-1971.

The 44 letters included 22 original drawings of some of the comic strip’s characters, including Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Lucy. Sotheby’s called it the most significant collection of correspondence and drawings by Schulz to come to auction.

Schulz died in 2000 at age 77.

 

Mother wants son in hospice care to stay home

JORDAN — The mother of a 12-year-old child who’s receiving hospice care is appealing a decision by a Scott County judge that allows the boy’s father to pick up the child for weekend visits.

Judge Diane Hanson has ruled Mike West can bring his son, Zach West, to Lakeville every other weekend beginning Dec. 14. The ruling from Hanson comes despite a recommendation from Ridgeview Home Health and Hospice that Zach not be transported or moved from his mother’s house in Jordan.

Rachele Chrismer said her son suffers from a rare neurological disease and that his body is beginning to shut down. Chrismer has invited West to see Zach every day at her Jordan home. But, West said that he wants to see his son in a private setting before he dies.