News Briefs: Driver in fatal crash near Cloquet was returning from methadone clinic

Editor's note: The following is a collection of news briefs from Forum Communications Company newspapers in Minnesota and North Dakota.

MINNESOTA

Driver in fatal crash was returning from methadone clinic

CLOQUET, Minn. -- A 26-year-old Cloquet woman charged Wednesday in connection with a crash that killed two Carlton County Highway Department workers was on her way back from a regular visit to a methadone clinic in Brainerd, according to authorities.

Bottles of prescribed liquid methadone were found on the scene of the three-vehicle crash about 8:45 a.m. Monday on Minnesota Highway 210.

Vanessa Rae Brigan was charged Wednesday in State District Court in Carlton County with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide.

According to the criminal complaint, Brigan and her passenger, Jesse David McMillen, 25, each had received a bottle of methadone at the Brainerd clinic that morning and were returning to Cloquet.

Law enforcement officers found a syringe and a used needle with a small amount of liquid, believed to be methadone, in Brigan’s car and found a bottle of methadone prescribed to Brigan and another syringe in a ditch about 10 feet from Brigan’s car, the complaint said.

Methadone prescribed through treatment clinics is meant to be drunk, not injected, methadone professionals say.

The two county workers killed were Zachary M. Gamache, 25, of Esko, and Mitchell D. Lingren, 29, of Duluth.

Collision kills 1, injures 3

NEWFOLDEN, Minn. -- A Thief River Falls woman was killed and three others injured, one critically, in a head-on collision Tuesday night south of Newfolden.

Minnesota State Patrol has identified the victim as Jodie Larson, 40.

She was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Brian Larson, 41, also of Thief River Falls, that was in a vehicle that collided head-on with a vehicle driven by Alanna Tureson, Karlstad, at 8:21 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. Highway 59, about 10 miles north of Thief River Falls.

According to the police report, the Tureson vehicle, a 2003 Buick Lesabre, was traveling north on Highway 59 when it crossed the centerline and was involved in the collision with a 1992 Chevrolet pickup.

Jodie Larson died at the scene.

Alanna Tureson, who was airlifted to Sanford Hospital in Fargo, was listed in critical condition early this morning. A passenger in her vehicle, Andrea Tureson, 21, Thief River Falls, and Brian Larson were treated at Sanford Hospital in Thief River Falls.

Ecumen to host traveling quilt exhibit

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – Ecumen Senior Living and Services here will host a national traveling quilt exhibit Friday through Sunday.

“Alzheimer’s Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope” is part of the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative, a national, grassroots charity whose mission is to raise awareness and fund Alzheimer’s research.

The exhibit features 236 long, narrow name quilts made from 55 purple patches, each marked with the name of a person who has or had Alzheimer's or a related dementia. Hanging among the name quilts are 54 small format art quilts that tell the story of Alzheimer's from a variety of perspectives.

The exhibit will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, contact Sandy Lia at (218) 844-8340 or sandylia@ecumen.org.

NORTH DAKOTA

Mom say fatal injuries occurred during diaper change

FORT RANSOM, N.D. – A Fort Ransom woman charged with murder in the death of her 22-month-old son told authorities the boy hit his head as she was struggling with him to change his diaper, according to an affidavit filed Wednesday in Ransom County District Court.

Jodi Renae Lindvall, 28, also faces two counts of child abuse or neglect in the death of her son, Bentley, who died Sept. 22 at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo from injuries sustained four days earlier.

The boy had “numerous suspicious bruises and healing fractures” on his body, according to an investigative report by Special Agent Shelby Franklin of the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Jodi Lindvall and Bentley had been living in Fort Ransom with her boyfriend, John Holub, and Holub’s 6-year-old daughter.

Lindvall detailed for investigators having difficulty holding Bentley down while changing his diaper Sept. 18 and in the struggle, his head fell back and struck the floor. She then laid him down for a nap, the report said. Bentley was later found to be unconscious, taken to a hospital in Lisbon and then flown to Sanford. Medical staff at Sanford told the BCI that the boy had suffered life-threatening head trauma to the left side of his head, the report states.

Bail set in brutal beating of ex-girlfriend

FARGO – Bail was set at $300,000 on Wednesday for a Fargo man charged with attempted murder in the brutal beating of his ex-girlfriend in Clay County.

Mason William Seaborn is charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, first-degree assault and domestic assault by strangulation in Clay County District Court.

Judge Steven Cahill set bail at $300,000 cash or bond, following the recommendation of Assistant County Attorney Lori Conroy, who called the nature of the offenses “very serious.”

Seaborn allegedly beat his ex-girlfriend with a metal jack handle, choked her and threatened to kill her if she went to police, according to court documents.

His next court appearance was set for Oct. 10 in domestic violence court.

Education conference Oct. 17-19 in Fargo

FARGO – Education support professionals from around the state can register for an Educational Support Professionals Instructional Conference to be held here Oct. 17-19.

Educators interested in attending can learn more and register online at the North Dakota Education Association web site at www.ndea.org.

Musical groups sought to represent N.D.

BISMARCK – Gov. Jack Dalrymple is inviting school, community and church bands, orchestras and choirs across the state to apply to be the 2012-2013 Governor’s Official State Band or Orchestra and Chorus.

The governor and first lady will choose the band or orchestra and chorus based on talent, achievement and community involvement.

The groups may be invited to perform at state functions during the year.

Interested groups should submit a letter of application, letters of reference and a musical recording to by Oct. 26.

Send the material to:

Office of the Governor, Attn: Jody Link, State Capitol, 600 East Boulevard Ave., Bismarck, N.D. 58505.

NDNG Freedom Salute Ceremony slated

WAHPETON, N.D. – North Dakota Army National Guard soldiers who returned home in August after serving a year in Kuwait will be formally recognized here during a Freedom Salute Ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Sunday10/7 at the Claire T. Blikre Activities Center at North Dakota State College of Science.

Among those thanking the 160 guardsmen and their families will be Gov. Jack Dalrymple; Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general; Sen. John Hoeven; Rep. Rick Berg; and Command Sgt. Maj. Dan Job of the North Dakota Army National Guard.

While in Kuwait, the 188th Engineers focused on construction projects, completing more than 83,000 hours of work that saved more than $1.2 million.

They also spent more than 3,000 hours operating equipment in Kuwait, and Soldiers salvaged more than $200,000 in materials that were put to use.

Sen. Hoeven seeking spring interns

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Hoeven is currently accepting applications for spring interns to serve in his Washington, Bismarck and Fargo offices.

Interns frequently assist with researching issues and tracking legislation as well as interfacing with constituents. Interns working in Washington have the opportunity to attend committee hearings, floor votes and briefings, while interns working in the state offices often join staff at community and municipal events.

The deadline to apply is Oct. 15. Applications are available at http://hoeven.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/internships.

All application materials should be submitted mailed to: Office of Senator John Hoeven, Attn: Intern Coordinator, 1802 32nd Ave. S. Room B, Fargo, ND 58103.

Jamestown College to build facility in Fargo

FARGO – Jamestown College will break ground here today on its first off-campus building.

The 13,500-square-foot facility will be built at 4190 26th Ave. S. in Fargo near the construction site of the new Dakota Medical Foundation building.

When completed, it will house the newly created physical therapy doctoral program, the college’s first doctoral program.

The program is expected to enroll its first 30 to 36 students next fall. Over the next three years, the college will hire 10 full-time faculty and staff to instruct the more than 100 students who will be enrolled.

Hamilton takes over NDPR’s ‘Hear it Now’

FARGO – Doug Hamilton is coming back to the airwaves. The long-time TV and radio anchor takes over as host for the daily North Dakota Public Radio show, “Hear it Now.” The show airs weekdays at 3 p.m. on 91.9 FM in Fargo-Moorhead.

Hamilton was recently the executive director of foundation/advancement at Minnesota State University Moorhead and served as the school’s assistant to the president for media and community relations.

Ashley Thornberg has also joined the show as a special contributor. She has been on the organization’s staff since 2009 in development and previously worked as a TV reporter.

Prairie Public began looking for a show host earlier this year after previous host Merrill Piepkorn stepped aside to focus on traveling production, “Dakota Air: The Radio Show.”

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