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Statewide Blog
Michael Olson

Around MN: deadly roads, slow bear hunt, Dayton lobbies supercommittee

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Background for today's Big Story:

2 workers killed after car crashes into I-35W construction zone in Burnsville

State patrol officials say the two men were thrown 40-50 feet when a 21-year-old driver lost control of his car traveling north on I-35W just south of McAndrews Road in Burnsville (KARE).

Despite the construction, the speed limit was 70 mph, Roeske said. The driver, Kirk Deamos, 21, told officials he braked and turned right too sharply, and then turned left and then right again to try to maintain control of the car. The car spun out in the ditch on the right side of the road and struck the workers (MPR News).

Deamos, who lives with his grandparents, was on his way to the Twin Cities to see his girlfriend, said grandmother Wanda Akers (Star Tribune).

On a Facebook account apparently registered to Deamos, there was this posting Tuesday: "Today is a good day! I am now the proud owner of a red 3000gt that is basically faster than a rocket ... Ready to really test it out on the highway to Minnesota Thursday!!! So pumped! :)" (KARE)

"He was a very good husband and very good father. A very hard worker and a very giving person," said Jody Rajkowski about her husband, Ronald. Ronald Rajkowski, 44, of St. Joseph and Craig Carlson, 47, or Ramsey, were killed when a car crashed into them around 12:30 Thursday afternoon (KARE).

As a project manager, Craig Carlson rarely worked in the field.

"But this project was behind, so they wanted him out there," his brother said.

Craig Carlson was married and had a son and daughter in their midteens, his brother said.

"Too young. He was too young," he said. "Until I know more details, I don't want to say more" (Pioneer Press)

How to save a life in 22 seconds

We don't know, of course, what caused the accident. But we do know that few of us actually slow to 40 or 45 mph as requested in construction zones. We have places to go and things to do, and cars to get off our tails if we do slow down (News Cut).

Also on MN Today

As bear season in Minn. wraps up, far fewer killed so far

Hunters killed a little more than 2,000 bears this year, down about 25 percent from last year -- even though there were roughly the same number of hunters. DNR biologists attribute the decline to an ample supply of wild food, which makes it more difficult for hunters to lure bears with bait (MPR News).

Gore links climate change to Great Lakes problems

Former Vice President Al Gore linked climate change to a rash of environmental catastrophes Thursday, from floods in Pakistan to drought in Texas and rampant algae blooms sucking oxygen from Lake Erie (MPR News).

Dayton lobbies supercommittee

Govs. Mark Dayton of Minnesota and Christine Gregoire of Washington met separately with the Senate Democratic supercommittee members and the House Democratic supercommittee members in the Capitol (Politico).

Montevideo ready to roll out a grass carpet for Governor's Pheasant Opener

Mayor Debra Lee Fader has lots of experience at welcoming hunters to Montevideo (West Central Tribune).

Bumping and grinding at school dance concerns some in Brainerd

"Our chaperones are there circling around the kids to sit and watch and they graciously listen to pounding music," said Principal Rusk. "They don't get too close because, to be honest, it gets really hot and smelly" (Brainerd Dispatch)

Bachmann began to fuse God and justice at Oral Roberts law school

The aim of the Oral Roberts law school was to train the next generation of legal minds to "integrate their Christian faith into their chosen profession," and to "restore law to its historic roots in the Bible" (New York Times).

Michele Bachmann claims 92K donors; will skip Nevada primary

She also said she would boycott the Nevada caucuses in a show of support for New Hampshire's status as the nation's first presidential primary. Nevada has moved its caucus date to Jan. 14, putting pressure on the traditional nominating calendar in which Iowa's caucuses go first, followed by New Hampshire's primary (Des Moines Register).