The child neglect case in Brown County has to be one of the most controversial cases in the history of child neglect cases for the region.
We have parents of a 13-year old boy, Daniel Hauser, arguing he can make his own decisions with regard to chemotherapy cancer treatment that offers a 90 percent chance of surviving his Hodgkins Lymphoma. Without the treatment doctors say, there is a 5 percent survival rate.
Yet, his family and he, are rejecting the chemo. They subscribe instead to mostly diet treatment of the cancer through Nemenhah spiritual type healing. They and their lawyers say it may work better than chemo.
Certainly a tough case for Judge John Rodenburg, a very good judge in my mind.
Representing the family is Mankato attorney Calvin Johnson. You may remember him as the fellow who defended a case of a man saying first milk from cows can cure cancer. That also was an interesting case from, it seems, more than a decade ago.
Odin Dairy farmer Herb Saunders was put on trial in 1995 for practicing medicine without a license, but through two trials, the jury could not come to a unanimous decision. The Watonwan County attorney finally dropped the case in 1996.
It was interesting because former Iowa Congressman Berkley Bedell swore he was cured of cancer from Saunder's milk treaments, and according to one report, paid some of Saunders' legal expenses.
The cases are much different because the issue of child neglect and endangerment didn't enter into the Saunders case, but the issue of alternative treatments is the similarity, and certainly that raises questions, at least in the minds of some, about traditional medicine.
What will be difficult for the judge is at what point do parents' decisions on medical care constitute child endangerment? What if Daniel's odds were only 50-50 with chemo?
Monday, May 11, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Full moon, fishing
The fishing opener this year will be accompanied by a full moon. I'm not sure that makes fishing any better but it can't hurt to mix a little full-moon lore in with fishing lore.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty will hit White Bear Lake at 3:30 a.m. Saturday, with his spokesman noting that he's going at this time because this is "the best time to catch fish." Well, not to disagree with the governor's fishing strategies, but the solunar tables in The Free Press suggest 12:06 a.m. will be the optimum time for fishing, and then another "minor" optimum time would be around 5:53 a.m.
But at least the governor will be in between the two optimum times. Who knows, the full moon could affect things. Wonder if he'll be done dealing with the Legislature at 3:30? Maybe they should go out together. Whoever gets first walleye has to concede to the other's major issue. Now that would be compromise forged in the Minnesota tradition!
Speaking of full moons. Watch police activity this weekend. Not only is Saturday MSU graduation, but the partiers will be lit up with the full moon as well. You'd be surprised how many people believe the full moon affects people. The crazy phone calls and letters to the editor ramp up during a full moon. I remember covering commodity traders who would pull their positions out of the market during a full moon phase. "It makes everybody jumpy" they would tell me. It's like sunlight at night.
Fish beware.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty will hit White Bear Lake at 3:30 a.m. Saturday, with his spokesman noting that he's going at this time because this is "the best time to catch fish." Well, not to disagree with the governor's fishing strategies, but the solunar tables in The Free Press suggest 12:06 a.m. will be the optimum time for fishing, and then another "minor" optimum time would be around 5:53 a.m.
But at least the governor will be in between the two optimum times. Who knows, the full moon could affect things. Wonder if he'll be done dealing with the Legislature at 3:30? Maybe they should go out together. Whoever gets first walleye has to concede to the other's major issue. Now that would be compromise forged in the Minnesota tradition!
Speaking of full moons. Watch police activity this weekend. Not only is Saturday MSU graduation, but the partiers will be lit up with the full moon as well. You'd be surprised how many people believe the full moon affects people. The crazy phone calls and letters to the editor ramp up during a full moon. I remember covering commodity traders who would pull their positions out of the market during a full moon phase. "It makes everybody jumpy" they would tell me. It's like sunlight at night.
Fish beware.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
All boats don't sink equally
An across the board state budget cut along the lines of 5 percent would impact some Minnesota counties more than others. That's because some have a larger percentage of their total wages that come from state government jobs.
Unfortunately, Blue Earth and Nicollet counties are both in the top 10 of counties affected most by such a cut.
The biggest loser as a percentage? Stevens County in western Minnesota. State workers made $23.2 million in wages in 2007, according to state and federal payroll records. That sum made up nearly 14.4 percent of all wages public and private paid that year. A 5 percent cut in state wages would take $1.16 million or so out of the Stevens County economy.
Nicollet County would rank second as the biggest loser in state employee wages. With 12.5 percent of total wages coming from the state, a 5 percent cut in state spending would take nearly $3 million a year out of the Nicollet County economy, and crossover into the Mankato/North Mankato economy.
Blue Earth County would rank 6th biggest loser with 8 percent of all wages coming from state jobs. But the region's large total payroll would make a 5 percent cut in state employment significant for the economy. State employees in Blue Earth County took home almost $96 million in wages in 2007. A five percent cut would drain $4.8 million from the economy.
Stay tuned for more on the boats sinking unequally. We'll next look at which legislators represent these districts.
Unfortunately, Blue Earth and Nicollet counties are both in the top 10 of counties affected most by such a cut.
The biggest loser as a percentage? Stevens County in western Minnesota. State workers made $23.2 million in wages in 2007, according to state and federal payroll records. That sum made up nearly 14.4 percent of all wages public and private paid that year. A 5 percent cut in state wages would take $1.16 million or so out of the Stevens County economy.
Nicollet County would rank second as the biggest loser in state employee wages. With 12.5 percent of total wages coming from the state, a 5 percent cut in state spending would take nearly $3 million a year out of the Nicollet County economy, and crossover into the Mankato/North Mankato economy.
Blue Earth County would rank 6th biggest loser with 8 percent of all wages coming from state jobs. But the region's large total payroll would make a 5 percent cut in state employment significant for the economy. State employees in Blue Earth County took home almost $96 million in wages in 2007. A five percent cut would drain $4.8 million from the economy.
Stay tuned for more on the boats sinking unequally. We'll next look at which legislators represent these districts.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Rock the vote, change the rules
My meeting with Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and Blue Earth County elections official Patty O'Connor provided some insights in how things may be different next time you go to the ballot box.
Early voting is in the proposed election reform bill. This would allow anyone to vote 15 days early, not just absentee. Officials note some 300,000 people in Minnesota voted "absentee" in the last election, but many were really "early voters" just checking one of the absentee reasons to work around the law.
Online voter registration may be coming to a computer near you. This would automate the process and bit and check against your license. In fact, they're thinking about automatically registering you to vote when you have your license updated, unless you opt out or are some other way illegal.
Count the absentee ballots at the court house instead of driving them to each precinct. This is how ballots might get lost in the transport. Also, harried election judges at the precinct wouldn't have to worry about counting absentee. Also puts the election officials who work with the law regularly in charge of qualifying, disqualifying absentee ballots.
A lot of the reform seems to make sense to me, but Ritchie says it's always a challenge getting elected officials to vote to change something they have been very comfortable with for years.
Stay tuned.
Early voting is in the proposed election reform bill. This would allow anyone to vote 15 days early, not just absentee. Officials note some 300,000 people in Minnesota voted "absentee" in the last election, but many were really "early voters" just checking one of the absentee reasons to work around the law.
Online voter registration may be coming to a computer near you. This would automate the process and bit and check against your license. In fact, they're thinking about automatically registering you to vote when you have your license updated, unless you opt out or are some other way illegal.
Count the absentee ballots at the court house instead of driving them to each precinct. This is how ballots might get lost in the transport. Also, harried election judges at the precinct wouldn't have to worry about counting absentee. Also puts the election officials who work with the law regularly in charge of qualifying, disqualifying absentee ballots.
A lot of the reform seems to make sense to me, but Ritchie says it's always a challenge getting elected officials to vote to change something they have been very comfortable with for years.
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Another day in paradise
Mankato's "Barmuda" triangle seems to be getting a reputation as a paradise for street fighters.
Weekend police reports tell of two gentleman who had to be tasered after a discussion gave way to a head-kicking. Apparently combatant number one was held down by associates of combatant number 2, who whacked away at combatant number one's cranium. If you've ever witnessed this kind of assault (I have), you know how shocking it can be to watch. Humanity gone inhumane. It usually builds into a frenzy, and few bystanders are willing to jump in to stop it. Had police not arrived at the time they did, we indeed might have a much more serious injury situation on our hands.
Charges will include underage drinking and assault.
We may think the fights are inevitable, but how long are we going to put up with this stuff?
Our crime map tells the story of just how prevalent these altercations are becoming. http://is.gd/wWCk
Some 11 incidents in the first three months of 2009 involved assaults mostly in the downtown bar district. Many involved reports of police officers being assaulted as well. Some of the incidents involved weapons.
And now there are two more bars open in the Barmuda triangle, even though there is a supposed "moratorium" on liquor only licenses in the downtown area. One got the liquor only license because it was a transfer from another location. Another bar has the restaurant/liquor license because it will serve the required amount of food. While business is business, this will likely increase the traffic in the bar district and the amount of alcohol consumed - never a good combination.
At some point, the danger to officers and community cannot be swept under the welcome mats. To their credit, police are doing as much as they can and keeping the real serious stuff from happening. It's hard to keep saying this is business as usual. We should look to prevent these things from happening. Sooner or later, a bad situation will turn ugly. Then it will be real tough to defend a reputation of a "civil, enjoyable entertainment district."
Weekend police reports tell of two gentleman who had to be tasered after a discussion gave way to a head-kicking. Apparently combatant number one was held down by associates of combatant number 2, who whacked away at combatant number one's cranium. If you've ever witnessed this kind of assault (I have), you know how shocking it can be to watch. Humanity gone inhumane. It usually builds into a frenzy, and few bystanders are willing to jump in to stop it. Had police not arrived at the time they did, we indeed might have a much more serious injury situation on our hands.
Charges will include underage drinking and assault.
We may think the fights are inevitable, but how long are we going to put up with this stuff?
Our crime map tells the story of just how prevalent these altercations are becoming. http://is.gd/wWCk
Some 11 incidents in the first three months of 2009 involved assaults mostly in the downtown bar district. Many involved reports of police officers being assaulted as well. Some of the incidents involved weapons.
And now there are two more bars open in the Barmuda triangle, even though there is a supposed "moratorium" on liquor only licenses in the downtown area. One got the liquor only license because it was a transfer from another location. Another bar has the restaurant/liquor license because it will serve the required amount of food. While business is business, this will likely increase the traffic in the bar district and the amount of alcohol consumed - never a good combination.
At some point, the danger to officers and community cannot be swept under the welcome mats. To their credit, police are doing as much as they can and keeping the real serious stuff from happening. It's hard to keep saying this is business as usual. We should look to prevent these things from happening. Sooner or later, a bad situation will turn ugly. Then it will be real tough to defend a reputation of a "civil, enjoyable entertainment district."
Monday, May 4, 2009
Malicious mowing and the law
Pranksters mowed a bicycle into the hillside of Highway 14 last fall and created a controversy this spring.
Anyone traveling on Highway 14 just east of the Riverfront Drive exit likely saw the larger than life bicycle image with surprisingly round wheels and precisely drawn frame. Apparently motorists were noticing it too much. The Minnesota Department of Transportation took to mowing it this spring - in essence, "erasing" the hillside graffitti.
Letter writers and others took exception, noting the art on an all natural canvass could not be as bad looking and distracting as billboards are on other highways. One caller suggested that MnDOT broke the ditch mowing law by mowing outside the July 31-Aug. 31 time period.
Well, that's not exactly true. MnDOT spokeswoman Rebecca Arndt says MnDOT has the right to mow for weed control and safety any time throughout the summer. MnDOT says it mowed the bicycle for safety reasons as it was distracting drivers. When MnDOT does mow for such purposes it is to mow to a height of no shorter than 12 in. Anyone have a ruler?
As for the bicycle artists, they were in violation of Minnesota Statute 160.2715 (a) 11, which says it is a misdemeanor to "deface, mar, damage, or tamper with any structure, work, material, equipment, tools, signs, markers, signals, paving, guardrails, drains or any other highway appurtenance on or along any highway."
Statute 160.232 restricts MnDOT from "clear cutting entire sections" of right of way, except from July 31 to Aug. 31. But it does not restrict MnDOT from "spot mowing" as needed for "control of our right of way," says Arndt.
The art itself was intriguing in one respect. It left many wondering how the artists created such precisely round wheels from what seems more or less to be a "free hand" drawing. Word on the street is they used a rope, giving rise to the theory that the perpetrator did not act alone on this "grassy knoll." The accomplice stood in the center of the circle holding a rope tied to the mower, and the lead artist then simply walked in a circle with the rope held tight as a guide.
Have to appreciate the ingenuity.
Anyone traveling on Highway 14 just east of the Riverfront Drive exit likely saw the larger than life bicycle image with surprisingly round wheels and precisely drawn frame. Apparently motorists were noticing it too much. The Minnesota Department of Transportation took to mowing it this spring - in essence, "erasing" the hillside graffitti.
Letter writers and others took exception, noting the art on an all natural canvass could not be as bad looking and distracting as billboards are on other highways. One caller suggested that MnDOT broke the ditch mowing law by mowing outside the July 31-Aug. 31 time period.
Well, that's not exactly true. MnDOT spokeswoman Rebecca Arndt says MnDOT has the right to mow for weed control and safety any time throughout the summer. MnDOT says it mowed the bicycle for safety reasons as it was distracting drivers. When MnDOT does mow for such purposes it is to mow to a height of no shorter than 12 in. Anyone have a ruler?
As for the bicycle artists, they were in violation of Minnesota Statute 160.2715 (a) 11, which says it is a misdemeanor to "deface, mar, damage, or tamper with any structure, work, material, equipment, tools, signs, markers, signals, paving, guardrails, drains or any other highway appurtenance on or along any highway."
Statute 160.232 restricts MnDOT from "clear cutting entire sections" of right of way, except from July 31 to Aug. 31. But it does not restrict MnDOT from "spot mowing" as needed for "control of our right of way," says Arndt.
The art itself was intriguing in one respect. It left many wondering how the artists created such precisely round wheels from what seems more or less to be a "free hand" drawing. Word on the street is they used a rope, giving rise to the theory that the perpetrator did not act alone on this "grassy knoll." The accomplice stood in the center of the circle holding a rope tied to the mower, and the lead artist then simply walked in a circle with the rope held tight as a guide.
Have to appreciate the ingenuity.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Crime and punishment
Mankato crime has come to the front burner on the stove that is known as my desk.
Myself, crime reporter and assignment editor met with Mankato's two top cops recently, Jerry Huettl and Matt Westermayer. We like to meet every once in a while to discuss issues or iron out conflicts that come up in the all-important relationship between law enforcement in the media.
Generally things are going well. A few squabbles here and there on both sides. Public safety in Mankato is busy. Commanders are often out on calls themselves, on the streets, where Huettl says they should be, helping officers on the beat.
As Friday's front page story suggests, the subject of gangs in Mankato is coming up more. Huettl says there is no concerted effort to form gangs in town, but certain members of certain gangs do make Mankato a stopping off place. To me, it almost sounds like we're a roadside rest stop for some of these folks. The city and area is seeing more drug busts, and bigger drug busts with feds involved from time to time.
City and state budget cuts will likely affect public safety in this town. Already, there is talk of losing the school liaison officers, an all important crime prevention tool. If that happens, teachers and principals can be expected to be the ones breaking up more fights.
Toward the end of the day, took a call from a person concerned their reputation would be damaged from a crime story that posted to the web earlier. This person was associated with the location of a crime scene but not involved in the crime itself. That's always a tough call. We can't control what people will think. The information we publish is from police reports. They give date, time, place of crime. Police are required by law to release certain information. They have no choice.
We're always willing to listen to the other side, I tell this individual. She is stressed but somewhat satisfied after we make a modification in the story on some details that were not clear. She counts as the second person in three days who vowed to "call their lawyer" if we don't do what they want, to write the story the way that doesn't make them look so bad.
Myself, crime reporter and assignment editor met with Mankato's two top cops recently, Jerry Huettl and Matt Westermayer. We like to meet every once in a while to discuss issues or iron out conflicts that come up in the all-important relationship between law enforcement in the media.
Generally things are going well. A few squabbles here and there on both sides. Public safety in Mankato is busy. Commanders are often out on calls themselves, on the streets, where Huettl says they should be, helping officers on the beat.
As Friday's front page story suggests, the subject of gangs in Mankato is coming up more. Huettl says there is no concerted effort to form gangs in town, but certain members of certain gangs do make Mankato a stopping off place. To me, it almost sounds like we're a roadside rest stop for some of these folks. The city and area is seeing more drug busts, and bigger drug busts with feds involved from time to time.
City and state budget cuts will likely affect public safety in this town. Already, there is talk of losing the school liaison officers, an all important crime prevention tool. If that happens, teachers and principals can be expected to be the ones breaking up more fights.
Toward the end of the day, took a call from a person concerned their reputation would be damaged from a crime story that posted to the web earlier. This person was associated with the location of a crime scene but not involved in the crime itself. That's always a tough call. We can't control what people will think. The information we publish is from police reports. They give date, time, place of crime. Police are required by law to release certain information. They have no choice.
We're always willing to listen to the other side, I tell this individual. She is stressed but somewhat satisfied after we make a modification in the story on some details that were not clear. She counts as the second person in three days who vowed to "call their lawyer" if we don't do what they want, to write the story the way that doesn't make them look so bad.
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