Benton County News

New claims for unemployment benefits filed in Stearns and Benton counties slowed in October to a 5.5 percent year-over-year increase, according to data released Friday.

FOLEY - Staff cuts at the Benton County Sheriff's Office have administrators scrambling to figure out how to keep up with security needs.

LITTLE FALLS - Carol Anderson may have grown up on the family farm, but she wasn't born yesterday.

SAUK RAPIDS - Children crying and screaming. Parents reassuring and comforting. Health care workers sitting and waiting.

FOLEY - Benton County is laying off several workers to cut costs after most of its employee unions refused to agree to furloughs and wage freezes.

Four Benton County businesses were burglarized over the weekend, and investigators are looking for the public's help in solving the crimes.

FOLEY - The 50th annual Benton County 4-H Leaders Banquet was held Oct. 8 at Foley Intermediate School's cafeteria.

Jan Wicks of Clearwater got a chance to look face-to-face and talk issues with seven Republican candidates for governor.

I recently called Benton County Commissioner Jim McMahon to share my views about reducing the number of counties.

As St. Cloud schools enter their sixth week battling the flu, district leaders are planning a Wednesday meeting to gauge the success of procedures designed to prevent the spread of viruses and to inform the public.

A flu vaccine clinic for children in the Sauk Rapids early childhood program is among the first to be scheduled in the region.

Stearns County's agricultural economy softened the Great Depression's blow. In 1935, the county had the second-highest number of farms in the state, with 4,898. "The stock market crash of 1929 failed to elicit the dramatic responses in St.

Children in St. Cloud's public and private schools in Stearns and Benton counties will come home this week with information about the H1N1 vaccine and consent forms.

United Way Volunteer Central connects people with volunteer opportunities. Call United Way of Central Minnesota at 252-0227 or visit www.unitedwayhelps.org. Help a teacher: Mississippi Heights Elementary School in Sauk Rapids needs a teacher's assistant for third grade to help with grading papers, filing and reading with students.

The subjects of this year's National Book Award nominees were better known than the authors.

National Book Award nominee T.J. Stiles is a Foley native. He attended Carleton College and has degrees from Columbia University.

Cameron Macht isn't one for the limelight, but his job has put him there. At a time when economic reports - particularly on unemployment - are being watched closely, Macht is the man who analyzes and translates figures such as the local unemployment rate.

FOLEY - Beginning next month, it will cost you more to apply for a conditional-use permit, access land records online or go to jail in Benton County.

ST. JOSEPH - A local group hopes to bring a system to Central Minnesota that helps track wandering or lost individuals with Alzheimer's, Down syndrome, autism and other cognitive conditions.

ST. PAUL - During a challenging time for Minnesota's dairy industry, the spotlight shifted to the future generation at the inaugural Minnesota 4-H Dairy Showcase.