Viv is in the House

So, I am sitting in the "House Gallery" right now as I write. I am shadowing Rep. Gail Kulick Jackson for the day. And it has been a busy day.

Right now she is on the floor busy listening to others discuss their points of view while trying to get their amendments passed.

It is difficult to follow along, actually. I don't have a program. But there is a screen in the corner that says we are on Amendment HDS-015. Whatever that is.

I have to let you know, I have been asked, four times now, to not lean on the ledge to take pictures of the floor. So, here's the deal — besides them calling me "ma'am" which upsets me a bit — they think I might jump or something. There is no humanly possible way for a person to fall over this ledge where I am sitting. I suppose, that might be a stretch, which is exactly what I would have to do to fall over. The ledge is like 2-feet wide with a golden railing on this side. Of course, it is only less than waist high and I suppose that some super uncoordinated person could potentially fall over, but come on.... I am a professional. ;-)

A really nice gal sitting behind me said that they (security?) will come and yell at you if you even touch the gold railing. The only sign in here just says, do not put anything on the ledge. It doesn't say anything about leaning or touching.


So anyway, there are roll calls, advice, rulings, matters of parliament inquiries, and a lot more going on.

They are discussing mandates right now. One rep. said he trusts his county board, another said it's not about trusting anybody simply to amend the rule. I wish I knew what they were talking about. There is a vote right now and Gail pushed a button. Every vote she makes is counted and a matter of record. Everyone can see exactly how she votes on every issue.

I guess I missed the actual number of the house file on that last one. But it took a matter of 15 minutes for the discussion and the vote and now on to H.F. 392. Amendment something that I can't read.

Oh, oh. Here comes that guy with the badge again. I think I leaned too far over.
I am going to have to go for now and sign in later.

BTW, Diane Gibas is shadowing Sen. Lisa Fobbe. She is doing something else right now and Diane came in here to check this excitement out, too. We will break for lunch soon and then on to some other items.

Oh, here he comes... the dude with the little gold badge... the railing officer..

Gotta go.

Peace.

Morning blaze

It has been a busy day in the news room.

This morning while interviewing a very interesting gentleman in the Spotlight Cafe in Garrison, (who happens to be a retired firefighter) we noticed the big engine from the Garrison Fire Department take off South on Hwy. 169.

"Sorry, Bob," I said. "Can we finish this interview later? I think I should go see what those boys are up to."

"No problem," he said. "Go."

I followed the engine truck to a house fire. A two-story old farm house, that apparently was over 75 years old, the homeowner thought. She was not home at the time the blaze began. But her 14-year-old son was.

He was using his computer while waiting for the school bus about 7:30 or so he thought. The bus was late. And that might have been a good thing.

Brandon, called his mom to let her know the bus was late and while he was talking to her, the smoke detector began screaming. Brandon was able to help his cousin out of the house, with the help of a neighbor. And the neighbor was able to help retrieve the families two dogs, who were in crates inside the house.

The 32-year-old man suffered minor injuries. Brandon and the dogs are OK.

Brandon might be considered a hero. He is in my book.

Along with the brave men and women of the Garrison Fire and Rescue Department of Crow Wing County and Onamia Fire Department in Mille Lacs County.

The family wishes to express their greatest appreciation to the fire fighters for trying so desperately to save their home.

More on the story later.

Peace.

Murder charges filed, 911 transcripts released

Murder charges filed
911 transcripts released

by Vivian Clark
Messenger Staff Writer

A transcript of the 911 calls made by the Kanabec County couple that was killed in their home near Ann Lake in Mora on Sunday, Feb. 8 has been released.

Larry Steenerson, 61, died at the scene and his wife, Lois Steenerson, 66 died shortly after she was taken to a nearby hospital.

The couple apparently called 911 reporting someone was in their house trying to rob them and reported shots had been fired.

The 911 dispatcher lost contact with the couple a few times and repeatedly called back to continue a conversation while law enforcement was in route.

Dispatch 1: "Larry, what's going on in that house?"

Larry: "They're trying to kill us here, Craig (ohh!) Craig Hohenwald (Ohh! Ohh!)."

After that, the transcript reports the dispatcher heard breaking glass and struggling and the repeated cries of "Ohh! Ohh!" apparently from Larry Steenerson.

Lois Steenerson apparently picked up the phone and told the dispatcher, "They stabbed us."

Lois had apparently been stabbed in the neck and believed she was dying.

Charges were filed on Tuesday, Feb. 10 in Kanabec County District Court against two people in connection with the stabbing deaths of a Mora couple.

Craig Hohenwald, 27, of Brook Park, Minn., was charged in Kanabec County with two counts of second-degree murder with intent and two counts of second-degree murder without intent in the stabbing death of Larry Steenerson and his wife, Lois.

Jennifer Seiberlich, 28, of Mora has been charged with aiding Hohenwald after the killings.

Multiple agencies including Kanabec, Mille Lacs and Pine county sheriff's offices, Mora police, the Minnesota State Patrol responded to the 911 calls shortly after the calls began at around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8.

A Mora police officer was the first to arrive, according to the formal complaint from the Kanabec County District Court.

The complaint states the officer saw a man wearing a dark colored coat running from the front door of the house toward a parked car in the driveway.

The male got into the passenger side and the car immediately backed up and began to travel in the direction of the officers squad car, according to the complaint.

The officer stopped the car. He saw a female in the driver's seat and a male in the passenger seat. The complaint states the male began to exit the car. The officer drew his hand gun and ordered the male to raise his arms in the air.

The officer recognized the male as Hohenwald from previous contact with the man, according to the complaint. The officer noticed Hohenwald had a large amount of blood all over both arms from his hands to his elbows and on his head and chin. While waiting for backup, the officer heard Hohenwald utter something about his family and a real estate or land deal.

The officer identified the driver as Seiberlich.

With the suspects secure, and back up on the scene law enforcement entered the home to find what has been described as "horriffic" by Kanabec County Sheriff Steve Schulz.

The complaint described large amounts of blood throughout the house. Lois Steenerson was found, still alive, but barely breathing in a bedroom. She had a stab wound above her shoulder between her collar bone and her shoulder blade on the left side of her neck and appeared to be very deep into her chest.

She was transported to the Kanabec County Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Larry Steenerson was found in an office-type room, according to the complaint, that had a large amount of blood covering several surfaces of the room. Steenerson was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics at 11 p.m.

A medical examination later indicated he had been stabbed 30 - 40 times by a sharp force object, according to the complaint.

Officers located a bloody gun and bloody knife in the car that Hohenwald and Seiberlich were traveling in earlier when the officer found them.

The attack on the couple appears to be based on an ongoing civil dispute over a property transaction valued at $200,000, the complaint states.


Content © 2009 Mille Lacs Messenger

Related Stories:

• Double homicide in Kanabec County

Double homicide in Kanabec County

Double homicide in Kanabec County by Vivian Clark Messenger Staff Writer A 61-year-old man and a 66-year-old woman were apparently stabbed to death at a residence on 230th Avenue in Knife Lake Township, east of Ann Lake near Mora on Sunday, Feb. 8. According to Kanabec County Sheriff Steve Schulz two suspects have been arrested. Charges are pending for Craig Mathew Hohenwald, 27, of Brook Park, and Jennifer Ann Lind Seiberlich, 28, of Mora. Both were arrested at the scene in connection with the homicide. It is believed that the victims knew one or both of the suspects and that this was not a random incident. There was some sort of financial issue, involved, but details are uncertain, Schulz said at a press conference on Monday, Feb. 9.. Schulz said his office was called to the address shortly before 10:30 p.m. in response to several 911 emergency calls. At least one call came from inside the residence, Schulz said. Both Mille Lacs County and Pine County sheriff''s offices were called to assist as well as the Mora Police Department and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The male victim was pronounced dead at the scene and the woman was transported to the Kanabec hospital where she later died. The identity of the victims is being withheld pending notification of family. Schulz described the scene as "horrific." "It''s been a bad day," Schulz said. "A very bad day." The case is currently under investigation.

Best Snowmobile Athletes in the World To Compete at BIR

International Raceway February 6-8; Top X Games Athletes to Compete

The top professional snocross racers on the planet, as well as the leading freestyle athletes anywhere will invade the Brainerd International Raceway for Round 4 of the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series, February 6-8, 2009.

Fans in attendance will witness the world’s best snowmobile riders compete side-by-side for
more than $250,000 on a racetrack littered with huge jumps and insane terrain. Racers will
fly more than 80-feet in excess of two-stories high as they negotiate one of the most
challenging snocross tracks the Midwest has ever seen.

Winter X Games Champions including Tucker Hibbert and Levi LaVallee along with
freestyle kings Paul Thacker and Sam Rogers will be there, giving area fans the only
opportunity of the year to see these incredible riders in person.

The weekend heats up fast Friday night with the Monster Energy Slednecks Invasion
Tour freestyle showcase. The top freestyle athletes in the world will perform some of the
most insane tricks ever seen on a snowmobile including a back-flip! Riders will launch their
snowmobiles from a freestyle ramp to a backdrop of infused rock and free swag for the
fans. Joining them will be the biggest names in snocross racing for an evening of hospitality,
autographs and family fun.



Admission is Free with a Weekend Pass or just $10 without.

Competitive juices flow early Saturday morning with qualifying, culminating with the
first of two Main Events at 4:00pm.

This all-out showcase of the top Pro and Semi-Pro riders anywhere will be non-stop action. There’s also free snowmobile demo rides for the kids and adults as Yamaha lets fans experience their new Nytro snowmobile while one lucky youth demo rider will have a chance to win a new Arctic Cat kids snowmobile.

Capping off the weekend will be Sunday morning qualifying and the second Main
Event feature with Semi-Pro and Pro finals at 1:00pm.

Plus Yamaha freestyle phenom and X Games competitor Jeff Mullin will bust out some of the sickest tricks you’ve ever seen aboard his Yamaha Nytro during the Main Event intermission to further heat up the action.

Racing gets underway at 9:30am both Saturday and Sunday, and race fans will want to be
sure they are in the stands for the two Main Event feature races Saturday and Sunday.
Advance tickets are on sale now at www.isocracing.com


What you need to know:

What: AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series, the Biggest Names Go Bar to Bar on
a National Stage.

When: February 6-8, 2009; Pro and Semi-Pro Main Event Saturday at 4:00pm and
Sunday at 1:00pm.

Where: Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minnesota

Schedule of Events:

Friday: Doors Open at 5:00pm
6:00 – 6:45pm: ISOC Pro-Rider Autograph Jam Session
7:00pm-7:20pm: Monster Energy Slednecks Invasion Tour
7:20pm – 8:00pm: Pro Practice Session
8:00pm – 8:20pm: Monster Energy Slednecks Invasion Tour

Saturday: 4:00pm: Pro and Semi-Pro Main Event; 8:00am gates open with
qualifying action starting at 9:30am.

Sunday: 1:00pm: Pro and Semi-Pro Main Event with Yamaha freestyle show during
the intermission; racing starts at 9:30am.

Tickets:
FREE with Weekend Pass Friday Night Monster Energy Slednecks Invasion Tour; $10 without
$25 One Day Adult Pass – Valid Saturday or Sunday
$35 Weekend Adult Pass
$10 One Day Children Pass (ages 7-15) – Valid Saturday or Sunday
$20 Weekend Children Pass (ages 7-15)
Children 6 and under FREE

Advance Tickets available at www.isocracing.com

Who:
Professional snocross and freestyle athletes including:
 Tucker Hibbert Multiple X-Games gold winner, current points leader.
 Levi LeVallee - Winner of two gold medals at last year’s winter X Games.
 Steve Taylor – Professional Yamaha snocross standout and X Games competitor.
 Carly Davis – Currently the fastest woman on snow and Pro-Women points leader.
 Ryan Simons – X-Games competitor and podium regular hailing from Alberta.
 Paul Thacker – World record long-distance jumper and freestyle athlete.

Plus:
 Kids 120 demo rides with a chance to win a 120 Arctic Cat for everyone who rides
courtesy of Arctic Cat and Christian Brother Motorsports. Winner announced Sunday
at 2:00pm.
 Yamaha demo rides for adults, aboard their latest 2009 models.
 Free Pit Passes ($10 value) from area Polaris dealers while supplies last.

For more information visit ISOCRacing.com

New series on the web at www.millelacsmessenger.com

Okay, so I had this great idea. Admittedly, I am not the first one in the world to come up with this idea. But if it works, it will be a first for the Messenger.

I am thinking about an ongoing series on the website of just "Man on the Street" (or woman, or kid, or whoever) interviews. You never know what the interviews will be about. It could be a live "Mess Asks" or just, "hey you ... what are you doing today."

So watch this video and let me know what you think. Do you think I should do more? Or quite while I am ahead?

The first in the series is "Liberty Man."

So, you see these people all the time. The men or women holding signs on the side of the road. I am not talking about "will work for food" signs. I am talking walking billboards — advertising signs. Like places going out of business, or car wash today, or big sale, or whatever.

So, I have always wondered, who does that kind of job?

I found Aaron. I am guessing at the spelling of his name, because I couldn't understand him. But Aaron likes being a sign dude. He takes his job very seriously. I talked to him for a good 6 minutes and he didn't stop waving his arms for much more than a second.

Watch the video. You will see. Then let me know.

Peace.

Love lines

Hey folks! Do you have a special someone in your life? You should let them know by sending a Valentine's Day love line in the Mille Lacs Messenger!

Or perhaps you have a secret crush on someone and want to keep it secret and make it public at the same time! You can do that. Send a secret message to your secret interest and maybe they will figure it out — then again maybe they wont. And maybe you don't want them to know, but express your feelings at the same time. What a perfect way to let your feelings out and keep people guessing at the same time!

Send a message to your kids, your mom, your dad, your grandma, grandpa, wife, husband, auntie, uncle, the neighbor, the bait shop, the grocery store clerk, your favorite bartender . . . the list is endless!

Just send a message. Make them clever or cute, funny or serious. No matter which way you play it, they are cheap and fun! And a very special and thoughtful gift to last a lifetime!

Have fun!

Peace.