March 25-30

Provided as a public service by theMankato FreePress

PROFESSORS' WEB SITE TEACHES A LESSON ON MANKATO

March 28: Mankato State University Library Media Education Professor Don Descy is bringing his point home that students can't always believe information they find on the Internet's World Wide Web.

Descy set up a fake Mankato site, saying things such as Mankato University is a sprawling 1.2 million campus and the weather in the town never drops below 70 degrees.

His site caught the attention of national sites of the week and was bringing in nearly 3,000 visitors to the Make it Mankato site.

SEARS MOVES TO RIVER HILLS; CLOSES AT MADISON EAST

March 25: The new Sears store opened at River Hills Mall, leaving a giant vacancy at Madison East Shopping Center. Sears becomes the fourth major anchor to River Hills Mall, which is becoming the main shopping center for the town.

The store's grand opening drew so much traffic that the mall hired extra police officers to help direct cars in and out of the mall. Sears closing at Madison East leaves that mall with only Walgreen's left as a major anchor.

MIKE KENNEDY RESIGNS FROM COUNCIL

March 26: Mankato City Councilman Mike Kennedy announced his resignation because he has purchased a home outside of Mankato's city limits. Kennedy, who represents people in Ward 4, will resign effective April 26.

He was elected in 1988 and is six months away from finishing his second four-year term. The council is looking to appoint a citizen from Ward 4 to fill the spot until the November elections.

FOUR PEOPLE IN THE RUNNING FOR SCHOOL BOARD SEATS

March 27: Four people have filed for two spots on the District 77 School Board. Running for the 5 1/2 year term are Paul Brown, of Mankato, who is a Mankato State University anthropology professor; and Brenda Hagen, of Mankato, who is a Belgrade Avenue Methodist Church administrative assistant.

Running for the 3 1/2 year term are: Jeff Foster, of Mankato, who is owner of Around the Clock Express; and Ann Hendricks, of Mankato, who is a parent and part-time special education instructor at Mankato State University. The candidates are seeking to fill positions left vacant by Randy Berkland and Kathleen Maschka.

TRUMAN FARMER INDICTED FOR KILLING WIFE

March 28: Farmer Peter Shoen of Truman was indicted on first-degree murder charges in connection with the beating death of his wife March 4.

Shoen allegedly told police that he pushed his wife down a flight of stairs during an argument and then struck her several times with a pipe to "put her out of her misery."

The sentencing guideline for first-degree murder is 25 years in prison. His next court appearance is May 6.

TANKER SPILL BLAMED ON EXCESSIVE SPEED

March 29: Mankato police say excessive speed contributed to the rollover of a semi-tanker truck hauling gasoline that spilled onto Riverfront Drive, closing down the area for most of the day March 14.

The driver, Joel Allen Godeke, 34, was not speeding but police say the tanker was moving too fast for the corner. The truck was carrying more than 8,000 gallons of gas when it tipped. Between 100 and 300 gallons spilled. About 25 gallons got into the city storm sewer. The truck was owned by Newport, Minn.-based Dahlen Trucking.

DOCTOR REPRIMANDED FOR BEING RUDE

March 30: Mankato Clinic Urgent Care Doctor Peter Dorsen was reprimanded and penalized by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice for being rude and insulting to patients while at an Albert Lea Clinic and Wayzata clinic.

The board's examples included Dorsen criticizing a woman for being fat, using a profane word to describe a patient and yelling at the mother of a 7-year-old. Dorsen said he didn't think he was rude but that there are cultural differences between New York, where he is from, and Minnesota. The board ordered him to take a community education course, a professional boundaries course and undergo therapy.

LEGISLATURE BLASTS AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE OVER AGENT FIRINGS, QUOTAS

March 30: The state Legislature voted 129-0 and 61-0 to allow insurance agents to talk to their legislators about policy changes. The Legislature also approved a bill that would prevent insurance companies from enforcing sales quotas on their agents.

The measures were in response to the firing of American Family Insurance agent Mary McClure for talking to legislators about getting rid of insurance selling quotas to prevent agents from selling insurance that people didn't need.

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