Breaking News

The Minnesota Department of Education has identified 34 persistently low-achieving schools in the state and plans to overhaul them by the time students return to class next fall, with the help of about $34 million in federal grants.

Among the schools is Rochester Off-Campus Charter High.

Rochester police went on an hours-long search tonight for a 15-year-old boy who didn’t return home after going on his newspaper route on the city’s northeast side.

Police called in a State Patrol helicopter, searching in the area of East River Road and 37th Street. They finally located the boy at 10:40 p.m. in the area of the First Avenue Church on 37th Street. An initial report stated that he was OK, though an ambulance was called as a precaution.

Rochester teen found after three-hour search Monday

The fire department responded to a report of a fire in the basement of a single family, one-story house late Sunday, according to a Rochester Fire Department press release.

Firefighters were called to the Ha Tranh Nguyen home at 1129 Cascade S. N.W. at 11:09 p.m. on Sunday after the home’s occupants reported smelling smoke and the owner discovered a fire in the basement.

By the time firefighters arrived, flames were shooting out of the basement windows and the fire had moved into the space between the ceiling of the basement and the floor of the main level. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the basement.

No one was injured.

Damage was estimated at $35,000.

·

MPCA press release:

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an air pollution health advisory for the Twin Cities and Rochester for Friday, Feb. 19, and an air pollution health alert for the same areas on Saturday, Feb. 20.

The MPCA issues an air pollution health alert when the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeds or is expected to exceed 101, the level considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. An air pollution health advisory is issued when the AQI is expected to exceed 90.

An overnight temperature inversion, which traps pollutants near the surface, coupled with light to calm winds, which limit pollutant dispersion, is causing fine particle concentrations to build to levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups in Rochester and the Twin Cities. As calm conditions persist into Saturday, fine particle levels are expected to continue to increase. Increased wind speeds from the north on Sunday are expected to improve pollutant dispersion, leading to high-moderate AQI levels on Sunday and low-moderate AQI levels on Monday, Feb. 22. Air quality is expected to improve to good AQI conditions by Tuesday, Feb. 23.

Those with respiratory or cardiovascular problems, young children, the elderly and individuals who participate in activities that require heavy exertion are the most sensitive to elevated levels of air pollution. Since fine particles can be drawn deeply into the lungs, it is a good idea to reduce or postpone activities that lead to deep or accelerated breathing. Exposure to high levels of fine particles may cause chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing and fatigue, even after air quality has improved. If you experience these symptoms, contact your physician. Even individuals that are otherwise healthy may experience health effects when air pollution increases.

Everyone can take steps to reduce contributions to local air pollution. Reducing motor vehicle emissions by carpooling, combining trips, avoiding idling, and using alternate transportation all help. During poor air quality events, people should also postpone burning wood and reduce their energy consumption.

For hourly air quality updates, visit the MPCA AQI Web site at http://aqi.pca.state.mn.us/.

WASHINGTON — Most of the U.S. Capitol is still shut down after a one-two punch from a couple of blizzards the last few days, but at least two Minnesotans in Congress aren’t letting a little snow stop them.

Even as much of the federal government took snow days, U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar continued to make the commute from his suburban Maryland home. The Democrat from Minnesota’s Iron Range chaired a transportation subcommittee on Tuesday, where only two other members showed up.

Oberstar wasn’t the only hearty Minnesotan undaunted by a little — well actually, a lot of — snow. Today, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar chaired the Senate’s first post-blizzard hearing. The Democrat gaveled in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on six nominations to the federal district court.

A head-on crash on U.S. 14 near Claremont about 7:30 a.m. has blocked the road, causing long lines of traffic to back up. No more information about the accident is available; but a medical helicopter has been sent to the scene.

The Minnesota Senate passed the bonding bill, 52-14. Still in the bill are the Mayo Civic Center, the National Volleyball Center and the Chatfield arts center.