More counties begin burning restrictions April 4

Beginning Monday, April 4, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will start burning restrictions in several additional counties as conditions for wildfires have increased. The cool weather accompanied by snow or rain kept fire incidences low in the past two weeks. However, last year’s vegetation is dry and can easily catch on fire even if it has rained or snowed.  
Open burning restrictions will take effect in the following counties: Becker, Beltrami, Cass (southern Cass restrictions are already in effect), Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Pennington, Polk (east of County Road 6 from the Mahnomen County line to the Red Lake County line) and Roseau.
During spring burning restrictions residents are not allowed to burn brush or yard waste. Restrictions usually begin two weeks after the snow melts and remain in place until summer green-up occurs. This is typically a four- to six-week time period. Minnesota reports the greatest number of wildfires in April and May, and most are caused by people. Putting restrictions in place during this time has significantly cut down on wildfire numbers and size.
As these restrictions take effect throughout the state, it’s a good idea to know the location of your municipal brush collection site. There are alternatives to burning yard debris or dead standing grass. Consider hauling brush to a collection site or chipping fallen branches and trees for mulch. With an early fire season ahead, it is wise to use caution and recognize that fire can spread quickly in windy and warm conditions. Anyone who starts a fire may be financially responsible for suppression costs and damage to structures.
For more information on fire condition and burning restrictions, visit the DNR website, www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/fire/firerating_restrictions.html.

BBB Tips on Navigating the Funeral Process

Burnsville, Minnesota – March 23, 2016 – At an average cost between $7,000 and $10,000, funerals are one of the more expensive arrangements people make. During such an emotionally charged time, loved ones or caretakers of the deceased can get lost in the details and expenses involved with planning a funeral. Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota ® (BBB) offers some direction for navigating the funeral process.

“Discussions of funeral arrangements and designating one’s personal wishes are never easy to have, but these are the conversations that can help transform a time of mourning into a time of celebration,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota.

Many funeral homes offer a variety of package plans that include products and services that are chosen most often by the bereaved. But no packages are obligatory and it’s important to take the time, even though time to make these decisions may be short, to find the individual products and services that best serve your needs and the needs of loved ones and the deceased.

One way to remove some of the questions that arise when one passes is to have a plan outlining some choices in advance. This makes things easier for those left behind and also takes the wishes of the deceased into account. The National Funeral Directors Association offers a “Bill of Rights for Funeral Preplanning” (nfda.org/planning-a-funeral/preplanning.html) that its members follow. Though you don’t have to prepay for a funeral in order to preplan one, there may be financial benefits to doing so.

As you begin to explore your options, it’s important to carefully weigh the benefits and costs tied to each choice: traditional burial or cremation. Traditional funerals – where there’s a burial and service – are the most popular, but can cost significantly more than cremation.

According to the Cremation Association of North America, the U.S. cremation rate has nearly doubled in the past 15 years. The reason for the increase in the number of people choosing cremation over traditional burial could come down to cost or because it gives families more flexibility when planning a memorial service, or simply due to the wishes of the deceased.

Whether you’re looking at a traditional burial or cremation, The Funeral Rule, which is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, offers consumers many protections: 

·         You can choose the funeral goods and services that you want (with some exceptions). You do not have to accept a package that may include items you do not want.

·         You may receive price information on the telephone if you ask for it. You don’t have to give them your name, address, or telephone number first. Although they are not required to do so, many funeral homes mail their price lists, and some post them online.

·         You’re entitled to a written statement from the funeral home describing any legal cemetery or crematory requirementthat requires you to buy particular funeral goods or services.

·         The right to see a written casket price list before you see the actual caskets. Sometimes, detailed casket price information is included on the funeral home’s General Price List. More often, though, it’s provided on a separate casket price list. Get the price information before you see the caskets, so that you can ask about lower-priced products that may not be on display.

·         The funeral provider must not refuse, or charge a fee, to handle a casket or urn that you bought elsewhere.

·         A funeral provider who offers cremation must make alternative containers available.

BBB has free Business Reviews on more than 450 funeral service providers throughout Minnesota and North Dakota, available at bbb.org/search.

MnDOT conducts aerial photography near communities in northern Minnesota

BEMIDJI, Minn. – In a sure sign of spring, the Minnesota Department of Transportation begins its transition away from snowplow operations by conducting aerial mapping of several locations in northern Minnesota.

This aerial survey process relies on clear observations, and must be conducted after the snow has melted and before the trees leaf out. To begin the process crews place an “X” on the ground as a reference point for the aerial photographer. Weather permitting; work will begin in early April in the following locations:

·         Red Lake- Highway 1

·         East Grand Forks- Highway 2

·         Bemidji- Highway 2 and Highway 71

·         Hallock- Highway 75

The mapping will create a record of existing infrastructure and landscape along MnDOT right of way for transportation planning and operations. “Crews paint large white ‘X’ targets on paved surfaces” said Dan Domeier, MnDOT Land Surveyor.

“For unpaved locations they use a wood panel target. A survey crew then records the coordinate position and elevation of these targets, and provides that information to the aerial photography company.”

The wood panel targets are temporary and will be removed when the photography is completed. MnDOT requests that landowners not remove or disturb the targets until the photography is completed.

If a target must be moved, please contact MnDOT District 2 survey staff at 218-755-6533 or by email at Daniel.Domeier@state.mn.us.

2016 Mille Lacs regulations designed to keep walleye fishing open

Regulations designed to protect the fish needed to rebuild Mille Lacs Lake’s walleye population will require that walleye anglers use only artificial bait and immediately release all walleye when Minnesota’s 2016 fishing season opens Saturday, May 14.

“A catch-and-release walleye season allows us to protect future spawners yet acknowledges the desire that fishing remain open,” said Don Pereira, fisheries chief for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Not allowing harvest is a difficult decision but it provides our best option.”

From May 14 to Thursday, Dec. 1, anglers targeting walleye must use artificial bait and immediately release all walleye caught. Anglers targeting northern pike and muskellunge may possess and use sucker minnows longer than 8 inches but all other anglers must not possess any other bait that is live, dead, frozen or processed.

Other changed regulations for the 2016 season on Mille Lacs include:

• Walleye: Night closure beginning Monday, May 16, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and continuing through Dec. 1. Muskellunge anglers may fish at night but all baits, live or artificial, in possession must be at least 8 inches long.
• Northern pike: Five fish with only one longer than 40 inches. All northern 30-40 inches long must be immediately released.
• Bass: Four fish with only one longer than 21 inches. All fish 17-21 inches long must be immediately released.

“These new regulations reflect the DNR’s commitment to continue providing world-class fishing at one of Minnesota’s premier vacation destinations,” Pereira said.

Last year on Mille Lacs, walleye anglers could use live bait and keep one walleye 19-21 inches long or longer than 28 inches. Walleye fishing closed in August when fishing pressure, the number of fish caught and temperatures combined to push the state over its 28,600 pound walleye limit. Fishing re-opened on Dec. 1, 2015, with a walleye limit of one 18-20 inches or one longer than 28 inches.

This year’s safe walleye harvest level established by the DNR and Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission remains at 40,000 pounds, with 28,600 allocated to state anglers and 11,400 to tribal anglers. Allowing fishing beyond those limits puts the walleye population at risk and a federal court decision requires that walleye fishing be suspended.

“The possibility of closing Mille Lacs to walleye fishing is greater this year than it was last,” Pereira said. “Even with our catch-and-release approach, the risk remains considerable.”

Concern stems from the additional pressure that hooking mortality – an estimate of the number of fish that die after being caught and returned to the water – has on walleye harvest. Hooking mortality rates also increase as water temperatures warm. Both factors are at play in Mille Lacs this year.

The DNR expects more small- and intermediate-sized fish to be caught, including fish hatched in 2013 that biologists are counting on to rebuild Mille Lacs’ walleye population. These immature fish, which are approaching a more catchable but comparatively small size of 14 inches and longer, need to be protected so they can spawn. Ice is opening on lakes earlier this year, increasing the likelihood that water temperatures will warm faster and sooner.

“A low level of allowed harvest doesn’t necessarily mean slow walleye fishing,” Pereira said. “As we saw last year, factors can combine to alter estimates and require adjustments. We believe that allowing no walleye harvest through catch-and-release is a reasonable yet cautious response based on in-depth analysis and citizen input from the Mille Lacs advisory committee.”

As part of a more comprehensive study to better understand and estimate hooking mortality, the DNR will collect a variety of fishing information on Mille Lacs this summer. Temperature sensors will be placed in different parts of the lake at different depths to more accurately record temperatures where walleye congregate. Information on fishing methods and catches will be collected, too. Part of the information collection aspect of the research program will allow Mille Lacs’ fishing launches to be exempt from the live bait restriction.

“Anglers fish close together on launches, making it extremely difficult to safely cast artificial lures rather than dropping baited lines into the water,” Pereira said. “Since the DNR needs more data to refine its hooking mortality standards, asking launches to provide this data will allow a traditional, popular and enjoyable method of fishing on Mille Lacs to continue.”

Launch operators receiving a permit can use live bait provided they agree to participate in efforts to collect data from fishing trips, launch customers and cooperate with the hooking mortality study. Their permits would be suspended if walleye fishing on Mille Lacs has to be closed.

Bass regulations compromise

Anglers can keep four bass in any combination of largemouth and smallmouth, down from last year’s limit of six fish. The new regulations add a requirement that all fish 17-21 inches be immediately released, and the length restriction for the largest fish an angler may keep increased from 18 to 21 inches.

The early harvest offered on Mille Lacs also was eliminated, requiring that – like the rest of the state – all bass caught during the first two weeks of the season be immediately released.

Mille Lacs’ exemption to the statewide fall closure of the smallmouth bass season remains, meaning that anglers may keep smallmouth bass they catch on Mille Lacs through Feb. 28, 2017.

DNR changed the regulation to balance bass angling groups’ call for stricter regulations to protect Mille Lacs Lake’s world-class smallmouth fishery with the desire and need to provide anglers opportunities to harvest fish.

“Bass regulations are a compromise,” Pereira said. “Last year’s regulations were biologically sound but it was important that DNR also factor in the emerging social aspects in this year’s regulations.”

The ability to exempt large bass tournaments from the size regulation and bag limits remains.

Northern pike regulations change

Mille Lacs anglers can keep five northern pike, only one of which can be longer than 40 inches. All fish 30-40 inches must be immediately released.

The five-fish limit was initially enacted last December. The protected slot limit replaces the provision that allowed anglers to keep only one fish longer than 30 inches.

The earn-a-trophy provision that required anglers to harvest two smaller pike before one larger one was eliminated for the 2016 open water season.

More information about Mille Lacs is available on the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/millelacslake.

Be aware of bears this spring

Anyone living near bear habitat is reminded to be aware of bears this spring and check their property for food sources that could attract bears, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.
“With a warm spring so far, we’re already getting calls about bears out rummaging for food,” said Eric Nelson, wildlife animal damage program supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “However, leaving food out in yards that can be eaten by bears sets the stage for potential property damage and presents dangers to bears.”
As bears emerge from hibernation, their metabolism gradually ramps up and they will begin looking for food at a time when berries and green vegetation can be scarce. Bears may be tempted by dog food, livestock feed, birdseed, compost or garbage.
Only black bears live in the wild in Minnesota. They normally are shy and usually flee when encountered. Never approach or try to pet a bear. Injury to people is rare, but bears are potentially dangerous because of their size, strength and speed.
The DNR does not relocate problem bears. Relocated bears seldom remain where they are released. They may return to where they were caught or become a problem somewhere else.
The DNR offers some tips for avoiding bear conflicts:
Around the yard

• Do not leave food from barbeques and picnics outdoors, especially overnight. Coolers are not bear-proof.
• Replace hummingbird feeders with hanging flower baskets, which are also attractive to hummingbirds.
• Eliminate birdfeeders or hang them 10 feet up and 4 feet out from the nearest trees.
• Use a rope and pulley system to refill birdfeeders, and clean up seeds that spill onto the ground. Where bears are a nuisance, birdfeeders should be taken down between now and Dec. 1.
• Store pet food inside and feed pets inside. If pets must be fed outdoors, feed them only as much as they will eat.
• Clean and store barbeque grills after each use. Store them in a secure shed or garage away from windows and doors.
• Pick fruit from trees as soon as it’s ripe, and collect fallen fruit immediately.
• Limit compost piles to grass, leaves and garden clippings, and turn piles regularly. Do not add food scraps.
• Harvest garden produce as it matures. Locate gardens away from forests and shrubs that bears may use for cover.
• Use native plants in landscaping whenever possible. Clover and dandelions will attract bears.
• Elevate bee hives on bear-proof platforms or erect properly designed electric fences.
• Do not put out feed for wildlife (like corn, oats, pellets or molasses blocks).

Garbage

• Store garbage in bear-resistant garbage cans or dumpsters. Rubber or plastic garbage cans are not bear-proof.
• Keep garbage inside a secure building until the morning of pickup.
• Store recyclable containers, such as pop cans, inside.
• Store especially smelly garbage, such as meat or fish scraps, in a freezer until it can be taken to a refuse site.

People should always be cautious around bears. If they have persistent bear problems after cleaning up the food sources, they should contact a DNR area wildlife office for assistance. For the name of the local wildlife manager, contact the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or 888-646-6367, or visit www.mndnr.gov/contact/locator.html to find a local office.
For more information about avoiding bear conflicts, visit www.mndnr.gov/livingwith_wildlife/bears.

Temporary lane closure on EGF Kennedy Bridge Mar. 10

BEMIDJI, Minn. – Motorists entering Minnesota on Highway 2 in East Grand Forks will experience a temporary lane closure on the southern eastbound lane of the Kennedy Bridge on Mar. 10, weather permitting.

The closure allows MnDOT bridge crews to perform an inspection in anticipation of a two-year rehabilitation project scheduled to begin this fall. That project includes a redesign of the bridge deck to add a multi-use lane for bicycles and pedestrians.

The inspection will begin after 8 a.m. and delays should be minimal. Drivers are urged to slow down, eliminate distractions and obey all signs.

For real-time travel information and road conditions anywhere in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org.

Spring Load Restrictions for North Zone Begin

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The ENDING DATE for Winter Load Increases and STARTING DATE for Spring Load Restrictions in the NORTH FROST ZONE will be Wednesday, March 9 at 12:01 AM.

Spring Load Restrictions have already begun in the SOUTH, SOUTHEAST, METRO and CENTRAL FROST ZONES.

Spring Load Restrictions have already been announced for the NORTH-CENTRAL FROST ZONE beginning Tuesday, March 8.

Road Restriction maps indicating the locations of weight restricted routes and those state highways open to maximum ten-ton axle weights are listed on the MnDOT Seasonal Load Limits website at www.mndot.gov/loadlimits . Click on “Seasonal Load Limits,” then click on “Spring Load Restrictions (SLR).” Also available is a text list of the restricted segments along with exceptions to the map.

OVERWEIGHT PERMITS

Permits for over 80,000 lb Gross Vehicle Weight will continue and new permits will be issued if all axle and group weights are legal. 

Up to full-summer overweight permits can be issued during the Spring Load Restriction period only on interstate through movements.

Middle-range overweight permits become available within each frost zone when Spring Load Restrictions are lifted.

Full-summer overweight permits become available within each frost zone starting two to three weeks after Spring Load Restrictions are lifted. 

For questions about enforcement call:

Minnesota Department of Public Safety
State Patrol - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
651-405-6196 (select Option 3, Option 3).

For questions about over legal weight/size "heavy haul" trucking call:
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations - Oversize/Weight Permits
651‑296-6000 or email:  ofcvopermits.dot@state.mn.us

The ending dates for Spring Load Restrictions are based on how weather is affecting roadway strength.  These dates are established by monitoring roadway strength as weather conditions change.  Therefore, the ending dates for Spring Load Restrictions are variable.

As soon as a date is set, MnDOT will report this date on its 24-hour automated message center at 1‑800‑723‑6543 for the USA and Canada, and locally at 651‑366‑5400 for the Minneapolis/St Paul area. This information is also published on the MnDOT Seasonal Load Limits website: www.dot.state.mn.us/materials.

Spring Load Restrictions Begin

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The ENDING DATE for Winter Load Increases and STARTING DATE for Spring Load Restrictions in the NORTH-CENTRAL FROST ZONE will be Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 12:01 AM.

Spring Load Restrictions have already begun in the SOUTH, SOUTHEAST, METRO and CENTRAL FROST ZONES.

Road Restriction maps indicating the locations of weight restricted routes and those state highways open to maximum ten-ton axle weights are listed on the MnDOT Seasonal Load Limits website at www.mndot.gov/loadlimits . Click on “Seasonal Load Limits,” then click on “Spring Load Restrictions (SLR).” Also available is a text list of the restricted segments along with exceptions to the map.

OVERWEIGHT PERMITS

Permits for over 80,000 lb Gross Vehicle Weight will continue and new permits will be issued if all axle and group weights are legal. 

Up to full-summer overweight permits can be issued during the Spring Load Restriction period only on interstate through movements.

Middle-range overweight permits become available within each frost zone when Spring Load Restrictions are lifted.

Full-summer overweight permits become available within each frost zone starting two to three weeks after Spring Load Restrictions are lifted. 

For questions about enforcement call:

Minnesota Department of Public Safety
State Patrol - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
651-405-6196 (select Option 3, Option 3).

For questions about over legal weight/size "heavy haul" trucking call:
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations - Oversize/Weight Permits
651‑296-6000 or email:  ofcvopermits.dot@state.mn.us

The ending dates for Spring Load Restrictions are based on how weather is affecting roadway strength.  These dates are established by monitoring roadway strength as weather conditions change.  Therefore, the ending dates for Spring Load Restrictions are variable.

As soon as a date is set, MnDOT will report this date on its 24-hour automated message center at 1‑800‑723‑6543 for the USA and Canada, and locally at 651‑366‑5400 for the Minneapolis/St Paul area. This information is also published on the MnDOT Seasonal Load Limits website: www.dot.state.mn.us/materials.