A bill in the legislature that would allow simulcast betting at Running Aces Harness Track in Columbus seems headed for approval, but its support from the two state lawmakers that represent the area is limited.

The bill, which has passed the Senate and will soon be  heard in the House, would grant the new track here authority to offer simulcast wagering on thoroughbred horse racing from around the country. It would also allow Canterbury Park authority to offer simulcast betting on harness track betting.

Sen. Ray Vandeveer, right, and Rep. Bob Dettmer listen to the discussion at last Friday's legislative breakfast in Forest Lake hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.

(Photo By Cliff Buchan) 

By the end of June, the new city of Wyoming will be official. But just how will the new Wyoming look in terms of geography?

The process leading to an answer to that question starts on Monday when Administrative Law Judge Steven M. Mihalchick begins to hear testimony on two contested annexation cases involving Stacy and Chisago City who seek to bite off chunks of Wyoming Township.

If the judge agrees, more than 5000 acres of township land will go to Stacy on the north and Chisago City on the east. That would come on the heals of Chisago City’s successful taking of 5000 acres in 2005, thanks to a ruling by an administrative law judge.

It’s part of a legal battle that has stretched into its third year and pitted four communities in a land battle.

A pursuit of a stolen car that started in Hugo at 2:50 p.m. Thursday ended on CR-23 and I-35 when officers from a number of police agencies cornered the vehicle and arrested two subjects. Timothy J. Rubbelke, Woodbury, the driver of the car, was tasered by officers after he fled the vehicle on foot. He was booked for possession of a stolen vehicle, second-degree assault, fleeing police in a motor vehicle and obstruction with force. A passenger in the vehicle, Lynn Deanne Freiberg, Woodbury, was arrested for fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance. Other charges are pending, Chief of Police Clark Quiring said.

The chase started on Elmcrest Avenue in Hugo when police there observed the vehicle that had been reported stolen in Barron, WI. Police in Forest Lake were also looking for the vehicle in connection with multiple reports of bad checks being passed in Forest Lake. The chase went north on US-61 where it met stop sticks deployed at Highway 97. The pursuit then went west on TH-97 to the northbound ramp of I-35 and CR-23 where the suspect vehicle struck two other vehicles. At that point, Rubbelke fled on foot only to be captured a short distance from the car. Agencies that assisted Forest Lake and Washington County deputies included Eagan and Lino Lakes police, the Anoka County Sheriff"s Office and the Minnesota State Patrol.

Quiring said several citizens saw what was happening and assisted in the apprehension of the suspect. 

Ken managed to barely hang on to 4th place in a sprint to the finish line against Martin Buser on Wednesday. After they left Safety just one minute apart, apparently neither of them was able to gain a real advantage on the other.

Their 2-man duel went back to several miles before Safety.  Ken said Martin Buser had a slightly higher cruising speed than he did, and so Martin was able to catch Ken somewhere between White Mountain and Safety.  However, he was never able to pull away because Ken’s team had a faster top end gear than Martin’s did.

It sounded like Martin was also plagued with some leader issues, at least from some of Ken’s descriptions.

Ken poses with one of his lead dogs, Jango, at the finish line of the 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome on Wednesday.

(Photo By  Gwen Holdman) 

By Gwen Holdman

Ramey Smith, Ken Anderson  and Martin Buser just went through the very last 'checkpoint' of Saftey 15 minutes ago.  Ramey was first, which is not too much of a surprise, but Martin was actually the second team in.  Ken was immediately behind Martin, and then took a couple of minutes to drop a bag.

I wonder if he had been carrying this dog in his bag and whether that might have slowed him down.  In any case, Martin did not drop a dog but did something interestingly strategically.  He waited until Ken left so he could follow him out and 'draft' off of him.  That was probably a smart move, as dogs like to follow and Ken may have real trouble pulling away from Martin.  Martin's dogs (or at least leaders) will be slightly rested relative to Ken's, and then he can at some point re-pass Ken coming into Nome.  It puts Ken in a tough position of actually needing to run significantly faster than Martin to pull away, which is not easy at this stage in the race and if anything, Martin has shown he is the slightly faster team of the two. 

In any case, it will be an interesting final stretch, and I am headed down to the finish line now to get things set up.  Also, Hans seems to be trailing, but it is hard to know for sure.  They do not have him posted as through Saftey yet.