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IRON ORE RECOVERY PLANT
Minn. agency approves 4th Magnetation plant
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's citizens board has approved a company's plans to build its fourth iron ore recovery plant on the Iron Range.
Tuesday's vote was unanimous. Grand Rapids-based Magnetation plans to build the plant near Coleraine in Itasca (eye-TAS'-kuh) County.
Magnetation hopes to have the plant up and running by early 2015, eventually producing up to 2 million tons of iron ore concentrate each year. The Duluth News Tribune reports the plant is expected to employ about 160 people.
Magnetation President Matt Lehtinen says the company already has a Department of Natural Resources permit to mine at the site, and construction will start this summer on the $120 million facility.
The company already employs about 220 people at three ore recovery facilities on Minnesota's Iron Range.
XGR--DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS LIBRARY-DEBT
Minn. to help pay Mpls. downtown library debt
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The state of Minnesota will give Minneapolis about $33 million over several years to help pay off debt on the downtown library.
The money was a last-minute addition to the state tax bill at the Legislature.
DFL Rep. Jim Davnie of Minneapolis tells the Star Tribune the provision will supply about $4.7 million a year between 2016 and 2025.
City voters approved borrowing $140 million in 2000 to build the downtown library and improve community libraries.
The library money was added to the tax bill after the state agreed to forgive loans on the Xcel Energy Center, located in St. Paul.
The Minneapolis Central Library opened in 2006. The striking structure was designed by architect Cesar Pelli. The library is part of the Hennepin County Library system.
LOCK AND DAM CLOSURE
Lock, dam near Fountain City to close for repair
FOUNTAIN CITY, Wis. (AP) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to temporarily close a lock and dam near Fountain City so a damaged gate can be replaced.
An upstream gate on Lock and Dam 5A was severely damaged last week when it was struck by a barge.
The 12-hour closure will take place Thursday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. KAGE Radio reports all commercial and recreational traffic on the Mississippi in the Winona, Minn., area will be affected while the gate is replaced.
The Corps says the towboat was navigating downriver when it hit the lock gate last Thursday. No one was hurt and the barges did not contain any hazardous materials
Corps engineers assessed the damage and determined the lock can remain open with some restrictions until the gate is replaced.
ST CROIX BRIDGE
Groundbreaking set for new St. Croix bridge
STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota and Wisconsin transportation officials have scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for the new St. Croix bridge project connecting the two states.
The ceremony will be held May 28 at Lowell Park in Stillwater. Elected officials from both states are expected to speak.
Work on the St. Croix (kroy) Crossing already has begun with crews building a construction staging area on the Minnesota banks of the St. Croix River.
The project includes building a new four-lane highway bridge across the river connecting expressways on both sides. Construction of the bridge superstructure is scheduled to start in 2014.
The project will replace the 80-year-old Stillwater Lift Bridge.
BURNING RESTRICTIONS-MINNESOTA
Burning restrictions lifted in 32 Minn. counties
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has lifted fire restrictions in all or parts of 32 Minnesota counties as wet weather lowers the fire danger.
The restrictions were lifted at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The counties are scattered across roughly the northern two-thirds of Minnesota.
Restrictions remain in Cook, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington, Roseau, northern St. Louis and northern Beltrami counties. The DNR expects those restrictions will be lifted soon.
Although state burning restrictions are lifted in the 32 counties, local areas, counties or municipalities may have regulations or restrictions on burning. Check with local authorities to obtain proper permits before burning.
DAY CARE DEATH
Minn. day care provider charged in baby's death
HASTINGS, Minn. (AP) - A day care provider in Dakota County is charged with manslaughter in the death of a 3-month-old boy who died in her care last July.
The complaint alleges 45-year-old Rebecca Lynn Graupmann first tried to mislead investigators, but later admitted to placing the infant to sleep on an adult bed - a violation of Minnesota safe sleep guidelines.
According to the complaint, Kaiden Robert Staebell died July 31 from what a medical examiner determined was probable positional asphyxia.
The charges allege Graupmann had completed required day care training and knew she should not have laid the infant on a bed.
Graupmann is expected to appear in court Wednesday. Her attorney, James Blumberg, declined to comment to the Star Tribune (http://bit.ly/16MxIOK), saying he hadn't seen the complaint or reviewed the charges.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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