A sobering fine for Cold Spring Brewery. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says the brewer will pay nearly $40,000 for alleged pollution violations  at its Stearns County production facility. The agency says Cold Spring discharged excessive nitrogen between 2003 and 2006 and failed to comply with multiple testing and reporting rules. The company agreed to the penalty and to correct the problems.

It's best to read the label before taking medication. And it's a good idea to read the label before buying, too, if you're shopping for generic drugs at Target. The Consumerist blog spots a Target-brand joint-strengthener that appears to be a better deal than its name-brand alternative. A careful scan of the fine print, however, shows the Target brand that costs less is half as strong. See photos at the Consumerist.

A local web development firm makes a list of America's fastest-growing private companies.  Sierra Bravo of Bloomington comes in at ... drum roll, please ... No. 556 of 5,000 companies on Inc.com's ranking, which is based on revenue figures shared by the companies. Between 2004 and 2007, the company's revenue jumped from $599,828 to $4.1 million.

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