10/27/09: This week's Minnesota news from other media

"In a move that could conceivably bankrupt the city of Duluth, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is asking a federal court to return the $75.5 million it has given the city since 1994 as part of its agreement to open the Fond-du-Luth Casino," report Brandon Stahl and Peter Passi in the Duluth News Tribune. The story says the city's general operating fund next year is projected to be $75 million and that the city has only $1 million in its reserve fund.

"In an effort to improve winter driving conditions and reduce plowing, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will again pay farmers who leave stalks in place as highway snow fences — $1.50 more per bushel than the current corn prices," writes Rachel Drewelow in the Albert Lea Tribune.

"Terry Larson of rural Cass Lake just had time to finish harvesting wild rice and summer berries when a call came in for guide service," reports Molly Miron in the Bemidji Pioneer. She writes that Larson ended up working with a film crew doing a documentary about the Mississippi River for the National Geographic Channel, helping the producers navigate the upper reaches of the river.

"The state requires that green glass be collected as part of recycling programs, so it is. And because it is collected, most residents rinse out the green wine and beer bottles, place them on the curb each week and fully expect the glass is beginning a journey that ends with a new bottle being produced from the old one," writes Mark Fischenich in the Mankato Free Press. "Problem is," he adds, "nobody wants the green glass."