AROUND MINNESOTA: Two killed, two ciritical in crash ... Gaps cited in health care for poor ... Soldiers' remains finally returned ... more

Two killed, two critical in crash

ROCHESTER — Two young people are dead and two others are critically injured in a highway crash Friday near Rochester.

The Minnesota State Patrol said the driver of a Mercury Cougar was headed east in the westbound lane of Highway 14 when it collided with a Mazda Protege about 2:30 a.m.

The patrol said an 18-year-old from Mazeppa and a 22-year-old from Kasson died in the crash. A 23-year-old from Rochester and an 18-year-old from Mesa, Ariz., were critically injured.

Gaps cited in health care for poor

ST. PAUL — A new report finds significant gaps continue in the quality of health care for poor Minnesotans, although disparities are narrowing.

MN Community Measurement released its 2010 Health Care Disparities Report for Minnesota Health Care Programs this week.

The report finds that overall, the quality of health care provided by managed-care plans to people covered by public health care programs continues to lag compared with care provided to patients who have insurance through an employer or Medicare.

Some gaps were narrowed, with the biggest improvement being in cervical cancer screening. But overall performance still showed nine of the 12 measures significantly lower for people with public program coverage versus private.

It’s the fourth annual report produced by MN Community Measurement in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Soldiers’ remains finally returned

MINNEAPOLIS — The remains of two servicemen killed overseas more than a half-century ago have been returned to Minnesota.

Caskets containing the remains arrived to a military salute this week at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where family members had gathered.

Second Lt. Harry Bedard, of Dayton, disappeared in 1945 when his B-25 aircraft crashed in the Philippines. He wa s22. Bedard’s remains and those of four others were buried in a common grave in the Philippines. Years later, additional remains were discovered at the crash site and buried in St. Louis.

Ralph Carlson, of Braham, died in a North Korea POW camp in 1951. He was 23. In 1991, North Korea turned over 11 boxes of remains to the U.S. DNA analysis showed some of the remains were of Carlson.

Festival honors state flower today

BLACKDUCK — The Lady Slipper Scenic Byway Committee will present its first annual Lady Slipper Festival to celebrate Minnesota’s state flower.

The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today in Blackduck, and July 1-2 in Cass Lake, when the area’s lady slippers are most likely to be in bloom.

The Scenic Byway extends north from U.S. Highway 2 to Blackduck on County Highway 39.

The event will also highlight the area’s heritage, history and arts.

The festival begins in Blackduck, where the Scenic Byway begins. There will be tours of the lady slipper sites, guided nature walks, live music, food, and “Art Around Town.”