State briefs: Spicer pushes back road construction for July 4th parade

But this year, construction planned for Lake Avenue threatened to disrupt the festivities. Organizers planned an alternate route. Business owners braced themselves.

"We knew this could create some problems," said Mayor Dennis Baker.

But when it became clear that project delays would push back the street and utility work until at least mid-June, Baker proposed a delay. At a meeting this month, the City Council agreed, pushing back construction until July 5 or later.

So the parade will be held in its traditional spot.

"As much as we'd like to see the project get underway and get going," Baker said, "we just felt, why disturb the festivities?"

Jenna Ross @ByJenna

Attorneys for Danny Heinrich, an Annandale man who faces federal charges for possessing and receiving child pornography, are arguing that he can't get a fair trial in Minnesota.

They want his trial moved to Milwaukee, Madison, Wis., or Des Moines.

"It is not possible to seat a jury untouched and unaffected by the ubiquitous media exposure that surrounds this case," Katherian Roe and Reynaldo Aligada wrote.

Federal prosecutors will have two weeks to respond to their arguments. For now, Heinrich is scheduled to stand trial July 11 in Minneapolis.

Jenna Ross

With one exception, all of the businesses displaced by the Feb. 3 fire in downtown Madelia have reopened in temporary spaces, said Thomas Osborne, a local accountant and organizer of the nonprofit relief group Madelia Strong.

Some $400,000 in donations have been collected for the town and business community. The fire destroyed seven buildings. No one was seriously hurt and no cause has been determined. Construction on five new buildings should begin next month, with plans to finish by the end of the year, said Osborne.