For the second consecutive year, 2009 saw a substantial increase in online crime complaints, according to the annual Internet Crime Report issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Thos complaints have increased by more than 100,000 since 2005.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty today issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in several state counties due to flooding, including Scott.

Counties included are Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa, Clay, Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Kittson, Lac Qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lyon, Marshall, Nicollet, Norman, Polk, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Sibley, Swift, Traverse, Washington, Wilkin, Wright and Yellow Medicine.

By Sandy Thibault, Spiritual Reflections

I think people would agree that Facebook has become an Internet social media giant. In fact, it is so popular that it is hard to find someone who is not on Facebook.

By Kerry Meagher, Community Voices

By Nancy Huddleston, Editor

Why would officials from Scott County go to Washington, D.C. to lobby for money to be spent on transportation projects in two cities?

“Both of these projects have a dramatic impact to our residents,” explained Scott County Commissioner Jon Ulrich of Savage.

By Nancy Huddleston, Editor

A 48-year-old man from Minneapolis has been charged by the Dakota County Attorney with two counts of felony assault in connection with an incident following a Burnsville Athletic Club (BAC) basketball game.

By Nancy Huddleston, Editor

Paperwork, instead of dirt, will be moving in May for the road construction project at the intersection of Trunk Highway 13 and County Road 101.

By Meryn Fluker, Correspondent

The Prior Lake-Savage Area School District’s 2010-11 budget plan document includes some financial jargon referencing allocations and cash flow borrowing fees. But between the five-dollar words are some pretty clear sentiments:

“Increased class size K-5.”

“Eliminate high school Synergy.”

“Additional increase in class sizes.”

Are you in the March 13 edition of the Savage Pacer? If so, you can buy photographs that appear in the newspaper at http://savagepacer.smugmug.com/. Look below to see the slide show:

By Nancy Huddleston, Editor

Local flooding has stabilized on the Credit River and has only risen slightly overnight, according to Savage’s Emergency Management Director Joel McColl.