St. Cloud Times from Saint Cloud, Minnesota • Page A1

FEBRUARY 28, 2014 GET NEWS UPDATES AT SCTIMES.COM fl GH A GANNETT COMPANY St. Cloud Times FUN WITH BOOKS -20 Columnist Tim tt -i -i nn noneisei oners 'fjfi proof of Minn, greatness ic Thursday's low temperature, which tied a record ba IS 12 -17 1 SCSU and UND men's hockey teams face off this weekend for lead in National Collegiate Hockey Conference 1D Families gather for Madison reading event ba Brace for an inch 12A USATODAY MLB TO FOLLOW OTHER LEAGUES' LEAD, IMPLEMENT INSTANT REPLAY PAGE IB Coach closes chapter with Foley wrestling District shifts staff, focus in special ed Goal: Maximize professionals' time, foster kids' independence By Mart a Jewson mjewsonstcloudtimes.com When Dennis Whipple learned his son's school planned to reduce the youngster's special education support services, his natural instinct was to fight the decision. Like any parent, Whipple, now But that's not how school support staff saw the situation. It was an opportunity for Whipple's son to grow and become more independent it just took a little convincing. With the St.

Cloud school district spending $26 million on special education services this year, finding ways to reduce over-reliance on support staff is not only beneficial to the child but can help the district maximize paraprofessionals' time. The effort is part of a multiyear plan to increase efficiency in special education. After a 2011 commissioned study revealed the district was spending more money on special education than similar See DISTRICT, Page 4A vice chairman of the St. Cloud school board, wanted to do what he thought was best for his boy. Dennis Whipple Foley's Carter Nielsen wrestles Scott West's Jack Storlle In the 152-pound match during the semifinals of the Class 2A state team wrestling tournament Thursday at the Xcel Energy Center.

Nielsen was the winner by a 19-5 major decision, photos special to the times by bre mcgee "I could not imagine why, if a child was having some challenges with learning, why you wouldn't have the (paraprofessional) there to help them," he said. Cathedral hockey beats Alex, will head to state MORE INSIDE Get complete coverage in Sports. PAGE 1D. MORE ONLINE View a packed photo gallery from the state tournament at www. sctimes.com.

By Tom Elliott telliottstcloudtimes.com ST. PAUL An era ended Thursday night at the Xcel Energy Center, or at least the dual-meet part of it. Lyle Freudenberg has coached his last dual meet as head wrestling coach of the Foley Falcons. "There are tears in my eyes," Freudenberg said after Foley beat Kasson-Mantorville 38-20 to win the Class 2A match for third place. "It's going to be hard.

"But it'll be all right. It's time." Freudenberg announced his retirement before the season. The Falcons finish 27-4 in his See WRESTLING, Page 4A A Foley wrestler reacts to his team's loss to Scott West after the 285-pound match with a score of 23-24. Scott West's win kept Foley out of the Class 2A state team wrestling tournament championship match. BNSF official says weather, not oil trains, caused Northstar woes Cathedral's William Hammer (left) takes the puck around Alexandria's Ryan Marciniak in the first period Thursday at the Municipal Athletic Complex in St.

Cloud, jason wachter, JWACHTERSTCL0UDTIMES.COM Get more from the game on PAGE 1D. a state House panel DAILY POLL Delays have plagued rail line since Dec. By Mark Sommerhauser msommerhauserstcloudtimes.com ST. PAUL Brutal winter weather, not a recent boom in oil freight, is to blame for recent delays on the Northstar commuter rail line, a BNSF Railway spokesman told Railway isn't doing more to address delays on the Northstar corridor, which have plagued riders since December. BNSF owns the tracks that the Northstar line uses to connect downtown Minneapolis to Big Lake.

A bus link carries riders between the terminus and St. Cloud. BNSF spokesman Brian Sweeney's testimony contradicts reports that a glut of oil trains coming But skeptical ft--- legislators called that Jeff Howe testimony into question after the hearing of the House Transportation Finance Committee. One of the lawmakers, Rep. Jeff Howe, R-Rock-ville, asked why BNSF How long is an acceptable delay on public transportation? Vote at www.

sctimes.com. See results on tomorrow's Opinion page. through Minnesota from the Dakotas are causing the delays. See NORTHSTAR, Page 5A INSIDE TODAY'S PAPER 153RD YEAR, NO. 261 2014 ST.

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