NEWS
--A man is dead and a woman is hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds after a domestic incident in east St. Cloud. St. Cloud police say they were called to the 600 block of Wilson Avenue Southeast just before 7:30pm Wednesday. Officers found a 34-year-old woman in the front yard with multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect, a 35-year-old man, was found dead inside the home from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The woman was taken to St. Cloud Hospital where she is in serious but stable condition. The preliminary investigation determined that there was a domestic argument between the two, who both lived at the home, and they have children in common. During the incident, the suspect shot at the victim multiple times in the entryway and front step area of the house, striking her six times. A doorbell camera in the neighborhood captured 13 gunshots. There were children in the home at the time, and none of them were physically hurt. The man's body was taken to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office. St. Cloud Police have not released the names of the people involved.
--The Meeker County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in finding a man who tried to abduct a 13-year-old child. The incident happened Wednesday night at around 7:50pm near County Road 9 and County Road 33 in the Lake Stella area of Ellsworth Township. The child told authorities that a man in a red Ford truck had pulled them into the vehicle at the end of their driveway. The victim was able to get out of the truck within a short time and run to a nearby house. It is believed the victim and suspect likely knew each other. The sheriff's office is asking for any information on the case to be left on the sheriff's confidential tip line at (320) 693-5411.
--A reminder from the city of Pierz that the 2024 Pierz Garage Sale Days are May 15th-18th and the Pierz Clean Up Day is open to residents of the City of Pierz May 18th from 8-10am at Pioneer Elementary School in Pierz. Questions contact City of Pierz.
--Two music groups are making their first trip to Minnesota in almost 6 years. The U.S. Air Force's Concert Band and Singing Sergeants will be making a 12-day tour through North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. They will be in Minnesota for 5-days starting Sunday in Bemidji and will make stops in Brainerd on Monday. St. Michael-Albertville Tuesday and Waconia wrapping up on the 11th at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. The U.S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants are two of six performing groups within the U.S. Air Force Band stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington D.C. All the concerts are FREE and open to the public. Sunday at Bemidji High School at 3pm. Brainerd Center for the Arts at 7pm, high schools Tuesday and Wednesday and than Symphony Hall in Minneapolis on April 11th at 7pm. All welcome to enjoy the concerts.
--Lots of events this weekend, Fishing with the Pros Fundraiser tonight with the Fishing Museum at Rice Creek, Pipe Organ concert at Our Lady of Lourdes Church tonight, Robotics Competition in St. Cloud at Rivers Edge today through Sunday (Upsala and Swanville has teams there), Purse Bingo and Raffle Saturday for girls hockey team, ladies luncheon for Habitat for Humanity Saturday, Heartland Symphony Concerts Saturday night in Little Falls and Sunday afternoon in Brainerd, Bethany Lutheran Church fun day event is on Sunday in Ramey. Breakfast at the Little Falls Senior Center on Sunday morning. Details on events at fallsradio.com on calendar.
--The Minnesota Psychological Association’s Executive Committee awarded Frank F. Weber of Pierz, the winner of the 2024 MPA Susan T. Rydell Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Psychology award. The committee was moved by his significant contributions to the field of psychology through his work to reduce sexual abuse in Minnesota as well as his teaching and writing. Weber received his award at the MPA Awards reception yesterday. Weber previously received the President’s Award from the Minnesota Correctional Association for his forensic work including assessments in homicide, sexual assault, and domestic abuse cases. For thirty years Weber has taught Psychology and Sociology college courses, including at Central Lakes College, where his courses remain popular. He wrote and published a human development textbook in 2021with a second addition expected to release in 2025. He profiles cold case homicides and has been interviewed on investigative television shows, including Crime Door TV. Weber is also an award-winning author of a true crime mystery series including, “Murder Book” (2017)”The I-94 Murders” (2018) “Last Call” (2019) “Lying Close” (2020) “Burning Bridges” (2021) “Black and Blue” (2022) “The Haunted House of Hillman” (2023) with his eighth book, “Scandal of Vandals" set for release summer 2024.
--Much of the country will experience a solar eclipse on Monday afternoon. Here in central Minnesota, we are not in the path of totality, but we are expected to have some coverage. St. Cloud State University Planetarium Director Rachel Humphrey says you should notice it. What you are going to notice is, that it's not going to get pitch black, but one of the things that you'll see is that the colors will look kind of mutated. It will look as though someone has turned down a dimmer, it's not going to be totally dark. The peak for the eclipse for us will be around 2pm on Monday. However, right now the forecast is calling for cloudy skies and rain on Monday, which will impact how much we'll see. Southeastern Minnesota has a better chance of seeing the solar eclipse along with other parts of the central regions of the United States.
DEATH NOTICES
--Alvina J. Smuda, age 90 of Little Falls.
--Curtis George Jendro, age 79 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, pleasant, high 53, low tonight near 32.
SATURDAY= increasing clouds, high 57, rain/snow late night, low 33.
SUNDAY= AM snow, then rain and gusty winds, high 43, low 38.
MONDAY= rain likely, strong winds during day, high 47, low near 35.
SPORTS
TWINS= Cleveland beats Twins 4-2 yesterday in Twins home opener. Twins are off today, continue with Cleveland Saturday and Sunday afternoon with 1:10pm start times, pregame at 12:30pm Saturday and Inside Twins at noon Sunday on Q92 WYRQ.
COL BB= Gopher Women vs. St. Louis in NIT Title Game Saturday.
NCAA= The Final Four for the Men is semis Saturday and title game Monday. The Final Four for Women is semis tonight, finals Sunday.
WRAP= Talking baseball, track and robotics tomorrow morning on the Saturday Morning Sports Wrap 9:05am on AM960 KLTF.