NEWS
--The United Way of Central Minnesota has appointed a new President and CEO. The organization announced Tuesday Stephen Jones will lead the nonprofit organization, following approval by the Board of Directors last week. Jones has served as Superintendent for multiple school districts, including over a decade most recently at Little Falls Community Schools. He replaces Larry Olness who retired in July after 17 years working with the United Way. Jones is expected to take over by mid-March.
--A number of schools went into lockdown on Monday and Tuesday including Brainerd High School on a potential threat. The threat read at 11:41am someone will come to the school with a loaded firearm. This threat did not happened and after a soft lockdown during the time period schools resumed to its regular afternoon criteria. Principal of Brainerd Schools that the only information right now is that Brainerd Police and the BCA are investigating the entire situation and the BCA stated that over 20 schools had a text message, email or call of the same matter either Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. The BCA would not release any further information at the time.
--The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says a truck stolen from Pleasureland RV Center in St. Augusta turned up in Illinois. The 2018 Ford F450 pickup was taken sometime overnight on February 8th. On February 14th, the truck, minus the license plates, was recovered, and a suspect was arrested. Deputies continue to investigate along with the State of Minnesota and Illinois car theft task force. They are trying to determine if it was an isolated incident or part of a bigger theft ring that may have affected more than the two states.
--Bail has been set at $150,000 for a 36-year-old Paynesville man for an alleged stabbing on February 23rd. According to the criminal complaint, police were called to the 100 block of Washburne Avenue in Paynesville and found a man standing outside, bleeding heavily from his leg. Witnesses said Juan Adriel Rivera Lebron and the victim had gotten into a verbal argument, and Lebron said he wanted to physically fight the man outside. The victim walked away from the situation and got in his car. Before he could leave, they said Lebron opened the driver’s side door and told the victim to get out of the car. The victim said he saw Lebron holding the knife and stayed in his car, but Lebron reached in and stabbed him in the thigh. A woman at the scene was on the phone with 911 and asked Lebron if he had stabbed the victim, which he said he did. The victim was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment. Lebron has been charged with second degree assault. His next court date is March 15th.
--A Freeport teen escaped major injury following a crash with a semi Monday. The incident happened at 8:00am on County Road 17, east of Highway 238 in Krain Township, near Holdingford. Authorities say 16-year-old Alexis Czeck was heading east on County Road 17 when she lost control on the icy roads, crossed the center line and struck a semi heading west. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says when deputies arrived, they found the car was missing the front end and its engine. Czeck was wearing her seatbelt and sustained minor injuries. The driver of the semi from Pennsylvania, was not hurt.
--Three central Minnesota volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota are being recognized. Nate Molitor, Kaela Kopp and Olivia Bauerly were selected to receive an award for going above and beyond in their roles as mentors and their advocacy of the program. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota serves youth ages 5 to 21 in Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, Morrison and Wright County.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that Tina Yorek of Habitat For Humanity of Morrison County was named the March Employee of the Month.
--The Minnesota Department of Transportation is holding an open house ahead of the Highway 23 South Gap construction project this spring. The South Gap project covers seven miles of Highway 23 between New London and Paynesville. It is the last of the four-lane expansion projects on Highway 23 and will take two years to complete. The open house will be held at Peace Lutheran Church in New London on Thursday from 4:30-6:30pm. There will be no formal presentation, but MnDOT staff and the contractor will be on hand to answer questions including the project timeline and detour information. The detour will be in place from May 1st through November 1st. Tree clearing will begin in March, with construction getting underway on April 23rd. In addition to the South Gap project, the North Gap between Paynesville and Richmond will resume this spring and is scheduled for completion this fall. When both projects are completed, drivers will have a four-lane divided highway starting from Willmar and going all the way to Foley
--A St. Cloud man has been accused of threatening a Wal Mart employee with a knife on Sunday. Officers were called to the St. Cloud store around 10:45pm. Officers said 20-year-old Isse Duale is accused to threatening a worker, showing the worker his knife and said he would kill them after following the employee into the bathroom. The employee struggled with Duale to get away from him. Duale was later found at the hospital with cuts to his wrist from the struggle. Duale said the employee made fun of him because of a skin condition. After his treatment at the hospital he was arrested.
--Republicans in the Minnesota State Legislature wants to give all Minnesota who filed their income taxes in 2023 a rebate check. The Senate says this will give half of the 17.5-billion dollar surplus back to the working Minnesotans who filed their taxes. The bill would allow joint filers to get $4,400 and single filers to receive $2,200 in a rebate check. The Governor has stated he was in favor of rebates but based more on salary and worth of the single or married couples of $1,000 for single and $2,000 with credit for each child for couples. This is only in the early stages working through the House and Senate.
DEATH NOTICES
--Jerilyn Susan Arendt, age 76 of Cushing.
--Julian John Pulak, age 95 of Brainerd.
WEATHER
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 3PM TODAY.
TODAY= snow likely, 2-4 inches before noon, breezy, high 30.
TONIGHT= temps dropping, windy and clearing, low near 0.
THURSDAY= partly sunny, high 23, low around 7 above.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, high 34, low around 20.
SPORTS
BHK= Little Falls and St. Cloud Cathedral tonight in Elk River where the winner will head to the State Tournament for Section 5A next week in St. Paul. Face off at 7pm tonight live on Q92 WYRQ.
WRE= Royalton-Upsala vs. Howard Lake Waverly Thursday at 9am from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul in State Quarter-Finals. Win or lose they would wrestle again Thursday, all on Q92 WYRQ. GBB= Pillager at Pierz in playoff action at 6pm Thursday on 94ROCKS.
GBB= Little Falls at Sauk-Rapids Rice playoff action Thursday 7pm AM960 KLTF