NEWS
--The Minnesota State Climatology Office reported that if you thought it was warm in 2024 you were right. With a state average of 48-50 degrees this past year it goes down as the warmest on record since records were kept. The Twins Cities to St. Cloud average of 48.3 degrees is the warmest since 1931 and since 2020, 4 of the 5 years are now in the top 10 for the warmest temperatures on record. That said, a record was broken in over 25 cities including Little Falls on December 28th with 47 degrees. Now colder air is moving in to start the new year with below zero temperatures and wind chills expected through next weekend.
--Yesterday was January 1st meaning a range of new state laws are now in effect. Health plan coverage: One provision requires applicable health plans offered, sold, issued or renewed in 2025 to provide coverage for abortions and abortion-related services. According to the House, those exempt due to religious objections are permitted to not cover some or all benefits for abortion and abortion-related services, however, health plan companies must cover the services with separate payments for those services. Health providers are to supply wigs in their coverage for Cancer patients, and also work on mental health coverage for all patients. An expansion in Medicaid took effect and also extending Medical Assistance coverage for eligible children until the age of 6. A provision taking effect in 2025 also prohibits health plans setting patient co-pays greater than $25 per one-month supply of prescription drugs used to treat chronic diseases. A $50 per month cap is also set for all related medical supplies, such as syringes, insulin pens, asthma inhalers and other items. There is a new law on Transparency on service charges, 'junk' fee, a new law taking aim at so-called "junk" fees prohibits a person or business from advertising or offering a price for goods or services that doesn't include all fees or surcharges. Beginning yesterday any person or entity that employs 30 or more workers in Minnesota must disclose the starting salary range or fixed pay rate in each job posting. Per the new law, the salary range cannot be open-ended. Minnesota's minimum-wage rates will be adjusted for inflation and now the minimum wage in Minnesota is $11.13 an hour for all employers. The training wage rate, $9.08 an hour, may be paid to employees younger than 20 years of age for the first 90 consecutive days of employment. Another gun law as a firearm featuring a binary trigger, which effectively doubles the rate of fire, and was among the semiautomatic rifles used in the killings of three Burnsville first responders last year, is now part of a new law, enacted a ban on firearms with binary triggers. A range of misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor offenses can become automatically expunged under a new state law. More on the new state laws in Minnesota can be found on the Minnesota State Legislature website.
--The Little Falls Theatre Company is presenting A Walk Through Memory Winter Cabaret Friday at 7:30pm at Great River Arts in Little Falls. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at GRA or on the lftheatre.org website. During the show on Friday night the group will announce their next performance for the summer of 2025.
--St. Mary's Church in Little Falls will have an Epiphany Breakfast this Sunday from 9am-12pm in the church basement, free will offering.
--The January Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Employee of the Month is Susie Vogtlin who works at Melgram Jewelers. Her Supervisor Peter Grams said "I'm very proud of Susie for being recognized for her hard work and dedication to our store and for our clients. Anyone who has worked with her in the store knows how much she cares about doing the absolute best work she can for everyone she helps, everyday. We are very lucky to have her here." Congratulations to Susie Vogtlin the employee of the month.
--The Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office says the fatal shooting of a toddler over the weekend was ruled an accident. It happened Sunday evening at a home around ten miles south of Wadena. Three-and-a-half-year-old Rudy Sweere's death has been ruled an accident and as of now no charges have been filed.
--The St. Cloud VA Medical Center wants to make users aware of changes in service and security in 2025. The pharmacy window is where veterans go for newly prescribed medications, or for those emergent needs.” The times will move to 8am to 6pm during the work week and from 8:30am to 12:30pm on Saturday. The change takes effect on January 21st. Also the patient portal page for My Health Vet is changing its sign-in process to have a multi-level factor authentication. And there are two platforms, login dot gov or ID dot Me, that veterans are going to need to change to by January 31st.” For vets who need a little extra help with the new sign-up system, the VA is offering a tutorial at the medical center in building 29, room 20E, from 8:30am to 4pm on each of these days, January 21st, 23rd, and 29th. More details on the VA website.
NATIONAL NEWS
--15 people are dead and dozens injured after being rammed by a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans early New Years Day. The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism and said it does not believe the driver acted alone. The FBI identified the driver as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Texas. Police killed Jabbar after he exited the vehicle and opened fire on responding officers. Then a report yesterday of a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump Towers in Las Vegas early Wednesday, killing one person in the vehicle, also is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism. Investigators do not believe there's "any other danger to the community right now”. Seven people suffered minor injuries,
DEATH NOTICES
--Phyllis Braith, age 92 of Little Falls.
--Lavonne N. Olson, age 85 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= AM flurries, partial sun in PM, high 15.
TONIGHT= clear and cold, low -3 wind chills near -15.
FRIDAY= sunny and cold, high near 10, low near -6.
SATURDAY= sunny and still cold, high 8, low around -4.
SUNDAY= snow showers in morning, high 11, low around 0.
SPORTS
COL FB= Texas wins Peach Bowl, Ohio State wins Rose Bowl the Sugar Bowl moved to today due to safety reasons in New Orleans from New Years Day.