News: Friday, January 17th, 2025

--Another woman from central Minnesota has been sentenced for her role in a drug smuggling operation on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel. Thirty-five-year-old Tiffany Keomany of St. Cloud was sentenced to 12 years in prison after she pled guilty in July to charges of conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs and international money laundering conspiracy. Prosecutors say Keomany was one of several who were involved in smuggling fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine to the Upper Midwest. The drugs originated from the cartel formerly led by Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. He is now serving a life sentence in a federal prison. The group is accused of using threats and violence to get money to cover up their operation. They also employed shady financial practices and smartphone apps to conceal how they moved money around. On January 6th, 32-year-old Macalla Knott was sentenced to more than 26 years in prison for her role in the estimated $10 million drug running operation. Knott admitted to supervising, managing, and leading at least five people in the enterprise. She pleaded guilty in 2023 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, money laundering conspiracy and continuing criminal enterprise charges.Her father, Jeffrey Knott, was also charged in the scheme and sentenced to just over seven years. In all, more than a dozen people have been sent to prison for their roles in the operation. Melanie Quick of St. Cloud was also arrested and charged in the operation. She was sentenced to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. Another St. Cloud woman, Deanna Gerads, pleaded guilty in March of 2024 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances but has not been sentenced. Two others, including 30-year-old Tyler Pelzer, are also awaiting sentencing.

--Slippery roads on Interstate 94 Thursday morning led to a number of accidents including three semi-trucks. At 5:46am two semi-trucks and two passenger vehicles were involved in a multi-vehicle collision on I-94 at Monticello in Wright County. Six people were in the the four vehicles and late last night the state patrol reported that only one person a 22 year old from St. Cloud was taken to the hospital for injuries. All others were either not injured or treated at the scene. Around the same time at 5:42am a report of a semi-truck leaving the roadway on Interstate 94 near St. Joseph in Stearns County. Reportedly the driver lost control entered the center median and then went into the river. The driver from Florida and passenger from Illinois were injured and both were taken to St. Cloud Hospital where the state patrol deemed the injuries serious but not life threatening. Then a third accident was reported Thursday afternoon in Benton County. A freightliner step-van collided with a passenger car at Highway 23 and 47th Avenue just after 1pm. One person a 37-year-old from St. Cloud reportedly had non life threatening injuries.

--Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the Illinois Attorney General, and the Federal Trade Commission are suing Deere & Company also known as John Deere. The lawsuit alleges that John Deere has created a monopoly on repair services for its agricultural equipment by forcing farmers to bring their equipment to authorized dealers. Authorized John Deere dealers are the only ones who have access to the fully functional software tool known as Service ADVISOR. The suit alleges John Deere has failed to release information needed to create a fully functioning generic repair tool for independent shops like car and truck manufacturers have. The AG's Office says Deere's repair restrictions also allow it to reap additional profits through parts sales because authorized dealers almost always use the more expensive Deere-branded parts. Ellison is asking the court for remedies including that Deere make its fully function repair software available to independent service providers.

--Law Enforcement is warning Minnesotans and others that some new scam with technology is advancing quickly, these scams often involve criminals sending emails, texts, or calling our cell phones using random numbers, sometimes within our area codes, to convince us to provide personal information. Now, AI has become involved and scammers can make phone calls even sound like they're coming from people we know who are in trouble and need money to avoid jail or worse. With these scams using tech against us, it may be easy to let our guard down when it comes to crimes that can happen in person, while in public places in Minnesota. However, there is a type of crime that everyone must protect themselves against because it happens daily. Beware Of 'Slider' Crimes In Minnesota Most scams and crimes have been around for a while, criminals just look for new angles to get what they want. 'Slider' crimes are the same because they aren't new, but criminals are taking bolder approaches. These are crimes that could put you face-to-face with your attacker. By definition, a slider crime is a type of theft where a criminal quickly enters an unlocked car to steal valuables or the vehicle itself. The term 'slider' refers to the criminal's quick entry into the car. Slider crimes can happen anywhere but are most common at gas stations, parking lots, daycare centers, ATM locations, and even your driveway at home. The 'sliders' goal is to steal purses, wallets, laptops, cell phones, and other valuables, but in some instances, they may actually steal your vehicle. Best to always make sure to take keys out of the vehicle, they understand with the cold weather in the days ahead it always is faster to leave it running and keep it warm but vehicles and other items in it can easily be stolen by these criminals. Put safety first.

--St. Cloud State has many unused residential halls and academic buildings. SCSU Interim President Larry Dietz has indicated the University intends to demo those buildings when money becomes available. Dietz explains they are lobbying for 1-time money to pay for the demolition of these building but it couldn't be bonded for because the state requires the building of structures to be included in bonding dollars. Dietz says they have a line in their proposal to the legislature for $25 Million that would include money for SCSU to demo some buildings. Dietz has indicated the Performing Arts building would likely be the first building to demo. Other unused academic buildings on campus include the Education and ECC buildings. Unused residential halls include Benton, Stearns and Sherburne Halls. Other Minnesota State officials gathered feedback all around the state from business leaders, legislators, community leaders and students in 2024 to determine priorities. They arrived at 3 main answers. Those include making sure Minnesota has the workforce talent the state needs, students emergency funds, and campuses are requesting critical infrastructure.

--The Knights of Columbus will be participating with Our Lady of Lourdes on Sunday to pray the patriotic rosary, due to the cold weather they have decided to have the rosary at 3pm on Sunday afternoon and not in the evening. The rosary is to pray on the eve of the inauguration for peace and good will.

--There will be a Pierz Lions Pancake Breakfast Sunday at Frosty's Bar & Grill 8:30am to noon. Adults $12 ages 6-12 $6 and 5 under free, take outs available and proceeds to the Mitch Becker family.

ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS NEWS

"Mr. Baseball" Bob Uecker has died at age 90. Uecker was a professional baseball player and won a World Series as a backup catcher in 1964 with the Cardinals. Uecker was the play by play guy for the Milwaukee Brewers the past 55 years including last summer which got him inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall Fame receiving the Ford Frick Award for broadcasting. He was also inducted in 2010 in the WWE Wrestling Hall of Fame for ring announcing main event matches for Wrestlemanias between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. He also was an actor and appeared for the 5 seasons of Mr. Belvedere in the 1980s and Harry Doyle in the Major League Movie Franchise about the then Cleveland Indians and got a lot of recognition for his "Front Row" references in Miller Lite Commercials. Bob Uecker died yesterday at age of 90.

WEATHER- Today- partly sunny, high 35 before 11am, then falling temps and gusty winds, some light snow is also possible as temps will drop into the teens by later afternoon, tonight, clearing cold low around -3, wind chills near -20 or colder. Saturday- sunny and cold, high 4 above, Saturday night, low -17 with wind chills near -30. Sunday very cold high -8, low around -24 with wind chills near -40 at times.  Monday- sunny and very cold for MLK Day high -10, another cold night with low around -19 but with lighter winds.

SPORTS HS BHK= Little Falls at Thief River Falls tonight 7pm on Q92 WYRQ then Little Falls at Crookston at 3pm on Saturday also on Q92 WYRQ.

HS BBB= Albany at Pierz tonight 7:15pm on 94 ROCKS all local games are streamed online at fallsradio.com.

NFL= the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs are this weekend- Saturday 3:30pm Houston at Kansas City, Saturday 7pm Washington at Detroit,

Sunday 2pm Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles then Sunday 5:30pm Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills. All games live on AM960 KLTF.