News: Thursday, February 6th, 2025

--Swanville Schools Superintendent Travis Hensch spoke on KLTF Wednesday morning on the upcoming school bond referendum next Tuesday. The school is asking for around 13-million dollars in funding to work on expanding classrooms due to the number of students growing by two whole class sizes in the past 3-5 years. Working on more room from robotics students, fitness rooms and other items to help in working with the school district to continue to help students and the community. For full details on tax issues, spending, the exact items included go to the Swanville school website or their Facebook page. If you have questions call Travis directly at the school 320-547-5100. Voting for anyone eligible to vote in the Swanville school district can go the fire hall 12pm-8pm on Tuesday in Swanville or your can call for absentee or early voting methods at the school. 

--Two 19-year-olds have been arrested in connection to a shooting that left one teenager dead and another fighting for their life. Early Sunday, police were called to an apartment in the 200 block of 2nd Street Northeast on a report of shots fired inside the building. When they arrived, police found 17-year-old Layson Davis lying on the stairs between the first and second floors. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A 19-year-old man was found lying in the hallway of the first floor, suffering from a gunshot wound. That victim remains in critical condition. On Tuesday, police say they arrested two 19-year-old suspects on murder charges. Investigators say the man and woman both live in St. Cloud and knew the victims. They were taken to the Benton County Jail pending formal charges. The case remains under investigation.

--Two students were treated for minor injuries after a crash between a school bus and a semi-truck Thursday morning. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the collision happened around 7:15 a.m. on Highway 169 in Onamia. Four students were on the bus at the time. Two were treated at the scene. Neither driver was injured. The crash is under investigation.

–-A section of road on St. Cloud’s east side is closed due to a water main break. The public works department has shut down 9th Avenue Southeast between 8th Street Southeast and 9th Street Southeast. The road will remain closed to traffic until the leak can be fixed, which is anticipated to take until Friday afternoon. There are about ten homes in the affected area.

--Becker Furniture has been acquired by South Dakota based Furniture Mart USA. For more than 45 years, Becker Furniture has been locally operated by the Husby family, and a member of that family is still on its leadership team. Joel Husby joined Furniture Mart USA to help in the transition and support its continued growth. Becker Furniture has its mammoth flagship store and distribution center in Becker and employs over 100 people at its stores in Blaine, Burnsville, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Minnetonka, and Woodbury. Furniture Mart USA owns 31 locations in Minnesota and another 67 spread across Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. According to a press release, customers at all Becker, Ashley and Furniture Mart locations will continue to see the same familiar faces and great service. Company representatives from both teams are working jointly to enhance the customer experience.

--One person was hurt following a serious crash in Albany Township Tuesday evening. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says they were called to the intersection of County Road 10 and 360th Street around 6:10. One of the drivers had not gotten out of their vehicle, and another had smoke coming from it. Crash investigators say a 19-year-old man from Cold Spring was heading east on 360th Street and ran the stop sign at County Road 10, t-boning a 54-year-old Holdingford woman behind the wheel of a Jeep Grand Cherokee as she drove north on 10. The impact launched the Jeep a few hundred yards northeast of the intersection. The man told investigators his brakes failed as he approached the sign, and he couldn’t stop. He was treated at the scene. The woman was taken to Melrose Hospital for treatment.

--A man from Melrose is hospitalized with a head injury suffered in a snowmobile crash Tuesday afternoon near Orr in northeastern Minnesota. The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office says the 48-year-old rider veered off a snowmobile trail and struck a tree. Deputies say the man showed no signs of impairment and the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

--An 11-year-old boy from Clear Lake was hurt in a Sherburne County crash Wednesday morning. The incident happened at around 7:50 a.m. on Highway 10 in Big Lake. The Minnesota State Patrol says a Ford F-150 driven by 48-year-old Jeffrey Jaschke of Sauk Rapids and a Toyota Prius driven by 23-year-old Younis Alshaban of Circle Pines were both eastbound on Highway 10 when they collided at County Road 43. A passenger in Alshaban's car, 11-year-old Ryan Defoe was taken to Monticello Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

--Royalton FFA stopped by Little Falls Radio on Wednesday. They are preparing for FFA week the week of February 16th-22nd at the school with dress up days and events Tuesday through Friday (no school Monday due to President' Day). There will be an alumni and sponsor breakfast with FFA members on Sunday from 8am-12pm at the Royalton High School commons. A free will offering and proceeds go to their FFA program. Come and see what the Royalton FFA has been doing at the breakfast. The interview with the girls will be heard today at 8:35am on AM960 KLTF. 

WEATHER- WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM TODAY, WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT 9PM FRIDAY TO 3PM ON SATURDAY. Today- very windy, wind gusts to 40mph, blowing snow, temps dropping from 21 at midnight to -4 by late evening wind chills well below zero all day. Friday partly sunny high around 16 not as windy, snow develops before midnight 1-3 inches overnight low 12 above, Saturday snow heavy in the morning another 3-5 inches before done then dropping temps and winds pick up in the afternoon. Saturday night clearing and cold -14 below zero, wind chills near -30, Sunday partly cloudy skies, high around 14 with lows around -5 below zero. Very cold conditions in the forecast for next week. 

SPORTS- Little Falls at Milaca tonight in boys basketball at 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ. Pierz will host Royalton/Upsala tonight in wrestling, the JV will begin things at 6pm with varsity to follow, hear the action live on 94ROCKS KFML and online for both games at fallsradio.com.