[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Newsletter: Monday, January 18th 2016[/title][fusion_text]Monday, January 18th 2016
NEWS
–The Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza has been postponed to Saturday, February 6th. The Brainerd Jaycees contest officials and the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Department said the decision was made in the interest of safety. The event was originally scheduled to be held January 23rd on Gull Lake. First held in 1991, this event has never been canceled and been postponed only two other times, in 2002 and 2012. The contest was moved to a different lake once in 2006. Proceeds from the world’s largest charitable ice fishing tournament has donated over $3 million to Brainerd area charities, most notably Confidence Learning Center.
–A Stearns County judge will decide whether a Sauk Rapids man is guilty of recruiting and trafficking women as prostitutes in the St. Cloud area. 40-year old Israel Davis faces 10 felonies, five counts each of promoting prostitution of an individual and of engaging in sex trafficking. Stearns County District Court Judge Frederick Grunke heard evidence this week at a trial after Davis waived his right to a trial by jury. Grunke has until Wednesday to issue a verdict. The charges accuse Davis of recruiting and promoting the prostitution of two females. He had been charged with doing the same to a third victim, but that person didn’t show up at the trial after being served with a subpoena to testify. Those charges were then dismissed.
–On Thursday the stolen truck reported in March of 2000 but discovered January 3rd in Mayhew Lake by a fisherman was successfully removed from the lake. During the removal process, a substantial hole was made in the ice on Mayhew Lake to lift the truck out of the lake. The area around this hole has been marked with barrier tape. Individuals planning on venturing out onto Mayhew Lake should be watching for this area and avoid the thin ice that will exist there for some time.
–Today is a federal holiday Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This means that all federal and state offices along with many city and county offices are closed today including the government center and city halls. The Post Office is closed and no regular mail delivery. There are some banks, offices and other items closed today in honor of the holiday while others are open. Some schools are off today like Little Falls but others in the area are in session so it is best to call ahead to make sure what is open on the this Dr. King holiday.
–The October shooting death of a Rice woman was a suicide. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office received a report around 1:00pm on October 14th that 44-year old Tammra Baker was the victim of a gunshot wound. Emergency responders pronounced Baker dead at the scene. Authorities investigated her death through an autopsy, toxicology testing, interviews and forensic examination. Baker’s husband told investigators she had committed suicide. Tests included gun-shot residue testing and DNA analysis on the surface of the gun. On Friday, Sheriff Troy Heck announced the results of the investigation indicated Baker’s death was a suicide.
–The Minnesota Department of Transportation is entering its third year of evaluating the 55 miles per hour speed limit on all two-lane highways in the state. The five-year study is a legislative mandate to look at the speed limits and make recommendations about increasing the speed to 60 mph. Of the roads studied in 2014 and 2015, 1,190 miles were raised to 60 miles per hour and 305 miles remained at 55. In 2016, MnDOT will evaluate speed limits on 1,068 miles of roads.
–The Morrison County Commissioners meet Tuesday at 9:00am at the Morrison County Government Center.
–A Pierz woman was injured Thursday night in a rollover on Minnesota Highway 25. 21-year old Katrina Wolthuizen was driving south on Highway 25 near Morrison County Road 47 just before 7:00pm when she swerved to avoid a deer as she drove off the road which caused her vehicle to roll. Wolthuizen suffered minor injuries and was taken to CHI St. Gabriels Hospital in Little Falls.
–Around 5:30pm on Tuesday the Morrison County Sheriff‘s Office received a report of a one vehicle accident with injuries on Azalea Road near Dove Road. 37-year old Joshua Solem of Grand Rapids was traveling east on Azalea Road when he drove off the roadway and hit a sign. Solem was taken by ambulance to St Joseph’s Hospital in Brainerd with unknown injuries.
–A 20-year-old man suffered hand and head lacerations after rolling a vehicle four times Friday afternoon. The Minnesota State Patrol reported 20-year old Luke W. Florell of Pine River was driving northbound on Highway 371 at 2:30pm Friday north of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center, when he lost control. The vehicle went off the road to the right and rolled. Florell, who was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash, was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
–The Little Falls City Council meets Tuesday at 7:30pm at City Hall.
ENTERTAINMENT
–Actor Dan Haggerty died Friday at age 74. He is best remembered as Grizzly Adams in the 1970s TV show.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
–Ryan and Pamela Marshik of Fort Ripley, girl on January 13th
DEATH NOTICE
–Elizabeth “Betty” Wardarski, age 75 of Little Falls
–Arthur “Art” Eller, age 84 of Little Falls.
–Susan F. Langer, age 99 of Swanville.
WEATHER
WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON TODAY.
TODAY= cloudy start, then sunny, high near 0, wind chills -25.
TONIGHT= clear and cold, low -15 calm winds.
TUESDAY= increasing clouds, afternoon snow, high 10 above.
WEDNESDAY= snow showers at times, high 17.
SPORTS
NFL= New England beat Kansas City 27-20 Saturday while Arizona needed overtime to beat Great Bay who scored on a last minute Hail Mary from Aaron Rodgers to send the game to OT, Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald got the game winner 26-20 in OT to advance. Carolina held off Seattle 31-24 while Denver beat Pittsburgh 23-16 Sunday to move on. The AFC Title game Sunday at 2pm will be New England at Denver while the NFC Title Game at 5:40pm Sunday will be Arizona at Carolina. Catch both games live on AM960 KLTF.
TWINS= Twins agreed to a 1 year deal worth about 4.5 million with pitcher Tommy Milone to return to the team this season. Twins also agree to deals with Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Escobar and Casey Fien. Fien is one the Twins that will be in Little Falls today for the Twins Caravan. Program at 9am, Twins arrive at 10am at Little Falls Hardware Hank. $3 and it goes to the Little Falls Youth Baseball Association. Stop in and meet the Twins today put on by your Twins Connection for nearly 30 years Q92 WYRQ.
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