[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=”” padding_right=”” 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: Wednesday, March 2nd 2016[/title][fusion_text]
NEWS
–A Sartell man faces more than 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and assaulting his girlfriend. 23-year old Darnell Albert Lewis was scheduled to stand trial this week on numerous felony charges. Instead he pleaded guilty to kidnapping, second-degree assault, felony domestic assault, violating an order for protection and three counts of violating court-issued, no-contact orders. The plea agreement dismisses several charges and calls for Lewis to be sentenced to 12 years, nine months in prison. Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced April 6th in Stearns County District Court.
–State Representative Dale Lueck of Aitkin announced he will seek a second term in the state house in District 10B which includes all of Aitkin County and eastern Crow Wing County.
–It’s official. As of 4:00pm Monday, the global investment firm KKR has finalized the purchase of Mills Fleet Farm in Baxter. Though any financial data on the purchase was not released, they announced that Duncan Mac Naughton, a leading retail veteran will assume the role of CEO of Mills Fleet Farm effective immediately and Hugh Leasum who is currently on the management team at the store will now become the Chief Operating officer of the store.
–A St. Augusta woman has been charged with stealing almost $46,000 from her employer, the Order of St. Benedict, over the course of about two years. 35-year old Laura Beth Schwindel was charged February 24th with four counts of felony theft by swindle. Schwindel is summoned to appear in court on April 4th.
–Sewage bubbled up from the ground and flooded a stretch of Stearns County Road 1 Tuesday morning. Shortly after 8:00am, Sartell police closed the road to traffic while city workers prepared to dig up the stretch of road. The city’s sanitary sewage line going into St. Cloud broke underneath the stretch of road just east of Stearns County Road 120. It could take two days for the city to dig up the road and fix the break. Since this is raw sewage the public should stay away as this can easily make you and your animals sick.
–Two people were found dead in a Harvey Township of Meeker County home on Monday. Authorities said a caller reported around 2:30pm that two people were possibly dead inside a residence in the 56900 Block of 340th Street. Deputies arrived and found two bodies. The Midwest Medical Examiner and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension were at the scene. The Sheriff’s Office said there is no known threat to the public, and more information will be available once the people are identified.
–The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has identified emerald ash borer (EAB) in Wabasha County. MDA staff found EAB larvae in an ash tree in the southeastern corner of the county after being alerted to some suspicious trees by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources staff. The trees displayed symptoms of EAB infestation, including bark splits and insect tunneling under the bark. The biggest risk of spreading EAB comes from people unknowingly moving firewood or other ash products harboring larvae. There are three easy steps Minnesotans can take to keep EAB from spreading: Don’t transport firewood. Be aware of the quarantine restrictions. Watch your ash trees for infestation.
–A St. Cloud employee took 3rd place in a national grocery bagging competition Monday in Las Vegas. Lauren Gillson won $1,250 for her third-place finish in a field of best baggers from 24 other states at the National Grocers Association Best Bagger contest.
–Good luck to the Little Falls High School Robotics team today in Duluth as they compete in the FRC Northern Lights Regional.
–Minnesota child care providers voted against union representation. According to Tuesday’s tally of the 1,406 child care providers who voted, 392 favored union representation and 1,014 opposed. The MN Bureau of Mediation Services sent ballots out February 8th to independent childcare providers who accept the Child Care Assistance Program. Those who do not were not eligible to vote but the results likely would have still impacted them. To unionize a class of workers, Minnesota’s Labor Relations Act calls for a majority of workers to vote for union representation. Out of 11,000 child care providers, fewer than 4,300 were eligible to vote. Those who did vote, by a difference of over two to one voted it down. Eliot Seide, executive director of AFSCME Council 5 said the group will not pursue another union election before the law expires in 2017.
–The 38th Annual massed band concert/food shelf food drive will be Monday at Little Falls Community High School gym at 7:00pm. This concert features all District 482 band students in grades 5-12 and the Mary of Lourdes 8th grade band students. Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for children. A collection of food shelf items will be accepted at ticket stations. Passes will be accepted as long as it is accompanied with a food donation.
NATIONAL NEWS
–Though Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were named the big winners on Super Tuesday, as Trump and Clinton both took 7 of the 11 states in the caucuses and primaries neither of the them took Minnesota. Minnesota voters gave Bernie Sanders the nod 62% to 38% over Clinton while Marco Rubio took Minnesota 37% to Ted Cruz second with 29% and Donald Trump coming in third with 21% of the vote. There are still big primaries in the days ahead in Florida and Ohio as well as Michigan, Nebraska and next up Louisiana.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly cloudy, high 31
TONIGHT= snow showers late, some drizzle possible, low 18.
THURSDAY= snow early, 1 inch, then cloudy, high 36, low 20.
FRIDAY= rain/snow likely 1-2 inches, high 40, low 30.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins begin the exhibition part of the 2016 season today against Boston in Florida. Gametime at noon on Q92 WYRQ.
GBB= Little Falls at Sauk Rapids-Rice tonight 7pm to open up the section playoffs live on Q92 WYRQ and through fallsradio.com.
GBB= Pierz vs. St. Cloud Cathedral Thursday 7pm on FM94 in playoff action, also Royalton, Swanville, Upsala, Holdingford, Foley, Albany and others either begin or continue playoffs on Thursday.
BHK= the state boys hockey tournament begins today in St. Paul
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1825= first grand opera performed in U.S. was in New York City.
IN 1867= Jesse James and his brother Frank team up with two other gangs in a bank robbery spree through Missouri and into Iowa.
IN 1923= first issue of Time Magazine hits newstands.
IN 1933= King Kong with Faye Wray premieres at RKO theaters.
IN 1951= first NBA All Star Game played East beats West 111-94.
IN 1965= “Sound of Music” opens in theaters with Julie Andrews.
IN 1978= “Dallas” premieres on CBS TV. The show was a mid-season change for the network. Many were unclear if the program would take off but by 1980 it was the #1 drama on TV lasting to 1991.
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