News: Thursday, January 30th, 2025

News: Thursday, January 30th, 2025

--A message from Little Falls Community Schools Superintendent Greg Johnson: Due to a necessary maintenance issue that will require the high school boilers to be turned off Wednesday evening and into Thursday morning, Little Falls High School will transition to an eLearning day today January 30th. This closure affects only the high school. All other schools in the district will remain open as scheduled.

--Swanville schools announced a new cell phone policies that the State law now requires to be in place March 15th, 2025. Grades 7-12, cell phones have become a way of life, a technological convenience that has impacted all of us in many ways. However, in the school environment, cell phones can be a distraction, an interruption, and occasionally, a tool to exchange inappropriate information. Beginning on Monday February 3rd cell phones or ether electronic devices including smart watches and earbuds/air pods will not be allowed during instructional time within our classrooms. This new guideline will help us create a more positive environment where uninterrupted learning can take place. Students will be allowed to use their cell phone during passing time and during lunch. This new guideline will allow our students to be more engaged in classroom activities, and, conversely, less likely to be distracted by non-school activities. It will allow teachers to focus on lessons, instead of cell phone distractions in the classrooms. As more research around the impacts of cell phone use of adolescents is being published, we understand that it can lead to increased mental health issues in adolescents. As protecting and supporting the mental health of our students is a priority, we believe that limiting cell phone use during school will assist us in these endeavors.
We recognize that cell phones are a safety and security tool for parents and students to stay connected. Rather than call or text students on their cell phones, parents and guardians should utilize the school phone number 320-547-5100 to relay any messages that may be urgent in nature for your student. The office will relay the message to students in a prompt manner. Again, students will have access to their phones during passing time and lunch. We appreciate the support of guardians in following this procedure. If a student is found using a cell phone during instructional time/classroom hours, the phone will be collected by a staff member and delivered to the office. Parents or guardians will also receive an email or a phone call.
Grades 7-12 Cell Phone use is allowed between classes and during lunch only. Earbuds/headphones may be allowed at designated times for instructional purposes on school approved devices. Cell phone use of any kind is not permitted in locker rooms or bathrooms. Phone usage during lockdown and fire drills is prohibited. Using a cell phone to record or take photos of staff members or other students is not allowed without permission. Recording or taking photos of classmates with the intent to bully or harass is not permitted. Students in violation are subject to the district’s Bullying and Harassment Policies. Using social media, apps, or any other function of a cell phone/device to spread rumors, bully, make fun of, exclude, or create a disruption in school or outside of school is not permitted. Sharing or asking classmates for inappropriate content is not permitted. Cell phones, smartwatches and earbuds will be required to be placed in a designated area in each classroom as determined by the instructor. If your phone is seen or heard in class it will be brought to the office.
Students who need to go to the bathroom will need to leave their cell phone in the designated area for storage. During times of testing and other student evaluations, teachers may request that students remove their cell phone from their possession reducing the possibility of compromised test security.
• Cell phone guidelines for off campus school activities (i.e. extracurricular activities, outdoor and service trips, school field trips) will be individualized depending on the specific trip and activities. These expectations will be addressed at pre-trip meetings and/or on trip specific permission slips.
Students who use their cell phone to monitor a medical condition (i.e. diabetes, epilepsy) may have their cell phone with them at all times, but must adhere to all other expectations of the cell phone policy. Please contact school administration if there is an essential need for a phone for approval. In the case of medical necessity or emergency, a student should have a health plan or prior approval. Questions can be directed to the Swanville School District.

--The Baxter Police Department identified the man found Dec. 22, 2024, deceased inside a shed on fire in Baxter as Jason Lee Hoopman, 50, of Baxter. About 6:37am December 22nd the Baxter Police Department received a report of a shed on fire on the 13700 block of Memorywood Drive in Baxter. Baxter officers, along with emergency personnel from the Brainerd Fire Department, arrived and located a shed fully engulfed by fire. Hoopman was found deceased in the shed. In the days that followed, the Baxter Police Department reported there was no threat to public safety related to the fire and discovery of the body. Hoopman’s body was transported to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office, where he was positively identified The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting the Baxter Police Department with the investigation. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office also assisted at the scene.

--The Brainerd Fire Department responded to a house fire at 9:15pm Tuesday, Jan. 28, on the 8300 block of Hiawatha Avenue in Long Lake Township. Fire Chief Tim Holmes said the family returned home and found smoke coming from the roof and eaves of the house. When crews arrived at the home, they found a fire in the kitchen/dining room had made its way to the house's attic. The fire was eventually extinguished and crews were on the scene for about three hours. No injuries were reported. Holmes said the family reached out to the Red Cross for assistance on Wednesday. No investigation of the fire is planned, though the insurance company may request it.

--Two men accused of enriching themselves through sites in St. Cloud and Waite Park connected to the $250 million Feeding our Future scandal have pleaded guilty. According to prosecutors, 37-year-old Abdi Nur Salah of St. Paul and his co-conspirator, 38-year-old Abdulkadir Nur Salah of Columbia Heights, knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud a federal child nutrition program designed to provide free meals to children in need. They admitted to taking around $16 million. Abdi Nur Salah registered Stigma-Free International as a non-profit and used it to carry out the fraud scheme throughout Minnesota at locations in St. Cloud, Waite Park, Willmar, Mankato and St. Paul. He also worked for the Minneapolis Mayor’s Office as a senior policy aide to Jacob Frey. Abdulkadir Nur Sala owned and operated Safari Restaurant, which was used as part of the scam. Both pleaded guilty on Tuesday in U.S. District Court. Their sentencing dates haven’t been set.

--Chronic wasting disease continues to spread in Minnesota after two deer tested positive for the deadly disease across two areas. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, one deer was shot in Deer Permit Area 266 near Hawley and the other was taken in DPA 701 near Greenfield. They join fourteen other areas around the state dealing with the sickness. Following the discovery, the DNR will begin using its CWD response plan, which calls for three consecutive years of testing to help determine its prevalence in the area. Other steps could include carcass movement restrictions, a deer feeding ban and increased hunting opportunities with increased bag limits. The state’s game plan will take shape as we move closer to fall. The positive results were discovered in voluntarily submitted tissue samples. CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects cervids, which include white-tailed deer, moose and elk, and has no known cure. It has been found in more than two-thirds of the states in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control, CWD has not been shown to infect humans, but it’s considered a theoretical risk.

--One of the drivers was hurt when two semis collided. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened on Interstate 94 at about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday near Melrose. Both semis were traveling west when they crashed. Thirty-two-year-old Kareem Plummer of Spring Hill, Florida was taken to Melrose Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Forty-two-year-old Khayrullo Khusanova of Mason, Ohio was not hurt.

--One person was hurt in a two-vehicle crash in Sherburne County. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday on Highway 10 in Elk River. Both vehicles were traveling west when they collided. Twenty-seven-year-old Sydney Ulrich of St. Michael was taken to North Memorial in Maple Grove with non-life-threatening injuries. Twenty-three-year-old Julia Anderson of Clear Lake was not hurt.

NATIONAL NEWS- An American Airlines regional passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the Potomac River after a midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night. The Washington Post said multiple bodies had been pulled from the water.  An American Airlines source told Reuters that 60 passengers, along with two pilots and two crew members were scheduled to be on the flight. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter, a U.S. official said. Police said multiple agencies were involved in a search and rescue operation in the Potomac River.

DEATH NOTICES- Herman M. Hoheisel, age 83 of Pierz.

WEATHER- Today- sunny skies, high near 45, clear night tonight, cooler, low 18. Friday- sunny in morning, high 34 then increasing clouds with snow developing after 2am, low 22. Saturday snow likely 1-2 inches, high 34, low around 27. Sunday snow early with a high near 30 then temps falling with gusty winds in the afternoon, low of 2 above by Sunday night and Monday a high near 11 above zero wind chills below zero.

SPORTS- Little Falls Boy Hockey tonight at River Lakes in ROCORI at 7pm on Q92 WYRQ. Pierz girls basketball at home tonight against Foley, game scheduled at 7:15pm on 94ROCKS KFML both games streamed online at fallsradio.com.

--Little Falls Community High School is proud to announce that Little Falls High School Senior Will Bunnell has committed to participate in Esports at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA. Will is the son of Wendy and Bruce Bunnell of Little Falls.