Friday, May 9, 2025

Just after 11am Central Thursday Robert Prevost an missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the first Pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. Prevost, born in Chicago, Illinois,a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order, took the name Leo XIV. In his first words as Pope Francis’ successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, Leo said, “Peace be with you,” and emphasized a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy — a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013. Prevost had been a leading candidate for the papacy except, but there had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the country's geopolitical power already wielded in the secular sphere. But Prevost, a Chicago native, was seemingly eligible because he’s also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop. The crown at St. Peter's Square erupted in cheers when white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel on the second day of the conclave. Priests made the sign of the cross and nuns wept as the crowd shouted “Viva il papa!” Waving flags from around the world, tens of thousands of people waited to learn who had won and were shocked when an hour later, the senior cardinal deacon appeared on the loggia and said “Habemus Papam!” and announced the winner was Prevost. He spoke to the crowd in Italian and Spanish, but not English. The last pope to take the name Leo was Leo XIII, an Italian who led the church from 1878 to 1903. Prevost becomes the first Pope elected since Pope Francis was elected in 2013 to replace then Pope Benedict XVI. 
 --The Little Falls School Board will meet Monday at 6pm at a different location, they will use the PAC (Performing Arts Center) at Lindbergh Elementary School for their meeting. They will hear from Peter Leatherman on the recent Community Survey and its findings at the meeting on questions surrounding the financial items being discussed in the District and what those surveyed answered on it. There will be other presentations at the meeting including from Elementary principals on Character Strong. The board will have many items to discuss on renewals of teachers, principals, nonrenewal of teachers and programs for the next school year. Look at the wellness policy, move on bids for milk and bread products and food products with the Board of Education and get other reports from the board members. The move to this larger location was for the public to come hear the items at the meeting Monday at 6pm. 

 

A sad ending to a missing person case. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says the body of a St. Augusta woman who had been missing since May 1st has been found. 48-year-old Rebecca Lynn Philippi's body was found in Willmar on May 6th.  Foul play is not suspected, and no suspects are being sought in the case.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported there has been nearly 500 wildfires already in Minnesota since April 1st and more are expected with the warm, dry and windy conditions through next week. Even seemingly harmless activities like enjoying a campfire or burning a small pile of yard waste can quickly turn into a dangerous wildfire, especially on warm, sunny, or windy days. Not only do wildfires threaten property, but they can also lead to injuries and even deaths, the vast majority of which are avoidable. Wildland firefighters are highly trained and properly equipped to respond to wildfires safely. If a fire escapes your control or you spot a wildfire, do not try to handle it yourself—immediately seek safety and call 911. Prevention is the best way to manage wildfire risks. Always be careful when burning vegetation or enjoying an evening around the campfire, and make sure the fire is completely out before leaving the site – if it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave. Also remember that any fire larger than 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet high needs a burning permit and right now many counties including Morrison still have burning restrictions in place due to the high fire danger and the northwestern corners of the state still have burning bans in place at this time. A fire weather watch has been issued for pretty much the entire state on Sunday where temps will reach close to 90 degrees and winds could gust 25-40mph in the state on Sunday. 

Highway 10 near Big Lake is back open following a serious crash near Big Lake Thursday morning. According to the Minnesota State Patrol just before 7:15, a straight truck, driven by a 35-year-old man from Coon Rapids was heading west on 10 at Industrial Drive when a 72-year-old Clearwater man in a Hyundai Kona going east and drove into the westbound lanes. The two collided in the intersection. A Life Link helicopter was called to the scene. The roadway was shut down for investigation and reconstruction. The names of those involved and extent of injuries were not released. 

A standoff in Wright County has ended with a suspect has been taken into custody as of 10:42am yesterday morning without incident. No injuries have been reported in connection with this incident. The Sheriff's Office says that at about 5:30am Thursday deputies were executing a search warrant at 157 Mindy Lane in Montrose. During the execution of the warrant, a suspect inside the apartment had barricaded themselves inside, and a gunshot was reportedly fired from inside the apartment. Residents from the Mindy Lane apartments have been evacuated, and nearby residents have been told to shelter in place. Again the suspect was taken into custody hours later after a standoff. This is still an active and ongoing situation but there is no danger to anyone in the building or the area from this incident.

Two teenagers are missing in Willmar, and the police department is asking for help in finding them immediately, as there is concern for their safety. Angel Perez-Ortiz and Brianna Marie Holland were last seen on Monday, just after 5:00 p.m., on foot on Park Avenue NW. Perez-Ortiz is 16 years old, standing 5’7″ and weighing 170 pounds with dark brown curly hair. He has piercings in his nose and ears. He was wearing dark pants and a black True Religion hoodie when he went missing. Holland is 15 years old, Native American, with a light brown complexion. She is 5’5″ and 125 pounds with brown hair, perhaps with a reddish tint to it. She had on a gray tank top and camo shorts. Anyone with information should call the Willmar PD at 320-235-2244.

Today is Poppy Day in many cities including a proclamation by Little Falls Mayor Greg Zylka on May 9th. May is Poppy month. The red poppy has been a nationally recognized symbol of sacrifice worn by Americans since World War I to honor those who served and died for our country in all wars. Led by the American Legion Auxiliary, each year members of The American Legion Family distribute poppies with a request that the person receiving the flower make a donation to support the future of veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their families with medical and financial needs. There will be many handing out Poppy's today around the nation and locally including at businesses in Pierz from the American Legion Auxiliary and also the Little Falls American Legion Auxiliary has been going to many area businesses. 

Pierz Healy High School held their activities and scholarship night on Wednesday. Athlete of the year for Pierz are Eden Andres and Aiden Jones. Male Performer Guy Clemons-Virnig and Female Performer Kaitlyn Smude. 3 Sports Athletes included Aiden Jones, Nathan Solinger, Kyle Stangl and William Stangl. The full list of nearly 50 scholarship are attached to this link to view: Lhttps://drive.google.com/open?id=1-5ubStBLnNfg9_MA9Hrje15sHdx8goMZCtNZW2NpU2Ee  

Death Notices- Ann Marie Maciej, age 61 of Little Falls. 

Weather- today morning sunshine, then increasing clouds, slight chance of a shower after 3pm, high 83. Tonight clearing skies, low around 48. Saturday sunny skies, cooler, high 75, partly cloudy skies at night, warmer low 58. Sunday sunny warm and windy, Fire Weather Watch during day, high 89, low near 65. Sunday night warm low around 63, and Monday very warm and windy, high 88, low around 64. 

Sports- Trevor Larnach has a big homerun, Brooks Lee and Ty France multi-hits and RBIs in Thursday's game and the Twins win 5-2 again over Baltimore for the 2nd straight day and sweep the 3 game series.  The Twins open a series at home against the San Francisco Giants tonight, pregame at 6:30pm, Saturday pregame at 5:30pm and Sunday Inside Twins start at noon on Q92 WYRQ. Julius Randle has 24 to lead the Timberwolves past Golden State last night 117-93 to tie their series at 1 game each in the NBA playoffs. The Timberwolves and Golden State now move to California for game 3 on Saturday night at 7:30pm and then game 4 Monday night at 9pm. The Wolves know there will be a game 5 in Minneapolis next Wednesday time to be determined. A big night at the Little Falls Softball Field where the Youth Fastpitch Association will show off their summer league teams and recognize players and coaches prior to the softball game tonight on the fields by the Middle and High School. The event gets underway just after 4pm with the ceremony at 4:30pm before the game at 5pm all are welcome and proceeds from the concessions tonight all go to help their program for youth softball teams. KLTF Victory League Game of the Week is Royalton at St. Mathias Sunday at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF.