Thursday, January 22, 2026
An Extreme Cold Warning is now starting at 3pm today until 12pm Friday then a Cold Weather Advisory in effect from 12pm Friday to midnight tomorrow night. Temps already below zero and wind chills -20 to -30 that will get much colder by tonight and into tomorrow. Strong winds of 20-35mph will have blowing and drifting snow on roadways and icy conditions on roads and other areas. Use caution if venturing out or traveling from the extreme cold today and Friday.
Weather Related Announcements: EEI Is closed today and Friday. No Lessons at St. Francis Music Center today and Friday due to the cold. No bingo in Royalton. All after school practices and evening events for Little Falls, Pierz , Swanville, Holdingford, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle are postponed or canceled. Some schools have games tonight and others have opted to not check your school schedule for information. Also Harding Gun Safety class tonight is canceled.
Due to the weather Friday: Little Falls Community Schools are doing E-Learning day no students in class at the public schools. Also Swanville, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, Holdingford, Staples-Motley, Browerville and Foley are E Learning on Friday not in class. Upsala and Pillager schools are closed on Friday. Some schools have cancelled after school events while others are planning on events Friday night. EEI closed Friday, CLC campus closed Friday in Brainerd and Staples. No classes at St. Francis Music Center on Friday.
Light snow on Wednesday led to slippery roadways and accidents in central Minnesota. One person was injured in an accident in Villard Township of Todd County and taken to Staples Hospital. One person was injured in Sherburne County near Elk River and taken to an area hospital. A 16-year-old was taken to the hospital after his vehicle struck another in Gilmanton Township of Benton County. Two people from Parkers Prairie were injured in an accident in Crow Wing County on Wednesday. The State Patrol responded to numerous accidents in southern Minnesota Wednesday due to slippery snow covered roadways. In all cases reported as of late Wednesday afternoon the injuries were all non life threatening.
The Pierz woman struck by a vehicle last week near the Pierz Post Office has died. According to Emblom Brenny Funeral Service, 85-year-old Janet "Jan" Brixius died from injuries after being struck by a vehicle near the Post Office last Tuesday afternoon, January 13th. A Celebration of Life is planned in February for Janet.
Authorities say the seven-year-old Zimmerman girl whose disappearance triggered an AMBER Alert Wednesday night has been found safe, and a suspect is in custody. Brynlee Nelson got on her school bus on Wednesday afternoon, but didn’t return home. Fellow bus riders confirmed that Brynlee was on the bus, and police reported there was a black car seen following it, but didn’t know if she got in the car or not. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension sent out an update around 1:20 Thursday morning saying Brynlee was safe and someone was in custody. The circumstances around her disappearance and where she was found were not released.
Two 10th-graders from Northfield High School were involved in a crash on Monday, leaving one dead and another hospitalized with serious injuries. According to the Dakota County Sheriff's Office, the crash happened at 3:23 p.m. when a semi and a 2012 Lexus CT collided at the intersection of 320th Street at Foliage Avenue, located about a mile northwest of Northfield. Two 16-year-old girls were found unresponsive in the Lexus. The driver, identified as Berlyn Berghuis, of Northfield, died at the scene. The teenage passenger was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries. Northfield Police Chief Jeff Schroepfer said Tuesday that the 16-year-old who survived the crash remains in serious condition. "Preliminary information indicates the driver of a semi traveling westbound on 320th Street collided with a 2012 Lexus CT that attempted to turn east on 320th Street from Foliage Avenue," the sheriff's report says. The driver of the semi was not injured.
Former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya is running for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat as a Republican. Tafoya, who is 61, filed paperwork Tuesday and announced her campaign Wednesday, explaining in that her 30-year career as a sports broadcaster taught her "how leadership really works." "When leaders are prepared and accountable, teams succeed," she says. "When they aren't, people pay the price." Tafoya is seeking Democratic Senator Tina Smith's seat amid her retirement at the end of the year, as are DFLers Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig. “For too long, hardworking people have been ripped off by criminals, corporations and career politicians, and the people doing everything right are the ones paying the biggest price,” Tafoya says. “Well, I’m not going to stay on the sidelines any longer.” Priorities highlighted in Tafoya's video include fighting corruption, ending fraud, supporting police, deporting criminals, keeping transgender athletes out of female sports, cutting taxes, and lowering the cost of groceries, prescription drugs, and mortgages and rent. When Tafoya retired from TV sports reporting in 2022, she got involved in politics for the first time, becoming the co-chair for Kendall Qualls' unsuccessful gubernatorial bid. She now hosts her own podcast on sports, culture, and politics. Others seeking the GOP nomination in 2026 include former state GOP chairman David Hann, former professional basketball player Royce White, and former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze.
Death Notices: Linda Wimer, age 76 of Little Falls.
Weather: this afternoon, cold and very windy, temps dropping to -15 and wind chills near -40 by 5pm today with Extreme Cold Warning in effect 3pm today to 12pm Friday. Clear and very cold tonight, low -26 wind chills of -40 to -50 below zero. Friday sunny and cold, high -12 below zero, wind chills near -40 early then winds die down, clear and -23 below zero Friday, sunny Saturday -4 and -16 below zero all day, Sunday cloudy skies, high 4 above, low still -21 Sunday night below zero. Monday flurries and 8 above and windy.
Sports: Due to the cold weather Little Falls Schools have no events tonight including the boys hockey game postponed, Pierz schools have no events tonight including the boys basketball postponed tonight due to the cold weather. Listen to LF Radio for the latest weather related announcements.