Thursday, May 15, 2025

The National Weather Service is reporting that scattered thunderstorms can be expected over western Minnesota this morning. A few storms may be strong to severe, possibly producing large hail, damaging winds or a tornado or two. The heaviest storms will be in North and South Dakota into early afternoon. After a late morning into early afternoon lull, additional thunderstorms can be expected over central and eastern Minnesota into western Wisconsin late this afternoon and evening. A few storms may be strong to severe again with gusty winds and large hail with still possible isolated tornadoes. Strong south to southwest winds, with gusts of 40 to 50 mph, can be expected this afternoon over sections of Minnesota. The system is mainly bringing heavy rainfall totals of 2-3 inches of rain in southern and southwestern Minnesota by this afternoon and evening. Central and Eastern Minnesota could see 1-2 inches in spots of rainfall by tomorrow morning. More rain expected through the day and night Friday but with colder temperatures in the 50s for highs the severe threat will be very low tomorrow into Saturday before drier conditions return on Sunday. Continue to listen to Little Falls Radio today and Friday for any weather related announcements. 

A 20-year-old Cold Spring man is accused of leading police on a high-speed chase Monday afternoon before crashing his car into a building. According to a social media post from the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, everything started just before 1:15 near Baxter when they got a call from the local police department asking for help finding the driver of a vehicle involved in a property damage incident. A short time later, deputies spotted the speeding vehicle heading west on Highway 210 in Pillager near County Road 1. When they attempted to stop the driver, he allegedly stepped on the gas and began to drive so erratically, it became dangerous, and the pursuit was called off. Minutes later, police learned the suspect had crashed into a building about ten miles away in Motley. The driver was taken to the hospital in Staples for non-life-threatening injuries before being booked into jail. No one else was hurt.

A woman connected to a double shooting in St. Cloud that left one teenager dead and another fighting for his life has reached a plea deal. A few days after the February 2nd shooting, Olivia Williams was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting theft of a firearm, aiding and abetting first-degree robbery, and aiding an offender. She pled guilty in Benton County District Court to one felony count of aiding an offender. She will have charges of aiding and abetting theft of a firearm and first-degree aiding and abetting aggravated robbery, both felonies, dismissed at her sentencing on July 9th. In exchange for her plea, Williams would be sentenced to one year in prison, stayed, meaning she wouldn’t spend time behind bars unless she violated the terms of her probation. Williams would spend 30 days in jail and be ordered to pay restitution, which will be set later. According to the criminal complaint, around 3:00 that morning, police were called to an apartment in the 200 block of 2nd Street Northeast for a report of a shooting. Police arrived to find 17-year-old Layson Davis of St. Cloud dead and a 19-year-old man from St. Joseph suffering from two gunshot wounds to the chest. Investigators determined the shooting appeared to be a robbery gone wrong after surveillance video from the apartment showed Bernard Bowens standing in the hallway with two others and flashed a wad of cash. About five minutes later, the three are seen apparently struggling over the gun. Davis is then seen running on the second floor with a gun when Bowens appears to ambush Davis as he is coming down the stairs. The two each drew their guns, and Bowens fired several rounds at Davis and ran. The other victim ran after the gunman when he was shot by someone else. The shooter, Bowens, Williams’s boyfriend, Quinton McNeal, and another man then fled the scene. There is still an active warrant for Bowens’ arrest, and the case against McNeal is still winding its way through the courts. Investigators still haven’t identified the two unnamed suspects.

One person was hurt in a single-vehicle crash near Watkins on Monday. The Meeker County Sheriff's Office says they received a report of a crash at about 7:10 p.m. at the intersection of County Road 17 and 360th Street. When officers arrived, they found a pickup truck driven by 77-year-old Jerome Kuechle of Watkins off the side of the road with heavy damage that officers believe was from the truck rolling over. Kuechele and a passenger in his truck were both taken to the Paynesville hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities say alcohol was a factor in the crash, and it remains under investigation.

Meeker County authorities are investigating a house fire south of Eden Valley on Friday. The sheriff's office received a report of a house fire just before 11am. Fire crews from Eden Valley, Watkins, and Litchfield responded to the 60000 block of 380th Street in Manannah Township. Deputies and firefighters arrived to find a home fully engulfed. The homeowners, 23-year-old Emma Frovarp and 31-year-old Jorge Gomez, were not home at the time. The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal.

Summer swept in with gusto this week as record highs baked central Minnesota. Trees leafed out, ivy turned green, flowers bloomed, and boaters are beginning to take to the water. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is warning about the temperature of our lakes and rivers. Up to about 70 degrees, it is natural for the body to react to cold water by gasping. It makes people susceptible to drowning, so life jackets need to be worn at all times. It is important to set the highest bar of safety immediately and maintain it throughout the entire season. The DNR has these tips, “Check your life jacket. Make sure you have life jackets that are in good condition, that they’re going to fit properly the people that are on your boat, set a good example by wearing your life jacket. Always wear your engine cutoff device. We hear that a lot. It kills the engine. It stops the potential of deadly propeller strikes.” Another recommendation is to keep aware of the rest of the lake. Make sure you know what other boaters are doing at all times.

Listen to AM960 KLTF in the coming days to hear updates from area school superintendents about the previous school year and what is on the agenda for the final days and summer work. Today hear from Upsala, Monday Little Falls, Tuesday Pierz and Wednesday Swanville schools who all have graduation coming on Friday May 23rd at their schools. Royalton and Holdingford schools will give an update the following week as their graduation ceremony is scheduled for May 30th. Again hear the Community Program weekdays at 8:30am live on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com. 

Death Notices- Gary Louden, age 77 of Little Falls. Rhodena "Ardath" Johnson, age 93 of Pierz formerly of Columbia Heights, MN. 

Weather- today increasing clouds with scattered showers this afternoon and thunderstorms likely by late in the day with some heavy rains, hail and wind possible tonight, high 77 with higher dewpoints, then storms tonight breezy and turning cooler, low 47. Friday scattered showers likely through the day, some heavy downpours possible, high 56, breezy winds over 35mph. Rain continues Friday night, low near 40. Cloudy skies and breezy Saturday cool, high 51, low around 36. Sunny skies Sunday with a high near 60. 

Sports- The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated Golden State Warriors 121-110 last night in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs. Julius Randle led the Wolves with 29 points. The Timberwolves win the series 4-1 and advance to the NBA Western Conference Finals next week against either Denver or Oklahoma City where currently OKC leads 3-2 over Denver with game 6 tonight. Twins win game 1 of a double header Wednesday 6-3 and then take the 2nd game of the double header 8-6 yesterday over Baltimore as the Twins have now won 10 games in a row. Twins (23-20) wrap up at Baltimore Orioles Thursday with pregame at 11am on Q92 WYRQ. The NFL released their schedule last night and the Vikings will open the preseason on August 16th against New England at U.S. Bank Stadium. Their regular season opener will be on Monday night September 8th at Chicago. They will spend two weeks overseas when they take on Pittsburgh and Cleveland in first Dublin and then London in late September and early October. The Vikings will face the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day and finish the regular season vs. Green Bay on January 4th of next year. Yesterday in high school baseball Pierz beat Upsala-Swanville 5-1, Little Falls beat Hutchinson 4-2 listen to more games and action from Wednesday today on sports with Alex on Little Falls Radio.