Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Little Falls Superintendent Greg Johnson stated Tuesday a "Thank You to Our Community on behalf of Little Falls Community Schools, we extend our sincere thanks to everyone who took the time to participate in our recent community survey. Your input is incredibly valuable and helps guide our decisions as we work to meet the needs of our students, staff, and families. We are grateful for your engagement, your honest feedback, and your ongoing support of our schools. Together, we will continue to strengthen our district and plan for a bright future." On Monday night the Leatherman Group announced the finding of a recent survey done by making calls to 500 residents in the School District and their finds were as followed. Strong General Support for the District, But Declining Confidence in Financial Management- 75% of residents rate Little Falls Community Schools as either "excellent" or "good."- 71% believe they receive good value from their investment in the schools.- Only 51% trust that past referendum funds have been spent responsibly.. Financial management is rated as “good” by 48%, with another 42% calling it “only fair.” Divided Community on School Closures and Reconfiguration 44% support closing Dr. Knight Elementary, while 51% oppose it., 49% support closing the Middle School and creating a 7–12 Secondary School; 46% oppose. Residents Are Only Marginally Aware and Involved in Facilities Planning-Only 8% are following long-term facility discussions very closely.- 64% say school buildings meet needs, but concerns include maintenance, modernization, and space. Class Sizes Are a Concern, Especially in Elementary and Middle School- 41% want smaller elementary class sizes (current avg: 22).- 42% want smaller middle school class sizes (current avg: 26).- Only 28% want smaller high school class sizes (current avg: 25). Residents Are Split on a Four-Day School Week—and Most Oppose It 61% oppose or strongly oppose a four-day week. Concerns include long days (19%), child care (12%), and lower quality (13%). Only 29% think it would improve achievement; 42% think it would hurt. Moderate Support for a Referendum Exists—but Voters Are Cost-Conscious- 52% would support a bond referendum today; 47% would oppose or are undecided.- Only 24% are willing to pay more than $10/month.- Supporters cite education importance and reasonable cost; opponents cite poor spending and high taxes. Communication Must Improve—Especially Via Trusted Channels-Most effective channels: mailed newsletters (34%), local newspaper (19%), email (17%).- Website and social media have low engagement. Many Residents Feel Average and Struggling Students Are Underserved- 30% cited struggling students, 28% cited average students, and 22% cited underachievers as underserved. Awareness of Budget Cuts and Their Impact Is Low- 59% of residents were unaware of recent $3 million budget cuts.- Among those aware, 48% said they negatively impacted education, especially through staff and program reductions.10. Broad Support Exists for the New Childcare Partnership- 77% support the childcare partnership with the City at Lincoln Elementary. On these findings the school board is expected to decide on the future of these items in the district before the next school year. Superintendent Greg Johnson will be live on AM960 KLTF Monday morning at 8:30am to address more on the schools. 

Crow Wing Sheriff Eric Klang stated that the victim of the fire and explosion last Friday is 72-year-old Daniel Buescher of Emily. Crow Wing County Sheriff Eric Klang says the investigation is early, but it appears one person was living in a bus when it caught on fire, and the victim couldn’t escape the explosion. Witnesses stated to law enforcement on Friday there may have been two explosions in all. Law enforcement remained on the scene Friday evening into early Saturday. The bus was completely destroyed and a nearby outbuilding in Emily. No other injuries were reported. 

The 18-year-old killed in a Friday morning crash in Crosslake has been identified as a Pine River-Backus High School senior. The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened at 8:19 a.m. when a dump truck that was northbound on County Road 1 collided with an SUV that was entering County Road 1 from County Road 66 in rural Crosslake. The driver of the SUV was killed in the crash. She has been identified as Keylah Kendrick, 18. Kendrick’s mother, Sara Callahan, was also in the SUV at the time of the crash and suffered "severe injuries." She was airlifted to a Duluth hospital, and according to a GoFundMe has been created to support Callahan and her husband, is not yet conscious. According to the GoFundMe, Kendrick was set to graduate from Pine River-Backus High School in a few weeks and had been accepted to Arizona University with hopes to become a music teacher. In the wake of the crash, Pine River-Backus High School announced it planned to cancel an upcoming theater production that Kendrick was set to play a role in, calling it a “heartbreaking loss.” "During these times we must be prepared to support each other as we deal with the many feelings we're about to experience," said superintendent Jon Clark.

A St. Cloud woman was hurt in a single-vehicle crash in Southeastern Minnesota. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened on Monday at about 1pm on Highway 52 near Rochester. Eighty-one-year-old Carolyn Williams was driving south when her vehicle struck a guardrail and rolled. Williams was taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester with non-life-threatening injuries.