NEWS
--Additional jobs are coming to the Little Falls area by the end of next year. On Thursday Wabash announced it is expanding manufacturing capacity of EcoNex™ Technology to address customer demand and equipment challenges that refrigerated carriers have faced for years, including thermal efficiency, strength, weight and asset life. As part of this expansion, Wabash is investing an additional $20 million at its 53-acre facility in Little Falls and adding over 200 jobs by the end of 2023. Mayor Greg Zylka said “I admire Wabash’s commitment to corporate citizenship and am proud to see the incredible impact this expansion will have on our local economy and community. We are looking forward to a long-term relationship with Wabash to work with ways to expand opportunities and help our great community grow and prosper.”
--At 6:21pm Wednesday a single vehicle accident in Crow Wing County injured two passengers. 23-year old Tavion Lyons of Red Lake was northbound on Highway 371 in Pequot Lakes when the vehicle veered right going into the east ditch rolling as it went uphill before stopping on its roof. Two passengers suffered non life threatening injuries. 30-year old Dominic Houle was taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center for treatment while 32-year old Antonio Mcgraw of St. Paul didn't require hospitalization for his injuries.
--Minnesota Public Health Corps is in critical need of Public Health Project coordinators to serve throughout the state, including areas in and around Morrison County, beginning in August. ServeMinnesota, the state’s hub for AmeriCorps service, in partnership with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, launched the AmeriCorps program earlier this year to increase immediate capacity within the public health field and create a diverse pipeline of future public health employees. According to ServeMinnesota, another 44 AmeriCorps members are needed to deliver critical public health services through community engagement and community health needs assessment, with a priority on serving communities with the highest needs. There are 17 positions available including in the St. Cloud Area and also Morrison County Health and Human Services in Little Falls, Benton County Public Health in Foley along with many others around the entire state. Members will provide increased capacity for a sustained COVID-19 response and recovery at partner locations throughout the state. The program also partners with community organizations as a strategy to achieve health equity by recruiting a corps with a shared life experience in the communities they serve. Anyone interested in applying to be a Public Health member or interested in hosting a member at their organization should visit www.ampact.us/public-health.
--The Minnesota DNR announced their deer hunting regulations for 2022. The plan is for the Archery deer hunt to open September 17 through December 31st, the youth statewide hunt is October 20-23, the early antlerless hunt is from October 20-23, and the regular firearms season starts on November 5th. Deer hunting licenses can be bought now. The DNR is upping their chronic wasting disease testing for a 7th straight year. Even if you are hunting in an area that doesn't have CWD you can send a sample to have the deer tested for the disease. You can take a look at the deer hunting regulations book which is out now. Details also available at the MN DNR website.
--The next blood drive at the St. Francis Convent with the American Red Cross will be August 22nd from 1-7pm and August 23rd from noon-6pm. No walk ins will be allowed this time, please call for an appointment to Sister Julien at 320-632-0663.
--This Saturday is Upsala Heritage Day with 5K run/walk at 8am, parade at 11am, many events in the park to follow including a vintage car show, axe throwing, pie baking contest, kids pedal pull, water fights, live music, UBA raffle and fireworks at 10pm all on Saturday in Upsala. Other events include the play Moana put on by the Upsala youth at 7pm Friday and Sunday at 1pm and a breakfast/brunch Sunday 9am-2pm at the community center. More details can be found at the City of Upsala website. Other events include Treasure Island performed tonight 7pm and two shows on Saturday at 2pm and 7pm at Little Falls Community High School, tickets at the door. Pierz Sidewalk Sales today and tomorrow in Pierz. St. James Augustfest is Sunday in Randall with Mass at 10:30am, chicken dinner with all the trimmings at 11am, plenty of events through afternoon and large raffles to end the day in Randall on Sunday. Living Hope Church north of Little Falls has their Family Fun Day event on Sunday from 11am-2pm, food and fun and all is free of charge at the church on Sunday. Get more details on events by going to fallsradio.com and click on community calendar.
--The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has released more details about the police-involved shooting that happened on Sunday in Otsego. They say the four deputies involved in the incident were not part of the initial response to the Otsego home. They responded after 21-year-old Jordyn Hanson ran from the home with a knife in his hand. The deputies say they saw Hanson weaving between vehicles at the end of the home's driveway. He then ran to the backyard. Video captured by a squad car camera shows Hanson running toward one of the deputies. That's when the deputy fell backward as he fires his gun. All four deputies say Hanson ignored repeated commands to drop the knife. A knife was recovered at the scene. Wright County deputies do not wear body cameras but have cameras on their squad cars. Those cameras captured portions of the incident but did not capture the entire shooting.
--The Little Falls City Council meets Monday at 7:30p at City Hall.
DEATH NOTICES
--Jackson Britz, 3 year old son of Dan and Kelly Britz
WEATHER
TODAY= showers and isolated T-storms, turning windy, high 74.
TONIGHT= shower early, then cloudy skies, low 57.
SATURDAY= partly sunny, more sun in PM hours, high 77, low 54.
SUNDAY= sunny and warmer, high 83, low around 62.
MONDAY= showers & t-storms in afternoon, high 80, low 57.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins are at LA Angels of Anaheim tonight to open a series, pregame at 8pm, Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday begins with Inside Twins at 2pm all live on Q92 WYRQ.
WNBA= Lynx have Seattle tonight and Connecticut Sunday to wrap up the regular season, Lynx still have a shot at making playoffs.
NFL= Vikings open preseason Sunday 3:25pm against Las Vegas.
REGION 8C= The Region 8C Amateur Baseball Tournament moves to Avon this weekend. State qualifying/elimination games on Saturday at 4pm St. Stephen vs. Buckman and then at 7pm Pierz Lakers vs. Foley winners of the two games play again on Sunday for 3 and 4 seeds at state. The Region 8C Championship is Sunday at 11am with Avon and Nisswa, then the winners of Saturday play Sunday afternoon for 3rd place in Region. All games live on KLTF.