[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Newsletter: Friday, December 11th 2015[/title][fusion_text]Friday, December 11th 2015
NEWS
–Little Falls Mayor Greg Zylka has vetoed the City Council’s 7-1 vote in favor of setting 2016 utility rates for the city, after expressing opposition to an approved $15 monthly flat charge for wastewater services. The $15 monthly charge would be an increase of nearly $10 from last year’s flat rate of $5.56. The price hike is intended to help cover anticipated expenses for an upcoming $11 million project to improve the city’s wastewater facility. The resolution to set 2016 utility rates will again come before the council at its next meeting, December 21st. The Little Falls City Council will need at least six favorable votes in order to pass.
–Tomorrow thousands of wreaths will be laid at each of the graves at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls. Wreaths for the Fallen is the organization helping in organizing the wreaths to be placed on all the graves at the cemetery. Hundreds of service members, civic leaders and communty members will be volunteering in the placing of the wreaths. If you would like to help place the wreaths be at the cemetery by 10:00am tomorrow. The ceremony will be at 11:00am sharp and is usually done quite quickly with all the help received. For more information on the event and the organization you can go to wreathsforthefallen.org.
–Minnesota Milk Producers named the Doug and Julie Heintz family of Heintz Badger Valley Farm in Caledonia its Minnesota 2015 Producer of the Year during the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo in St. Cloud December 2nd. The Heintz family was honored for their commitment and dedication to dairy, involvement in the community and positive attitude toward their dairy’s future.
–A semi driver was injured Wednesday night around 7:30pm at the intersection of Highways 10 and 210 in Motley. 73-year-old Gerald Geiger of Gibbon was hauling hay bails in a semi-tractor when the vehicle tipped over in the turn landing between the lanes in the center median. Geiger was taken to the Staples hospital and treated for his non life threatening injuries.
–A two-vehicle accident occurred around 5:30pm Wednesday on Highway 10 west of Staples in Todd County. 46-year-old David Osterman of Minneapolis was on Highway 10 when 21-year-old Dennis Vasquez of Staples made a U-turn and as he was accelearting rear-ended the Osterman vehicle. The impact caused both vehicles to end up in the median. Osterman was not hurt. Vasquez suffered minor injuries and was treated at an area hospital.
–One person was hurt Wednesday morning in Stearns County. 39-year-old Nathan Swenson of Willmar was eastbound on Highway 23 when he fell off the ATV he was operating striking the pavement. Swenson was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment of injuries.
–St. Cloud and Clearwater firefighters responded to a recreational vehicle fire Wednesday afternoon. The St. Cloud Fire Department said an RV behind a home at 22087 Fairmount Road was fully engulfed in flames around 5:00pm. Firefighters’ priority was to keep the flames from spreading to the nearby home. The home was not damaged, and nobody was injured. No cause of the fire had been determined.
–A body has been found in the search for a woman missing since October. Police say they found the body in a shallow grave just northwest of the city of Bemidji. The body will be sent to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and to confirm an identity. Searches in the area were for 31-year-old Rose Downwind over the last 50 days. Two arrests have been made in her disappearance and a third person is considered one of interest.
–The Minnesota Department of Health on Thursday announced $27.2 million in funding for all 87 counties to boost the Statewide Health Improvement Program. The program, a state and locally-funded initiative in each county, helps Minnesotans live longer, healthier lives while building healthy communities. As part of that mission, this year’s funding awards allow cities and counties to focus on the health of seniors and efforts that help delay the onset or progression of dementia for those over age 60. Morrison and Todd counties are grouped with Wadena County. They received $457,233. The funds, available through fall of 2017, are based largely on population.
–The Central Minnesota Builders Association is donating funds to industrial technology programs at 11 area high schools in an effort to promote construction trade careers. This year, the CMBA allocated $10,000 to the 11 area high schools: Albany, Apollo, Area Learning Center McKinley, Becker, Foley, Kimball Area, Melrose, Rocori, Sartell, Technical and Upsala high schools. CMBA funding was directed to purchasing new tools, safety materials and resources for students working with Habitat for Humanity’s home building programs. Requests for tools took priority.
–Motorists will encounter work crews and potential delays as both directions of Highway 10 are reduced to a single lane near the Little Rock Lake bridge, three miles south of Rice at 8:00am today. All lanes of Highway 10 will open by 3:00pm this afternoon. The closures are needed while crews grind pavement to create a smoother ride.
–29-year-old Brainerd man pled guilty of assaulting an 11-year-old boy by duct taping him to a wooden chair in a kitchen, removing the boy’s sock, shoving it in his mouth and then duct taping his mouth shut. Joshua Allen Strange accepted the plea agreement and was sentenced September 28th in Crow Wing County District Court. Strange was given 21 months in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud for felony domestic assault. Two other charges dismissed.
–Another busy weekend of events, Cookies with Santa tomorrow on Little Falls west side, Crane Meadows event 9am Saturday, chicken and waffles brunch Sunday at Our Lady of Lourdes, Grandma’s Dinner served in Hillman Sunday. Details at fallsradio.com.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
–David and Nichole Bueckers of Royalton, a girl born December 8th
DEATH NOTICES
–Bonnie L. Stebe, age 80 of Little Falls
–Father Walter Bednark, age 98 of Melrose.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly cloudy, light snow late, high near 35.
TONIGHT= light snow at times, low around 30.
SATURDAY= cloudy, chances of rain sleet and snow, high 36, low 33
SUNDAY= rain/snow likely some slick conditions, high 36, low 31.
MONDAY= cloudy, snow showers, windy, temps drop into 20s.
SPORTS
NFL= Adrian Peterson did get his 100th career touchdown last night but a strip sack late in the game on Teddy Bridgewater proved to be the difference as Arizona beat the Vikings 23-20. The Vikings are now 8-5 and will host Chicago on December 20th.
HS BBB= Kimball at Pierz tonight 7:30pm on FM94 KFML
HS BBB= Little Falls vs. Foley at SCSU 4:30pm Saturday on Q92.
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