NEWS
--The St. Cloud woman convicted of killing her father in January 2016 was sentenced Thursday. 40-year old Lisa Kearney of St. Cloud was sentenced to 29 years and 2 months, two-thirds of which must be spent in prison. Kearney will get credit for the nearly two years she spent locked up since her January 2016 arrest. Lisa Kearney pleaded guilty in the death of her father, 66-year old Jeffrey Eugene Schilling. Twice since her arrest the court committed her as mentally ill. She was considered competent to stand trial once medicated for her illness. Kearney pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in October. The sentence guidelines for second degree murder in Minnesota starts at just under 22 years and goes up to 40 years. As part of the plea agreement, the Stearns County Attorneys Office agreed not to ask for a sentence over 30 years.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has announced their December Employee of the Month is Keith Schumann. Keith has been an Equipment Operator for the past 11 years for the City of Little Falls. Congratulations to Keith Schumann, Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce December Employee of the Month.
--Next week the Christmas season hits full force in Morrison County as St. Nick Night is Wednesday, December 6th in Pierz with free horse drawn trolley rides at 5pm, Santa's Reindeer and Elves around 4pm Make and Take a Crafts, holiday community Social including free cookies and a free picture with Santa and much more in Pierz next Wednesday. Then on Thursday, December 7th the Randall Holly Day event takes place with Santa will be handing out treats plus get a free photo with Santa starting at 3:00pm at the VFW. Lights of Love on display at Bingo Park; Horsedrawn trolley rides, Santa's Workshop at Randall VFW, Taste of the Season more mostly from 4:00-7:00pm. This weekend there are a number of Christmas type events, including the Horsing Around Parade in Harding Saturday at 5pm, craft sales at a number of churches, live nativity shown tonight and Saturday in North Prairie, toy bingo in Pierz, breakfast in Ramey, brunch meal at OLOL in Little Falls and the final days of the Christmas tours at Linden Hill, Rosenmeier Home, Lindbergh Historic Site and Christmas Tree Lane at Fishing Museum where Santa will be for pictures Saturday and Sunday. Much more to view at fallsradio.com.
--A 69-year old Mound man was sentenced Wednesday after being convicted of a misdemeanor traffic offense in a February 18th collision that killed a Foley woman. Judge Shan Wang stayed a 90-day jail sentence and placed David Wiborg on one year of supervised probation. Foley resident 50-year old Dana Marie Backstrom was killed when her vehicle was struck by Wiborg's the morning of February 18th. Wiborg was driving north on Benton County Road 78 when he failed to yield the right of way at Benton County Road 2, striking the driver's side of the Backstrom vehicle. Backstrom was pronounced dead at the scene. Wiborg was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with serious injuries.
--A 51-year old Circle Pines man faces assault charges following an incident at Eagles Nest cabin at Breezy Point Resort in Breezy Point. Donald Forrest Brown III was charged November 22nd in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd with felony third-degree assault and misdemeanor domestic assault. Bail was set at $10,000 with conditions and $75,000 without conditions. Brown posted bond Monday. His next court appearance is at 9:00am on December 13th.
--The National Weather Service is warning residents in northern and central Minnesota of high fire danger. In the past days the Department of Natural Resources and many area firefighters have been called out to grass fires from the high winds, low humidity and lack of moisture. A large grass fire was reported Wednesday near Cook Road south of Brainerd that burned a couple of acres. Temperatures in the 40s and 50s the past week have increased the fire danger through most of the state but especially in central and north central Minnesota in a line from Walker, Pine River, Brainerd, Little Falls, Hinckley, Pine City and up to Duluth. The warm weather is forecast through Sunday with temps in the mid 40s with the earliest mention of any precipitation is rain showers late Sunday. There is a change in the forecast next week with colder temps and the possibility of some snow which would ease the fire danger.
--A St. Cloud man was arrested Wednesday in connection to several ongoing investigations. The incident happened at about 4:00pm in the 1100 block of 14th Avenue Southeast in St. Cloud. As officers arrived several people were seen fleeing the house on foot. The St. Cloud SWAT team, police dogs and other law enforcement searched the area and found the suspects. Officers arrested 22-year old Bryant Garth in connection to a robbery that happened earlier this month. Two others were detained during the search but were released pending possible future charges. The search warrant was a result of several ongoing investigations including a robbery on November 19th, a shooting on Thanksgiving Day where a victim was shot in the foot, a second shooting on Sunday morning where the victim was shot in the back and a third shooting in the 1100 block of 14th Avenue Southeast where shots were fired into a vehicle. Police believe all the incidents are related. Three more people from St. Cloud have been arrested through the investigation including 19-year old Taylor Danielson for armed robbery, 19-year old Rauch Chuol for Sunday's shooting and a 16-year old girl for being an accomplice in an armed robbery. All these cases remain active and ongoing.
--Members of the Cold Spring-Richmond Police Department, Stearns County Sheriff's Office and the town of Cold Spring gathered on 2nd Street Wednesday afternoon for the raising of an "End of Watch" sign honoring Tom Decker. The sign was donated to the city. The new sign is posted in the granite landing area on 2nd Street. Last year, the city created a memorial garden in front of city hall in memory of Decker.
--The Little Falls City Council meets Monday 7:30pm at City Hall.
ENTERTAINMENT
--Jim Nabors, who played cheerful Gomer Pyle on "The Andy Griffith Show," and “Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C” is dead at the age of 87.
WEATHER
TODAY= clouds during day, high 43- clearing at night, low 26.
SATURDAY= sunny skies, high 44, clear night low around 30.
SUNDAY= cloudy, afternoon rain, high 46, rain at night, low 36.
MONDAY= temps fall, rain changes to snow- temps near 23 by 5pm.
SPORTS
GBB= Detroit Lakes at Little Falls tonight 7:30pm on Q92 WYRQ
COL FB= Ohio State vs. Wisconsin Saturday 6:45pm in the Big 10 Championship game live on AM960 KLTF.
NFL= Vikings (9-2) at Atlanta (7-4) Sunday at noon.