NEWS
-- Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says three National Guard soldiers were killed in a Black Hawk helicopter crash on Thursday afternoon. All three crew members were on a routine maintenance test flight when the helicopter crashed into a farm field near Kimball in Stearns County. The helicopter left St. Cloud and crashed shortly after takeoff and the wreckage was found in Marty Township. The names of the three people who died have not been released, pending notification of their family members. An investigation into the crash continues.
--A 52-year-old from Albany was killed in a farm accident Wednesday night around 7:20pm in Krain Township near Albany. Stearns County responded to a 911 call reporting a male was found unresponsive under an overturned gravity box Daniel Wielenberg was located under an overturned gravity box by a family member. They were able to remove the gravity box by using a skid steer. Daniel was pronounced deceased at the scene. It appeared a corn bridge had formed over the top of the box. Mr. Wielenberg attempted to break the bridge causing the box to overturn.
--The USDA reminds producers in Minnesota that the nationwide deadline to sign up for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) is today December 6th, 2019. MFP payments are aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. Since sign up began on July 29, more than 35,272 applications have been received for MFP, resulting in $780,369,824 in payments to producers in MN. Across the country, more than $10.1 billion has been paid for 2019 MFP crop and livestock commodities to nearly 601,000 applicants. Additionally, due to changes to the 2018 MFP program that were required by the 2019 Disaster Bill, producers previously deemed ineligible for MFP in 2018 because they had an average AGI level higher than $900,000 may now be eligible for 2018 MFP benefits. The deadline for this signup is also today December 6th. For more information locally Morrison County USDA/FSA office in Little Falls at 632-5477 extension 2.
--A St. Joseph man has been sentenced to three years and three months in prison after pleading guilty to having child pornography. 39-year-old Dale Benjamin pleaded guilty to five felony counts of child pornography in June. An investigation in May 2018 revealed around 90 videos of sexual assault of children on Benjamin's laptop. According to the criminal complaint, the investigation into Benjamin was based on him allowing child pornography to be downloaded from his account on a file-sharing network. The criminal complaint details videos that were found on his laptop containing graphic images of children as young as 6-12 months old both boys and girls.
--This may be the busiest weekend of the year for events in Morrison County. Which includes the Christmas Tours wrapping up on Sunday at the Lindbergh Site, Fishing Museum, Linden Hill and Rosenmeier House, Carousel of Crafts Saturday at the Little Falls Community Middle School, Harding Horsin' Around Parade 5pm Saturday, many churches with craft and bake sales, soup luncheons and more for the Christmas season, concert Sunday at the convent is at 2pm, Heartland Symphony performs Saturday night in Little Falls and Sunday in Brainerd, Santa's workshop Saturday in Hillman, Christmas on the Platte Saturday in Royalton, Christmas Bazaar Saturday and Sunday at St. James in Randall, Senior Center in Little Falls Breakfast this Sunday rescheduled from last week and many more at fallsradio.com then click on community calendar
--Come help the Morrison County Holiday Gift Giving Program and Little Fall Radio fill the truck Saturday from 10am-2pm at the Wal-Mart parking lot. Purchase a toy, gift or clothing from the marked trees and donate to the needy children for Christmas around Morrison County. Little Falls Radio will be live starting at 10am on Saturday at the Wal-Mart parking lot to help fill the truck for the kids Saturday.
--The Pierz City Council meets Monday night at 7pm at City Hall.
NATIONAL NEWS
--While declaring that "no one is above the law," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday morning announced the House would be moving forward with drafting articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Pelosi delivered the historic announcement from the speaker's offices at the Capitol.
--Saturday marks the 78th Anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7th, 1941 which led the United States to enter into World War II. The attacks killed more than 2,400 on the base and injured more than 1,100 others. Making President Franklin Roosevelt to state “A day that will live in infamy”.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Jim and Jolene Crosby, girl on December 4th
DEATH NOTICES
--Alois “Al” “Loydy” Fussy, age 90 of Bowlus.
--Thomas W. Hagstrom, age 72 of Upsala.
WEATHER
TODAY= increasing clouds, colder, high 18.
TONIGHT= partly cloudy skies, low 12.
SATURDAY= cloudy, breezy, high 33, low around 24.
SUNDAY= cloudy, high of 30 early, then temps dropping later in the day with light snow showers, heavier snow overnight, lows near 5.
MONDAY= snow early, 2-5 inches total, then clearing, cold high 8.
SPORTS
HS GBB= Little Falls at Pierz tonight 7pm on FM94 KFML.
HS BHK= Little Falls at Fergus Falls Saturday 4pm on Q92 WYRQ.
COL FB= Championships will be decided Saturday in college football including Big 10 Championship with Wisconsin and Ohio State Saturday night at 7:15pm on AM960 KLTF. Bowl games will be declared on Sunday on where the Gophers are going to be playing. NFL= The Vikings host Detroit Lions Sunday at noon.
HISTORY OF ST. NICHOLAS DAY.
Today is the feast day of St. Nicholas. Many feel that the famous Saint is the reasons behind Santa Claus. He was an early Christian bishop of the ancient Greek maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor during the time of the Roman Empire. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. His reputation evolved among the faithful, as was common for early Christian saints, and his legendary habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus. Many families still have their children leave their shoes or stockings outside their front porch door with a light on for St. Nicholas to arrived with treats for the good children.