NEWS
--Swanville Band Director Kevin Stueven announced this week that they have needed to change the event for Saturday. So many families in the school and community have been affected by this season's illnesses, and many of the band kids have missed days of school. They have all worked so hard to prepare for this Bandathon event that it doesn’t seem right to have them perform when they’re not feeling their best. With that in mind, here is our plan. Tomorrow, Saturday, February 3, the band will meet to record videos of the music that they feel are ready. There will be some starts and stops along the way to help them. It won’t be a ‘live’ show as originally planned, but you may stop by if you would like to listen. Then, over the next couple weeks, we will continue to record songs as the kids are feeling better. When finished, we will put together a video for public viewing. There will be a link attached to this video for families and other supporters to pledge their donations to the Swanville band. From 11am-3pm on Saturday at different times recordings of Junior and Senior High Band, 6th Graders and some remaining students in smaller rehearsed groups will perform recorded songs for the event. All are welcome to come in to listen to the Jr/Sr band in the morning. Thank you for your flexibility and helping us to adjust to these changes. The school still looks forward to sharing our music video with you. When the video is ready, they will announce the date and time for viewing and how donations to the band program will be accepted during the show.
--Congratulations to the 18 Little Falls High School students participated in the District 5 DECA Conference in St. Cloud on Wednesday with over 700 students from northern and central Minnesota. Students who have qualified for the state conference in March in Minneapolis include: Mason Poser, Mason Ellingson, Brooke Adamek, Olivia Dempsey, Kaitlyn Tabbatt, Paige Zehr, Kennedy Gwost, Hannah Hardekopf, Kyra Cauwe, Gabby Dahlberg, June Lacina, Emma Larson, and Landon White. Students who finish in the top 3 in their event at state qualify for the International Conference in Anaheim in April. Again congratulations to the DECA students.
--A 50-year-old Staples woman suffered no injuries back on January 26th after her vehicle struck four deer on County Highway 34 in Cass County. However, none of the deer survived. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash at 5:46pm. According to Chief Deputy Eric Alger, the woman was traveling west on the highway when she struck four deer that ran out on the road from the southbound ditch. Alger said the driver did not suffer any reported injuries though the truck had to be towed. The driver and a passerby reached out to the Department of Natural Resources about the deer.
--Another winter event is being canceled due to record-breaking warm temps and poor ice conditions. The 20th Annual Fishing for Ducks tournament on Mille Lacs Lake was to be held on February 17th but is being shut down over safety concerns. Organizers say they will have a bingo event at the Garrison VFW on that day instead. The ice fishing tournament benefits Ducks Unlimited. If you have already bought your ticket or have a voucher for the event, they will be honored in 2025, or you can reach out to the Fishing for Ducks Facebook page for details on how to request a refund. Fishing for Ducks organizers say they'll celebrate the 20th anniversary of the contest next year now in 2025 with maybe more ice then.
--After a record high tying temperature on Monday and a record high shattering temperature on Wednesday to wrap up the month of January you can expect more of this over the next two weeks. The Climate Prediction Center has released its outlook for the month. They say the trend for temperatures well above normal will continue as the Super El Nino continues to have its hold on the Upper Midwest. Highs in Minnesota will remains in the 30s and 40s through around Valentine's Day staying 10 to 20 degrees above normal. However the dry conditions are still in the forecast through the next of next weekend. However, after Valentine's Day a shift in the weather pattern will mean that Minnesota is expected to see temperatures return back to normal with high temperatures in the 20s again and lows near 0 with potential of snow later this month.
--Checks of Gull, Round and North Long lakes, as well as other parts of Crow Wing County, showed ice depths now to 8.5 to 11.5 inches from about 9-12.5 inches a week ago. Brad Thesing, recreation sergeant with the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office said that for the ice fishing event this weekend if you are using Gull or North Long Lake to have no vehicles on the ice and try and refrain from large number of people in one certain area. The Jaycees announced a hybrid tournament to be used at all are lakes and waterways around Brainerd in a 90 minute vicinity and expanded the hours starting tomorrow at 8am-2pm to use all the lakes in the area for the event.
--Events this weekend include the Ice Fishing Tournament in the Brainerd Lakes area by the Brainerd Jaycees on Saturday, Quilt Bingo on Sunday at Holy Trinity School in Pierz put on the by the Catholic Church and also a bingo in St. Mary's Church in Upsala both at 1pm. A free movie “Blind” put on at Pierz Healy High School at 3pm Sunday bring an item to the food shelf and be eligible for prizes that afternoon. Details on more events can be found at fallsradio.com then click on the news tab, or community calendar for information.
DEATH NOTICES
--Paul Francis Houdek, age 74 passed away in Royalton.
WEATHER
TODAY= becoming sunny, high 40, fog overnight, low 28.
SATURDAY= drizzle early, then sunny, high 42, low near 30.
SUNDAY= sunny and mild, high 48, low near 35.
MONDAY= partly sunny and breezy, high 46, low near 32.
SPORTS
NFL= Pro Bowl coverage Sunday at 2pm on AM960 KLTF.
GROUND HOG DAY HISTORY
Today is Ground Hog Day. A tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow then winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. While the tradition remains popular in the 21st century, studies have found no consistent association between a groundhog seeing its shadow and the subsequent arrival time of spring-like weather. The Groundhog Day ceremony held at Punxsutawney started in 1886 with many watching Phil come out to see if winter is over for the year.