NEWS
--A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued starting at 6pm tonight and lasting to 6am Saturday. Accumulating snow will gradually make its way north into central Minnesota and western Wisconsin today and through the overnight into Saturday morning. This will be a long duration event, with relatively low snowfall rates around 0.5 inches/hour or less. There is higher confidence in 6+ inches of snow in areas south of the line from Redwood Falls to the southern TC metro and over through Chippewa county in Wisconsin. St. Cloud to the Twin Cities could see 3-6 inches and Little Falls east southeast to Princeton is expected to see 2-4 inches. Northwest winds will increase Friday afternoon in Saturday, gusting up to 40 mph in portions of southwestern MN. This will lead to blowing snow and the potential for brief white out conditions. Confidence is high that dangerously cold wind chills will follow into Saturday night, with widespread values of -25 to -40 likely through early next week. A Wind Chill Watch has been issued for much for Minnesota.
--Minnesota State Representative and former House Speaker Kurt Daudt announced Wednesday he'll resign from the legislature early next month, just one day before the 2024 session begins. A statement from Daudt's office said he'll depart the legislature on February 11th 2024. He did not provide a reason for his exit. Daudt, a Republican lawmaker representing communities just north of the Twin Cities including parts of Sherburne, Isanti, Mille Lacs and Anoka Counties has served in the Minnesota House of Representatives since he was first elected in 2011. He served as House Speaker from 2015 to 2019, as well as two stints as House Minority Leader from 2013 to 2015 and then again from 2019 to early 2023. With the news of Daudt's departure, state law requires a special election be held to fill the representative's seat for the term ending in 2025.
--Students and staff at New London-Spicer High School wore camo or blaze orange Thursday in honor of a classmate who died after a crash in west-central Minnesota. The parents of 15-year-old William "Will" Dahl say their son died at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis Tuesday from injuries he received when the Polaris ranger he was driving was hit by a pickup on Highway 9, east of Sunburg on Sunday. Will is an organ donor. Dahl's two brothers, Harrison and Drew, ages 10 and 11, are still hospitalized at Children's Hospital, although Drew is expected to be released soon. A local church has opened a fund to help the family, and more than 117,000 dollars in donations has been raised so far on a gofundme page.
--The University of Minnesota has issued a SAFE-U Emergency for its Twin Cities campus after a specific shooting threat. The school's public safety department has received a threat from 41-year-old Joseph Rongstad to shoot people at the campus. The alert was sent just after 7:20am. Rongstad was found later in Watson, Minnesota and contained he is currently in custody. The University of Minnesota Police Department had extra officers on campus, along with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Many worked and studied from home or via Zoom classes yesterday while in lock-down.
--A pedestrian suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a vehicle. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened just after 5:30pm Wednesday on Highway 65 in Mora. An SUV driven by 33-year-old Erika Nelson of Mora was going south when it struck 24-year-old Wally Murray of Bruno. Murray was taken to North Memorial in Robbinsdale with life-threatening injuries. Nelson was not hurt.
--A Stearns County man has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for causing a fatal crash while fleeing police. Samuel Zechariah Butler was reportedly was going the wrong way and driving erratically on a county road in St. Wendel Township in December 2022. The deputy chased after Butler, but he cut a path through several yards and escaped. Butler is stole a work truck at a construction site after being chased by police, after he took out a street pole while escaping in the vehicle. The sergeant was able to look inside Butler’s abandoned blue Ford Explorer and allegedly found a pipe, a handhold blowtorch, and aluminum foil, which are common drug paraphernalia. The complaint says Butler fled again until he crashed into another vehicle in St. Cloud at the intersection of 36th Avenue North and 10th Street North. Butler and the victim had to be taken to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment. The driver in the other vehicle never regained consciousness and died from his injuries ten days later. The victim suffered head trauma, and both of his legs were broken following the accident. The 29-year-old pleaded guilty in October to a single charge of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, resulting in death. On Monday, a judge sentenced Butler to 24 years in prison with credit for time served.
--The TV news magazine show “20/20” will air an episode about the Dru Sjodin murder and investigation tonight. “Missing From the Mall” will follow the abduction of Sjodin, a University of North Dakota student, from the Columbia Mall in Grand Forks in 2003. Alfonzo Rodriguez Jr. was convicted in federal court in 2006 of kidnapping and murdering the 22-year-old. The episode will air on ABC at 8pm.
--Minnesota GOP leaders are blasting the state's new flag while launching an effort to "save" the old one. A press release denouncing the new flag, which was approved in December by the State Emblems Redesign Commission was sent out with Republican leaders saying the old flag holds great historical importance and it unites Minnesotans by recognizing the people and events that helped created Minnesota back in 1858. The new flag does not do that.
--Sister Julien announced they had 62 units of blood on Wednesday with some deferrals which would have gotten close to their goal at the St. Francis Convent. The blood drive wrapped up on Thursday.
WEATHER
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY 6PM TONIGHT TO 6AM SAT.
TODAY= cloudy skies, high 14, snow starts late afternoon.
TONIGHT= snow likely 1-3 inches, gusty winds, low near 0.
SATURDAY= snow showers, windy and cold, high 3, low near -11.
SUNDAY= cloudy and cold, high -2, low near -15, bitter wind chills.
MONDAY= partial sun, cold, high -3, low near -10 bitter wind chills.
SPORTS
HS GBB= Little Falls at Pierz tonight 5:30pm on 94ROCKS
HS BBB= Little Falls at Pierz tonight after girls game on 94ROCKS
NFL= wild card playoff games on KLTF this weekend Cleveland at Houston and Miami at Kansas City Saturday, Buffalo hosts Pittsburgh, Green Bay at Dallas and LA Rams at Detroit Sunday and then Monday Philadelphia at Tampa Bay. Coverage at 2:30pm Saturday, 11:30am
Sunday and 6:30pm Monday all live on AM960 KLTF.
NFL= After 24 years in New England longtime coach Bill Belichick has parted ways with the team. Also after 14 years with Seattle head coach Pete Carroll is stepping down, but staying on with franchise.