NEWS
--The Morrison County Sheriff's office, in cooperation with all local police departments in the county, have recently completed the annual predatory offender registration (POR) verifications for Morrison County. Each year the sheriff’s office organizes a verification check for all predatory offenders who are on the registry and residing within the county. It is important to note that Minnesota only began registering predatory offenders in 1991 and did not assign risk level until 1997. Only those offenders who have been sentenced to prison and who were released after January 1, 1997 have been assigned a risk level. Offenders sentenced to probation, or juvenile offenders, are not assigned a risk level. Level 1 offenders are those deemed by the Department of Corrections officials as least likely to reoffend, while Level 3 offenders are considered most likely to reoffend. During the most recent round of checks, multiple predatory offenders were checked in Morrison County. 62 predatory offenders were checked by the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, Pierz Police Department, Motley Police Department and Royalton Police Department. Of those 19 were Level 1 offenders, 6 were Level 2, 1 was Level 3 and 36 offenders were not assigned a risk level. 43 predatory offenders were checked by the Little Falls Police Department which are not part of this breakdown. Two individuals were found to be noncompliant with conditions imposed upon them. 29-year old Steven David Fuchs and 25-year old Dan Leroy Ferguson have charges pending through the Morrison County Attorney’s office for failing to register their current address, which is a felony. According to Sheriff Larsen it is important for us to keep tabs on the predatory offender registry. “I feel it is extremely important that these people remain aware that we know who they are and our office will continue to hold them accountable.”
--Today is Inauguration Day in Washington DC for the 45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump. Cermonies started Thursday with welcoming ceremonies and a wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery. Today President Donald J. Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence will be sworn in with ceremonies beginning at 10:30am central time in front of the U.S. Capitol Building. Following the swearing in there will be a parade around 2:00pm down Washington DC and the day finishes with three Inaugural Balls that the President and Vice-Presidents and their wives and family members will attend named the Liberty and Freedom and Salute to Armed Forces balls this evening. Saturday is the National Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral starting at 9:00am central to end the festivies. Hundreds of thousands are expected to attend the festivies including many from our local area. A number of students, chaperones and teachers from Upsala will be there, members of the Crow Wing County 4H group will be there as part of 45 young people from Minnesota making the trek to see the new President sworn in. Earlier this week on KLTF Up Front former State Representative Steve Wenzel announced he also would be taking in the Inauguration today in D.C. too.
--The Pierz City Council will hold a public hearing Monday on their comprehensive plan at 6pm, followed by their regular city council meeting at 7pm Monday at Pierz City Hall.
--Sunday is the 44th Anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion in the United States. Pro Life and Pro Choice rallies are planned on Sunday. Including a large pro life rally Sunday at 2pm at the State Capitol. The MCCL of Morrison County will hold their dinner on the 29th in Little Falls. For tickets call Jim 584-5235.
--The Little Falls Lets Go Fishing chapter is in need of a group of dedicated volunteers who will step forward to help run the program and to become captains. Each LGF chapter is ran by a volunteer board with people filling a variety of positions (chairman, treasurer, promotions, group coordinator, boat maintenance, etc.) The local chapter is in need of people to fill these roles. In an effort to recruit more people to their Let's Go Fishing chapter, they are in talks with the LGF "Home Office" to expand their service area to include St. Cloud. A meeting is scheduled on Thursday, February 1st from 4:30-6:30pm in the Little Falls Library. Anyone interested in joining the board is asked to attend. If you plan on attending RSVP by calling board member Aaron Olson at (320) 632-8806.
--A Sauk Rapids teen, Ashley Gonzalez, a junior at the St. Cloud Christian School, is one of 28 tap dancers who performed at "Voices of the People," one of the events being held as a part of Donald Trump's presidential inauguration. The event was held Thursday at the Lincoln Memorial. Gonzalez said she has been dancing since since age 2 but began tap dancing four years ago. After entering the world of tap dancing, Gonzalez traveled to South Korea to perform with the USA Tap Team, and also represented the U.S. in the World Tap Championships in Germany.
--A small electrical fire in a clothes dryer caused an estimated $10,000 worth of damage at St. Cloud State University. St. Cloud Firefighters were called to Halenbeck Hall around 10:50pm Wednesday for an isolated fire. The sprinklers were activated and able to contain the fire to the one dryer.
--A level three predatory offender will be relocated to St. Cloud on Wednesday. A press release said Demetris Duncan is on a supervised release with the Department of Corrections and will transition back into the community. Duncan will reside in the jail, but will be released into the community from 10:00am-2:00pm during the week. According to the police department, Duncan has previously lived in the community as a predatory offender. He was sent back to prison after violating his release. The violation was drug-related. Those with concerns can contact the St. Cloud Police Department.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
--Daniel Ballou and Tiffany Cluever of Randall, a boy January 18th
DEATH NOTICES
--Charlotte “Char” M. Hale, age 70 of Randall.
--Vivian Marthaler, age 89 of Lincoln NE formerly Little Falls.
--Kenneth A. Meuller, age 83 of Long Prairie
WEATHER
TODAY= rain, some icy mix possible, high 37.
TONIGHT= rain, freezing mix overnight, low 32.
SATURDAY= rain, mixing with sleet & snow late, high 37, low 30.
SUNDAY= rain/snow early, cloudy afternoon, high 37, low 29.
MONDAY= cloudy skies, high 36, light snow overnight, low 25.
SPORTS
HS GBB= Pierz at Holdingford tonight 7:15pm on FM94 KFML.
COL BB= Gophers host Wisconsin Saturday 3pm on AM960 KLTF
NFL= Green Bay at Atlanta Sunday 2pm, Pittsburgh at New England Sunday 5:45pm, winners to the Super Bowl, both games on KLTF.