NEWS
--This will be a busy weekend of events. Tonight Church of Cash at Great River Arts; Upsala Upstage Players perform “The Butler Did It” tonight and Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday afternoon at 2pm at Upsala High School; Knight of Columbus Free Throw Competition Saturday at Mary of Lourdes Middle School; Pierz KC's Buffalo feed and raffle Saturday night at Pierz Ballroom; breakfast at St. Joseph's in Morrill Sunday by Ramey-Morrill area Lions; 46th annual MCCL Pro Life Commemoration Dinner at Falls Ballroom Sunday with social starting at noon; and Holy Trinity PTO is hosting a sledding party Sunday afternoon by the Lastrup Church. View details on these events and others in the weeks ahead at fallsradio.com.
--Fire destroyed a five bedroom single family home and killed the family's two cats and a dog on Wednesday north of Crosby. The fire was reported 1:51pm at the house on the 17000 block of Crow Wing County Highway 11 north of Crosby. All the contents inside the home were lost to the fire. Some of the structure remained after the fire. The cause is undetermined. After an initial investigation authorities believe the fire started somewhere in a room above the garage, the area sustaining the most damage. The American Red Cross was called to assist the family. According to the Crow Wing County detailed tax parcel report, the homeowner is Kim Pouliot. The estimated value of the home by itself is listed at $137,900.
--One of three men charged with soliciting a child for sex after a police sting in November has pleaded guilty and was immediately sentenced Thursday. 38-year old Corey Wentz of St. Cloud has pleaded guilty to a felony count of soliciting a child through electronics to engage in sexual conduct. A second charge was dismissed as a result of the guilty plea. A Stearns County judge sentenced Wentz to 2 ½ years in prison and he must register as a sex offender. Wentz will get credit for approximately two months already served in the county jail. According to the complaint, Wentz, 34-year old Sory Sidime, and 22-year old Jacob Young all responded to an online profile set up by undercover officers acting as a 14-year old girl. Young and Sidime's are still awaiting their court dates.
--A Belgrade man is charged with strangling his girlfriend and threatening to kill her Tuesday night. 32-year-old Matthew Quaderer is charged with felony domestic assault by strangulation and felony terroristic threats. He's also charged with two misdemeanor counts of domestic assault. Quaderer was at a Belgrade apartment with the woman when he got upset after talking about their relationship. Quaderer grabbed the woman, pinned her up against the counter and cabinets, began choking her and threatened her. The woman was able to run to her neighbor's apartment and emotionally told the neighbor to call 911 and that Quaderer had strangled her. Police say when officers arrested him, his blood-alcohol level at .206. There are no court dates currently listed for Quaderer.
--A Sauk Rapids teen remains hospitalized in critical condition after a crash in Foley last Friday (January 19th). According to a GoFundMe campaign, 17-year-old Shelby Linn remains in the Intensive Care Unit at the North Memorial Health Hospital in Minneapolis. Linn and the 17-year-old driver were hurt in the crash. Linn was critically hurt. The driver of the car, whose name hasn't been released, suffered non-life threatening injuries. The driver of a pickup involved was not hurt. Friends of Linn started a page to help with medical expenses as she faces a long road to recovery.
--Motorists who travel Highway 371 between Brainerd and Nisswa will encounter slow or stopped traffic as the road is reduced to a single lane, and flaggers control traffic at various locations on Saturday from 7:00am to 6:00pm. The lane closures are needed to accommodate the increased traffic and shuttle buses for the annual Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Hole in the Day Bay on Gull Lake. Fishing contest participants and spectators are encouraged to use the two shuttle bus service locations. The shuttle services are located at Brainerd International Raceway, just north of Baxter, and at the temporary parking lot at Highway 371 and the north junction of Crow Wing County Road 77 in Nisswa. Shuttle busses for the annual event will run from 8:00am to approximately 5:00pm. The Minnesota State Patrol will provide increased patrols and DWI enforcement to support local law enforcement agencies throughout the event. Motorists are urged to slow down, use caution and be prepared to stop as they navigate the area. For real-time travel information anywhere in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org.
--The Rice City Council approved the appointment of council member Brian Skroch to the vacant mayor seat Tuesday night after he expressed his interest in the position. Skroch's move to mayor now leaves a vacant council seat, which the council will fill by appointment following an application period. Residents interested in the position should submit a letter of intent for council review. The city was also presented with the option of holding a special election this year, but decided against it because of cost. This is happening as a result of the council accepting the resignation of then mayor Erik Bonde last week. Bonde was elected the new mayor of Rice November 6th. Bonde was arrested January 10th — three days after being sworn into office — on suspicion of a DUI after officers found him preparing to operate a school bus while intoxicated. He filed his resignation with the city the next day. The council accepted it at a special meeting January 16th. The open council position is a two-year term. Applications will be accepted until February 14th and should be submitted either by mail or in person at Rice City Hall.
--The next Pierz City Council meeting will be Monday night at 7pm.
NATIONAL NEWS
--a reminder that U.S. Postage Stamps go up to 55-cents Sunday.
DEATH NOTICES
--Bernard “Bernie” Otremba, age 64 of Buckman.
--Gerald Whitney, age 72 of Onamia.
--Jack Cunningham, age 83 of Onamia.
--Alvin Janorschke, age 93 of Buckman.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and cold, high -1, clear and cold night, low -17.
SATURDAY= partly cloudy, high 0, clouds increase late, low -16.
SUNDAY= cloudy skies, high 3 above, light snow in afternoon.
MONDAY= snow showers likely around 1 inch, high 7 above.
SPORTS
HS GHK= Eden Prairie at Brainerd/Little Falls tonight 7pm on Q92.
HS BBB= Long Prairie-Grey Eagle at Pierz tonight 7pm on FM94.
COL HK= Gophers vs. Wisconsin Saturday 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF
NFL= the Pro Bowl is Sunday in Orlando, 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF