NEWS
--On Wednesday, it was reported by the Little Falls School District that at the end of the school day the Little Falls Police Department responded to a report regarding an alleged threat to student safety and security. School officials were made aware of the alleged threat when officers arrived while buses were getting ready to depart from the Lindbergh/Middle School campus. Some students may have noticed an increased police presence at campus during that time. Once it was determined that students were safe, buses were allowed to depart. At no time were our students in danger. The police department continued their investigation and we have now received word that the alleged threat was not credible. Out of an abundance of caution and for clarification we wanted to make sure you were aware of the situation in the event that your student had questions about the increased presence of police on campus. The safety of our students is always our number one priority. Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Superintendent Greg Johnson or your school building principal.
--Sartell police have released more details about that deadly apartment fire back on January 19th. They say the two people who died are 24-year-old Caleb Clark and four-month-old Hazel Clark. Caleb Clark died of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound. Hazel Clark's death is being investigated as a homicide and the cause of death is still pending. The two recently moved to Sartell from the Grand Forks area. Investigators were called to the scene of an apartment fire at 301 11th Avenue East. The State Fire Marshal determined that the fire had been intentionally set in Clark's apartment. Most of the damage was controlled to that unit.
--Minnesota State Patrol Lieutenant Gordon Shank spoke on KLTF yesterday and said that it has been a very busy year so far for state troopers on state roadways. Spinouts, accidents, speeding, and drivers attempting to help another vehicle or get out of their vehicle at the time of an accident and are struck from an oncoming vehicle leading to injuries and in one case a death. Shank reminds motorists that this weekend are many events around the state of Minnesota including the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza where there will be more traffic and congestion, delays along Highway 371 at times on Saturday going and coming from the event. Shank said if you are hauling a trailer, ice or fish house they need to be secure which has led to a number of crashes on the roads and even fatal incidents with items that fall from a moving vehicle, trailer or was not secure the way you thought it was. Impaired and speed enforcement will continue this year especially with the big football games and parties if not this Sunday but when the Super Bowl is played on February 12th remember to never drink and drink. If you need more information on items from the Minnesota State Patrol, Shank said to check their website, social media pages for further details.
--The President Joe Biden administration will ban new mining on federal land within the same watershed as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for the next 20 years. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland signed a public land order Thursday preventing new mineral leases on 225,500 acres of the Superior National Forest in Northeastern Minnesota. The move comes after the Forest Service released a study in June that said hard rock mining within the watershed would pose an environmental risk to the Boundary Waters. The decision is expected to have mixed reactions as pro-mining advocates say the industry brings much needed jobs to the area.
--Authorities have released the name of the man who was shot and killed last week at a southeast St. Cloud apartment. Police say the victim is 53-year-old Craig Hortman of St. Cloud. The case remains active and investigators continue studying what led to the murder and other facts surrounding the case. Just before midnight on Tuesday, January 17th, officers responded to the shooting in the 300 block of 14th Avenue Southeast. Officers arrived to find a man inside had been shot. Despite life-saving measures, the victim died at the scene. Authorities say the suspects fled the area immediately after the shooting and that this does not appear to be a random incident.
--A St. Cloud man is charged with running a drug distribution ring that included selling wholesale quantities of fentanyl pills in the tri-county area. Thirty-year-old Dimitri Accardo-Rainey is charged with a felony 1st-degree drug count with aggravating factors. Members of the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force began an investigation into Accardo-Rainey's alleged drug sales last November. Court records show he would often employ others to complete the hand-to-hand transactions after he arranged the terms. Police say he also used different stash houses to complete drug deals and store the drugs. According to the charging complaint, Accardo-Rainey sold fentanyl pills to undercover informants on five separate occasions between November 17th, 2022, and January 6th of this year. Each of those transactions was for more than 100 pills and on one of those occasions, the undercover buyer bought just under 200 fentanyl pills. A search warrant was used at Accrdo-Rainey's southeast St. Cloud apartment. Police say they seized more than 600 fentanyl pills, $10,000 in cash, and several guns. Accardo-Rainey is currently on probation from previous felony convictions in Clay, Stearns, and Wright counties. If convicted, he faces a minimum 11 years in prison.
--A reminder that the Legislative Update from the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce is today at 9am at Little Falls City Hall. Expected in attendance is Senator Nathan Wesenberg of District 10 and Representatives Ron Kresha of District 10A and Isaac Schultz from District 10B. They will address what is happening in the state legislature so far and hear from the audience at the update.
--Events this weekend include the Pierz Knights of Columbus Buffalo Feed and Raffle on Saturday, the MCCL Dinner is Sunday starting with social at noon at the Falls Ballroom, more items at fallsradio.com.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Milo and Kaitlin Koubsky, parents o fa boy born January 23rd.
DEATH NOTICES
--Dennis Ronald Smolik, age 76 of Brainerd.
--Scott Williams, age 61 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= light snow early, temps dropping, very gusty winds which could exceed 40mph, tonight partly cloudy, windy, low -6.
SATURDAY= sunny and cold, high 4 above, low -15, cold winds.
SUNDAY= cloudy and cold, high 0, low -17, not as windy.
MONDAY= sunny and very cold, high -3, low around -21.
SPORTS
NFL= It is Championship weekend in the NFL. The NFC Championship is at 2pm Sunday between San Francisco at Philadelphia then the AFC Championship at 5:45pm between the Cincinnati Bengals at the Kansas City Chiefs. Both on KLTF.