NEWS
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen spoke on Monday about the ice in Minnesota and that it is never 100% safe. Since Monday, 4 people have fallen through the ice in Minnesota including one in a lake near Eden Valley at the Stearns/Meeker County Lines. Luckily there were no serious injuries from any of those who fell in the water. Sheriff Larsen said that the ice is very unpredictable with the warmer weather, rain instead of snow last weekend. He has already taken calls in December of those falling through the ice on Shamineau and Crookneck in northwestern Morrison County and remembered the fatal incident last year that the took the lives of two men who were very familiar with the lake ice but still caught a ridge with thin ice. On December 26th Chuck Zwilling told Little Falls Radio that they postponed Ice Fest on Green Prairie Fish Lake to February 8th and 9th as the ice was not near what was needed to have a safe event and also try and break a world ice carousel record. Sheriff Larsen reminds all anglers who want to get out on the ice, ATV's snowmobiles, vehicles and even walkers that the ice in the area could be very thick in one spot and less than 2 inches in another. Be safe. January to start, with of course, colder temperatures too. Two men wanted for their alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing in downtown St. Cloud have been arrested.
--St. Cloud police say 26-year-old Christopher Johnson of St. Cloud and 28-year-old Lawrence Johnson of St. Cloud has been located Thursday afternoon and arrested by the Minneapolis Police Department. Both were taken to the Hennepin County Jail and then transported to the Stearns County Jail. A third man, 27-year-old Bryant Stephenson of St. Cloud, was arrested on Tuesday. He was charged Thursday with second-degree murder. The three men are accused of assaulting 29-year-old Unity McGill of St. Cloud inside the Red Carpet Nightclub early Sunday morning. The three were involved in an argument and allegedly stabbed McGill several times leading to McGill dying at St. Cloud Hospital later that morning.
--Authorities have identified the man found dead along a rural Meeker County road, and have arrested a man in connection with the case. The body, identified by the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office as 34-year-old Justin Warnke of Buffalo, was found along the road in the 74500 block of 309th Street in Kingston Township on Sunday. 37-year-old Alejandro Vega of Montrose was arrested Wednesday during a traffic stop in Meeker County. He was booked into jail pending formal charges. Detectives are actively working to determine where and how Warnke died.
--The Royalton School Board approved a 7.9% final levy increase to $2.15 million for 2020, up from $1.96 million at their recent Truth and Taxation hearing. That levy is made up of $646,000 for the general fund, $43,317 for community services and $1.42 million for debt services which is the school mortgage payment. It was reported to the board that the aid to levy equalization rate is one of the best in the state, at 46%. The estimated revenue is $9.29 million with $8.56 million coming from state and federal funds and $727,579 from local aid and levy. After some construction, the age of the building changed in 2017 from nearly 35 years to 28 years which did have a negative impact on long-term facility funds.
--The Little Falls City Council meets on Monday night at 7:30pm at Little Falls City Hall. This includes a number of first of the years items for the city council including naming president and vice-president.
--At 10:58am Wednesday the Morrison County Sheriff ‘s Office received a report of a one-vehicle rollover on Dove Road, about four miles south of Pillager, in Rosing Township. 53-year old Dawnelle Vanvickle from Motley was south on Dove Road when she lost control of her vehicle on the icy road and went in the ditch. Vanvickle’s vehicle rolled down the embankment and came to rest on its top. Neither Vanvickle or her passenger were injured.
--The Front Line Foundation announced Thursday they will be increasing death benefits to the families of first responders who are killed in the line of duty. These enhanced benefits will begin with payments made to the families of the National Guardsmen who were killed in a helicopter crash in early December. The families of Chief Warrant Officer 2 James A. Rogers Jr, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles P. Nord, and Sgt. Kort M. Plantenberg will all receive payments that will help them cover expenses until military benefits commence. Founded in late 2018 The Front Line Foundation was formed to support Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, EMT first responders and National Guard Members across Minnesota. The organization grants financial support to families of first responders who have died in the line of duty. The Foundation’s mission is to bridge the gap between the death and benefits being paid, which can help families with ongoing expenses. The Foundation also provides support in the purchase of tactical equipment for first responders which isn’t included in department budgets. In addition to the news of increased support to families, The Front Line Foundation is proud to be recognized as the benefactor of the Minnesota Wild’s third annual EMS Personnel Appreciation Night on January 16th, when the Wild take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. All donations raised at this event will be donated to The Front Line Foundation for their efforts.
--On Sunday at 2:00pm the Lakes Area Music Festival will continue its 2019/20 Winter Series featuring artistic directors John Taylor Ward and Scott Lykins in a vocal recital titled “Tragic Comedy”. The event will take place at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa. No tickets required, with donations to the Festival encouraged. Other events include the candlelight hike between Lindbergh Historic Site and Weyerhauser Museum and Lindbergh Park Saturday 5-8pm free of charge, an Epiphany Breakfast Sunday 9:30-12 at St. Mary's in Little Falls for a free will offering and others at fallsradio.com.
DEATH NOTICES
--Esther Poser, age 91 of Pierz.
WEATHER
TODAY= snow showers, around 1 inch by late PM, temps drop to 23.
TONIGHT= partial clearing, low 14 then clouds increase by morning.
SATURDAY= partly sunny, high 23, snow after midnight, temps rise.
SUNDAY= snow mixing with sleet/ice, gusty winds, high 33, low 20.
MONDAY= sunny skies, colder, temps dropping to near 0 by night.
SPORTS
NFL= The NFL Playoffs begin tomorrow with AFC games as Buffalo is at Houston followed by Tennessee at New England. Sunday at noon it is the Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans followed by Philadelphia hosting Seattle. Hear all the playoffs game this weekend starting at 2:30pm Saturday and 11:30am Sunday on AM960 KLTF.
HS BHK= Little Falls at Monticello tonight 6:45pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HS BBB= Pierz at Long Prairie-Grey Eagle tonight 7pm on FM94.