NEWS
--Little Falls City Administrator Jon Radermacher spoke yesterday on KLTF and said that snow removal will continue it started last night and will go through the weekend so expect the plows to be out over the next day working on removing all the snow that fell. The city is again starting to send out items to the newly convened State Legislature for backing their community center idea, sales tax idea which could be on the ballot in 2024 if all is passed. Street projects will continue with more work on 4th Street starting later this spring from the area going past St. Otto's and to the overpass leading toward to the airport. The northern part of the 4th Street Project has been put on hold until likely 2024 for now. There are some other city road projects being discussed for 2023 through 2025. Radermacher said their recent needs plan in going into place for work to be done at the Fire Hall, Police Department and City Hall buildings, equipment upgrades and other part to be done which also will be a long process. Radermacher then also spoke along with Little Falls Community Schools Superintendent Greg Johnson on the childcare facility proposed by both parts this past year, that is on hold until HUD funding can be made available to help with the facility which hopefully will be approved this year and then the next step can begin but this also will be more like years in the future instead of weeks and months. Johnson said that the first 6 months has been mainly getting strategic plans in place, working through the recent weather issues which he thanked the public, faculty, bus drivers, students and parents for working together when school is decided upon to be early, late, dismissed or none at all. He wanted to stress the high number of students using the 3A's Athletics, Academics and Activities for the school and the number of parents and others who attend all the events, in his 30 years of education he said this year he has seen the most in attendance for the events in Little Falls and wanted to personally thank all of those for that. Questions for Greg Johnson call the school at 632-2001 if you have questions for Jon Radermacher at Little Falls City Hall call 616-5500.
--A 31-year-old Columbia Heights man crashed Tuesday after his vehicle went off the road near County Road 144 and Butternut Road in Crow Wing County. The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office responded to the crash, reported at 5:37pm in Long Lake Township, east of Brainerd. According to the sheriff’s office, a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado truck went off the road and the driver was found sitting on a snow-bank, one-quarter mile north of where the vehicle was located. The driver of the Chevrolet, Steven Cooper, was treated at the scene. The sheriff’s office reported the road was snow and ice covered at the time of the crash.
--Stearns County prosecutors have dismissed the charges against a Sartell man accused of trying to burn down his mother-in-law's house back in 2019. Forty-two-year-old Erin Idzerda was charged with 1st-degree arson back in March 2021. Court records show the charges were dismissed Tuesday. Idzerda's attorney Ken Wilson says the prosecutor dismissed the charges after a defense fire investigator reviewed the evidence and determined that the initial investigations about what happened were not done in a scientific manner and not generally accepted within the professional fire investigation community. Records show, the initial investigation claimed the fire started in the basement from a pile of combustibles that had been intentionally set on fire by a match or cigarette lighter.
--Pierz City Council meets Monday night at 7pm at City Hall.
--The Minnesota State Patrol is responding to several jackknifed semis and vehicle spin-outs from St. Cloud to St. Michael from Wednesday into early Thursday. Minnesota State Patrol Sergeant Jesse Grabow encourages you to drive with caution. For the latest road conditions check out the website 511mn.org. Slippery roads are expected still through the weekend with overnight temperatures below zero.
--On Saturday, Air Force Major Katie Lunning will be presented with the nation's highest award, the Distinguished Flying Cross Medal for extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight during an evacuation of Kabul in August 2021. Lunning is the first Air National Guard flight nurse to receive this such honor. Lunning was one of the first to mobilize for an urgent combat mission that than had her dealing with a mass casualty event from a suicide bomber that killed 13 service members at an international airport. The ceremony will be at 1pm Saturday at the 133rd Airlift Wing in St. Paul.
--The Aitkin County County Sheriff's Office is requesting the public's assistance in locating 55-year old Anne Wyatt. Wyatt was last seen in Aitkin County on January 2nd and has not had contact with family or friends since. Her direction of travel and destination are unknown, as is what she was wearing when she left. She does not have her cell phone with her. If you have seen or know the whereabouts of Anne Wyatt please contact the Aitkin County Sheriffs Office.
--A St. Cloud man has pleaded guilty to 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct after he had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. 26-year-old Jacob Young was accused of performing sex acts with the girl and recording it on video in August 2021. He was arrested after St. Cloud Police learned the two had sexual relations through a separate investigation of child pornography. Young is currently on probation for the crime of electronic solicitation of a minor and is a registered sex offender. Young will be sentenced in March.
--A Big Lake man is charged with soliciting a child for sex in Stearns County. 51-year-old Justin Jentzsch is charged with one count each of soliciting a child through electronic communications and describing sexual conduct with a child. Court records show Jentzsch had sent 230 messages to an undercover officer posing as a teen between July 12th and January 2nd. Jentzsch is due in court on Monday.
--Pine Grove Zoo will present their annual fundraiser Pine Grove Zoo Gone Wild Coming out of Hibernation event on Friday, February 10th at the Falls Ballroom, doors open at 6:30pm, with the Deuces Wild Dueling Piano Show at 8pm. Every ticket purchases includes a free admission pass to the Pine Grove Zoo in 2023. Ticket are $49 or a table of 10 can be sold at $490. During the event, you will also find out what the new animal will be at Pine Grove Zoo in 2023. Order your tickets today by calling 320-616-5595 or you can purchased them online through the eventbrite.com website.
WEATHER
TODAY= AM fog, partly sunny, high 17.
TONIGHT= clouds increase, low around -3 then rising.
SATURDAY= cloudy skies, high 18, low around 0.
SUNDAY= sunny skies, warmer, high 23, low around 4.
MONDAY= sunny and warmer, high 31, low around 14.
SPORTS
BHK= Little Falls at Hutchinson tonight 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ.
BBB= Pierz at Pequot Lakes tonight 7:15pm on 94ROCKS.
NFL= Vikings at Chicago at noon Sunday to wrap up the regular season then the playoffs begin next weekend.