NEWS
--The City of Pierz and Rich Prairie Sewer and Water informed Little Falls Radio around 8:20am yesterday morning that the Boil Water Advisory for Pierz and Genola has been lifted. The part needed for the control panel was replaced and tested for all safety standards. There is no more need to boil water before usage in the cities of Pierz and Genola. All is again back to normal for water usage there.
--Authorities have arrested and charged at least one man in a south St. Cloud shooting earlier this month that injured four people. Court records show 26-year-old Bryant Garth II is one of three people who fired multiple gunshots into a crowd of people near the intersection of 11th Avenue South and 6th Street South in St. Cloud on July 6th. According to the charges, two groups were arguing around 5:45pm when a car pulled up and three men got out and started shooting. Through surveillance video and other techniques, investigators were able to identify Garth and 28-year-old Daquan Ledbetter as two of the shooters. The driver of the car was wearing a mask and had a hoodie pulled over his head. Ledbetter and the driver remain on the loose. In all, 33 shots were fired in the incident, and three men, between 19-21-years-old, and a 15-year-old boy were taken to the hospital. Garth is charged with four counts of 2nd degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of a felon in possession of a gun.
--A St. Cloud man who pleaded guilty to stealing several motorcycles and pickups around central Minnesota has been sentenced for his crimes. Thirty-seven-year-old Travis Magney has been sentenced to one year and 11 months in prison for the seven thefts. He gets credit for already serving 424 days in the county jail. The thefts include five motorcycles and two pickup trucks, dating back to 2020. Magney pleaded guilty to stealing a motorcycle in St. Cloud in June of 2020, fleeing police on a stolen motorcycle in July of 2020, a St. Cloud motorcycle theft in August of 2020, theft-by-swindle for giving a fake cashier's check to buy a pickup in Albany, theft-by-swindle for buying a car at Vos Motors with a fake cashier's check in April of 2021, another stolen motorcycle in St. Cloud in May of 2021, and a stolen motorcycle in St. Joseph in June of 2021. Stearns County court records show Magney has drugs and theft charges on his record dating back as far as 2011.
--Next Monday, a series of new laws will take effect in Minnesota. The Minnesota House of Representatives has released a list of new laws and regulations that take effect August 1st. Among the more notable changes: Long-term care insurance will be allowed to be sold as part of a life insurance policy. The aim is to be able to offer the insurance to more Minnesotans. The court system must assign a juvenile guardianship for youth ages 18 to 21 if the youth is at risk of the Dutrafficking or abuse. The juvenile and the guardian must agree to the arrangement, it’s in the juvenile’s best interest, and reunification with a parent is not viable. New outdoor regulations include steeper fines for off-highway vehicle violations and trespass laws involving an off-road vehicle or snowmobile. Fines will increase to $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense and $1000 for a third or greater offense. The Safe At Home program will be created to assign P.O. Boxes to use as a legal address for victims of domestic violence, harassment or stalking. The victims will not have to disclose their legal address with this program. All National Guard soldiers “serving satisfactorily as determined by the adjutant general” will be eligible for reenlistment and commissioning bonuses. A complete list of the new laws and regulation are at the state of Minnesota website.
--Congratulations to Stacy Jensen who found the Randall Medallion Wednesday night behind the Fire Warden Sign near City Hall in the City of Randall. Jensen wins $300 in Randall Bucks to be spent at Randall city businesses. Thanks to all who participated in the hunt which had to be postponed a few weeks due to flooding in the city.
--St. Cloud police say a man was found dead in a yard early Wednesday morning. Authorities responded to the 800 block of 8th Avenue North at around 5:00am on a report of an unresponsive man found lying on the grass. First responders arrived and determined the man was dead. He's been identified as 53-year-old Troy Kapol of St. Cloud. Police say the location where Kapol was found was not his home and there were no signs of trauma. The body was taken to the Midwest Medical Examiners Office for an autopsy and cause of death. The case remains active.
--Approximately 250 airmen returned to the Duluth-Based 148th Fighter Wing after a nearly 4 month deployment to the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing, Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia over the past few days. The Aviation deployment designated as the 179th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron consisted of F-16's and more than 300 airmen. While deployed the wing flew over 700 sorties, totaling more than 4,400 flight hours in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Nearly 50% of the base personnel in the past year were deployed 10 counties and all will be returning with in a week or two.
--Another busy weekend of events, Platte River Day in Royalton tomorrow with parade at 11, auction at 12:30pm, Fabulous Armadillos at 8pm Saturday, Our Lady of Lourdes Church Bazaar Sunday on the west side of Little Falls, Stearns County Fair continues in Sauk Centre, a grand reopening event with games and fun Saturday in Sobieski, get details on events by logging on to fallsradio.com then click on community calendar.
--The Little Falls City Council meets Monday at 7:30pm at City Hall.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, warmer, and less wind, high 78.
TONIGHT= partly cloudy skies, low around 60.
SATURDAY= sunny and warmer, high 88, storm after dark, low 66.
SUNDAY= AM storm, sunny and humid, PM storms, high 89, low 62.
MONDAY= partly cloudy and breezy, cooler, high 81, low near 57.
SPORTS
TWINS= The Twins are in San Diego tonight for interleague play against the Padres. Pregame tonight is 8pm, Saturday is 5:30pm and Sunday Inside Twins starts at 2pm on Q92 WYRQ.
VL= it is the second weekend of Victory League playoffs with 6 games on Saturday and by evening should know who will be heading to the region tournament with a few 3rd place games on Sunday. Foley at Ft. Ripley is Saturday at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF. It is likely that there will also be a game on Sunday on KLTF which will be decided after the Saturday games are completed.
WWE= The World of Professional Wrestling begins a new era this weekend as Summerslam this will be the first WWE Pay Per View produced and overseen without Vincent K. McMahon. McMahon took over the company from his father in 1982 and has overseen each production since the first Wrestlemania in 1985. McMahon retired from the company he built earlier this month. His daughter and son-in-law along with other writers will have their crack at it this Saturday night where the main event pits Roman Reigns vs. former University of Minnesota standout Brock Lesnar from Nashville, Tennessee.