NEWS
--The Morrison County Dairy Princess Coronation and Banquet will be March 25th at 8:00pm at the Falls Ballroom. This year's contestants are Hannah Kahl of Pierz daughter of Steve and Joyce Kahl; Morgan Leners of Royalton daughter of Larry and Maxine Leners; Abrielle Tembreull of Pierz, daughter of Paul and Lewella Tembreull; Katelyn Pusc of Little Falls, daughter of Gary and Shannon Pusc; Mia Roerick of Upsala, daughter of Gerald and Julie Roerick; Samantha Blonigen of Upsala, daughter of Patrick and Kristine Blonigen; Kristen Athmann of Little Falls, daughter of Paul and Michelle Athmann; Nicole Meyer of Randall, daughter of Kurt and Jenny Monson and Brian Meyer.
--A Minnesota mom has made it her mission to change the way an unexpected diagnosis is delivered and a Little Falls teen has made a large donation to help the cause. After Jack Carroll was born with Down syndrome, his mom set out to celebrate babies just like him. When Jack was born three years ago, a nurse offhandedly told Chris Carroll their son had Down syndrome, leaving it up to Chris to tell the mother Carissa when she woke up. A year later, Carissa decided to fill families with hope herself, delivering toys, books and resources to help other parents navigate the news. It is often unexpected since most moms will forgo the Down syndrome detection test during pregnancy. Carissa called her mission, Jack’s Basket. The story touched Little Falls High School Senior Jordan Witt. Witt worked for months to save $1,500 from his part-time jobs to donate, in honor of his younger brother. Witt’s younger brother, Logan has Down syndrome. Carissa wants other families to know sooner. She’s shipped or delivered more than 250 baskets around the world, opened an office to run the nonprofit and traveled the state to better train the medical profession to explain to parents the diagnosis in an unbiased way. Jordan Witt’s donation of $1,500 will cover 21 Jack’s Baskets for families with new babies who have Down syndrome.
--Attorney's for 64-year old Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., the man on death row for the kidnapping and murder of Pequot Lakes native Dru Sjodin in 2003, claims that prosecutors presented false testimony against their client and said test results presented by a medical examiner did not prove that Sjodin was raped. A motion filed Tuesday seeks to have the former Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota and lead prosecutor in the case testify on whether they knowingly presented false information on the case. Rodriguez is appealing his death sentence after he was found guilty of the kidnapping and murder of Sjodin who was taken from a Grand Forks, North Dakota mall and her body was found in Crookston, Minnesota. An evidentiary hearing is set for March 28th to discuss the recent claims from the defense.
--A St. Cloud man was hurt in a rollover on Highway 15 late Wednesday night. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 11:30pm On Highway 15 in Meeker County near Kingston. Twenty-nine-year-old Anthony Bever was going south near 330th Street when his vehicle left the road, rolled, and came to a rest in the ditch. Bever was treated for non life-threatening injuries.
--The Crow Wing County Board of Commissioners is asking the public input on the options for outdoor warning sirens in the First Assessment District, known as the unorganized territory. The item will be presented Tuesday at their next meeting at 9am. Written comments can be presented to the County Administrator office located on Laurel Street in Brainerd.
TURN CLOCKS AHEAD ONE HOUR SUNDAY AT 2AM.
--A Cold Spring man pleaded guilty Thursday to prostitution-related charges after he was accused of agreeing to pay a 15-year-old boy to perform oral sex on him in a Cold Spring park. 59-year old Joseph Vincent Burton was charged in September along with a St. Cloud man who pleaded guilty in February. Both were accused of agreeing to pay the boy after meeting him on Craigslist. The incidents involving both men happened in May.
--The Cass County Sheriff's Office Wednesday received three separate reports, in three separate locations, of vehicles partially through the ice on Leech Lake. In all three incidents, vehicles had partially gone through poor ice conditions and no injuries were reported. Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch advises people to use good common sense when thinking about or planning on traversing on the ice and to check conditions before going out to guarantee a safe and successful trip and return. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Cass Lake Fire Department also hosted the 16th Annual Multi-Agency Ice Rescue Exercise on Cass Lake on March 4th. There were approximately 60 participants and over 15 agencies from across Minnesota.
--7th District Congressman Collin Peterson is the winner of this year’s Minnesota congressional “Hotdish Off,” with the help of a key ingredient from a neighboring state. Peterson won the seventh annual competition among Minnesota’s congressional delegation with his “Right To Bear Arms Hotdish.” One of Peterson’s staffers, Mike Stranz, shot the bear on a hunting trip in Wisconsin. Peterson says it’s an honor to win with a hotdish that recognizes the great outdoors. Senator Al Franken started the contest as a way to blend bipartisanship and Minnesota traditions.
--A very busy weekend of events, fish fries tonight in many towns including, Flensburg, Staples, Rice, Ramey and the Kiwanis of Little Falls of their fish fry 4:30-7 at Little Falls VFW, Saturday is habitat day at Crane Meadows at 9am, bean bag toss by Royalton Alumni at legion at 3pm, Sunday breakfasts in Little Falls at St. Mary's, also one in Morrill with a spring boutique, brunch in Hillman and School Carnival at Holy Trinity School in Pierz from 11am-3pm with raffle for $1,000 to end the day in Pierz. Get information on all the weekend events at fallsradio.com then click on the community calendar.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and cold, high 17, wind chills near or below zero.
TONIGHT= increasing clouds, low 0, wind chills near -15.
SATURDAY= mostly cloudy, possible flurries, high 21, low around 5.
SUNDAY= afternoon show, 1-2 inches, high 23, low 11.
MONDAY= partly cloudy, breezy, high 25, low around 10 above.
SPORTS
HS BBB= Swanville beat Upsala Thursday, Cathedral downed Pierz, Holdingford beat St. John's Prep, Sauk Centre beat Royalton and Foley beat Braham. Winners play on Saturday. Holdingford vs. Sauk Centre 6pm from St. John's on FM94 KFML, Swanville vs. Kimball Saturday 7:45pm from Little Falls on Q92 WYRQ.
COL BB= Gophers face Michigan State in the quarterfinals of the Big 10 Tournament today at 1:00pm on AM960 KLTF. If they win they would play Saturday at 11:30am in the semi finals with the championship game Sunday at 1:30pm on KLTF.
TWINS= Twins have radio games Saturday and Sunday on WYRQ.