NEWS
--Another winter storm is expected tomorrow over most of Minnesota. A Winter Storm Watch goes into effect at 6am Saturday and lasts until Midnight tomorrow night. Snow heavy at times 4-8 possibly 9 inches during the day and into the night. Winds will pick up during the day 20-30mph causing poor visibility and blowing snow. Expect delays if you travel out on Saturday.
--On behalf of Pay It Forward Foundation and I.C.E. Fest 2023, the group presented Little Falls Community Schools a combined $30,000 to Flyer Pride Pack (a weekend food backpack program) and the Kare Kloset (a resource for students that don't have their basic needs met at home). According to Chuck Zwilling this was their biggest year ever and the largest year in donations since they started this event. They want to thank every single person that was involved in making this year such a success- sponsors, volunteers, donors, spectators, family, and friends. They also announced they are changing the weekend next year (Thanks in part to that big football game moved to the 2nd weekend in February) to February 17th and 18th (note the change to 3rd weekend) in 2024.
--The Minnesota Department of Transportation is holding a community meeting about the Highway 10/Highway 23 reconstruction project set to begin this spring. The meeting is Monday, March 27th, from 3-6pm at the MNDoT St. Cloud office. The public can meet the project team, ask questions, see the traffic impacts and a detailed layout of the work, which is set to begin in mid-April and wrap up in November of 2024. Among the items on the list are rebuilding the Highway 23 bridge over Highway 10 and reconfiguring on and off ramps for better traffic flow and safety. A new 4th Street Southeast bridge will be built to span Highway 10 and connect east and west frontage roads. Highway 10 in both directions will be reconstructed between 15th Avenue Southeast and Benton Drive. Highway 23 will be reconstructed in both directions from east of Wilson Avenue Southeast near the pedestrian overpass to east of Benton County Road 1. Both configurations will include turn lanes, shoulders and entrances. The work will require single lane traffic in each direction this summer and fall. Drivers should expect and plan for delays, especially at peak travel times.
--The Little Falls School Board will meet Monday at 5pm at the Middle School Media Center. They will review policies, approval of quotations for transportation providers, update on fundraisers for the upcoming school year, work out grad bash information on use of the facility and approve the 2023-2024 school calendar at the meeting Monday.
--A Hawick woman and a two-year-old boy were hurt in a crash in western Stearns County Wednesday. The incident happened on Highway 71 north of Belgrade at around 1:15pm. The Minnesota State Patrol says a car and a pickup were both headed south on Highway 71 when the truck rear-ended the car at the intersection with County Road 14. The driver of the pickup, 27-year-old Stephanie Teben of Hawick, and a two-year-old in the truck were taken to the hospital in Sauk Centre with non-life-threatening injuries. The car's driver, 54-year-old Karen Rademacher of Belgrade, was not hurt.
--Pierz Community Education is having a 55 Alive Driver Refresher Course next Wednesday March 15th 5:30-9:30pm. Those 55 and older who complete the class could receive a 10-percent discount on their auto insurance. To register all Pierz Community Ed at 320-468-6458.
--Another reminder to spring ahead this weekend. Daylight Saving Time returns at 2am Sunday morning. Turn the clocks ahead one hour before bed on Saturday night or before 2am on Sunday. Also are fire officials remind those to please check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, as they do save lives in time of fire or need.
--A data center is one step closer to locating in Becker. At the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission meeting Thursday, the commission unanimously approved Xcel Energy’s proposed sale of 348 acres of land near the Sherco Power Plant to Elk River Technologies. The company claims they intend to develop the property into a data center.
--A charity hockey game was a huge success. The third annual showcase between Blattner Company and the Minnesota Warriors hockey team raised a record $35,335 for the program. The Warriors held on to the 7-3 victory over the Blattner hockey team, which features players from the Blattner family of companies. All proceeds from the event to help The Warriors’ mission which is to provide a therapeutic, recreational and educational opportunity for wounded, injured or otherwise disabled veterans. This year’s game was played at Bernick’s Arena at the Scheels Athletic Complex in Sartell.
--A man accused of breaking into a St. Cloud home and raiding the kitchen pantry has changed his plea to guilty ahead of his jury trial. Thirty-two-year-old Phan Xiong pleaded guilty to 1st-degree burglary of an occupied dwelling. His trial was scheduled to begin this week. He'll be sentenced on August 10th.
--Love the outdoors and interested in protecting Minnesota's natural resources? You may be just the person the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is looking for. In mid-March, the agency will hold two open house-style career fairs in hopes of finding candidates for its Conservation Officer Prep Program. The application period runs through March 31, and is for people without law enforcement experience. The career fairs are next Wednesday from 4-7pm at the DNR Central Office, 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul and the following Monday, March 20, from 4-7pm at the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, 2101 14th St. in Cloquet. Anyone with at least a two-year degree and a passion for the outdoors can apply for the CO Prep program, which is a key part of the DNR's effort to create a workforce that more closely resembles Minnesota's increasingly diverse communities. A number of sworn DNR conservation officers will be on hand at both career fairs to answer questions and share perspectives about the job. More information is on the DNR website.
WEATHER
WINTER STORM WATCH 6AM SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT.
TODAY= AM flurries, then mostly cloudy, high 31.
TONIGHT= snow after midnight, low 22.
SATURDAY= snow likely 3-6 inches during the day, 1-2 at night, highs will start around 30 then drop into the 20s during the day, low of 20.
SUNDAY= snow in morning another 1-2 inches, windy, high 27, low 4
MONDAY= becoming sunny, cooler, high 24, low around 0 then rising.
SPORTS
HS BBB= Swanville beat Long Prairie-Grey Eagle last night and will take on Nevis Saturday in Wadena. Browerville eliminated Upsala.
HS BHK= State Boys Hockey Tournament continues with the semi-finals in both classes today and the championship games Saturday.
TWINS= Twins have spring training games on the radio both Saturday and Sunday at noon this weekend live on Q92 WYRQ.