NEWS
--The Morrison County Dairy Princess Banquet and Coronation will be on Saturday, March 21st at the Falls Ballroom. Princess Candidates this year include 19-year old Teresa Karst, daughter of Richard and Janelle Karst of Pierz; 18-year old Emily Popp, daughter of Doug and Jane Popp of Royalton; 18-year old Mara St. Onge, daughter of Gary St. Onge of Fort Ripley and Sarah Keehr of Little Falls; 18-year old Angeline Sakry, daughter of Darrell and Susan Geise and Andrew and Nicole Sakry; and 20-year old Alexis Woitalla, daughter of Kathy Woitalla and Roger Woitalla. Social hour that night begins at 7:30pm with the dinner at 8:00pm. Tickets available at the door.
--Stearns County is now reporting its first case of COVID-19. The Minnesota Department of Health says there are now nine cases of the coronavirus in the state. Officials say 316 people have been tested. Stearns County Public Health has been notified by the Department of Health of a presumptive positive case of the novel coronavirus. The resident had recently traveled; therefore, this is considered a travel related illness. The individual is in isolation at home and doing well. Other cases of the coronavirus have been reported in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Olmstead and Ramsey Counties which included 4 new cases including Stearns Thursday.
--A tax preparer from Milaca has pleaded guilty to 15 tax-related felonies. The Minnesota Department of Revenue says the Mille Lacs County Attorney's Office reached a plea agreement with Cindy Halgren. She plead guilty to 12 counts of preparing false or fraudulent tax returns and three counts of failing to pay income tax. She was charged with 45 tax related felonies in November 2018. According to the complaint, Halgren operated a tax preparation service called Clearview Tax out of her home. She prepared and submitted false tax filings for multiple customers and herself. She allegedly filed these returns on the individuals' behalf without reviewing them with her customers or having them sign them. Many of the returns appeared to include expenses for activities that customers identified as hobbies, portrayed as business deductions.
--Tuesday is St. Patrick's Day but with the recent cancellations across the nation the city of St. Paul announced Thursday that they will cancel the parade on Tuesday. Minneapolis also cancelled their parade scheduled for Tuesday night. However some parades closer to home stated yesterday that they will continue their festivities for both the Brainerd Parade Saturday at 1pm and also the Cross Lake parade scheduled still for 2pm on Saturday to take part in. Many larger cities like Boston, New York, Chicago and even Dublin, Ireland have cancelled all the parades and festivities due to health concerns.
--Events include the final of the 3 day blood drive today at the St. Francis Convent 8:30-2:30pm today, fish fries galore on a Friday night, Farm Expo tomorrow 10am-2pm at Little Falls Community High School with vendors, free will meal, movie of “Silo” and much more on hand with free admission and you are asked to use door #1. Crow Wing County Dairy Princess Contest is Saturday night dinner 7pm and coronation at 8pm at Pierz Ballroom, quilt bingo in Buckman on Sunday and many other events to view at fallsradio.com and click on the community calendar link.
--Pierz Healy High School announced that due to tonight's boys basketball game heard on FM94 that they are moving their play performance from tonight to next Tuesday, shows will be Sunday with the dinner theater show at 4:30pm, and Tuesday night at 7:15pm.
–A couple of Township elections that were received by Little Falls Radio yesterday that were not yet on the newsletter. Swanville- Supervisor Neil Johnson, Clerk Elda Mae “Bunny” Johnston. Cushing- Supervisor Daniel Symanietz, Clerk Deb Symanietz. Cushing Township residents voted 12-6 to move the annual election for the township to November on even numbered years. Granite-Supervisor Tom Loidolt and Clerk Eileen Hargrave.
--The Little Falls Community Schools posted the following information on Thursday on facebook. “As the information regarding COVID-19 rapidly changes from day-to-day, we continue to receive recommendations from the Center for Disease Control, the Minnesota Department of Health, and various Minnesota education organizations regarding classroom instruction and events/activities. We understand people are experiencing a wide range of emotions as we navigate this uncharted territory. We remind you to continue to practice safeguards such as washing your hands, coughing and sneezing into your elbow, and keeping students home if they are ill. Please know that the school district is monitoring the situation very closely and will use all of the resources at our disposal to make the best decisions for our students, staff, and community.”
--Due to the recent health concerns of the COVID19 Virus (Corona virus), NCAA has cancelled their men's and women's basketball tournaments and all remaining winter and spring sports. This means there will be no March Madness in college basketball this year. Included in the NCAA cancellations is the remainder of the College hockey playoffs and championships. The NBA has suspended their season Wednesday, then on Thursday the NHL announced they have suspended their season also. At this time there are no NBA or NHL Games for at least the next month. Major League Soccer has cancelled games for the next 30 days. Major League Baseball cancelled their remaining spring training effective Thursday and the start of the Major League Baseball season will be delayed at least two weeks. The Minnesota State High School League announced that they will limit the amount of spectators for upcoming events, beginning today. No consolation or third place games will take place at the tournaments only semi-finals and championships in girls basketball and they cancelled adapted floor hockey. Section title games will take place but will have limitations on the fans meaning the Pierz game scheduled for tonight in Duluth will still take place.
DEATH NOTICES
--Mary Margaret Koll, age 73 of Little Falls.
--Marcia L. Nelson age 86 of Little Falls.
--Joyce J. Gunther, age 69 of Pierz.
--Betty Hockemeyer, age 67 of Long Prairie.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly sunny skies, high 29, cloudy tonight, low 10.
SATURDAY= partly sunny, high near 30, cloudy night, low 16.
SUNDAY= cloudy skies, high 36, snow develops late, low 20.
MONDAY= snow, could mix with sleet and rain at times, high 39.
SPORTS
PIERZ= Pierz goes for the Section 7AA title tonight at 7pm in Duluth against Esko, pregame coverage starts around 6:30pm on FM94 KFML and streamed at fallsradio.com.
GBB= State Girls Basketball Tournament wraps up on Saturday.