NEWS
--On Monday the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office took a theft report of several 30 pound LP propane tanks and 12-volt deep cycle batteries from campers located at Hilmerson RV and Marine business, south of Little Falls. The Sheriff’s Office is looking to identify the owner of a late 1990’s 4-door Blue Ford Taurus pictured on a press release shared on the Little Falls Radio facebook page. If you have any information about the theft or the owner of this vehicle, please call the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office at 320-632-9233. Hilmerson RV and Marine has offered a $500 cash reward for any information that leads to an arrest in this case.
--Saturday is St. Patrick's Day. A day of parades, parties and in most cases a lot of adult beverages. The Minnesota State Patrol will have extra DWI enforcement out Saturday into Sunday watching for impaired drivers. Please plan ahead and don't drink and drive. There are many St. Patrick's Day parades including Brainerd having their celebration at 1pm on 6th Street in Brainerd with kids events starting at 11:30am. St. Paul and Minneapolis have large parades too.
--Four people were hurt in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 10, just north of 85th Street in Watab Township Wednesday. The Minnesota State Patrol says around 4:00pm an SUV driven by Sarah Johnson of South Haven was heading north on Highway 10 when she slowed for traffic and was rear-ended by a 17-year old girl. Johnson had three passengers, 7-year old Henry Smith, 1-year old Laurie Smith, and 4-year old Porter Smith, all of South Haven. Johnson, Henry Smith, and Porter Smith were all taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Laurie Smith was not hurt. The 17-year old girl was taken to St. Cloud Hospital, with unknown injuries. Her name has not been released.
--6th District Congressman Tom Emmer stated that farming is stressful. Folks who grow food in the U.S. don't have control over the weather or the markets, and they may be isolated. The District 6 Republican is drawing attention to farmers' mental health and a 2016 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found people in agriculture have the highest suicide rates compared to other professional groups. Emmer has sponsored a bill to support local mental health services to farmers and ranchers in the U.S. He hopes and expects it to be included in the newest version of the Farm Bill, which is being drafted and debated. Potential changes in the Farm Bill to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP or food stamps, have stirred partisan contentions.
--Around 9:30pm Wednesday the Stearns County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a house fire at the address of 3492 Co Rd 44, Fairhaven Township. When deputies arrived they saw the majority of the east side of the home was already fully engulfed in flames. The homeowners John Erikson and Deborah Jurgens were able to get out of the home and were not injured. The South Haven and Kimball Fire Departments responded to the scene and immediately went to the east side of the home to extinguish the fire. Fire crews worked diligently to extinguish the fire but were ultimately unable to prevent the fire from spreading to further areas of the home. Despite fire crews efforts, it is believed that the home is a total loss. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this
time and remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshall.
--The Little Falls City Council meets Monday at 7:30pm at City Hall.
--A valve manufacturer in Sartell is expanding their local facility. DeZURIK Incorporated announced Thursday plans to expand production in Sartell, as well as open a new rapid fulfillment facility near Houston, Texas. As part of this restructuring, DeZURIK will gradually phase out of the company's location in Schaumburg, Illinois. They've operated there since DeZURIK acquired the APCO brand seven years ago. Roughly two-thirds of the volume from that facility will be moved to Sartell. The company expects to hire about 30 new employees, as well as make capital improvements to the Sartell location. Vice President of Marketing Nancy Gregson says they currently have 340 employees at the Sartell location. The remaining volume will move to the new location near Houston, which will better serve their customer base in the southern part of the country. The target date for the completion of the transition is March of next year. The Schaumburg facility has about 60 employees, who will have the ability to apply for jobs in Sartell and Houston. According to their website, DeZURIK was started in Sartell in 1928.
--A 36-year old St. Cloud man was charged this week with felony domestic assault after he was accused of picking up a 16-year old by the neck and throwing him to the ground. Christopher Denbrook is charged in the case relating to an incident in January. He is scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing on April 2.
--The 18th Annual St. Patrick's Celebration is Saturday in Brainerd. Kids events start at 11:30am at the VFW, the parade begins at 1pm and will be along 6th Street in south Brainerd. All are welcome.
--An extremely busy weekend of events including Lenten Fish Fry's tonight, Zoo Gone Wild tonight at Falls Ballroom, Sunday there are breakfasts in Elmdale, St. Mary's in Little Falls, bingos at Bulldog Lake, Buckman, Harding, Belle Prairie, Flensburg and other locations, Easter egg event with the Easter Bunny 1pm Sunday in Bowlus, Crow Wing County dairy coronation Saturday night in Pierz and the Little Falls Health Fair Monday at the high school in Little Falls. Details on these events can be found at fallsradio.com community calendar.
Township Election Results From Tuesday.
Buckman- Ralph Hanneken- Supervisor, Nancy Lanners- Clerk
DEATH NOTICES
--Sister Donna Marie Zetah, age 88 of St. Francis Convent in LF.
--Kathleen A. Valesano, age 96 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high near 40.
TONIGHT= partly cloudy, low 16.
SATURDAY= sunny skies, high 46, clear skies, low 14.
SUNDAY= sunny skies, high 48, clouds increase late, low 23.
MONDAY= cloudy skies, high 37, rain/snow after dark.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins baseball spring games tonight at 5pm, Saturday and Sunday at noon on Q92 WYRQ.
WRAP= Saturday Morning Sports Wrap tomorrow at 9:00am recapping this week in high school sports and also playing a rebroadcast of the Pierz Choir Concert from this past Monday, on AM960 KLTF and streamed online at fallsradio.com.
GBB= State Girls Basketball Tournament wraps up on Saturday.