NEWS
--The 2021 Morrison County Dairy Princess Coronation will be Saturday, March 27th at 8pm at the Falls Ballroom. Doors open at 7:30pm and tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door. There are seven candidates for Dairy Princess this year and they are Shelby Krebs daughter of Donald and Marsha Krebs, Theresa Karst daughter of Richard and Janelle Karst, Valerie Gall, daughter of Scott and Stephanie Gall, Victoria Wagner, daughter of Tom and Amy Wagner Jazmine Dickman, daughter of Josh and Linda Dickman, Alexis Woitalla daughter of Kathy and Roger Woitalla of Little Falls and Kloe Kapsner, daughter of Troy and Rebecca Kapsner of Pierz. During the event they will recognize the 2020 Morrison County Dairy Princesses and acknowledging how they will also continue to play a role in the dairy industry after not have any events last year. The current princesses until the 27th are Theresa Karst, Emily Popp, Angeline Sakry, Mara St. Onge and Alexis Woitalla some rerunning in 2021.
--The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports that on Wednesday at approximately 7:48am, their office received a report of a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of 30th Street and 90th Avenue, approximately four miles east of Upsala in Elmdale Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 58-year old Vern Capelle of Little Falls was traveling west on 30th Street and a 17-year-old male from Bowlus was traveling south on 90th Avenue. The juvenile male’s vehicle slid through the stop sign and was struck by Capelle’s vehicle in the intersection. The juvenile driver was transported to St. Cloud Hospital with serious injuries. Capelle was transported to St. Gabriel’s Hospital with minor injuries. The Upsala Fire Department and Upsala First Response Team assisted the sheriff's office at the scene.
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen is reminding residents to call in suspicious activity when you are unsure of a person at the scene or the scenario or if it does not seem right. Larsen said no matter how it may look, call 632-9233 let officers investigate the situation where it could become a major item or arrest in a theft case. Burglaries, thefts, break-ins are rising with the warmer weather, people may be more likely to leave outbuildings, sheds, garages, vehicles unclocked and left unattended this is a fuel to the fire for burglars and thieves. Larsen said 100 mph speeds have been clocked in the county and deputies are asking motorists to slow down, many of the recent accidents in the area could have been prevented if the motorists slowed down. Sheriff Larsen said that bikers, pedestrians, joggers and others enjoying the better weather, please watch for vehicles and drivers please watch for others especially on gravel county and township roads where there is no official speed limit posted on those. Again questions for the sheriff's office call 632-9233.
--A semi truck driver was taken to the hospital after losing consciousness while driving in St. Cloud. St. Cloud Police officers received a report of a semi driving northbound in the southbound lane of 9th Avenue North near Northway Drive on Thursday around 11:45 a.m. The vehicle was reportedly driving at a very slow, idling speed. A passerby from another vehicle was able to hop into the cab of the truck and steer it into the curb to avoid a crash with other vehicles. No vehicles were struck, and no one was injured during the incident. First responders arrived on scene and provided immediate medical attention to the driver of the semi, who was suffering from a medical emergency. The semi driver, a 65-year-old man, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital by ambulance. His condition remains unknown.
--Governor Tim Walz has ordered flags to be flown at half staff today in honor and remembraces of those who have perished from the COVID-19 virus in Minnesota since the pandemic began. He has since stated that the 19th of each month (which started last spring) will be a day to remember those lost and who we mourn for during these trying times. So flags are flown at half staff on buildings today. Also Governor Tim Walz has ordered all Minnesota flags to be flown at half-staff at all state buildings in the State of Minnesota from sunrise until sunset on Monday, March 22, 2021 to honor the eight victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area on Tuesday, March 16, 2021.
--Morrison County website showed 149 active cases on Thursday's report, Pierz shows 73 cases yesterday, Little Falls at 29 cases, Hillman is at 18 and Royalton at 10 cases on Thursday. Numbers on Thursday were up in the state with 1,506 new cases, 9 new deaths including one in Morrison County of a person in their 90s. There were also 25 new cases of COVID-19 for Morrison County on the website.
--A St. Cloud man is jailed after a hit-and-run crash Wednesday afternoon. St. Cloud Police were called to the intersection of Opportunity Drive and 8th Avenue South around 2:15pm One of the drivers involved in the crash told police the other driver was driving at a high rate of speed and ran the stop sign, leading to the collision. That driver then fled on foot while carrying a backpack. Officers set up a perimeter and used a drone and police dog to track the man. They eventually found him hiding in a wooded area not far from the scene. Officers arrested 33-year-old James Westerlund without incident. No one was hurt in the crash, but both vehicles had to be towed from the scene. Westerlund was booked into the Stearns County Jail on suspicion of drug possession, driving after revocation of a driver's license, leaving the scene of an accident, fleeing police and no proof of insurance.
--The Little Falls City Council meets Monday at 7:30pm at City Hall.
NATIONAL TAX NEWS
--The IRS announced that they will delay the traditional April 15th tax filing due date until May 17 to cope with added duties and provide Americans more flexibility.The IRS announced the decision Wednesday and said it would provide further guidance in the coming days. The move provides more breathing room for taxpayers and the IRS alike to cope with changes brought on by the pandemic.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly sunny skies, breezy, high 55.
TONIGHT= clear skies, low around 25.
SATURDAY= mostly sunny and very windy, high 57, low 42.
SUNDAY= increasing clouds, PM rain showers, high 53, low 38.
MONDAY= sunny start, rain late day, snow late, high 50, low 32.
SPORTS
HS BHK= Prairie Centre at Little Falls tonight at 7pm as the Flyer hockey team opens playoffs on Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com.
HS GBB= Royalton at Pierz tonight playoffs 7pm on FM94 KFML.
HS BBB= Pierz at Moose Lake Willow River tonight with a 6pm start time heard live on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com.
NFL= Vikings sign longtime Arizona Cardinal cornerback Patrick Peterson to a 1 year 10 million deal to play in Minnesota in 2021.
TWINS= next radio game for Twins is Saturday 5pm on Q92.