NEWS
--A Royalton man was hurt in a one-vehicle crash Wednesday. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened on Highway 10 in Langola Township at around 4:30pm. The patrol says an SUV driven by 68-year-old William Brezinka of Royalton was headed west on Highway 10 near Rice when he left the roadway and rolled. Brezinka suffered non-life threatening injuries in the crash. Authorities say the road was snow and ice covered at the time of the crash.
--The city of Sartell has selected a new police chief. During Wednesday’s special council meeting, the council approved Brandon Silgjord to lead the department. The other finalist was Brent Bukowski, who is currently with the Sauk Rapids police department. City officials say they had nine candidates, locally, statewide and out-of-state, who had applied for the position. Silgjord started his career in Law Enforcement in 2006 with the Pequot Lakes Police Department and Morrison County Sheriff’s Office. Since 2009 he has worked for the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office and in 2021, he took command of 911 Communications and Emergency Management Operations.
Silgjord is expected to start sometime in May.
--Good news for anglers who like to fish for walleye. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has determined walleye fishing on Mille Lacs Lake is scheduled to be open all summer with no planned closures in early July like in previous years. Starting with the fishing opener on May 13th, anglers will be able to keep one walleye between 21-23 inches or one over 28 inches. The DNR says a lower winter harvest of only 4,300 pounds was due to abundant forage in the lake and poor early ice conditions. They say it allows for an increase in the state harvest during the open water season. The 2023 harvest has increased by 20,000 pounds to 100,300 pounds. The DNR says harvest adjustments are always possible if it is warranted.
--The Sartell Fire Department recently received some grant funding to help purchase a new water-carrying fire truck. They applied for the grant over a year ago and learned last week they were awarded over $325,000. The funding would help replace a current truck that is 38-years old. As part of the grant requirements, the city would be responsible for contributing at least $16,000 to the cost of the truck. One downside is that prices on fire equipment have gone through the roof from when they first applied for the grant. Formal approval for buying the new truck will come at a future meeting once designs and cost estimates are finalized.
--St. Cloud area Representative Dan Wolgamott and Senator Jordan Rasmusson of Fergus Falls are holding a press conference this morning on their legislation to repeal Minnesota’s minimum markup on gasoline. The legislation has already passed the House Commerce Committee with bipartisan support and will have its first Senate hearing today in the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. Wolgamott says the bill will still safeguard consumers while offering relief at the pump. Minnesota’s current law requires gas to be sold at 6% or eight cents above the wholesale price, whichever is less. The majority of U.S. states do not have minimum markup laws for gas. According to state law, it’s illegal to sell gas below the wholesale cost, but there is an exception for below-cost promotions.
--Events this weekend include the Kinship Fish Fry tonight 4:30-7pm at the Little Falls VFW to help their mentoring program. There are many other fish fry events tonight at area churches, schools and organizations to enjoy too. Little Falls Senior Center is hosting a breakfast on Sunday 8am-12pm. More events at fallsradio.com.
--The 2023 Buckman Firearms Safety Class starts on Monday night at the Buckman Parish Center from 6:30-8:30pm. This will be on all Mondays March 6th through April 10th. No need to preregister. Registration takes place on March 6 during the first night of class. Must be 11 years of age by the first night of class to enroll. A parent or guardian MUST be present to register their child the first night of class and pay the $7.50 fee for the class. Adults are welcome to take the class. All persons born after December 31, 1979, are required to possess a firearms safety/hunter education certificate in order to purchase a hunting license to hunt in Minnesota. Range Day is set for April 22, 2023, but is only for students who completed the classes in person. Students who took the online version of the training will NOT be allowed to attend this Range Day. If by chance a class has to be canceled it will be announced on the Little Falls radio stations. For more information contact Ron Kahl at 320-360-0986.
--A family lost their home in a fire Tuesday on Atooban Drive in Mille Lacs County near Onamia. The Garrison Fire Department responded to a report of a fire in the attic at 10:14am in Onamia. Fire Chief Bruce Breun said when crews arrived they found flames coming from the home. Though the home was destroyed in the fire, Breun said the family made it out of the house safely and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe were on scene to assist the family. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.
DEATH NOTICES
--Elizabeth “Bette” Benedett, age 95 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= AM fog, then partly cloudy, high 33.
TONIGHT= increasing clouds, low near 20.
SATURDAY= partly sunny, high 36, cloudy night, low 24.
SUNDAY= snow likely afternoon 1-3 inches, high 33, low 28.
SUN NITE/MON= snow likely until late morning, another 1-3 inches.
SPORTS
WRE= Howard Lake Waverly beat Royalton-Upsala in state wrestling Thursday morning 37-25. Royalton-Upsala then took on West Central Area-Ashby Brandon-Evansville in consolation and lost 31-29 in the final match. Royals go 0-2 at state. Today is the individual tournament and Royalton-Upsala will have six wrestlers, Alex Diederich, Will Gorecki, Sawyer Simmons, Kaden Holm, Bryce Holm and Brandon Mugg. Pierz will have four wrestlers Carter Young, Chase Becker, Kyle Stangl and Jacob LeBlanc and Little Falls has Hank LeClair at state today. Listen for individual matches at state today for our area wrestlers on Q92 WYRQ and online at fallsradio.com.
GBB= Pierz defeated Pillager 49-33 last night to advance in girls basketball playoffs. They have Pequot Lakes Saturday 11am in Hermantown, listen to the game live on 94ROCKS KFML. In other action Upsala beat Swanville and plays Saturday in Hinckley. Royalton and Holdingford won and face each other Saturday afternoon. Little Falls and Foley lost their first round matches last night and are done.
COL BB= after losing in the Big 10 Tournament Wednesday, Gopher's women basketball coach Lindsey Whalen stepped down as the head coach on Thursday. Whalen had been coach since 2018 after retiring from Minnesota Lynx in WNBA. Whalen will remain at the University of Minnesota as an assistant to Athletic Director Mark Coyles as her contract with the U of M runs through 2025.
TWINS= another Twins spring game Sunday at noon Q92 WYRQ.