NEWS
--The 10th annual day of caring will be from 8:00am-12:00pm on Wednesday, May 6th. On this day, Little Falls Community High School students, staff and community volunteers will do yardwork such as raking, washing ground floor windows, and other miscellaneous jobs. Volunteers are not allowed to climb on ladders or use power tools. Homeowners that qualify have to reside in the city limits of Little Falls and Randall or the villages of Flensburg and Sobieski. As in years past, a homeowner or adult will need to be present during the day of caring. This helps to allow guidance and supervision for the volunteers. Once all residential projects are completed, volunteers will help beutify local parks as time permits. As far as registration, the day of Caring will be calling home owners who they helped last year from approximately 6:00-7:00pm on Tuesday, March 24th and the forms will be out after that. Forms will be available at numerous locations including the high school, hospital, area churches, and numerous businesses that had them in years past including Little Falls Radio. Project requests will be due by Friday, April 10th and volunteer forms are due by Friday, April 17th. Little Falls Radio will remind you as these dates near but the day of caring will be May 6th.
--A man who reportedly assaulted a woman in a St. Cloud apartment was tased by police and died at the hospital. Officers from the St. Cloud Police Department were called to an apartment in the 10 block of Wilson Avenue Southeast Wednesday around 3:15pm on a report of an unresponsive man. Prior to officers' arrival on scene, the caller, a woman, indicated the man had become responsive and was possibly having a seizure. Shortly thereafter, the woman informed the dispatcher the man was becoming physically aggressive toward her. She eventually stated she was being assaulted and choked. When officers arrived, they did not receive an answer at the door, and ultimately broke the door down to find the victim. Officers found the man inside the apartment and tased him while taking him into custody. At that point, the man became unresponsive and was taken by ambulance to St. Cloud Hospital where he later died. The woman was found inside the home with minor injuries from the assault. One officer received minor injuries during the arrest. Moving forward, the investigation will be handled by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and involved officers have been placed on standard administrative leave.
--A federal jury in New Mexico has convicted a Minnesota man accused of impersonating a U.S. Border Patrol agent last year. Prosecutors say 45-year-old James Christopher Benvie of Albany was found guilty of two counts and faces up to three years in prison on each count. His sentencing date hasn't been set yet. According to public court records and evidence at trial, Benvie was a leader and spokesperson for a group of vigilantes who established a "camp" at the Southwest border in New Mexico's Dona Ana County. Many members of the group wore badges, camouflage and other military-style clothing, often covered their faces with masks and carried pistols and assault rifles.
--Weekend events, of course Friday in Lent means fish fry, Kinship has one at the VFW at 4:30pm, Staples school, Royalton, Rice, Little Falls and many other communities in the area continue with their Friday night fish fries. Winter Wonderland Figure Skating Club has their shows Saturday at 2pm and 7pm and Sunday at 2pm at the Exchange Arena in Little Falls. More items found at fallsradio.com.
--The Little Falls FFA chapter is celebrating 90 years this year and the group is having a Farm Expo on Saturday, March 14th at the high school, enter door #1 to the Charles D. Martin Auditorium. Businesses, government agencies, first responders, farmers and community members will be on hand for the day of networking, conversation on today's agriculture, free will donation meal and exploring vendor booths. There will also be a feature film presentation of “Silo” about a grain entrapment to bring awareness about farm safety. It is free to attend and all are welcome. The Expo begins MARch 14th from 10am-2pm, the freewill donation meal is set for 11am-1pm while supplies last, and the showing of the film silo will start at 2pm that afternoon at the high school.
--Winter truck load increases will end and spring load restrictions will begin Monday at 12:01am on unrestricted state highways in the central frost zone, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The frost zones and restricted routes can be found on the MnDOT load limits map. The start of spring load restrictions was today in the south, southeast and metro frost zones. Start and end dates and other load limit information are shown at mndot.gov/loadlimits.
--Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday at 2am. Remember to spring ahead, turn the clocks one hour ahead before bed Saturday night or before 2am Sunday morning as we return to Central Daylight Time.
NATIONAL NEWS
--Another Democrat is out of the Presidential race. Elizabeth Warren announced Thursday she is ending her campaign for President. This pretty much leaves former Vice-President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders as the two DFL Candidate front-runners for now.
DEATH NOTICE
--Ronald “Ron” Pick, age 58 of Pierz.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 34, not as windy.
TONIGHT= clear skies, steady temps around 30.
SATURDAY= sunny skies, high 47, low around 26.
SUNDAY= partly sunny, very mild, high 51, rain showers develop after dark may change to wet snow overnight, low 24.
MONDAY= becoming sunny, cooler and breezy, high near 30.
SPORTS
BBB= Pierz wins over Crosby-Ironton and Holdingford upset Albany last night in boys basketball playoffs and will play again on Saturday. Upsala, Swanville, Foley, Onamia, Browerville, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle and Pillager were all eliminated in boys basketball playoffs last night.
BBB= Pierz vs. Moose Lake Willow River from Duluth, Saturday morning at 11am on FM94 KFML and fallsradio.com.
COL HK= Gopher Hockey opens the Big 10 Tournament tonight hosting Notre Dame at 6:30pm, Game 2 is Saturday at 6:30pm and if there is a Game 3 in the best of 3 series that is Sunday at 4:30pm. Hear all the action live this weekend on AM960 KLTF.
COL BB= Gophers vs. Nebraska at 11:30am Sunday to wrap up the regular season on AM960 KLTF. Big 10 tourney starts Wednesday.
TWINS= listen to Twins spring training games this weekend both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's game has been moved up start at 10:30am while Sunday is at noon on Q92 WYRQ.