NEWS
--Approximately 100 first responders in Central MN will use new technology designed to protect the vulnerable. Mental health organizations, professionals and advocates from Morrison, Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Todd, and Wadena counties, along with Leech Lake Band and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe tribes have collaborated to bring game changing technology to the region. The Region V+ Adult Mental Health Initiative (AMHI) has teamed up with area law enforcement to launch the Vitals™ App in an effort to create safer interactions between first responders and people living with invisible and visible conditions and disabilities. The Vitals™ First Responder App provides first responders with crucial information about vulnerable individuals, increasing the effectiveness of situational response and vastly expanding the potential for successful and safe resolutions. Vitals™ enrollees or their family members voluntarily provide the individualized information in this cutting-edge program revolving around technological innovation. Region V+ AMHI allocated pilot funding from their state mental health grant to bring Vitals™ to law enforcement agencies throughout the region. Law enforcement agencies are in the process of implementing the service in their respective communities. The Vitals™ App is a free service to individuals and caregivers and can be downloaded in Apple and Google Play stores. Vitals™ works by equipping first responders with information voluntarily provided by Vitals enrollees. Law enforcement and other first responders download the Vitals™ First Responder app on their cellphones. The service allows a vulnerable person to register online, then wear a beacon that takes the form of a keychain, necklace, debit card or bracelet. An Android phone can also serve as the beacon. When a Vitals™ user comes within 80 feet of an officer or first responder equipped with the service, the officer will get a notification about the person’s diagnosis and how they may best interact with them. To learn more about Vitals™, go to www.thevitalsapp.com.
--The Little Falls Community High School DECA Chapter had 6 students participate in the International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida April 27th through May 1st. Over 19,000 high school students from across the world competed to showcase their business and marketing knowledge. Little Falls seniors Kailey Ginter and Trinity Roering achieved finalist status (top 20 out of 170+) in the Entrepreneurship Promotion Project. They were the only team from Minnesota to reach the top 20 this year.
--U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar recently praised the passage of major legislation to help lower the price of prescription drugs, including two bills she leads in the Senate. According to a news release, the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act would limit anticompetitive pay-for-delay deals that prevent or delay the introduction of affordable follow-on versions of branded pharmaceuticals. The Stop Significant and Time-wasting Abuse Limiting Legitimate Innovation of New Generics Act is designed to curb the abuse of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration petition process and increase access to affordable prescription drugs. The Klobuchar-backed Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act is intended to combat anticompetitive practices used by some brand-name pharmaceutical and biologic companies to delay the approval of lower-cost generic drugs.
--A woman was injured in a crash on Interstate 94 around 3:30pm Tuesday. 63-year old Jane Susan Gessell of Swanville and 63-year old Debra Ann Scholl of Waite Park were westbound in the right lane at the Sauk River bridge when the first vehicle collided into the second. A passenger in the 2nd vehicle, 65-year old Diane Jeanne Miller of Waite Park received non life-threatening injures and went to St. Cloud Hospital. The State Patrol said Gessell, Scholl and another passenger were not injured. Gessell was cited for failing to use due care. Road conditions were wet at the time of the crash.
--As barbecue season approaches, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reminding people not to wash raw chicken because it could lead to food poisoning. The agency sent out a reminder on its Twitter account last week about the dangers of washing raw chicken. The CDC states that if you wash raw chicken, juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other food, utensils and countertops. Those juices can potentially contain Salmonella and other bacteria diseases. It is recommended to remove chicken from the package and right to the cooking method being used. More information can be found at the CDC website.
--During the week of April 21st through April 27th, the Todd County Sheriff's Office responded to 261 calls for service. The following were the types of calls: 99 traffic stops, 28 civil process, 16 suspicious activity type complaints, 6 traffic complaints, 5 civil issues, 3 domestics, 3 alarms, 2 thefts, 4 disturbances, 2 assist other agencies, 1 accident, 2 domestics, 4 car / deer accidents, and 1 pursuit. Todd County Dispatch received 127 calls to 911 during the week.
--Another busy weekend of events, prom this Saturday for Pierz and Upsala, concerts like Community Chorale at St. Francis Convent tonight, ukulele concert tonight at GRA, Freaky Friday tonight and Saturday at Little Falls Community High School, 2 Cylinder Club Field Days Saturday and Sunday at Morrison County Fairgrounds, Zoo clean up event Saturday at Pine Grove Zoo, cleanup days at area cities and townships on Saturday, Randall Treasure Day is on Saturday, Breakfast at LF Senior Center on Sunday, Pork Chop dinner Sunday at Bowlus Legion, bingo at Mary of Lourdes Middle School Sunday afternoon, a picnic and raffle will follow the 10:45am Mass on Sunday in Lastrup, and many other events for the weekend at fallsradio.com on the community calendar.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny start, PM showers & t-storms, high 64.
TONIGHT= showers and T-storms early, clearing, low 44.
SATURDAY= sunny and mild, breezy, high 66, showers late, low 42.
SUNDAY= AM showers, sunny and breezy in PM, high 57, low 35.
MONDAY= showers likely at times, cooler, high 52, low near 35.
SPORTS
HS SB= Foley at Pierz today at 4:30pm on FM94 KFML.
HS BAB= Royalton at Pierz Monday at 4pm on FM94 KFML.
TWINS= Jose Berrios goes 7 innings and the Twins have a 6 run inning to beat Houston 8-2 and take the series 3 games to 1 over the past 4 days. The Twins (19-10) are at New York against the Yankees tonight. Pregame at 5:30 today, 11:30am on Saturday and Inside Twins start at 11am on Sunday, all live on Q92 WYRQ.
VL= Pierz Bulldogs at Pierz Brewers is the Victory League Game of the Week Sunday at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF.