NEWS
--Mary of Lourdes Middle School will be closed today due to a plumbing issue. Only the Middle School will be closed today. The elementary will be on time today. Little Falls Schools already had an early dismissal today around noon.
--Tomorrow is Veteran's Day a federal holiday set aside to thanks and remember all you have served and continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces. The holiday was established as Armistice Day in 1919 to remember World War I Veterans then in 1953 changed to remember to all Veterans. The holiday means that banks and other financial places will be closed on Saturday and some may have special hours today also as the holiday is on Saturday. There will be no mail delivery on Saturday as Post Offices are closed. Some businesses may be closed on Saturday for Veterans Day and other restaurants and establishments may have special dinners or items for Veterans so check with those stores and places. The State of Minnesota Veterans Day Event will take place Saturday at the Inver Grove Heights Veterans Memorial Community Center with breakfast and a program to follow at 10am. In St. Cloud, the 2023 St. Cloud Veterans Day Parade is Saturday at 11am. The parade starts at the St. Cloud Public Library and ends at the River’s Edge Convention Center, parading down West St. Germain Street. Again a very heartfelt THANK YOU to all Veterans from Little Falls Radio.
--Morrison County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management wants everyone to know that November 13-17th is Winter Hazard Awareness Week. To help Minnesota residents minimize the risks of winter, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, in collaboration with the National Weather Service and other state, federal, and non-profit agencies, sponsors Winter Hazard Awareness Week each November. The event includes a media campaign, website promotion and social media posts. The week-long effort provides specific information each day that can be used in conjunction with school, church, or civic programs. Winter Hazard Awareness Week Topics:
Monday, November 13th Winter Weather Overview, Tuesday, Nov. 14: Outdoor Winter Safety, Wednesday, November 15: Winter Fire Safety Thursday, November 16: Indoor Winter Safety, Friday, November 17: Winter Driving. It is important to be informed and aware of potential risks and hazards with winter weather and how to avoid them.
--Authorities are warning central Minnesotans about a new phone scam circulating in the area. The St. Cloud Police Department says they have gotten an increasing number of fraud reports over the last week including a phone scam involving spoof banks. Police say in this particular scheme, the scammers imitate the phone number of a bank, call customers of that bank, and ask for their account information over the phone, before taking that information and using it to make purchases with the person's money. Authorities say it is common for scams to pop up at this time of year as people prepare for the holidays. They add that it is always best to be careful when giving out sensitive information including account numbers, passwords or log ins. Police say if you get a call that you think is suspicious, you should call your bank directly, never give out the info.
--Weekend events include a puzzle competition at the Upsala Public Library Saturday at 10am. There will be a Turkey Bingo Sunday at 1pm at the Royalton American Legion to help the Royalton Drama Club. Another turkey bingo is Sunday at 1:30pm at St. Stanislaus Church basement in Bowlus. Details on events at fallsradio.com.
--St. Cloud Police stopped a vehicle theft Wednesday morning. Officers responded to a report of a theft in progress in the 600 block of 54th Avenue North at about 4:40am. Officers found 22-year-old Nyanchar Gach from St. Cloud inside the vehicle. A news release says officers told Gach to get out, she refused, and officers used a taser to remove her from the vehicle. Gach was taken to Stearns County Jail awaiting charges of felony Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, gross misdemeanor Obstructing Legal Process, and an outstanding felony arrest warrant.
--A central Minnesota man has admitted that he shook and inflicted severe brain injuries to his baby girl at the family's home. 28-year-old Andrew D. Erickson of Garrison, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Crow Wing County District Court to first-degree assault in connection with violent actions toward daughter Gracie Erickson on Fourth of July weekend in 2022, when she was 3 1⁄2 months old. Two days later at a Minneapolis hospital, Erickson told a sheriff's investigator that he dropped Gracie, the criminal complaint read. When pressed further, he said he may have shaken the girl five or six times before dropping her. He then put the count at closer to nine of 10 times. Those the original prognosis was that the girl likely would not survive the traumatic injuries, she did and is now a year and a half old.
--The Pierz City Council meets Monday at 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
DEATH NOTICES
--Michael Newman, age 68 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly cloudy, not as windy, high 36, clear night, low 22.
SATURDAY= partly sunny, rain showers in afternoon, high 42, low 33
SUNDAY= sunny and breezy, high 51, low near 37.
MONDAY= sunny skies, breezy still, high 53, low near 40.
SPORTS
HS FB= Eden Valley Watkins, Nevis, Ottertail Central and ROCORI all won last night and move on to semi-finals, Osakis lost their game.
HS VB= yesterday at state tournament Pequot Lakes moved on to semis, Wadena and Pine River-Backus were defeated in quarters, the tournament wraps up on Saturday.
GHK= Brainerd/Little Falls beat Buffalo in season opener 3-0.
SWIM= Little Falls advanced all three medley teams and some individuals to the Section finals on Saturday in swimming at St. Cloud Tech High School and their divers compete tonight to advance on.
COL FB= Gophers at Purdue Saturday at 2:30pm.
NFL= Vikings host New Orleans Sunday at noon.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1775= The United States Marine Corps is established.
IN 1903= Mary Anderson patents the windshield wipers.
IN 1919= The American Legion Auxiliary is formed.
IN 1928= The World War I novel “All Quiet on the Western Front” is published. The book became a best seller and later into a movie.
IN 1969= Sesame Street debuts on PBS TV.
IN 1975= The Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a storm on Lake Superior killing the entire crew of 29 men. The event is remembered by services in Duluth and across the region and is immortalized in a song done by Gordon Lightfoot the following year.