NEWS
--Good Luck to the Pierz Pioneers as they face Jackson County Central Saturday around 4:30pm at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in the Class AAA State Semi-Finals for the opportunity to advance the State Championship on November 30th. Hear the game live Saturday on FM94 KFML and streamed at fallsradio.com. There is a link to stream the game right on the fallsradio.com homepage. Pierz is the 4th of 5 games that day at the Stadium so kickoff time may change a bit, listen to FM94 for latest details.
--A reminder from Morrison County Auditor Treasurer Chelsey Robinson that the second half of agricultural and mobile home taxes are due today. Payments must be made in person at the government center today or dropped off at the payment box at the corner of Broadway and 2nd Street SE. Payments must be postmarked by today November 15th to avoid a penalty.
--A Sauk Rapids man has pleaded guilty to forcing his way into a Sauk Rapids business and trying to sexually assault a woman. Matthew Pearson appeared in Benton County District Court Thursday. He pleaded guilty to 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct from an August 19th incident where a woman made a 911 call screaming and saying, "He won't get off of me." The dispatcher said the woman sounded as though she was being strangled. Police arrived and found the victim behind the counter. They said her pants were partially off and items in the building were knocked over. The victim told officers she had locked the doors to the business around 9pm. About 25 minutes later, Pearson knocked on the door. The victim told police it appeared as though he needed help, so she opened the door. Pearson pushed her inside, telling her to take off her pants before tackling her. The victim tried to push Pearson off while running to get a portable phone to dial 911. The victim says Pearson pushed her to the ground again while trying to remove her pants and kiss her. She says she tried to push Pearson off by grabbing him around the throat. Pearson will be sentenced on February 13th.
--A South Dakota tribe is asking for the state's help to change an 1863 federal law that technically keeps them from owning land in Minnesota. The law removed Dakota people from Minnesota and relocated them to several states in the Midwest. It was signed by President Abraham Lincoln after conflicts between white settlers and Dakota people in Minnesota. Though the law is no longer enforced, tribal leaders call it racist. They're asking the state to pass a resolution of support, and raised the subject Tuesday at a meeting of the State-Tribal Relations committee in Pierre. Crow Creek Sioux Chairman Lester Thompson Jr. called it similar to old Jim Crow laws of the South. A similar request did not make it out of committee at the Legislature this year. Thompson says he's taking a new approach educating lawmakers and Gov Kristi Noem on the history of the law.
--Weekend events include Dylanography performed by Big Sweet Life tonight at Great River Arts in Little Falls a true multimedia music experience, tickets $15 at the door which open at 6:30pm. Sunday there is a turkey bingo at St. Stanislaus Church in Sobieski with bake sale, blackouts and lunch served starting at 1pm. There is also the turkey bingo at Holy Family Church Belle Prairie, this year in the new fellowship hall of the church, drawings and kids prizes to given away throughout the bingo which starts at 1:30pm on Sunday. The 43rd Annual Little Falls IMC Band Concert will be held Monday and Tuesday at 7pm at the high school, get details at fallsradio.com.
--Thanks to all that donated during Give to the Max Day where over 21-million dollars was raised to nearly 5,400 nonprofits and schools that are supported by the Give to the Max Day promotion. The official total at midnight at $21,668,705 dollars raised however the organization still has to finalized totals from what they received before and late entries after the day completed. According to the givemn.org website for Little Falls based organizations thousands of dollars were raised to a number of groups including scholarships for area schools, catholic schools, the St. Francis Convent mission, wellness center and other parts of the Franciscan Sisters groups, The Morrison County Area Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of Morrison County, the area food shelves and many more items that received donations during the Given to the Max Day 24 hour period. Last night at 10am was their hour of power moment where in that hour along over 2-million dollars was raised for area charities. Again a big Thank You to all that gave yesterday to keep these groups going strong.
--A slippery patch of road is to blame to a chain reaction crash Thursday afternoon in Otter Tail County. 61-year-old Gary Kelm of Battle Lake was south on Highway 78 stopped to make a left turn and was struck from behind by a dump truck driven by 67-year-old Wayne Braton of Battle Lake. The impact caused the first vehicle to cross into the northbound lane and strike a trailer being pulled by the driver 48-year-old Debra Lundquist of Battle Lake. Lundquist complained of neck and back pain and was taken to an area hospital. The other two drivers were not injured in the accident.
--The Little Falls City Council meets Monday night 7:30 at City Hall with a work session to precede the council meeting.
NATIONAL NEWS
--2 teenagers were killed and 3 others injured Thursday from a school shooting in Los Angeles, California. The suspect, who was a fellow student and knew the victims is in custody.
DEATH NOTICES
--Keith W. Larson, age 59 of Little Falls.
--Arthur “Art” Zapzalka, age 90 of Little Falls formerly Sobieski.
--Walter M. Sowers, age 84 of Bemidji (formerly Leader).
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny, high 35.
TONIGHT= increasing clouds, breezy, low 26.
SATURDAY= cloudy during day, windy, high near 40.
SATURDAY NIGHT= rain develops changing to snow late, low 31.
SUNDAY= snow showers early, then cloudy, high 36, low near 23.
MONDAY= cloudy, rain/snow in afternoon, high 41 then dropping.
SPORTS
SWIM= State Swimming and Diving wrap up Saturday at the University of Minnesota, Little Falls and Foley swimmers are there.
COL FB= The 8th Ranked Gopher football team (9-0) travels to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes ranked #20. Kickoff at 3pm Saturday afternoon on AM960 KLTF. Pregame coverage starts at 1pm.
HS FB= Paynesville Area was defeated by Minneapolis North Thursday in state semi-final football, ROCORI plays later today and Browerville-Eagle Valley plays Saturday morning at U.S. Bank. Pierz as mentioned plays at 4:30pm Saturday on FM94 KFML.
NFL= Vikings (7-3) host Denver (3-6) Sunday at noon at U.S. Bank.