NEWS --The Minnesota Supreme Court on Thursday upheld Governor Mark Dayton’s line item veto of the Legislature’s operating budget, declining to referee a political dispute between two co-equal branches of government that it said could resolve the issue themselves. The ruling overturned a lower court decision that deemed Dayton’s action unconstitutional. But the high court said the state constitution does not allow the courts to order funding for the Legislature without an appropriation. The court stated the Legislature has the authority to tap enough money to continue operating, at least $26 million and up to $40 million, until it reconvenes February 20th. It rejected the argument that Dayton violated the constitution by effectively abolishing the Legislature. Dayton zeroed out the Legislature’s $130 million operating budget while signing the rest of a roughly $46 billion, two-year budget in late May.
--Camp Ripley Senior Commander Col. Lowell E. Kruse will be promoted to the rank of brigadier general during a ceremony at Camp Ripley Saturday at 1:00pm. In October of 2017, Kruse assumed the duties as the Camp Ripley senior commander, working in conjunction with Colonel Brian Melton who took command as the Camp Ripley Garrison Commander, a position which had been held by Col. Scott St. Sauver since 2010. The new position as Camp Ripley senior commander places Kruse in the role as the full time administrator to the entire installation to include the Camp Ripley Garrison personnel. The promotion ceremony for Col. Lowell E. Kruse will be held at the Hangar Conference Center on Camp Ripley this Saturday at 1:00pm.
--Pillager Schools on Wednesday received an award for its creative learning program geared toward primary students grades fifth through eighth grade. The University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs recognized the school district among 25 local government projects for their methods to reach their residents with greater effectiveness and at a lower cost.
–A Pine River shed was ruled a total loss from a fire Wednesday. Around 5:30pm fire crews were called to a wood shed engulfed in flames. As firefighters arrived on scene, a half mile north of Pine River the shed was already deemed a total loss. A wood stove inside the wood shed is believed to be the cause. There were no injuries.
--Breezy Point police and Pequot Lakes firefighters battled a power pole fire Sunday around 10:30am on the 7300 block of Crow Wing County Highway 11. Firefighters and police helped to douse the fire by the transformer pole. Crow Wing Power shut off power in the area from that particular pole for about 20 minutes until it was put out.
--Governor Mark Dayton plans to create a Cabinet level task force to address what he calls an appalling failure of the state to protect elderly residents from abuse in senior care homes. The task force will consist of state agency heads and experts on senior abuse and elder justice. Dayton wants reform proposals for the 2018 Legislature, which convenes in February. Dayton says he considers some acts of elder abuse to be criminal acts, and he doesn't understand why they aren't handled that way. A newspaper investigation found that hundreds of vulnerable residents at senior care centers across Minnesota are beaten, sexually assaulted or robbed each year. The newspaper says no one is punished in a majority of cases because the state lacks staff and expertise to investigate.
--Rice officials are searching for a new City Clerk. Stephanie Roggenbuck recently announced she will be leaving the position on November 22nd. She says she has accepted a Human Resources Director position with Wilkin County. The city council will discuss interview applications during Monday's meeting. They hope to hold interviews for the position on November 27th. Roggenbuck has held the position for about a year and a half.
--A Sauk Rapids woman is charged with assault after a man suffered knife wounds, one of which required surgery. 27-year old Samantha Lynn Roelike was charged Wednesday in Benton County with one count each of first degree and second degree assault. Both are felonies. Sauk Rapids police were called on Tuesday to the 1800 block of Eastern Star Loop where they found a man who said Roelike came toward him with a knife. He believed she would slash him in the face and raised his right forearm to block the knife. His arm was cut, and as he ran around the woman the knife grazed his stomach. Officers saw a cut on the front of his shirt and a "substantial" cut on his arm. He was taken to St. Cloud Hospital where surgery was required as tendons in his arm had been cut. Roelike admitted to a Sauk Rapids officer that she slashed at and cut the man. She was booked into Benton County Jail on Tuesday evening.
--A 32-year old Sauk Rapids man could face charges of arson after an incident at a St. Cloud adult bookstore early Thursday afternoon. Police arrested Cody Mann several blocks away from Pure Pleasure, the store that was on fire. About 12:30pm, St. Cloud police learned a man had entered the store, poured gas inside the store and then lit the store on fire. The lone store employee inside at the time left the store uninjured and called emergency services. Firefighters were able to vent the building and extinguish the fire. No one else was inside the store when the fire was lit. Police arrested Mann several blocks from the store without incident. He was transported to Benton County Jail and could face charges of first-degree arson. Officials are still assessing how much damage was caused to the store.
--Another busy weekend of events, last 2 nights of dinner theater at Great River Arts, Beauty and the Beast performed tonight and Sunday at Pierz High School, Christmas Bazaar at St. Mary's Saturday and Sunday, bingos Sunday in Motley, Belle Prairie, Bulldog Lake and Flensburg, dinners in Bowlus and Browerville and much more can be found by going to fallsradio.com then community calendar.
DEATH NOTICES --Matthew Beebe, age 58 of Motley.
WEATHER TODAY= cloudy skies, drizzle/rain at times, high 41. TONIGHT= drizzle, some sleet possible, clearing late, low 23. SATURDAY= sunny and windy, high near 30, low around 10 above. SUNDAY= sunny and less windy, high 35, low around 25. MONDAY= sunny and warmer, turning windy, high 47, low 32.
SPORTS HS FB= Pierz vs. Jordan in the Class AAA State Semi-Finals Saturday at 2pm at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on FM94 KFML and streamed online at fallsradio.com. COL FB= Gophers at Northwestern Saturday 10am on AM960 KLTF NFL= Vikings (7-2) host the Rams (7-2) Sunday at noon.