NEWS
--Another winter storm is buckling down on central Minnesota for the weekend. A Winter Storm Warning goes into effect at midnight tonight until noon on Sunday with freezing mist today changing to snow by evening 1-3 inches tonight, 3-5 Saturday, 2-4 into Sunday before snow ends. Winds will again pick up tonight to over 35mph causing blowing and drifting snow Saturday and Sunday. Icy conditions are possible today with the mist and drizzle on roadways and sidewalks so use caution is heading out at all this weekend.
--Tuesday night into Wednesday's snow system kept state troopers with the Minnesota State Patrol busy responding to crashes across the state. There was a total of 385 crashes on the state's highways between 9:45pm Tuesday and 5pm Wednesday. 34 people were hurt in those crashes, but there were no reported critical injuries or fatalities. In addition, troopers helped with another 500+ vehicles that spun out and went into the ditch and 24 jackknifed semis.
--According to data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Morrison County had a 3% unemployment rate in October 2019 which is lower than both the national and statewide averages. Here is how our other area counties fared for October unemployment rates: Benton 2.7%, Cass 3.4%, Crow Wing 2.8%, Mille Lacs 3.3%, Sherburne 2.5%, Stearns 2.2%, Todd 2.6%, Wadena 3.4%. Brainerd was at 3.5% and St. Cloud was at 2.7%. The seasonally adjusted rates in October for the state unemployment average was 3.2% and the national rate was 3.6%.
--The Pierz City Council met Monday night. At the meeting Pierz City Hall was designated as the polling place for next years election. City Administrator Bob Otremba updated the council on the progress of 3rd Avenue North project. That project is currently in the design phase and the likely timeline for the project to be done would be next spring. The next Pierz City Council is Monday, December 9th at 7:00pm at Pierz City Hall.
--One person was hurt after a truck crashed into a tractor on Highway 10 in rural Benton County. The State Patrol says the crash happened Tuesday just after 6 p.m. An eastbound pickup, driven by 27-year-old Forrest Moe of Calhan, Colorado was attempting to cross the highway and enter the westbound lanes of traffic when it crashed into a tractor driven by 48-year-old Robert Sturges of Belgrade. Moe was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
--A Cold Spring man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to raping a woman in June 2018. 34-year-old Edmund Furman has been sentenced to nearly 4.5 years in prison. He gets credit for having already served 1 year and 5 months in jail. According to the complaint, Furman and his ex-girlfriend were still living in the same house but on separate floors after they broke up. The woman told police Furman came upstairs one day, pulled her off the toilet and dragged her into the bedroom where he undressed her, tied her hands and raped her. The woman said she tried to scream a woman's name who was downstairs, but Furman put a pillow over her face which prevented her from breathing. The victim was eventually able to escape and ran to tell the woman what happened. Furman said the sex was consensual and denied putting the pillow over the her face. He later pleaded guilty to 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct.
--There will be a sendoff for the Pierz Pioneer football team at 5:15pm today through Pierz. The team decided to leave today to beat the snow storm that is expected late tonight through tomorrow.
--The Santa Parade is tonight at 6pm in Little Falls. If you have an entry in the parade you are asked to meet at Anderson Custom Processing on Lindbergh Drive South around 5pm. The parade will travel to Lindbergh Drive and Highway 27 on the west side of Little Falls travel east on Highway 27 (only in the eastbound lane) down to Bank Square (1st Street) and then turns left to the Little Falls Fire Hall. All are welcome and watch Santa Claus return to Little Falls.
--Other events include the Christmas Tours at the Little Falls Attractions including Christmas at the Mansions at Linden Hill, Nutcracker Suite tour of the Rosenmeier House (Convention and Visitors Bureau), World War I Christmas at the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site and Christmas Tree Lane at the Minnesota Fishing Museum, the tours continue through December 8th. Aitkin has the Fishhouse Parade today at 1pm, a Dueling Pianos fundraiser for Pierz Grad Bash is tonight, Christmas Boutique and Bake Sale Sunday at the Little Falls Senior Center from 8am-12pm, a Toy Bingo is scheduled for Sunday 1pm at Holy Trinity School in Pierz there will also be cash prizes to help Steubenville Kids on their trip from Father Pierz School of Religion. The Chaplaincy Pizza Party fundraiser is Sunday at the Little Falls VFW 11am-1pm. All are welcome to come for pizza and pop to help Morrison County Chaplaincy. There will be a coat drive and food shelf drive for donations at the event. Get details on other events at fallsradio.com and click on community calendar.
--Today, the day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday for businesses getting in the black for after Thanksgiving sales. Many stores started late Thursday and continue with early morning sales. Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday and day for smaller stores to stress their benefits to local communities, shop local on Small Business Saturday in your community to help out the businesses.
DEATH NOTICES
--Howard Leo Pierskalla, age 83 of St. Joseph.
--Bryan Olson, age 58 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
WINTER STORM WARNING STARTS AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
TODAY= freezing drizzle to light snow, high 33, all snow after 11pm.
TONIGHT= snow, heavy at times, 3-5 inches by late morning, low 30.
SATURDAY= snow, heavy at times, mixed with freezing rain, high 35.
SAT NIGHT= freezing rain to snow, could be heavy overnight, low 29.
SUNDAY= temps dropping, snow ending, windy, totals 7-12 inches.
MONDAY= sunny skies, colder, high near 20, low around 5 above.
SPORTS
--Good Luck to the Pierz Pioneers as they takes on Dassel-Cokato for the Class AAA State Championship at 1pm Saturday on FM94 KFML and fallsradio.com.
--The Prep Bowl starts today with the Class A Championship at 10am at U.S. Bank Stadium. Rocori plays SMB Wolfpack at 4pm today in the Class 4A Championship. Prep Bowl wraps up on Saturday.
COL FB= Gophers battle Wisconsin for the right to go to the Big 10 Championship next week against Ohio State. The battle of Paul Bunyan's Axe is Saturday 2:30pm at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, pregame starts at 12:30pm on AM960 KLTF.
COL BB= Gophers vs. DePaul today at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF.
NFL= Vikings at Seattle Monday at 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF.
NFL= Chicago, Buffalo and New Orleans all win on Thanksgiving.