NEWS
--Good luck to the Pierz Pioneers who play Saturday in the state quarterfinals in football against Annandale at St. Cloud State University at 5pm. The Pioneer football team will be escorted out of town on Saturday at 2:15pm to their first round of State on their way to a state championship. The community is encouraged to line the streets in Pierz to cheer them on! Hear the game live on FM94 KFML and also online at fallsradio.com. Tickets can be purchased from the Pierz High School District Office. Good luck Pioneers.
--Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) was unanimously re-elected Thursday to continue to lead the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus heading into the 2019 session. Majority Leader Gazelka is in his third term in the Senate representing District 9, which includes Morrison, Cass, Todd, and Wadena counties. He served as Majority Leader during the 2017-2018 legislative sessions and Assistant Leader from 2014-2016. In a press release Senator Gazelka stated, “The Republican majorities in the House and Senate accomplished historic things over the past two years. We solved the near-collapse of the individual health insurance market, lowered health insurance premiums, lowered taxes, made major investments in roads and bridges, addressed mental health needs across the state, and invested in safer schools for our children. We look forward to working together with the new governor and House majority to continue our successes in 2019.”
--A business fire happened Tuesday morning in Sartell. It started at about 10:15am at Foquet Auto at 5 Riverside Avenue South. The owner of the business says he was working on the fuel tank of a vehicle and some gas had spilled onto the floor. He said a boiler then kicked on and he saw a spark and a blue flame cover the floor. A northeast overhead door then blew off. The owner was able to get out of the building without being hurt. No one else was in the building at the time. The St. Cloud Hazmat Unit was called in to help in the containment of water and chemicals that went into the storm drain and into the Mississippi River. The damage is estimated at around $450,000.
--The Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery's committal hall will be open during Veterans Day's federal observance on Monday, November 12th. The hall houses the 4 portraits (Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Marines) of the U.S. Military branches done by local artist Charles Kapsner. The final portrait of the U.S. Air Force is expected to be completed by next September. They are free to view on Monday.
--Due to a scheduling conflict the Little Falls School Board has moved their meeting to Tuesday at 5pm at the middle school media center. Also with the Veterans Day observance holiday Monday, city offices are closed in Pierz Monday so the Pierz City Council will meet at 7pm Tuesday night. Before the regular meeting there will be election canvassing and a public hearing that starts at 6:30 at Pierz city hall.
--Weekend events include GRA Dinner Theater tonight through Sunday and next weekend tickets at greatart.org, Fall play at Little Falls High School tonight and Saturday, Heartland Symphony fundraiser dinner and show in Brainerd tonight starting at 6pm, bingo Sunday in Flensburg, Harvest Dinner is Saturday night at the St. Francis Convent in Little Falls and other upcoming events that can be found at fallsradio.com then click on community calendar.
--Veterans Day is Sunday this year. Monday is the observance of the federal holiday for Veterans Day. Some federal, state, county and city offices will be closed Monday so it is best to call ahead to see what is open. Post offices are closed Monday and there is no regular mail delivery on Monday. Some schools held Veterans programs yesterday and more today. Other schools will hold their Veterans programs Monday including Little Falls Community Middle School at 8:20am, Little Falls High School at 9am with Veterans Service Officer Kathy Marshik as a guest speaker, and the Mary of Lourdes Middle School Veterans Program will be at 1:30pm which will be broadcast live on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com.
--A 52-year old is charged with four felony counts of domestic assault, threats and stalking on suspicion of hitting a woman because she would not roll cigarettes for him on Wednesday. Jeffry Wayne Johnson of St. Cloud faces one count of stalking, one count of terroristic threats and two counts of domestic assault.
--Stearns County Deputies and Sauk Centre Police were notified of a possible exposure of noxious fumes at Fiedler Finishing of Sauk Centre Wednesday around 6:30pm. 27-year old Robert Alverson of Osakis and 31-year old Bradley Kettering of Glenwood, were working inside the pig barn agitating and pumping manure throughout the day. While working in the barn, they located approximately 50 deceased pigs. They opened the curtains on the barn to ventilate the contaminated area. Both Alverson and Kettering became ill due to the exposure and exited the barn. Alverson and Kettering were treated for their exposure. Upon further testing and investigation, no hazardous gases were found in or around the barn. It is believed hydrogen sulfide gases caused the illness to the men and pigs.
--Stearns County was called to a building fire in St. Martin around 4:25am Thursday. It was a storage shed behind the Cenex Gas Station on fire. St. Martin Fire and Rescue, Lake Henry Fire Department and Albany Fire Department responded were able to control the fire from reaching the building and prevented several large fuel tanks from exploding. The storage building was a total loss. The State Fire Marshall was notified and will be investigating the cause of the fire.
DEATH NOTICES
--Jacob Erhardt, age 96 of Little Falls
WEATHER
TODAY= flurries, cold and windy, high 21.
TONIGHT= clearing skies, very cold, low 5 above, wind chills -10.
SATURDAY= sunny start, PM show develops, high 23, low 15.
SUNDAY= snow till noon 1-2 inches, then cloudy, high 29, low 18.
MONDAY= mostly cloudy, cold, high 23, low around 10.
SPORTS
FB= State Football quarter-finals continues today and wraps up tomorrow across the state. Semi-Finals are next Friday and Saturday at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
VB= State Volleyball Tournament continues today and wraps up on Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
COL FB= Gophers vs. Purdue Saturday 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF
NFL= Vikings have this weekend off for a bye week, they will play on November 18th at 7:20pm at Chicago Bears on AM960 KLTF.