NEWS
--Little Falls Superintendent Stephen Jones spoke on KLTF Friday and stated that with K-12 schools closed for students the rest of the school year, distance learning, food distribution and child care provisions will continue as they have and will do so until the last day of school, which is May 27th. After that is a bit of a question mark on how the summer months will be handled still. To the class of 2020, Jones stated there will be some sort of Graduation on Sunday, May 26th at 2pm, how it will be done is being worked out with staff, the CDC guidelines, parents and students. The track will remain open daily from 6am to 10pm (two hours at night with lights and music) to walk for exercise. Jones said that they still have ideas for scholarship and activities awards nights but does state a big thank you to all who have helped in the transition over the past month and the future. Any questions can be directed to him at 632-2001.
--The Morrison County Leadership team recently announced they are taking part in a social media challenge called #LeadForwardLocally. The purpose is to support local business within a community. The challenge is for leaders within an organization to go out in the community and purchase gift cards to support their local businesses and then come up with a creative challenge to give the cards away. Other organizations, school districts, sheriff's office and event some local residents are started going this route to help support our local businesses and give back to those in need during this time.
--U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence will be in Minnesota on Tuesday. Pence will tour the Mayo Clinic on the recent development of increasing testing in the state, and will speak with medical staff and other personnel before flying back to Washington D.C. that night.
--Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has provided some direction for resorts, RV resorts, and campgrounds in light of his Stay at Home Order. Explore Minnesota says hotel portions of resorts and rented cabins can open as planned and can accept guests. They do not have to be members of a critical sector to stay at a resort. RV resorts can be used by people who rely on their site as a primary residence, or for those who are seasonal renters and maintain their personal property at their site. Campsites can also be used for temporary shelter required for work or social distancing. Campsites that are reserved for temporary use or for recreational use on a rotating basis are not allowed. Private and public campgrounds remain closed to recreational camping. This does not apply to those who use a campsite as a primary residence or seasonal renters. In all cases, communal amenities like retail food stores, laundry facilities, fish cleaning stations, and docks can't open for use unless enhanced cleaning and social distancing can be accomplished.
--More Minnesotans will be allowed to go back to work today. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has announced he is loosening restrictions on some non-essential businesses, beginning today which he says will allow 80,000 to 100,000 people in the industrial, manufacturing and office settings to start working again. Workers covered by this executive order are people in the industrial and manufacturing sector like wholesale trade, warehousing and places where goods are being created, and office-based businesses that are not primarily customer-facing. Before these workers can return to work the company must develop a plan, allow employees to work from home whenever possible, and ensure that sick workers stay home. However, the Governor's Stay At Home order does remain in effect until May 4th for many other residents and businesses.
--Camp Ripley Garrison Commander Joshua Simor talked on KLTF Friday and said that training continues on the base and that will be the norm through the summer months. Some items like some offices and the Military Museum are not open to the public at this time with the restrictions but there is staff available to help by calling and emailing. The Camp is ready when called upon for deployment to foreign countries to assist the need, and also to help here in the United States with COVID-19 or any other missions that the President sees it to call the National Guard in on.
--Alcohol may be a contributing factor in motorcycle crash. On April 22nd at 5:15pm, Stearns County Sheriff's deputies responded to a motorcycle crash with injuries near County Road 17 and Birch Lake Road in Melrose Township. 26-year old Hunter Donovan of St. Cloud, was operating his motorcycle eastbound on County Road 17. He came upon a left turn in the roadway, but continued straight into the ditch. The motorcycle struck a field approach, and Donovan was thrown from the bike. Hunter Donovan was taken via ambulance to the Melrose Hospital for treatment of his injuries. He was not wearing a helmet and alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash.
--Two women face felony damage to property charges after police say they intentionally crashed their cars into each other. St. Cloud Police were called to the area of 30th Avenue North and 4th Street North just before 8am Tuesday. Officers arrived to find a group of people standing near two crashed vehicles and yelling at one another. According to the charges, 19-year-old Emysha Overton of St. Cloud and 22-year-old Toriann Stewart of Waite Park had a dispute the night before over some property damage. Stewart allegedly scraped Overton's bumper which upset her even more. Overton is accused of pulling forward, then backing up into Stewart's front bumper, she then turned around and came at Stewart's car head-on and scraped the side of Stewart's car as she drove past it. Stewart then followed Overton and allegedly rammed Overton's driver's side door at 20-30 miles-per-hour, pushing it over a curb and into a yard. Police say the two women then got out of their vehicles and began fighting. Mayo ambulance was called to treat the women for minor injuries.
--The Great River Regional Library in Pierz is offered curbside pickup for ordered books and items. There is a limited schedule so call for times and information at 1-800-438-4775.
DEATH NOTICES
--Arthur “Buck” Simonet, age 84 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= AM showers, PM sunshine, mild, high 72.
TONIGHT= increasing clouds, low around 45.
TUESDAY= showers and T-storms likely, windy, high 53, low 39.
WEDNESDAY= partly cloudy and windy, high near 60, low near 40.
SPORTS
NFL= Vikings selected 15 players in the 7 rounds of the NFL Draft, most by any Vikings team since the 7 round draft started. Including first round pick Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson from LSU at pick #22 in first round of NFL Draft. They traded with the 49ers for a later pick in the first round and some later picks and took Cornerback Jeff Gladney from TCU. The Gophers had five players picked including both Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tyler Johnson going to Tampa Bay to play with Tom Brady later this year.