NEWS --A search for missing St. Cloud State University student 21-year old Jesse Dady likely ended after Stearns County divers recovered a body in the Mississippi River shortly after 6pm Friday. Stearns County Chief Deputy Bruce Bechtold said officials believe the body to be Dady, but will wait for official confirmation from the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office. An autopsy could be completed in the next several days. Dady was last seen in surveillance video early March 25 walking out onto the railroad bridge over the Mississippi behind Empire Apartments in downtown St. Cloud. Police believe Dady fell from the bridge into the river. The body was recovered at 6:21pm south of the Veterans Bridge. The development comes the same day Dady's family retained a Hermantown company to continue searching for any signs of Dady. The private company used sonar to identify a search area near the Bridge. The Stearns County dive team was called to examine the area late Friday afternoon.
--23 Little Falls firefighters and members of the Crow Wing County DNR responded to a grass fire near the Fort Steakhouse Thursday around 5:55pm. The fire was put out in about 45 minutes without any structures damaged. An estimate given by Little Falls Fire Chief Mike Nieman was about 3-5 acres of land burned at 849 Front Street in Fort Ripley. Again no structures damaged and no injuries.
--The DNR on Thursday stated that as of 8:00am this past Friday Morrison, Todd, Mille Lacs, Kannebec, Stearns, Benton, and eight counties in the Twin Cities area have been put in restricted burning zones where variance permits only are being used for controlled and prescribed burning due to the lack of adequate moisture. You are still allowed to do small recreational fires. A recreational fire is defined as a fire no bigger than three feet in diameter and three feet tall. These must be supervised at all times. Authorities are asking if you have unneccessary burns to hold off until the surroundings green up and make it more suitable to maintain and control fires from spreading.
--On a bipartisan vote of 80-52 the Minnesota House of Representatives approved a plan that provides $1.35 billion in tax relief to middle-class Minnesotans. “When we have a budget surplus, it’s important to give Minnesotans overdue tax relief,” said Rep. Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls. “I’m happy to see the passage of our $1.35 billion bill with bipartisan support. To me, it’s common sense to vote for a bill that goes to help middle class families, small business owners, senior citizens, and more.” Highlights of the bill include: $269 million in relief for Minnesota’s senior citizens, plus more than $125 million to address college affordability through a first-in-the-nation tax credit for student loan payments, along with subtractions and credits for families saving for college using 529 Savings Plans.$42 million in relief for farmers by reducing the burden farmers and agriculture land owners pay for school bond referendums. $35 million for families with young children by modifying the child and dependent care credit. $203 million in relief for hometown businesses by exempting the first $200,000 in property value from the extra tax on businesses and freezing its automatic inflator. $100 million in direct property tax relief for homeowners and renters and full funding for Local Government Aid/County Program Aid at current levels. The Minnesota Senate is expected to pass a tax relief proposal of their own in coming weeks. Once both bills are passed, a conference committee is expected to reconcile differences before a final tax relief bill will be sent to the Governor for his signature.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has announced their April Employee of the Month is Diane Korver. Diane has been a receptionist at Pine Country Bank for the past 6 years. Congratulations Diane Korver, April employee of the month.
--Around 5:45pm Thursday the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a fatal tractor accident near a residence along Highway 10 in Motley Township, approximately 2 miles south of Motley. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 72-year old James Nelson of Motley was backing up the tractor when he struck a tree, which knocked him off the tractor on to the ground. Nelson was found deceased underneath the tractor, trapped under the rear tire.
--A New York man pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree assault and illegally possessing a firearm after an incident in May in which a handgun was fired in a downtown St. Cloud parking ramp. 31-year old Mychal White of Schenectady, New York, had been accused of firing a .25 caliber handgun at four men in the ramp after bar close on a Saturday night. White is expected to be sentenced May 25th.
--A new temporary no parking zone has been established on County Road 2 near Rice. As the weather warms in the spring, fish and anglers are drawn to the backwater area on the north end of Little Rock Lake where Little Rock Creek enters the lake. To enhance the safety in the area for both anglers and drivers, no parking will be allowed on the north side of County Road 2 near the bridge. Parking will still be allowed on the south side of the road.
--Longtime central Minnesota radio announcer Cliff Mitchell died on Thursday, March 30th. Mitchell was 89 years old. He is a member of the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
--Little Falls City Hall will be closed today from 10:00am-1:30pm so staff can attend a funeral.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT --Brandon Lapos and Jami Stella of Flensburg, a girl born March 28th
WEATHER TODAY= cloudy, high 56. TONIGHT= sprinkles early, cloudy, low 38. TUESDAY= partly cloudy, high 55, clear night, low 34. WEDNESDAY= sunny and cooler, high near 50, low near 30.
SPORTS TWINS= The 2017 Regular Season for the Minnesota Twins begins today with Kansas City at home at Target Field. A number of festitivies to take place before the game which has a scheduled first pitch at 3:10pm today live on Q92 WYRQ. NCAA= Gonzaga and North Carolina play for the national title tonight men's basketball. Connecticut saw their 111 game winning streak end Friday with an overtime loss to Mississippi State. South Carolina beat Mississippi State for the NCAA Women's Title Sunday.
TODAY IN HISTORY IN 1860= The Pony Express began operations in St. Joseph, Missouri. IN 1948= first U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held. IN 2013= Jay Leno announced he was retiring from Tonight Show in the spring of 2014, Jimmy Fallon would be his replacement. IN 2014= David Letterman announced he was leaving the CBS Late Show in 2015 and later stated Stephen Colbert would replace him.