NEWS
--Governor Tim Walz announced Friday he is going now to wait until Wednesday to make his announcement on if he will extend restrictions on bars, restaurants, entertainment venues and youth sports or allow the pause to expire on Friday night at 11:59pm. Over 100 bars and restaurants in the state are expecting to violate the governor's orders and open by Wednesday (December 16th) and could face up to $25,000 fines each for that violation but organizers stated that something has to be done to help the small businesses struggling from these orders from Governor Walz. Lawsuits have been filed against the State and Governor Walz for his latest restrictions and guidelines allowing some larger businesses to prosper while small businesses in the words of organizers are left to die. Protests and others took to the bar and restaurants asking the governor to let people back in escecially for Christmas when many serve to help the needy in the state with free meals for those unable to have one of their own with family and friends.
--The Food and Drug Admistration Friday approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. This was the next step in getting the vaccine out to hospitals, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and emergency workers on the front line fighting the spread of the virus. This is also the first step in getting the vaccine out the general public.
--The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports that on Thursday night just after 10pm their office received a report of a one-vehicle rollover on 213th Street near 305th Avenue, approximately three miles south of Harding in Pulaski Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 28-year-old Jacob Bakkila from Brainerd was traveling east on 213th Street swerved to miss a dead deer on the road, entered the north ditch and rolled. Bakkila sustained minor injuries in the accident.
--Pierz Schools Superintendent George Weber on Friday announced on Little Falls Radio that some of the students will be returning this week. Pierz hopes to bring 5-12 students back into the Hybrid Learning Model starting Thursday, December 17. Students would attend school in the hybrid model on Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday, December 17, 18, 21, 22. There will be no school for any students, including Distance Learning students, on Wednesday, December 23. This decision is based upon recent data that shows our cases have decreased to the levels we were at when we went into Distance Learning. Weber said they met with county public health staff on Thursday and will meet again today and then they will officially notify parents regarding this decision today. They wll still need to get Minnesota Department of Education and Minnesota Department of Health to accept the idea for the school to do this. If parents prefer to keep their child at home and stay in Distance Learning through the Holiday break we will support that decision and not mark those children absent as long as they are in attendance virtually. If we make this move to Hybrid and can sustain it, parents can assume that is the model we will start the year in as we come back after the Holiday break. However, after the Christmas Holiday Weber said they will likely return to distance learning for grades 5-12 for at least the first week as numbers are expected to rise after Christmas and New Years and then the hope to return to hybrid or in class learning after that but that will be decided in the coming weeks ahead. Weber said that he thanks all the teachers, parents, students and community members that continue to work through these trying times and hopes for better things in 2021.
--Little Falls City Administrator Jon Radermacher informed Little Falls Radio yesterday that due to a low water level in the tower, maintenance was done on Sunday causing some residents to lose water for a time Sunday morning, was repaired by afternoon.
--The owner of the Press Bar and Parlor of St. Cloud now faces federal charges after a federal grand jury indicted him on three counts related to the fire that destroyed the downtown St. Cloud bar in February. The Stearns County Attorney's Office states the grand jury has indicted 41-year-old Andrew Welsh on charges of arson, use of a fire to commit a federal felony, and wire fraud. Welsh burned down the bar on the night of February 17th to collect approximately $1.4-million in insurance money on what had become a failing business. The U.S. Attorney's Office will now be prosecuting the case.
--Morrison County website Friday showed 301 active cases and 130 of those cases in the Little Falls zip code of COVID-19. Pierz was at 56 and Royalton at 40 which were all up a bit from the previous day. The state numbers Friday were 3,773 new cases, 94 new deaths linked to the virus including one in Morrison County in their 70s. Morrison County reported 26 confirmed and 3 probable cases on Friday's report. Saturday reported 4,447 new cases in the state and another 67 new deaths of COVID-19. Morrison County had 20 new cases on Saturday. On Sunday's report there were 3,439 new cases and another 85 new deaths linked to the virus. Morrison County reported 11 confirmed cases and another 2 probable cases on Sunday's state report. Since testing began Morrison County has reported 2,725 positive cases of COVID-19 and 36 deaths.
--The Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office say a 14-year-old boy found dead apparently was attacked by the family dog. Deputies responded to a residence near Battle Lake Thursday afternoon and found the boy deceased in the yard. Officials say the dog, a German shepherd, was extremely aggressive when deputies arrived on the scene and was put down at the request of the family and for public safety. The Otter Tail County Coroner's Office is assisting the sheriff's office with the investigation.The boy's identity has not been released.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
--Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie Pride has died from complications of COVID-19. He was 86 years old.
DEATH NOTICES
--Gary Funk, age 61 of Pierz.
--Catherine “Katie” (Norton) Golden, age 88 of LF and Royalton.
--Stanley “Jerry” Johnson, age 91 of Plymouth formerly Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and cold, high 17, clouds increase at night, low 8.
TUESDAY= cloudy skies, high 21, flurries at night, low 12.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, warmer, high near 30, low around 18.
SPORTS
COL FB= Gophers hold off Nebraska to win 24-17 Saturday and now is 3-3. The Big 10 announced Sunday that the Gophers will take on Wisconsin this Saturday at 3pm, pregame at 1pm on KLTF. The game had to be cancelled back on November 28th due to COVID-19. NFL= Tampa Bay beat the Vikings 26-14 Sunday. The Vikings missed opportunities to win this game. Vikings have Chicago on Sunday.
MLB= The Cleveland Indians will be changing their name in 2021.