NEWS
--The Little Falls DECA Program will continue through the end of business today to collect items for the Care Closet at the Community High School. You can drop off non perishable food items, items like macaroni and cheese or noodles go fast, hygiene products especially shampoo and deodorant or other items at the Door 1 office today from 7:30-4:30pm. This goes to help those kids in need. The Care Closet averaged about 30 kids taking items a month.
--Winter truck load increases began yesterday at 12:01am on unrestricted state highways in the central frost zone, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The frost zones can be found on the MnDOT load limits map. Vehicles will be allowed to operate up to 10 percent over the standard legal maximum loads on unrestricted highways during the winter load increase period. However, trucks must comply with current registration weight laws and not exceed registered gross weight tolerances. Drivers need to check with local agencies before increasing any weights on city, county and township routes. A winter weight increase permit is required to take advantage of the 10 percent weight increase on interstate highways only; a permit is not required for state trunk highways. The start and end dates for winter load increases are based on how weather is affecting roadway strength. These dates are established by monitoring roadway strength as weather conditions change. The end date for winter load increases is variable and drivers should check for updates throughout the year.
--A Clear Lake man who was charged in a crash that killed a Dassel teenager in 2018 has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. 39-year old Jason Rothmeyer pleaded guilty in September to fleeing police resulting in death, and two counts of criminal vehicular operation, gross negligence and causing great bodily harm. A Sherburne County judge sentenced Rothmeyer to 10 years and eight months behind bars. Nine remaining charges against Rothmeyer were dismissed at sentencing. Prosecutors say Rothmeyer's blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit for driving when he caused a crash in August 2018 that killed 18-year old Kyle Foley. An officer tried to stop Rothmeyer which led to a chase where he was at speeds of up to 100 mph, nearly striking a Sherburne County squad car head on before the fatal crash. When Rothmeyer came upon the intersection of 82nd Street and 125th Avenue Southeast, police say he went through a stop sign and was hit broadside by a truck pulling a car hauler. Foley was a passenger in that truck and was ejected. He later died at the hospital. Two other people in that truck were also hurt, suffering from lacerated spleens, rib fractures, and fractured vertebrae. According to the complaint, a breathalyzer at the scene showed Rothmeyer's blood-alcohol level at 0.228 which is more than three times the legal limit to drive. A blood test several hours later allegedly showed a level of 0.215.
--St. Cloud won a gold medal for cities of their size in the whole city category at the Livcom awards held last week in Rome, Italy. St. Cloud beat out were from Tartu, Estonia, Jiangshan, China, and Douz, Tunisia. St. Cloud also won gold medals in three of the six categories overall: preservation of heritage, arts and landscape, enhancing the landscape, and community engagement. St. Cloud was the only American city to be invited for the award this year in Rome.
--The Little Falls Community High School winter concert is tonight at the high school auditorium at 7:30pm. Tickets sold at the door.
--A reminder from the city of Little Falls that starting Thursday, January 2nd, 2020 the city hall office will be open 8am-4:30pm Monday through Friday, again 8-4:30 starting on January 2nd.
–A special thank you to all that helped in laying nearly 6,000 wreaths on the graves at the State Veteran's Cemetery north of Little Falls Saturday which took less than 30 minutes to do. The wreaths will stay on the graves until the first weekend in February.
--A St. Cloud man with a lengthy criminal history has been sentenced for an April shooting that wounded three people in west St. Cloud. 25-year old Ali Omar also known as "Trigger Ali" had pleaded guilty in October to two counts of felony 2nd degree assault with a gun and felony drug possession from a separate incident. A Stearns County judge Thursday sentenced Omar to three years in prison. The incident came to light when police were called to the 3000 block of St. Germain Street West on a report of multiple gunshots on April 26th. Witnesses told officers that Omar had gotten into an argument with a former friend, pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at the man's legs. Court records show another man and a teenager came out of an apartment unit to investigate and were struck by stray bullets. The two adult victims were ultimately stopped by police in downtown St. Cloud as they were headed to the hospital for treatment. In the drug case, police broke up a large fight at a restaurant the month prior. Omar ran from the scene and police gave chase, tased and arrested him. During a search police say they found more than five grams of cocaine on Omar and booked him into the jail on felony drug possession. Omar will serve his 17-month sentence on that crime at the same time as his 3-year assault sentence.
--Icy roads are the suspected cause of a two-vehicle crash in Albertville. The State Patrol responded to the crash Friday just after 11 a.m. on I-94 near County Road 37. 20-year-old Ayanna King of St. Cloud was eastbound when she lost control of her car and spun out in the lanes of traffic. King's car was then rear-ended by a car driven by 23-year-old Carley Schemmel of Cold Spring. King was taken to Maple Grove Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
--Royalton High School has announced their AAA award winners are Christopher Borash and Erin Zapzalka.
DEATH NOTICES
--Roderick Meyer, age 73 of Blaine, originally from Hillman area.
--Erin Mary Lovaas, age 39 of Onamia.
WEATHER
TODAY= clearing skies, temps dropping into single digits late in day.
TONIGHT= clear evening, clouds overnight, low 0 early then rising.
TUESDAY= cloudy skies, flurries and light snow, high 16, low -12.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and cold, high 4 above, temps rising overnight.
SPORTS
NFL= Vikings defense force seven turnovers in beating up the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday 39-10 in LA. The Vikings are now 10-4 and will host the 11-3 Green Bay Packers on Monday, December 23rd for pretty much the NFC North Division title.
WOOG= longtime Gopher hockey coach Doug Woog died on Saturday after a battle with Parkinson's Disease. Woog was 75.
HS HK= congratulation to Little Falls Boy Hockey Coach Tony Couture on Friday picking up win number 400 for his coaching career.
HS BBB= Peter Schommer of Pierz got his 1000th point on Friday.