NEWS --Morrison and Stearns County Sheriff's Office are reminding residents to be mindful of potential scams. Stearns County reported two phone scams where the caller is asked to give information on receiving some sort of prize or large sum of money. Recently a Randall resident reported giving money to Florida after being promised a $1-million dollar prize. Sheriff's Shawn Larsen and Jon Sanner are reminding those that if the phone call or email seems to good to be true it is nearly 100% a scam. Morrison County also received a report from a Pierz woman who was looking into a camper on Craigslist and was asked to send money to Amazon and they would get the camper which also turned out to be a scam. You are encouraged to never give out any information over the phone or by email unless you are 100% clear who is receiving that info. If you believe you have been scammed contact local law enforcement.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office reported last Wednesday of an ATV going through the ice on Lake Alexander. There were no injuries.
--The 2nd Coffee with the Cop Event will take plae on Tuesday from 8:30am to 10am at Coborn's Deli. All are invited to attend.
--The BCA reported Friday that the Verndale man missing since late Wednesday was located safe in Prescott, Wisconsin. 89-year-old Richard Giles went missing after calling from a Grand Rapids motel saying he was lost. On Friday, authorities found his vehicle at a gas station in Mora, then Giles called his family from Wisconsin stating he was fine. Law Enforcement thanks all who helped in finding Giles.
--District 9B Representative Ron Kresha of Little Falls on Thursday passed his bill by a vote of 98-28 barring the state of Minnesota from engaging in business contracts with companies who discriminate against Israeli companies. That vote now head to the senate. Kresha also presented two high-profile education bills last week, one removing the word willful from the States' Pupil Fair Dismissal Act and second a tax credit bill to allocate $35 million in public money a year to give incentives to businesses and corporation donations to students wishing to attend private or parochial schools.
--Longtime nurse Diane Slimmer, RN, was chosen as the CHI St. Gabriel’s Health 2016 Francis Award recipient. The award is presented each year to a CHI St. Gabriel’s employee “Who goes beyond the call of duty, serving the community and the organization with heart and hands.” It recognizes employees for the way they exemplify the organization’s mission, vision, values and behavior standards as well as their commitment to the community and the organization. Slimmer joined CHI St. Gabriel’s Health in May 1983. She was nominated for the Francis Award on multiple occasions throughout her career and by three separate coworkers this year.
--The Internal Revenue Service reminds farmers and fishermen about the March 1st deadline to take advantage of special rules that can allow them to forgo making quarterly estimated tax payments. Taxpayers with income from farming or fishing have until March 1st to file their 2016 Form 1040 and pay the tax due to avoid making estimated tax payments. This rule generally applies if farming or fishing income was at least two-thirds of the total gross income in either the current or the preceding tax year. Farmers and fishers choosing not to file by March 1st should have made an estimated tax payment by January 17th to avoid a penalty.
--The Pierz City Council meets tonight at 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
--A two vehicle accident Tuesday damaged a light pole in Little Falls but caused only minor injuries. Shortly before 5:00pm two vehicles collided on First Street and Third Avenue Southeast in Little Falls. A car driven by 17-year old Christopher Vogl of Little Falls was heading east and was pulling out onto First Street after stopping at a stop sign on Third Avenue, when it was struck by a vehicle traveling south on First Street. Vogl was pulling out farther into the street to see past his obstructed view when he was struck by a vehicle driven by 47-year old Leticia Klisch of Royalton. None were hospitalized.
--The Little Falls School Board meets tonight at 5pm at the Morrison County Government Center. Agenda items include approval of fees and facility uses for Grad Bash, bids for the Little Falls High School Addition and remodel, and acceptance of a bid for the flooring work at the Early Childhood Center. Also a reminder that there are parent-teacher conferences tonight at 4pm at Community Middle School.
--A St. Cloud woman who was shot to death February 11th in a Brooklyn Center motel room was shot accidentally, according to a man who claimed to have been with her when she was shot. 20-year old Cedric Lamar Smith has been charged in Hennepin County with illegally possessing a firearm. A court complaint charging him indicates that he was with Allie Campbell the night the 18-year-old from St. Cloud sustained a gunshot wound to the head and died in a room at the Quality Inn. The court complaint indicates that Smith told others that he and Campbell were either playing with or fighting over a handgun when it went off and Campbell was hit. At least two other people were in the motel room at the time of the shooting. Campbell was pronounced dead at the motel when officers arrived. The court complaint indicates that Campbell was Smith's girlfriend and that the two were friendly and laughing in the moments before the shooting.
ENTERTAINMENT --Actor Bill Paxton of Titanic, Apollo 13, Twister, Big Love, The Terminator, Aliens and TV's Training Day died Saturday at age 61.
DEATH NOTICES --Marie Dombovy, age 93 of Pierz --Pastor Todd Orr, age 53 of Staples. --Russell V. Jongewaard, age 98 of Little Falls. --Lloyd L. Hutchins, age 72 of Swanville. --George E. Easter, age 86 of Little Falls formerly of Royalton.
WEATHER TODAY= mostly cloudy, warmer, high 45. TONIGHT= light snow late, low 31 could mix with freezing drizzle. TUESDAY= snow, to sleet and rain, high 37, back to ice & snow late. WEDNESDAY= flurries early, then partly sunny, high 31, low 20.
SPORTS WRE= Little Falls will send 2- Lane Rutten and AJ Jenks to state later this week, Pierz sends 9, Royalton-Upsala 3, Holdingford 3 and Foley will send 5 to the state wrestling tournament in St. Paul. Foley and Pierz compete as teams on Thursday while individuals begin on Friday in St. Paul. Hear the action Q92 WYRQ. COL BB= Gophers have now won 7 in a row with a 81-71 win over Penn State Saturday. Gophers have Nebraska Thursday night. 500= Kurt Busch pulled away late to win the Daytona 500 Sunday.