NEWS
--On Friday first a report from the Morrison County Sheriff Office to remind residents that they should always exercise caution and prioritize safety when venturing off onto lakes in the area. It was reported that Pierz Fish Lake has good solid ice in front of the public landing, but approximately 30-40 yards out from the landing the water recently froze Thursday night. Please always ensure that the ice thickness is thick enough to support you and your equipment before you venture out. Its challenging to determine ice thickness/strength by appearance, Remember that you are responsible to ensure that the path you take is safe. After that report came out the Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office said a man and his truck broke through the ice near the MSA Flagship Inn in Isle Friday morning around 10:52am. Emergency responders found the man in the water wearing a flotation device. Officials pulled him to shore and then transported him to Mille Lacs Health System Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He's been identified as 80-year-old Richard Gadbois of Isle. The ice was about 6 inches thick where the truck went through. The recommended thickness for clear ice is between 13 and 17 inches for a truck. Then shortly after that, around 11:30am, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report of a snowmobile that had fallen through the ice on Little Rock Lake.
The caller reported seeing the snowmobile disappear below the water before observing the driver of the snowmobile climb back onto the ice. The caller reported the driver appeared to be walking toward a fish house near the St. Regis landing on the lake. A 16-year-old boy from Rice was treated at the scene for hypothermia by deputies and
fire fighters from the Rice Rescue Squad and transported by Mayo Ambulance to the St. Cloud Hospital for further evaluation. Also Friday there was report of two men having to be rescued on Red Lake after the ice gave away from the shore. Law enforcement are asking those that even with the cold temps this past weekend, thin ice and open water exists on significant portions of Little Rock Lake and other area lakes. Anyone venturing onto the ice should exercise extreme caution, use appropriate tools to test ice thickness, and have handy self-rescue or floatation devices.
--The Little Falls Fire Department reminds residents they are continuing training for new firefighters on Thursday night now through April and not be alarmed of the work going on around the fire station during those training hours from Fire Chief Craig Seelen.
--The Nisswa Fire Department responded to a house fire at 11:37am Thursday on the 7400 block of Christy Drive in Lake Shore. Nisswa Fire Chief Shawn Bailey said when firefighters arrived, they found smoke coming out of the eves of the home. After making entry they located a fire in the kitchen and extinguished it. Mutual aid was rendered from the Pequot Lakes and Mission Township fire departments. Bailey said the homeowner was in the home when the fire started and was the one who called the fire department. The home was not a loss though most everything in the building was damaged from smoke and water, Bailey said. Firefighters were on scene for around two and a half hours with no injuries reported.
--Little Falls City Offices are closed Today for the Dr. King Holiday so the Little Falls City Council next regular meeting will be held on Tuesday at 7:30pm at Little Falls City Hall.
--Today is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A Federal holiday established by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 in honor of the Civil Rights Leader. Government Agencies are closed today including the courthouse, most city halls, government centers, banks, financial institutions, post offices (no regular mail delivery today) parcel and delivery service for other companies are running today. Some schools and businesses may be closed for the holiday today to plan or call ahead before venturing out on a cold Dr. King holiday.
--Coborn’s, Inc., is pleased to announce the appointment of Jordan Haukos as the new Store Director of Coborn’s grocery store in Little Falls. As the Store Director, Haukos is responsible for directing and managing all phases of the store’s operation. He transitioned into this leadership role on December 31. Haukos has been part of the Coborn’s, Inc. team for a decade and most recently served as the Store Director at Coborn’s in Melrose.
--Two Stearns County residents were taken to the hospital following a crash in Avon Township Wednesday night. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says a truck was going south on County Road 9 near Koppy Lane just outside of Avon around 8:45pm. Authorities say the truck left the road, struck a road approach, and then hit a power pole. The driver, 28-year-old Nicholas Mayer of Richmond, and his passenger, 24-year-old Laura Polejewski of Avon, were taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The sheriff's office says alcohol is believed to have played a role in the crash.
--The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday requested help from the public in determining who was responsible for killing more than a dozen swans found dead in Stevens County in west-central Minnesota. The agency provided little information on the birds, not even the specific species, but said the killing of the waterfowl occurred between December 16 and 17, 2023. The birds presumably were trumpeter swans, which the state has re-established across a wide swath of Minnesota during the past 40 years. Residents and waterfowlers in western Minnesota reported seeing large numbers of trumpeters in the region this past fall. Migratory tundra swans rarely stop in western Minnesota during their migration south from the Arctic to the East Coast. The Mississippi River border region sees large numbers of tundra swans each autumn.
DEATH NOTICES
--Rita “Harren” Schiller, age 94 of Albany.
--Harold “Bub” Jansen, age 73 of Pierz.
WEATHER
WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 12PM TUESDAY
TODAY= partly sunny and cold, high -4, cold night, low -10, wind chills from -15 to -25 during day, near -30 at night.
TUESDAY= mostly cloudy, gusty winds, high +4, low near -3, wind chills from -15 to -30 during day, calming at night.
WEDNESDAY= cloudy skies, few flurries, high near 10, low near -8 with lighter winds.
SPORTS
NFL= Houston beat Cleveland 45-14, Kansas City downed Miami Saturday 26-7. Sunday Green Bay beat Dallas 48-32 to advance and Detroit beat the LA Rams Sunday night 24-23. Due to the snow in Buffalo Sunday, Pittsburgh at Buffalo has been moved to today at 3:30pm with then another game tonight of Philadelphia at Tampa Bay at 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF then the Divisional Round begins with games on Saturday and Sunday this coming weekend, all games live on AM960 KLTF.