NEWS
--On Friday, Little Falls Radio asked Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen about a car being found in Platte Lake under the ice. According to the sheriff's office the incident was reported to our office on December 31st at 2:11pm and the vehicle was located in the Crow Wing County jurisdiction. Crow Wing County was informed and they are taking over the call for service in finding the owner of the vehicle. Sheriff Larsen said there is no reason to believe there were bodies inside the vehicle. There is no danger to the public. The incident wasn’t recent as there was no open water where the vehicle was located. Sheriff Larsen said he heard a lot of talk about it also.
--A Brainerd man had to be taken to the hospital after a medical condition led to him crashing his vehicle in Morrison County. The crash happened Thursday just before 4:30pm about two miles north of Little Falls. The sheriff's office says 45-year-old Garrett Cekalla was northbound on Haven Road when he suffered a medical emergency, left the road, and entered the ditch. Cekalla was taken by ambulance to St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls. His condition is unknown.
--A homeowner arrived home to find their house ablaze Thursday, on the 7900 block of County Highway 1 in Pillager of Cass County. When firefighters arrived at 10:53am they found heavy smoke and fire coming from the back corner of the home. Mutual Aid from Pequot Lakes and Nisswa fire departments also responded. Firefighters contained the fire to one end of an addition to the house, though there was extensive heat and smoke damage to the rest of the home. Between the three departments, 28 firefighters helped extinguish the fire over 2.5 hours, using 21,000 gallons of water. No injuries were reported. The homeowner is receiving assistance from the Red Cross as the home is uninhabitable. The cause of the fire was undetermined but was ruled not to be suspicious.
--One person was hurt in a two-vehicle crash near Sauk Centre. The Minnesota State Patrol says an SUV was going north on Highway 71 when it collided with a pickup that was also going north. The incident happened at about 4:45pm Thursday. The SUV driver, 27-year-old Mitch Greninger of Sauk Center was treated with non-life-threatening injuries. The pickup driver from Stanchfield was not hurt.
--The Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department has requested assistance in locating a 47-year-old man not seen since November. Dylan James Sam was last seen November 29th in the Mille Lacs Band Reservation Area. Sam is 5-foot-7 and weighs 150 pounds. He was last seen wearing a green jacket with a blue horizontal stripe and red tennis shoes. Anyone who’s seen or knows the whereabouts of Sam is asked to contact the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department at 320-532-3430.
--A minivan–semi crash Friday morning North of Belgrade sent a man to the hospital. The Minnesota State Patrol says a minivan driven by David Stadther of Belgrade was moving North on Highway 71 when a semi driven by Maria Morales of Ottawa, Canada turned into the lane from County Road 32. Both vehicles crashed at the intersection, and Stadther was treated for non life threatening injuries.
--Crow Wing Power is seeking high school juniors to apply for an all expense paid trip to Washington DC for the annual Washington Youth Tour. The students must live in the Crow Wing Power territory of Cass, Crow Wing or Morrison County but do not need to be a Crow Wing Power customer. The student must submit a short essay sharing a little bit of themselves and why they would be a good candidate for the trip. Two candidates will be selected from the essays that must be in by February 10th. For more info call Kara at 218-829-2827.
--Today is Dr. Martin Luther King Day. It was established as a Federal Holiday in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan to remember the Civil Rights Leader. As a Federal Holiday most government offices, City Halls, Government Centers, Post Offices, Banks, Courthouses, Libraries are closed today. There is no regular mail delivery. Most businesses are open to day for retail sales but always best to check ahead. Some schools like Little Falls are off today but many other schools are in session today on the school calendar. The day has been asked by many to be a day of service and help in ways to give back on the Dr. King Holiday.
--A St. Cloud man has been charged with arson after an early morning apartment fire Thursday. 35-five-year-old Reiss Atterbury has been charged with one count of 1st-degree arson for the fire at 4055 12th Street North in St. Cloud. Fire crews entered the apartment and put out the fire. They told police that there was a large amount of burned debris throughout the apartment unit. The Assistant Fire Marshal was called in to investigate. Court records show the oven door was open with a large amount of burned debris both inside and out front of the oven and the oven was in the on position. The investigator also noticed a partially melted gas can near the stove and a cigarette lighter nearby. In the living room, there were allegedly three more areas where a fire had been started. Two of the fire locations were piles of debris on the floor and one was on the apartment's wall. The smoke alarm had been removed and was found on the floor. Atterbury claimed he was doing laundry on the second floor when the fire broke out. However, surveillance video shows Atterbury standing in the doorway acting unconcerned as smoke billowed out of the apartment unit. Court records allege Atterbury told police that he is bipolar and suffers from delusions.
--John Justin of the local MCCL stated on Friday on KLTF that there will be NO bus from Little Falls or Pierz this year to the March for Life in St. Paul. The event is Sunday with Mass at noon and march at 2pm to the State Capitol. There are buses from the St. Cloud area and you can reach out to the St. Cloud Diocese for information on that. Also their 50th Annual Dinner and event will be January 29th at the Falls Ballroom, call Sue Houdek for ticket information at 320-630-7045.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
In the past week, Lisa Marie Presley died at age 54. Adam Rich of Eight is Enough died at age 54. Robbie Knievel son of Evel died at age 60. Robbie Bachman of Bachman Turner Overdrive died at 69.
Rock guitarist Jeff Beck died age 78. Soap Star Ben Masters at 75.
DEATH NOTICES
--Brad J. Gallagher, age 48 of Owatonna, formerly of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= rain, freezing rain and snow, up to 1 inch, high 35.
TONIGHT= rain to snow, slippery roads, low around 25.
TUESDAY= cloudy, light snow early, breezy, high 33, low 17.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, early, clouds late, low 25, low 16.
SPORTS
NFL San Francisco beat Seattle 41-23, Jacksonville comes back to the beat Chargers 31-30 on Saturday. Buffalo held off Miami 34-31. New York Giants eliminate Vikings 31-24 and Cincinnati beat Baltimore last night 24-17. Tonight Tampa Bay hosts Dallas 6:30pm on KLTF.
BHK= Little Falls at River Lakes Stars Tuesday 7:15pm on Q92.