NEWS
--On a bipartisan vote of 73-54, the Minnesota House approved the 2017 Health Care Emergency Aid and Access bill (Senate File 1) which provides direct premium relief and preserves access to life-saving and end-of-life care. While lawmakers work toward long-term state and federal health insurance reforms, this legislation institutes immediate consumer-driven improvements that stand alone and will not be impacted by those future changes. “Immediate, targeted premium relief was a goal of mine this session, and we moved this legislation and passed it quickly,” said District 9B Representative Ron Kresha, Republican-Little Falls. “Minnesotans need this relief – along with more common-sense reforms – to help correct the mistakes of Obamacare and Mnsure.” House Republicans' plan offers a 25 percent premium reduction for those Minnesotans who need it most, individuals who earn between $35,640 and $95,040 and families of four who earn between $72,900 and $194,400 who live in Minnesota qualify. In addition, it allows for patients with serious illnesses or those receiving end-of-life care to continue seeing their doctor. Lastly, the plan increases affordable options through timely reforms that stand independent of impending federal action. The bill is expected to enter conference committee where differences between the Senate and House versions will be reconciled.
--The Minnesota Department of Human Services has cited a now-closed St. Cloud child care center for neglect after a toddler with autism left the center unsupervised and was found running in the street. Gar Gaar Child Care Center operated on St. Germain Street in downtown St.Cloud closed in November. In an investigative memo dated January 13th, DHS determined that a staffer at Gar Gaar was responsible for maltreatment in the November 17th incident, when the developmentally delayed 3-year-old left without the staff’s knowledge and was gone for 10-30 minutes. The child was picked up by two community members and taken to the nearby police station. According to DHS, two people were driving near the child care center when they saw the child running in the street. The witnesses said the child crossed the street and almost got hit by a vehicle. The witnesses stopped, picked up the child and took the child to the police station, the memo states.
--A Princeton man has been sentenced for making a series of bomb threats in the St. Cloud area last June. Thirty-one-year-old Matthew Hull had pleaded guilty to one count of stalking and one count of terroristic threats and was sentenced last month to more than two years in prison. Hull was accused of making bomb threat calls to Walmart, St. Cloud Library, Cash Wise East and St. Cloud Hospital. Days later, St. Cloud Police say Hull confessed to making bomb threat calls in the St. Cloud area in order to get revenge against an ex-girlfriend. Police say Hull tried to disguise his voice as a woman and would leave the name of his ex-girlfriend as the person making the bomb threat. Court records show, with credit for time served, Hull will spend about two years in prison and must pay more than $6,000 in fines and restitution.
--The Morrison County Commissioners will hold their next meeting Tuesday at 9am at the government center boardroom. Agenda items include updates on Mississippi Headwaters, from Great River Regional Library, Veterans Report and the Sheriff's Report.
--Four people from St. Cloud were hurt in a crash involving a semi on Highway 15 near St. Augusta Thursday around 10:00am. The State Patrol says a car was headed south on Highway 15 near Stearns County Road 74 when the driver moved to the right shoulder, then turned left in front of a semi truck. The driver, 31-year-old Amina Ali and her three passengers, 67-year-old Habiba Ali, 42-year-old Muhammad Ibraham, and 62-year-old Abraham Isse were taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non life threatening injuries. The driver of the semi, 58-year-old Daryl Schmidt of Underwood was not hurt.
--The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office investigated a School Bus related crash Friday morning. Around 7:40am the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a crash between a school bus and a passenger car. Deputies arrived and found that a Holdingford School District Bus, driven by 76-year old George Platz was westbound on County Road 131 and had stopped for the stop sign for County Road 3. The bus was pulling forward to turn north on County Road 3 when it was struck in the rear by a car driven by 16-year old Trent Sand. It appeared that Sand was also westbound on County Road 131 and was unable to stop his vehicle on the icy road. The bus had 32 students aboard and the car had two juvenile passengers. No injuries were reported. The students were transferred to another bus.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Ryan Wessel and Miranda Harnack of Sauk Centre, boy January 20th
DEATH NOTICES
--Sylvia S. Nelson, age 81 of Little Falls.
--Harvey Sauer, age 80 of Little Falls.
--Clayton H. Olson, age 89 of Little Falls.
--Frances M. Lashinski, age 79 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= fog and mist early, cloudy, high 36.
TONIGHT= cloudy skies, slippery spots late, low 26.
TUESDAY= cloudy, snow develops in afternoon, high 34.
TUES NITE= snow likely 1-2 inches, low 28.
WEDNESDAY= snow ending, breezy and cooler, high 29.
SPORTS
NFL= Atlanta routs Green Bay 44-21 Sunday to win the NFC Championship. New England did the same to Pittsburgh Sunday night winning 36-17 to win the AFC Championship. New England will face Atlanta in the Super Bowl February 5th in Houston on AM960 KLTF.
NFL= questions on Adrian Peterson's future are still to be determined by the Vikings in the offseason but many teams are already expressing interest in the running back. On Thursday, Peterson said that the Giants, Tampa Bay and Houston are the first three teams that stated they would love to have AP in 2017. Peterson is under contract for the 2017 season with the Vikings but recent injuries and money have thoughts of trade rumors in the offseason.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1789= first Catholic College founded, Georgetown University.
IN 1849= Elizabeth Blackwell becomes first female doctor in the U.S.
IN 1977= the mini-series Roots first airs on ABC TV- huge ratings.
IN 1984= Hulk Hogan beats Iron Sheik to begin Hulkamania craze.