NEWS
--Three Little Falls Teachers are up for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year award this year. Lyn Gwost, Chad Kaddatz and Erin Sabyan are nominated for the award from Little Falls Community Schools. 158 candidates including teachers from St. Cloud, Long Prairie Grey Eagle and numerous others schools are up for the award on May 5th.
--The Minnesota Department of Transportation invites the community to learn about plans to improve access and safety on Highway 10 through Cushing on Monday, February 5th. The open house will take place from 4:30 to 6:30pm at Bethany Lutheran Church of Cushing, 25430 Bison Rd. in Cushing. Guests will have the opportunity to visit with project staff, view design layouts and ask questions. The event is drop-in style to better fit individual schedules. Guests may arrive and leave at their convenience. MnDOT will improve access and safety with two J-turns at Morrison County Road 16 and County Road 11. J-turns are proven to reduce serious and fatal crashes caused by “T-bone” crashes at intersections. Work is scheduled for 2027.
--Two men are lucky to be alive and a boy had to be rescued after an incident on a Meeker County lake. The sheriff's office responded to Lake Jennie south of Dassel at around 6:15pm Thursday. The caller reported two ATVs and two anglers fell through the ice. Deputies learned that two separate groups were fishing in the same area of the lake when they broke through. The sheriff's office says 64-year-old Steven Huebner of Hutchinson and 18-year-old Josiah Smock of Dassel went through the ice but were able to make it back to shore with no injuries. Meanwhile, a boy was left stranded on the ice due to fog in the area. Litchfield and Dassel rescue squads used an airboat to find the boy and bring him to shore unhurt.
--A district court judge in Stearns County has approved the sale of a mall in St. Cloud to a company in Delaware. The Crossroads Center was put up for sale after its former owners failed to pay the 84-million dollar mortgage on the property. The mall has been open since 1966 and includes dozens of current stores in the facility.
--Just days after a majority of the crew with the Princeton Fire Department threatened to walk off the job over distrust in department leadership, Chief Ron Lawrence submitted his notice of retirement to the city. The City Council voted to accept his retirement in a meeting Thursday night. "After careful consideration, I have decided to retire from the Princeton Fire and Rescue Department effective March 1, 2024," the letter read. "It has been an honor to serve the PFRD for almost 29 years as a firefighter, Captain, Assistant Chief and Fire Chief." His departure comes after 33 of 36 firefighters signed a vote of no confidence against the chief and presented it to the Princeton City Council. The public criticism of Lawrence came with the request the city terminate Lawrence or two-thirds of the department would quit.
--Leave it up to Minnesota's warmer than average winter end the U.S. Pond Hockey Championship. The remainder of the tournament has been canceled due to warmer-than-expected weather, according to its event organizers. Jesse Delorit says pucks won't travel on the sloppy wet ice and it's not safe for players to skate on. Richmond canceled their catfish event this year, the ice palaces in Delano closed only after 1 week after opening all do the warmer weather this year.
--The Morrison County Board of Commissioners planning session scheduled for Tuesday January 30th as been canceled.
--The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls along with many churches and organizations are hosting a Le(n)t's talk about Mental Health 5 part series during lent. Starting at 1pm Sunday, February 18th through March 17th each Sunday at the Franciscan Sisters Campus at the Convent. This is a free event focusing on what is mental health, children's mental health, suicide awareness, coping with compassion and substance use with mental illness. You can register by replying to the email jdeering@fslf.org. Refreshment will be provided at each of the 5 talks at the convent. Again this is a free 5 part series.
--A man was killed in a head-on crash with a semi-truck in Morris. The Minnesota State Patrol says 22-year-old James Loren Gades was heading south on Highway 59 around 4:30 on Friday morning when his pickup collided with a semi. The Starbuck man died at the scene. The semi-driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The 63-year-old was rushed to Stevens County Medical Center for treatment.
--One person was hurt in a crash in Rockville on Saturday night. The Minnesota State Patrol says at about 11:30pm a car driven by 24-year-old Lucas Skuza of Cold Spring was going West on Stearns County Road 6 when it ran through a stop sign and hit a pickup driven by 80-year-old Dean Borgmann of Saint Cloud that was going North on Highway 23. Skuza was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and a passenger in his car, 33-year-old Brandon Braegelmann of St. Cloud was not hurt. Borgmann was not hurt.
DEATH NOTICES
--Jimmy “Jim” Weiss, age 73 of Little Falls.
--Theresa M. Warrick, age 97 of Sauk Rapids.
--Eugene “Gene” H. Vetsch, age 87 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGHMORNING
TODAY= fog, freeze fog possible, then sunny, high 41.
TONIGHT= fog, freeze fog overnight, low near 24.
TUESDAY= drizzle in morning, cloudy, breezy, high 36, low 28.
WEDNESDAY= becoming sunny and warmer, high 46, low 32.
SPORTS
NFL= Patrick Mahomes helps Kansas City go back to their 4th Super Bowl in 6 years with a 17-10 win over Baltimore yesterday to the another AFC Championship. San Francisco trailed Detroit 24-7 at halftime then outscored the Lions 27-7 in the second half to comeback and win 34-31 to win the NFC Championship. So it will be the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on February 11th at 5:30pm from Las Vegas on AM960 KLTF.
DANCE= Congratulations to Holdingford Dance Team winning their conference Friday for Kick and Jazz during meet at Minnewaska.
HS BHK= Little Falls at Fergus Falls Tuesday at 7:15pm Q92 WYRQ
HS BBB= Pequot Lakes at Pierz Tuesday at 7:15pm on 94ROCKS
TWINS= Twins announced that former General Manager Terry Ryan and longtime bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek will be inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame later this year during Twins baseball.
Join KLTF Party Line Live today at 10:05am from Holy Trinity School in Pierz for Catholic Schools Week. Hear the program on AM960 KLTF and online at fallsradio.com.