NEWS
--The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are implementing burning restrictions in several counties due to the unusually warm temperatures and exceptionally dry conditions. In total, 38 Minnesota counties will be under burning restrictions starting on Monday including Benton, Stearns, Sherburne, Wright, Morrison, Crow Wing, and Mille Lacs counties. The DNR will not issue permits for open burning of brush or yard waste until the restrictions are lifted. Wildfire risk increases before the vegetation greens up in the spring and that wildfire risk has arrived earlier than normal.
--A juvenile was arrested Wednesday after they allegedly stabbed their father at a home in Lake Edward Township in Crow Wing County. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident, reported at 4:22pm on the 21000 block of Stratford Road when a juvenile living at the residence called 911 to report they stabbed their father, a 36-year-old Brainerd area man. The juvenile told deputies they got into an argument and when the father got close to them, they stabbed him. The 36-year-old man was taken to Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center and was later released. The juvenile was arrested for second-degree assault and taken to East Central Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Lino Lakes. The sheriff’s office said they have been to the residence multiple times in the past for disturbance calls. The father was not a resident there.
--Cass County following a public hearing this month has revised their proposed ordinance regarding regulation of all-terrain vehicles on county highways and public right of way. There were several citizens in attendance again to share their concerns regarding the ordinance. Currently, the ordinance states “1. A person who violates any provision of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, and 2. A person who permits another to operate an all-terrain vehicle in violation of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.” After the public hearing was closed, County Administrator Josh Stevenson reported back to the board with recommendations from the ATV Ordinance Committee. The committee reviewed the recommendations received during the first public hearing and recommended changing the word “may” with “shall” in item number one to read: “An all-terrain vehicle shall be operated on any County Highway in the same direction of travel as other vehicular traffic.” Stevenson mentioned both the request to limit the speed for both Class 1 and Class 2 ATVs to 30 mph and the request to require all ATVs to be highway licensed with turn signals, backup lights, brake lights, running lights, and rear view mirrors were discussed, however, the committee did not make any recommendations to the board for those changes to the ordinance. After much discussion regarding enforcement and hearing thoughts from Sheriff Bryan Welk, the board decided to revise both number one and two under enforcement in the ordinance from misdemeanors to petty misdemeanors with fines up to $300. Therefore, a motion was made to approve the second reading with the proposed change from the committee and the changes from the board to the enforcement section with a third hearing and final adoption at the next regular meeting March 19. The motion was passed unanimously.
--Blood drive today at the St. Francis Convent 1-7pm, Tuesday 12-6 and Wednesday 8:30-2:30pm call for appointments 320-632-0663.
--Little Falls Community Schools reported that the Little Falls Fire Department was conducting training in the High School and Middle School parking lots yesterday on Sunday. The District is grateful for their service and is honored to provide them space for training to help further their skills. Again this was only a training session yesterday at the school parking lots, no need to be alarmed.
--There was an Amber Alert sent out Friday night for a 3 year old boy from the Red Lake area who was believed taken by his estranged mother who did not have parental rights. The boy was found safe a few hours later by police and is safe. The women who was with the boy has been taken into custody. Again the boy was found safe.
--One person died in a crash near Clearwater on Saturday morning. The Minnesota State Patrol says at around 5:30am a tanker truck driven by 60-year-old Wayne Lange of Spring Valley and a pickup driven by 81-year-old Dennis Wendell of North Oaks were both going west on Interstate 94 when they crashed. The State Patrol says Wendall died at the scene and airbags deployed but he was not wearing a seatbelt. Lange was not hurt in the crash.
--Area hospitals and clinics are already seeing patients come in for tick-borne illnesses this year. With the no snow and warmer temps the pests have already been found in woods and high grass. Doctors state if you walk in grassy or wooded areas, wear long pants and if need place a rubber band towards the bottom. Ticks will fall off the grass and find their way to your ankles before climbing up your legs. Deer ticks are the most dangerous from an illness standpoint. They are smaller than a dog tick, jet black, and have prominent legs that jut out from the rest of the body. They carry Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and parasites called Babesia. Lyme disease will sometimes present with a bulls eye pattern rash. If you need a blood test instead to confirm, it takes four to six weeks for results.
DEATH NOTICES
--Dolores Irene Colombe, age 88 of Little Falls.
--Kenneth John Euteneuer, age 70 of Holdingford.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly cloudy skies, less windy, high 37.
TONIGHT= cloudy skies, winds pick up again, low 14.
TUESDAY= cloudy skies, flurries and windy, high 45, low 18.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and breezy, colder, high 29, low 20.
SPORTS
GBB= Goodhue wins Class A, Walker-Hackensack Akeley took 6th, Providence Academy beat Albany for AA title while Crosby-Ironton finished 4th. Alexandria won 3rd place in Class AAA while Benidle St. Margaret's won the AAA Title and Minnetonka won in 4A for girls.
BBB= Team like Alexandria, Albany, Pequot Lakes and Nevis will be at the State Boys Basketball Tournament beginning on Wednesday.
NFL= Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday then Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields also to Pittsburgh
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1852= Wells and Fargo begins shipping and banking company.
IN 2001= John Phillips of Mamas and The Papas died at age 65.
IN 2017= Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode” died at age 90.