NEWS
--A Sauk Rapids man who pleaded guilty to coercing three 15-year-old girls to have sex with him in a high school and at the library has been sentenced to probation. Twenty-two-year-old Deshun Nathan pleaded guilty to three felony counts of 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct involving a victim between the ages of 13-15. The girls reported Nathan, 19-years-old at the time, had "friended" them on the social media app Snapchat prior to the sexual assaults. The charges state in one instance, a victim was walking to class at Tech High School when she was cornered by Nathan and another boy. The two convinced the victim to have sex with them in an electrical room. Nathan gained access through a master key he had stolen. The girl said several classmates approached her the next day saying they saw a video of the incident as the two suspects had recorded the sex acts. A second girl told police Nathan convinced her to perform a sex act in the same electrical room and also recorded the assault. A third girl said she was invited to Nathan's Sauk Rapids apartment where they had sex and again in the nursing room at the St. Cloud Public Library. Court records show the sexual assaults were in 2018. The judge also sentenced Nathan to complete sex offender treatment programming and register as a predatory offender.
--Authorities are investigating a garage fire that happened in St. Cloud. The St. Cloud Fire Department says units responded to a home in the 1400 block of 15th Street North just before 11:00 pm. Friday night for an unknown fire. When they arrived on scene, firefighters found a detached garage with flames burning on the outside only. They were able to put out the fire before it spread to the inside of the garage. No one was hurt and the damage is estimated at $5,000. The St. Cloud Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.
--A St. Cloud area veterans group dedicated to bringing every missing military members home is holding an online fundraiser. Freedom Flight, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that gives rides in hot air balloons to raise awareness about missing in action soldiers and prisoners of war. Freedom Flight is selling gun raffle tickets for $10 each and holding an online auction to raise money to attend the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. The raffle and auction go until April 2nd. It’s the 50th anniversary of the Albuquerque show, and the organizations will be headed to the event for the first time. The festival is considered the largest international hot air balloon event globally, with 750 to 800 balloons. Their goal is to raise $33,000. Freedom Flight has been in 42 states and six countries, raising awareness about missing military members. Freedom Flight’s have a unique basket to take wounded veterans from across the country on rides. Freedom Flight typically attends 50 to 60 events a year. For more information go to website freedomflight.org.
--The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls invite you to participate in a Good Friday Silent Walk for Peace on Friday, April 15, 9:30 am. After gathering outside the west entrance at St. Francis Convent, participants will walk together in a silent procession, stopping to pray at various designated places throughout Little Falls, including St. Gabriel’s Hospital, Morrison County Jail and Government Center, Veteran’s Memorial, Maple Island Park and a few other locations. The procession will be led by a person carrying a cross. Participants can take turns carrying the cross and leading the procession. The walk concludes back at the convent at about 11am. In the event of bad weather, this event will be canceled.
--Congratulations to the 2022 Morrison County Dairy Princesses crowned Saturday night. 18-year-old Erin Borash, daughter of Ron and Ann Borash of North Prairie. Christina Karst, 18-year-old daughter of Richard and Janelle Karst of Pierz, and 16-year-old Madison Westerman, daughter of Landon and Michelle Westerman of Little Falls. They will represent the Morrison County Dairy Industry through the next year at events to promote the dairy industry. Erin Borash was also named Miss Congeniality on Saturday night.
--The Little Falls Fire Department reportedly did a control burn training exercise Saturday morning out by the game farm east of Little Falls. Fire Chief Craig Seelen said this was a planned exercise.
--Tyler Jacob, a Winona, Minnesota native who had been teaching English and living in Ukraine since last year, is back with his family after being detained by Russian forces. According to a press release from Senator Amy Klobuchar's office, Jacob was detained in Russia for 10 days after attempting to flee Kherson, which was one of the first major cities to fall as Russia invaded.
--The Share Sunday Raffle winners were announced yesterday morning on AM960 KLTF's Polka World Today with Gene Retka and LaVerne Bzdok. The grand prize winner was Father Tim Wenzel getting $700, Shirley Hildebrandt won the $200 prize and the $100 prize went to Butch and Pat Schilling congratulations and thanks to all who bought raffle tickets for the Share Sunday which goes to the help the Boys and Girls Club, Area Food Shelves and Oasis Central Minnesota to help with their helping the hungry and homeless.
--The Pierz City Council meets tonight 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
--Country Singer Jeff Carson has died at age 58. Carson had a #1 hit in 1995 with Not on your Love and a big Christmas hit with his remake of Santa got lost in Texas. Carson retired from country music and became a police officer in Franklin, Tennessee.
DEATH NOTICES
--Eugene “Gene” Nelson, age 102 of Little Falls
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny skies, turning breezy, high 37.
TONIGHT= cloudy skies, low around 26.
TUESDAY= cloudy and breezy, light rain late day, high 42, low 35.
WEDNESDAY= rain/sleet to all snow, windy with falling temps.
SPORTS
BBB= Hayfield beat BBE in Class A Championship 51-49. Annandale beat Minneapolis North 60-49 to win Class AA Championship. Totino Grace beat DeLaSalle 50-44 for Class AAA Championship. The day finished with Park Center beating Wayzata in 4A 58-53 to wrap up the winter sports season pretty much for 2021-2022.
NCAA= Villanova beat Houston and Duke took down Arkansas to advance to the Final Four with wins Saturday. Kansas is the only #1 seed left as the beat Miami to move on Sunday. North Carolina got the final spot by eliminating Cinderella team St. Peter's Sunday.
COL HK= Gophers beat UMass 4-3 in overtime Friday night, Quinnipiac upended St. Cloud State 5-4 Friday. Denver eliminated UMD (Duluth) Saturday 2-1 to advance to the Frozen Four. Mankato advanced on with a 1-0 win over Notre Dame on Saturday. The Gophers also advanced Sunday to the Frozen Four with a 3-0 win over Western Michigan. The semi-finals are April 7th in Boston.