NEWS
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce announced their Large Business, Small Business and Volunteer of the Year. The Large Business of the Year is Sea View Farm. Sea View Farm was established in 2011 and employs around 28 people. They grow more than 2,000 acres of potatoes for the frozen processing market. The Small Business of the Year is Kampa Gerbi and Associates Insurance Agency. The insurance group was given the award for their years of service but also for what each employee does in the community also being on board and members of organizations. The Volunteer of the Year is Tom Hoggarth for his work with the Golfers Organized of Little Falls. The idea started back in 2008 and grew to having golf tournaments and other fundraisers that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help out golf in the Little Falls area. The Large Business, Small Business and Volunteer of the Year will receive their honors at the Chamber Annual Meeting at the Falls Ballroom on Thursday, May 18th.
--The state filed an intent to seek aggravated sentencing against an 18-year-old Baxter man who was charged in connection with an April drive-by shooting in Brainerd. Ayden Furlong-Mulligan appeared in Crow Wing County District Court accused of driving the vehicle from which a passenger, Ridge Kinney, 21 of Baxter, allegedly fired several shots from a handgun at a man in another vehicle April 16 on the 700 block of West College Drive in Brainerd. Furlong-Mulligan was charged with felony premeditated aiding and abetting first-degree attempted murder, felony aiding and abetting second-degree attempted murder in a drive-by shooting, felony aiding and abetting attempted first-degree assault resulting in great bodily harm, felony aiding and abetting second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon/firearm and felony aiding and abetting a dangerous weapons crime involving a drive-by shooting. The victim told officers he had just ended a relationship with his girlfriend, 40-year-old Alexis Joy Hamann of Baxter, and the two had an argument over property he left at her residence. Hamann is Furlong-Mulligan’s mother. Ridge Kinney was charged with several serious felonies including premeditated first degree attempted murder, second degree attempted murder in a drive-by shooting, first degree assault, second degree assault with a dangerous weapon, second degree assault causing substantial bodily harm and dangerous weapons violation in a drive-by shooting toward an occupied vehicle. The judge is taking all under advisement before a date for sentencing can be set.
--Following the Legislative Session, the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has announced a post legislative update will take place with State Representatives Ron Kresha (10A) and Isaac Schultz (10B) and also State Senator Nathan Wesenberg (District 10) on Tuesday, June 20th from 8:30am-10am at the Little Falls City Hall. Those in attendance will get the update from the session and ask questions to the State Senator and Representatives. For questions on the event you can call the Chamber of Commerce at 320-632-5155.
--The Morrison County Fair is June 22nd-24th this year at the fairgrounds east of Little Falls. Get the information by going online to fallsradio.com and click on the Morrison County Fair Logo.
--Next week is Graduations for our Morrison County Schools, with Pierz, Royalton, Upsala and Swanville all planning their graduation ceremonies on Friday, May 26th. Little Falls will graduate their seniors on Sunday, May 28th at 2pm in the high school. Congratulations to all the Class of 2023 from Little Falls Radio.
--The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety says police handed out more than 3,400 citations for distracted driving in April. The coordinated effort with the state patrol, county and local law enforcement included extra patrols and an education and awareness campaign to get drivers to pay attention and focus on the road. There were 275 agencies that participated, writing 3,427 citations. In greater Minnesota, the state patrol’s St. Cloud region wrote the second most at 209. St. Paul wrote the highest number in the metro area at 571. Examples of Distracted Driving Stops from Law Enforcement St. Paul Police stopped a driver for a hands-free violation. The 39-year-old woman was using a phone for a court hearing over Zoom. A trooper in the Virginia area stopped a 32-year-old woman for a hands-free violation. She was arrested for DWI. Her blood alcohol concentration was twice the legal limit for driving.
Northfield Police issued two hands-free violations to commercial vehicle drivers. One of the drivers did not have a seatbelt on. He told officers his company told him he didn’t have to wear one. He was also cited for that. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office teamed up with seven other agencies for high-visibility enforcement. They stopped 75 vehicles and issued 24 citations. Eighteen of the citations were for hands-free violations. South Lake Minnetonka officers stopped numerous vehicles during a high-visibility event with other agencies. One person was cited for texting and eating while stopped at a stoplight. The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office stopped a 56-year-old woman for a hands-free violation. She said she was reading a text message from her hairstylist. According to the OTS, distracted driving contributes to 9% of crashes in Minnesota. In 2022, preliminary figures show that distracted driving contributed to 126 injuries and 22 deaths. A Statewide Crackdown on Distracted Driving is underway.
DEATH NOTICES
--Brian C. Anderson, age 65 of Little Falls.
--Lorraine D. Altrichter, age 91 of Staples.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 75.
TONIGHT= clear skies at night, low 53.
TUESDAY= sunny and warm, high near 80, clear night, low 46.
WEDNESDAY= becoming cloudy, PM showers & storms, high 75.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins relief blow the game Friday night as the Cubs come back to win 6-2. Joey Gallo had 4 RBIs as the Twins rout the Cubs on Saturday after a rain delay 11-1. Twins pound out 18 hits on Sunday to rout the Cubs again 16-3 to take the three game series. The Twins open a series tonight at Los Angeles against the Dodgers, pregame coverage begins at 8:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
NFL= The Vikings released their 2023 schedule, they open against Tampa Bay a U.S. Bank Stadium on September 10th. Then they are at Philadelphia on Thursday September 14th. They host San Francisco on Monday October 29th and are scheduled to have Sunday night games against Denver and then host Green Bay on New Years Eve in the night game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
HS BAB= Little Falls at Pierz in high school baseball Tuesday, first pitch at 5pm with news at 4:30pm on AM960 KLTF.
HS SB= softball playoffs begin May 22nd, stay tuned for details.