NEWS
--Superintendent Stephen Jones of Little Falls Community Schools announced Saturday thaty they have been notified by the Minnesota Department of Health of a confirmed case of COVID-19 to a member of Little Falls Community High School with an exposure date of Monday, September 21. On Sunday the school announced they were notified of two cases of COVID-19 with one in the Middle School and another in Lindbergh Elementary with an exposure date of Thursday, September 24th. The school has worked jointly with MDH to identify those people who had close contact with the case, and those people have been directly contacted. The risk of exposure for other individuals is no greater than the risk of contracting the virus in the general community. The District is confident that all close contacts have been identified and communicated with. As the number of positive COVID cases continues to rise in Morrison County, Little Falls Community Schools has made the decision to transition to a Hybrid Learning Plan at both the Middle School and High School. This is effective Monday, October 5th. PreSchool and Elementary will remain in the In-Person Learning Plan at this time. All students from PreSchool through 12th grade will be In-Person Monday through Thursday of this upcoming week, September 28-October 1. There will be no school in the district for any student on Friday, October 2, to enable preparation to transition to Hybrid Learning on October 5 at the Middle School and High School. There will be additional communication coming from the Middle School, High School, and the District in regards to the transition to Hybrid Learning over the next 72 hours. The District is aware that any Learning Plan transition is potentially disruptive to students and families. However, the continuing increase in COVID numbers in Morrison County and statewide is driving the necessity to transition to Hybrid Learning at the Community Middle School and Community High School.
--Minnesota COVID-19 numbers continue to rise with 1,191 cases on Friday, 1,478 cases on Saturday with 10 new deaths, which included the second confirmed COVID-19 death in Morrison County of a person in their 70s. As mentioned from the school districit, Morrison County saw a very large number of new cases, 11 new cases on Friday and another 17 new cases on Saturday moving the totals to 249 total cases with 2 confirmed deaths. Then on Sunday there were 1,077 new COVID-19 reports with 4 new deaths. There were another 15 new cases in Morrison County with the 2 reported deaths. The average number in Morrison County shows around 19-20 per the 10,000 ratio and that number is high enough to change schools.
--Upsala schools announced Friday that the school was made aware of a suspicious vehicle that has been seen around the community and other neighboring communities over the past few days. The school is currently working with the Morrison County Sheriff's department. Due to the information they have received, the school has taken the following actions: Increase supervision at any outside time periods including recess, phy ed, and dismissal. Increase patrol car presence in the community after school. Students who walk will be escorted home by staff. All school entrances will remain secured as usual. If you do not feel comfortable allowing your child to walk please make arrangements for a pick up as soon as possible to allow the office time to inform the teachers of the changes. The school stated that simular procedures may stay in place next week if the Sheriff's Office asks the school to take these measures.
--The Minnesota State Patrol reported that a John Deere Tractor hauling Farm Equipment was traveling westbound on Highway 10 in Darling Township near Randall Sunday just before 8pm on the shoulder over the white line with flashers displayed when it was rear ended by a vehicle driven by 33-year old Darrin Gorka of Long Prairie. Gorka was taken to Little Falls then to St. Cloud Hospital with non life threatening injuries. The tractor driver, Bennie Holtz of Flensburg was not injured in the accident. Law enforcement is reminding motorists to please watch for farm equipment on area roadways.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce announced that due to the recent rise in COVID-19 numbers they have decided to cancel their trick or treating events at area businesses on October 30th. The event has in the past reach numbers of nearly 1,000 or more and could not be done safely to CDC guidelines. The Chamber said that some private businesses may still have their own style of events for Halloween but the Chamber had to put the safety of others first.
--The Waite Park Police Department is investigating a shooting that sent one person to the hospital Friday. Police say they received a gunshot complaint shortly after 4:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of 7th Street South. When officers arrived on the scene, they found shattered glass from a vehicle and a shell casing. Authorities say about an hour later they got a report of a gunshot victim seeking treatment at St. Cloud Hospital. The victim, whose name has not been released, was shot in the arm and police say his injuries are not life-threatening. Authorities say they do not believe there is any risk to the public. Anyone with information should call Waite Park police.
--Pierz Homecoming Coronation today at 2:30pm at Pierz Healy High School will be live streamed on the Pierz Healy High School facebook page. Due to COVID-19 restrictions it is NOT open to the public.
NATIONAL NEWS
--As expected Saturday, President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to fill Supreme Court vacancy from the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg earlier this month.
DEATH NOTICES
--Russell H. Severson, age 65 of Little Falls.
--Ardell Schmidtbauer, age 81 of Harding.
--Nicholas McDermott, age 77 of Little Falls
--Carl Jensen, age 89 of Hillman
--Margie E. Ritters, age 98 of Little Falls formerly Randall.
WEATHER
TODAY= afternoon showers and T-storms, breezy, high 51.
TONIGHT= showers early, clearing skies, low 37.
TUESDAY= partly sunny and windy, high 61, low near 40.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and breezy, high 56, low near 33.
SPORTS
TWINS= Cincinnati clinched a playoff berth with a 7-2 win over the Twins on Friday night. Twins win 7-3 on Saturday and then lost 5-3 in 10 innings on Sunday. However White Sox lost Sunday so Twins clinch the AL Central Division title. Twins host Houston Astros in game 1 of the wild card round Tuesday at 1pm on Q92 WYRQ.
VIKINGS= Gostowski kicks 6 field goals including the game winner late to lift Tennessee Titans to a 31-30 win over the Vikings Sunday.
LYNX=Seattle wins 92-71 over Lynx Sunday winning series 3-0.