NEWS
--A large fire broke out Tuesday morning at the St. Cloud Childrens Home. St. Cloud Firefighters with mutual aid from Waite Park, St. Augusta, and Sauk Rapids fire departments battled the blaze for hours overnight. The cause of the fire is not known yet, there is no damage estimate yet, it is believed there were no injuries. Catholic Charities has been a longtime tenant of the St. Cloud Children's Home owned by the Diocese of St. Cloud. However, the Diocese sold the property in the fall of 2020. In preparation for the transition to new ownership, Catholic Charities relocated the last of their programs to a new location in Sauk Rapids in December. Executive Director Steve Pareja says, "We are grateful that no client services are currently being offered on the St. Cloud Children's Home property, especially residential services." Battalion Chief Steve Richardson says they were called to 1726 7th Avenue South just after 2:30am. They were able to keep the fire contained to the one building of origin and it did not spread to the other buildings.
--Two people were taken to the hospital after an ATV crash over the weekend. The incident happened around 8:40pm Saturday at 42523 248th Avenue in Krain Township, about 5 miles east of St. Rosa.The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says they received a call of two people trapped in the ATV. Authorities arrived to find the driver, 64-year-old James Hiltner of Freeport, outside of the machine and was bleeding from the head. His passenger, 52-year-old Jean Enowmbitang, was pinned underneath. Authorities say Hiltner had attempted to lift the ATV off of Enowmbitang with a skidloader. Enowmbitang was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital. Hiltner was also taken to the hospital for his injuries. Authorities say its believe Hiltner was under the influence at the time of the crash. The investigation is ongoing.
--Fire destroyed a detached garage in Stearns County's Wakefield Township early Wednesday morning. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says a passerby saw the garage on fire in the 17000 block of County Road 83 near Rich Spring Golf Club at around 2am. The passerby called 911 and alerted the homeowner, Patricia Stalboerger. Stalboerger evacuated her home because the garage was fully engulfed and is only 20 feet from her home. Cold Spring, Richmond, and Rockville Fire Departments responded to contain the fire and put out the flames.The cause is unknown and the garage is a total loss.
--A man was cited for illegal burning after an attempt to burn a log spread to several acres of a wooded lot Monday afternoon, according to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office. A Stearns County deputy noticed smoke around 1:26pm Monday while patrolling Stearns County Road 44, according to a Wednesday release. The deputy traced the smoke to 7055 County Road 44 east of Kimball. Several acres of a wooded lot were on fire and flames were surrounding a private residence. A fire spread on a wooded lot Monday afternoon after a man tried to burn a large log, according to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office. The property owner, James Hay, 62, told the deputy he tried to burn a large log and the fire spread out of control, the release said. Hay was cited for burning without a valid variance permit. The Kimball Fire Department and South Haven Fire Department were called to extinguish the fire. This is the third citation from the DNR or Fire Department for illegal burning in Stearns County between Sunday and Monday where two led to larger grass fires due to dry conditions. Burning restrictions are in place because of dry conditions, according to the release. All fires, other than campfires, require a burning variance permit.
--Today is Ladies Night Out Pierz Style with FM94. Stop into the participating sponsors from 12-7pm and get your brochure stamped then head to Red Rooster in Genola for drawings to begin at 7:30pm. The top prize is $500 Pierz Area Commerical Club bucks. With current mandates, the theme is “Best Mask” the one with the best voted on mask wins a special prize from FM94. Rules, details and sponsor list at fallsradio.com and click on the community calendar link or you can view the details by searching Little Falls Radio on Facebook.
--Road construction begins next Monday on one of the busiest corridors in the St. Cloud area. Resurfacing and repairs to the concrete pavement on Division Street/CSAH 75 will be from 15th Avenue North in Waite Park to Park Avenue South in St. Cloud. The work is expected to last through the summer. The project will also include sidewalk improvements and revisions to the traffic signals. A lane closure and traffic shift will be in effect in both directions. You are urged to find alternate routes or expect delays.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Matt and Beth Swanson of Burtrum, parents of a girl born April 6th.
DEATH NOTICES
--Abigail C. Snow, age 25 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= fog/mist early, showers & t-storms likely, high 53.
TONIGHT= showers likely, fog and mist also, low 41.
FRIDAY= showers likely, isolated T-storms, high 50, low 37.
SATURDAY= sunny skies, breezy, high 54, low around 35.
SUNDAY= sunny skies, less windy, high near 60, low near 32.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins come back to win 3-2 on Wednesday with another big game from Buxton to take two out of 3 in Detroit over the Tigers. The Twins have their home opener today with the Seattle Mariners, pregame at 2:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
COL HK= The NCAA Frozen Four is today in Pittsburgh. St. Cloud State and MSU Mankato in the first game followed by Massachusetts against Minnesota-Duluth in the second. The first time that three Minnesota colleges are included in the field of four. The championship game will be played on Saturday for college hockey championship.
WRAP= Join the Saturday Morning Sports Wrap this weekend for a special interview done with retiring boys hockey coach Tony Couture, who is stepping down after 28 seasons after making it to the state semi-finals last week. The interview will air Saturday in the 8am hour on the Sports Wrap on AM960 KLTF. The entire nearly hour interview can then be listened to on the fallsradio.com website.
VL= Victory Legue Baseball to start on Sunday with the KLTF Game of the Week to be Foley at Upsala, Sunday at 1:30pm on AM960.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1766= first use of a fire escape in the United States is patented, by using a wicker basket with a pulley and chain.
IN 1879= milk is sold in glass bottles for the first time.
IN 1969= The Montreal Expos play the first Major League Baseball regular season game outside the United States opening their season.
IN 1979= “All in the Family” airs for the final time CBS. In September CBS airs “Archie Bunker's Place that aired until 1983.