NEWS
–Ice jams in the Mississippi River near
Fort Ripley have prompted a flood warning for portions of Morrison,
Aitkin, and Crow Wing Counties into next week. The jams forced the river
to reach 10.28 feet Tuesday night which is above the 10 foot flood
stage. The river may be causing flooding to low-lying areas next to the
river. Ice jamming causes erratic river levels until the jam releases.
Over the next few days with the temperatures expected to reach above
freezing the river level could fluctuate 1-2 feet in a short period of
time. If the jam continues the crest would not occur likely until next
week. By that time river levels could be at 12.5 feet. That would cause
flooding to landings and shorelines near the river at Fort Ripley.
–A Cass County man has been charged
with murder for stabbing his mother multiple times in their Bena home on
November 28th. 34-year old Wayne Matthews of Bena has been charged with
second degree murder in the killing of his mother 54-year old Joy
Matthews. Wayne Matthews was in jail when his mother’s body was found
after he was arrested on assault charges at a Bena business. Matthews is
scheduled to make his next court appearance on Monday.
–Two people were hurt Tuesday night
around 5:00pm on Highway 71 in Long Prairie Township of Todd County.
81-year old Richard Hendricks of Browerville was heading north on
Highway 71 when when he struck a logging truck that had pulled onto the
roadway. Hendricks and his passenger, 81-year old Darlene Hendricks were
taken to the Long Prairie Hospital and treated for non life threatening
injuries. The truck driver, 37-year old Nathan Bettis of Browerville
and his two passengers were not injured in the crash.
–One person was injured Tuesday around
11:00am at the intersection of Highway 23 and Interstate 94 in St.
Joseph of Stearns County. 67-year old Daniel Laudenbach of St. Cloud
collided with 48-year old Brigetta Klemek of Cold Spring. Klemek was
treated for injuries sustained while Laudenbach was not hurt.
–A number of Minnesota schools (mostly
in the Twin Cities Metro Area), have received an uptick on students
coming forward stating they have been receiving an app on their
Smartphone that may be linked to a predator trying to meet to take
personal information from the student. Some of the phones have been
taken from the students and checked by police to see if they can link an
app or message to a possible predator. Parents are encouraged to talk
to your teenagers about the dangers of downloading apps, links or having
contact with strangers who may or may not be who or what they seem.
–The US Postal Inspection Service has
issued a Crime Alert of a scam email to postal customers. Some postal
customers are receiving bogus emails about a package delivery or online
postage charges. The emails contain a link or attachment that when
opened installs a malicious virus that can steal personal information
from your PC. The emails claim to be from the US Postal Service and
contain fraudulent information about an attempted or intercepted package
delivery or online postal charges. Recipients are instructed to click
on a link, open the attachment or print the label. But postal inspectors
warn, Don’t do it. Like most viruses sent by email clicking on the link
or opening the attachment will activate a virus that can steal
information such as your user name, password, and financial account
information. If you receive this type of email the best thing to do is
delete the email without even opening it.
–An issue with the rising temperatures
is road conditions. Once temperatures rise to 30 degrees and above the
ice and particles on the roads start to melt away. Once temperatures
drop below freezing again it turns back to an icy glaze and causes very
slippery conditions. The Minnesota State Patrol reported over 2 dozen
spinouts from southeast of St. Cloud through Stearns, Sherburne, Kanabec
and Isanti Counties on Wednesday morning due to freezing precipitation
and low cloud cover. More slippery roads are expected today with chances
of light snow and freezing drizzle until noon.
–Five people have been convicted in an
alleged ring that sold Thai women for sex in the United States. A
federal jury in Minnesota found all five guilty Wednesday of conspiracy
to commit sex trafficking and other charges. The defendants are
65-year-old Michael Morris of Seal Beach, California; 46-year-old
Pawinee Unpradit of Dallas; 44-year-old Saowapha Thinram of Hutto,
Texas; 35-year-old Thoucharin Ruttanamongkongul of Chicago; and
39-year-old Waralee Wanless, of Colony, Texas. Prosecutors alleged the
defendants, along with 34 co-conspirators, ran a sex trafficking
operation that lasted more than a decade throughout the country and
worked into the Twin Cities Metro and one report in the St. Cloud area.
–A 17-year-old boy faces possible
criminal charges for allegedly shooting out the windows to several
vehicles and windows at Tech High School and South Junior High. St.
Cloud Police were called around 11:40pm Tuesday on a report of someone
shooting a BB gun at parked cars. The witness told police someone was
shooting from the window of a car in the 900 block of 6th Street North.
When officers arrived, the suspect’s vehicle was gone, but six car
windows were damaged. Officers eventually spotted the vehicle and
identified the teen involved. Police say the evidence and time frames
are consistent with the crimes being related. There is no damage
estimate at this time. The teen was released to his parents.
–Little Falls and Pierz High Schools will hold their holiday concerts this coming Monday night at their respected schools.
WEATHER
TODAY= snow showers mixing with freezing drizzle before noon with a high of 36, then clearing skies into the night, low 18.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, high 38, low around 26.
SATURDAY= sunny skies, high near 40, low around 20.
SUNDAY= partly sunny and windy, high 36, low around 13.
SPORTS
HS BBB= ROCORI at Little Falls tonight 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ
HS BBB= Pierz at Foley tonight 7:15pm on FM94 KFML.
HS FB= Good Luck to Reese Kapsner of Pierz
participating this Saturday in the High School Football All Star Game
at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
COL FB= A group of Gophers football
players have been disciplined for their actions after their win at
Wisconsin and may still be suspended for the program’s appearance in the
Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit on December 26th. The University stated
there was no crime committed this was from actions after their win that
were considered in violation of player rules. PJ Fleck will address the
situation during the Quick Lane press conference next Wednesday.
NFL= Los Angeles Chargers (10-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (11-2) in a big AFC matchup tonight at 7pm on AM960 KLTF.