NEWS
--The first wave of snow came through last night dropping 4-6 inches in many spots. Temps will drop today, winds pick up starting to blow the snow around and more heavy snow later today, tonight and into Friday will drop another 4-8 inches before it is done on Friday. Please use extreme caution if traveling today as the Winter Storm Warning continues until noon Friday.
--The local FSA office in Little Falls is remaining open this week due to carry over funds despite not being funded by the federal government following their partial shutdown. Thus the open house to celebrate the retirement of Ruth Westre who has worked for 30 years in the office is going on as originally planned from 1:00-4:00pm today at the FSA office. Stop in today and thanks Ruth for years of service.
--A Minnesota-based poultry producer is recalling more than 164,000 pounds of raw ground turkey products that may be contaminated with salmonella. The Jennie-O Turkey Store products have markings saying to use or freeze by November 12th or 13th. The recall includes plain ground turkey and turkey with taco or Italian seasonings. The products were shipped to Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin. Food safety officials are worried that some contaminated turkey may be in people's freezers. The recalled products have the tag P-579 marked on the lower left corner of the front of the package.
--Brainerd firefighters battled a house fire in Baxter Friday. The fire on the 13000 block of Travine Drive in Baxter was in the bedroom of the house. The home sustained extensive smoke damage. The cause is under investigation. A woman and her dog escaped without injury.
--Minnesota's attorney general is suing Comcast/Xfinity, alleging the company has overcharged thousands of consumers for cable TV packages, charged them for unordered equipment and services, and failed to deliver on promised Visa gift cards. Attorney General Lori Swanson says the lawsuit follows more than two years of investigation. The lawsuit, filed in Hennepin County District Court in Minneapolis on Friday, alleges consumer fraud and deceptive trade practices. It seeks a court order to stop Comcast's allegedly deceptive business practices, and for unspecified amounts of restitution, civil penalties and legal fees. Swanson says a trial is underway in a similar lawsuit in Washington state, and that Comcast recently agreed to settle a similar case in Massachusetts.
--A 9-year old was injured in an accident Sunday morning in Onamia. 28-year-old Mercedes Bain of Albert Lea pulled out in front of an oncoming vehicle driven by 59-year-old Joanne Dahinden of Hillman. Neither driver was injured. Bain's passenger, 9-year-old Austin Smith was taken to the Onamia hospital for an injury to his arm.
--The price of postage stamps go up to 55 cents on January 27th. Also some priority mail prices will increase in 2019.
--The man killed early Friday morning in a single-vehicle crash on Aitkin County Highway 12, was identified as 22-year old Levi Shannon Russell Westvig of Aitkin. Westvig was found dead inside his vehicle that left the roadway and was in the ditch when authorities arrived.
--Due to the bad weather today the Oasis Central Minnesota Share-A Meal has been cancelled tonight and Ruby's Pantry scheduled for today has been rescheduled for January 7th. Continue to listen to Little Falls Radio for the latest weather related announcements.
--Two women from St. Cloud were hurt in a crash involving a stopped squad car along Interstate 94. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 10:30pm Saturday on westbound I-94 just east of Clearwater. A car driven by 69-year-old Sharon Soyka of St. Cloud rear-ended the State Patrol squad car that was stopped on the left shoulder while attending to another car that had hit the guardrail. After Soyka's car hit the squad car it also hit the other vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle was 19-year-old Katelyn Carter of St. Cloud. Soyka was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Carter and Schuelke were not hospitalized.
--A woman fell asleep behind the wheel and one of her three passengers was hurt when her vehicle crashed into a ditch. The incident happened Monday shortly before 11:45pm near 13796 County Road 52 in Avon Township. Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson says 33-year old Nicole Nieman of St. Stephen was heading east on the county road when she crossed the center line, went into the ditch, struck a field approach, launching over it and landing on the other side. Nieman and the two children passengers, ages eight and five months were not hurt. However, Nieman's third passenger 34-year old Eric Nieman had non-life threatening injuries. Nicole Nieman admitted to temporarily falling asleep.
--A Brooten woman was hurt in a rollover crash near New London on Saturday. The incident happened at Highway 71 and Highway 9 just before noon. The Minnesota State Patrol says a truck was going north on Highway 71 when it lost control on the ice. The truck went off the road and rolled. The driver of the truck, 28-year-old Sarah Hanson of Brooten, was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
--A short high-speed chase on Highway 12 near Litchfield ended in the arrest of an Eagan man Christmas night. The Meeker County Sherrif's Office says at 7:31pm Tuesday, they received a call of a car heading east from Litchfield on Highway 12 speeding and driving erratically. Officers found the vehicle and clocked it at over 90 miles per hour, weaving in and out of traffic. Deputies tried to stop the driver, identified as 57-year-old Timothy Otis, however, Otis refused to stop. He turned off Highway 12 in Darwin Township and drove through a home's yard before eventually crashing into a ditch. Otis was arrested for fleeing police, and suspicion of DUI. Police also found a small amount of marijuana.
DEATH NOTICES
--Karen Ohmann, age 76 of Hillman
--Aaron M. Yorek, age 45 of Sartell.
--Cindy Christine Segler, age 52 of Rice
WEATHER
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT TILL NOON FRIDAY.
TODAY= snow, mixed with drizzle, high 34 then dropping.
TONIGHT= winds get strong, temps down to 16 with snow.
FRIDAY= snow ending, totals 8-18 inches, windy and cold, high 16.
SATURDAY= sunny and cold, high near 7, low around -3.
SUNDAY= cloudy and warmer, high 24 more snow Sunday night.
SPORTS
BOWL= Gophers beat Georgia Tech 34-10 on Wednesday in the Quicklane Bowl in Detroit, Michigan to finish year at 7-6.
TOUR= many holiday tournaments start up today in the area.