NEWS --In November, a notice from the City of Little Falls was sent out with utility bills informing residents that the council is considering changing to a cart system for residential garbage collection. The city has received feedback with many concerns about the changes and would like to gather more information from the residents before determining how to proceed. So letters were sent out with your utility bills by the city to help provide input on the proposed changes which include going to a 64 gallon cart on wheels that should hold two garbage bags, with possibility of the resident purchasing more bags from the city if needed. Enclosed in the letter is the proposed charges in a breakdown by the city for garbage and recycling rates. Again no action is being taken on the garbage collection only input onto making a later decision. Please fill out and drop off the survey by January 5th at City Hall or contact Little Falls City Hall at 616-5500. The next council meeting will be next Tuesday at 7:30pm due to the city offices being closed on Monday in observance of New Years Day.
--The Pierz City Council met Tuesday night for the final time in 2016. At the meeting the council approved the 2017 Morrison County Animal Humane Society annual agreement for $1,914. That amount will cover any stray animals brought in from the city of Pierz. The city also approved a purchase agreement to purchase 61 acres south of the golf course from David Heimenz for $381,250. The council chose the new city slogan Welcome to Pierz... where families are raised and memories are made submitted by Katie Boser. Boser won $250 in Pierz Bucks.
--Crow Wing County Attorney Don Ryan Tuesday filed a civil lawsuit against the Crow Wing County Board on their resolution setting the office's 2017 budget. Ryan felt it was in the best interest of his office and said it saddened him to go this route after 20 budget submissions. Issues arose between the board and Attorney Ryan after a request to add an attorney and legal assistant at cost of $279,000, then in an amended request Ryan withdrew adding the assistant until mid-year to help reduce county cost. Reportedly when the levy was voted on the 9.93 percent increase expected by Ryan's proposal was met with only a 4.4 percent increase. County Administrator Tim Houle stated that these things need to be worked out in the due course of time.
--The Minnesota Court of Appeals vacated an illegal firearms conviction of a Baxter man in light of the recent state supreme court decision discounting BB guns as firearms under the law. 33-year-old Matthew Mason was sentenced in June on two felonies for aggravated robbery from a November 2014 incident. Mason was sentenced to 216 months in prison but argued that the BB gun he used in the robbery should not be a firearms violation as a BB gun is not considered a firearm. That ruling was overturned by the court of appeals however several other arguments made by Mason in his appeal were rejected by the appeals court. Even though the firearms convictions was waived the robbery conviction stands and he will stay in jail for the maximum sentence until 2026.
--The American Red Cross has a critical need and is calling upon all eligible blood donors during these holiday weeks to roll-up your sleeves and donate. American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at St. Francis Convent in Little Falls, next Wednesday and Thursday 1-7pm and next Friday 8-2. Call for an appointment at 632-0663.
--A St. Cloud man reportedly has been connected to three robberies in the area. Most recently, on Friday, December 23rd St. Cloud Police were called to the Knotty Pine Liquor store in the 10 block of Wilson Avenue Northeast after a hold up alarm went off. Officers determined that a man entered the store, showed a handgun, demanded money from the clerk and left on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. The clerk described the man as a black man, about 5 feet 10 inches, wearing a white shirt over a black hooded sweatshirt, white gloves and a white bandanna over his face. Police set up a perimeter around the store and found a suspect, 26- year-old Lavonta Lofton. Lofton had an undisclosed amount of cash and loaded 9mm handgun that had been reported stolen in St. Cloud. Lofton was arrested and taken to the Benton County Jail. He’s being held on possible charges of possessing a stolen firearm and aggravated robbery. Investigators say Lofton also could be charged with armed robberies at St. Cloud SuperAmerica locations on August 31st and December 11th.
--One man was hurt in a St. Cloud house fire Tuesday morning around 10am on 6th Avenue South. The blaze started in the kitchen area from a pot that was on the stove. Four people were inside the home at the time. One man jumped from the second story to escape. The man was hurt and taken to the St. Cloud hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. The house is uninhabitable and the estimated damage caused by the blaze is about $110,000.
--The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced this week that boating deaths remain high in Minnesota this year. In 2016 there have been 17 deaths in Minnesota lakes and rivers, there were 18 deaths last year which was an 11 year high. The DNR says that high speed and not wearing life-jackets were reasons in some of the fatalities this year which could have been avoided.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS --Just a day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher, actress and singer Debbie Reynolds died Wednesday of a stroke. She was 84.
DEATH NOTICES --Rita M. Stumpf, age 97 of Pierz. --Marcella Faust, age 90 of Pierz.
WEATHER TODAY= snow showers, blustery and cloudy, temps drop into teens. TONIGHT= mostly cloudy, windy in evening, low near 10. FRIDAY= mostly cloudy, afternoon snow showers, less windy, high 24 SATURDAY= sunny and windy, high 18, clear night, low near 10. NEW YEARS DAY= sunny, high 25, snow after midnight, low near 20.
SPORTS NFL= Vikings host Chicago in season finale Sunday. The wind, ice and rain this past weekend did do some damage to U.S. Bank Stadium where crews worked throughout the week to repair. Stadium officials stated it will be ready for the game on Sunday. In another Vikings story, Adrian Peterson stated Wednesday he would love to play Sunday against the Bears to finish out the season. The Vikings have not used Peterson in practice this week so chances are slim. NBA= Wolves lose another close one 105-103 last night to Denver. LOCAL= Little Falls Boys Hockey tournament continues today and the LF boys and girls basketball tournament begins today