NEWS
--A St. Cloud woman is charged with murder in connection with the death of her 3-month-old child. The Stearns County Attorney's Office said Fardoussa Omar Abdillahi, 26, faces one count of second-degree murder after police say they found her child deceased during a welfare check Sunday. The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. According to the criminal complaint, St. Cloud police responded to reports of a missing baby at an apartment building on the 2000 block of Main Prairie Road around 6:30 a.m. The complaint states an adult man had called 911, saying a baby was missing and that the mother, identified as Abdillahi, said she had killed her baby and threw their body in a dumpster behind the building. The complaint states that when officers arrived, they asked Abdillahi where the child was, to which she replied she had placed the child's body in a black plastic garbage bag inside a dumpster after stabbing them. Officers were then able to locate the child, who was already deceased, and placed Abdillahi under arrest. Prosecutors say that during questioning, Abdillahi admitted to stabbing the child with a kitchen knife before placing their body in the dumpster. The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office ruled the child's death a homicide by sharp force injuries. A judge Tuesday set Abdillahi's bail at $2,000,000 unconditional, or $1,000,000 with conditions. She is currently being held in the Stearns County Jail.
--Authorities say a 40-year-old northwestern Minnesota man was found dead in the air duct of his house. The Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office says it received a call from a family member who went to check on the man Monday morning at his residence in rural Dent. The family hadn't heard from him in several days. The sheriff's office says the death appears accidental but it remains under investigation.
--A Pequot Lakes man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms, ammunition, and over 400 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, in the spring of 2019, the FBI learned that 35-year-old Nicholas Wynn was purchasing large quantities of firearms parts and accessories, body armor and other tactical gear, and chemicals and lab equipment used to manufacture narcotics, explosives, and firearms. On May 9, 2019, a team of law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Wynn’s residence and discovered numerous parts and tools designed for building semiautomatic rifles and handguns; firearms accessories, multiple high-capacity magazines; several boxes of ammunition; and tactical gear, including a bullet-proof vest, ballistic plates, a bullet-proof helmet, and a bullet-proof facemask. The agents also located large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine, packaging materials for selling drugs, recipes and chemicals for manufacturing methamphetamine, and more than 400 grams of methamphetamine. Wynn admitted at the sentencing hearing that he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Because Wynn has multiple prior felony convictions in Crow Wing County, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. A sentencing day is being set for Wynn.
--Little Falls Community Schools is preparing for winter concerts in the coming days, tonight is the middle school concert 6th-8th grade at 7pm at Middle School Commons, Tuesday, December 7th is the 3rd and 4th grade Lindbergh Elementary School concert at 1:30pm at the Lindbergh gym, Lincoln and Dr. S.G. Knight Elementaries will have concerts on December 16th and the high school holiday concert is scheduled for December 20th all are invited to come to each show.
--John Thomas of Wreathsforthefallen.org announced to KLTF that due to the uptick from COVID and he said quote “he does not want one person to get sick for coming to a event that he was a major contribution in putting together for our Veterans”, the organization has decided that there will be NO live open ceremony this year at any of the State Veterans Cemetery including the one north of Little Falls. Thomas said some publications had a date and time already listed but please understand the decision was made recently to not have the event. There will be large wreaths to put in sections of the cemetery and they can be viewed throughout the holiday season but no live ceremony and they would have to get 10,000 wreaths this year for the 3 state cemeteries and in 2019 there were around 200 vehicles at the cemetery for the short time to get the wreaths on the graves but felt this year it was just not safe enough among others to do this. If you can donate to the cause for the event to return next year go to wreathsforthefallen.org or call 218-829-6622. Thomas thanks all for the their support over the past 16 years of the project.
--A St. Cloud woman escaped injury after her car left Highway 10 and came to rest on the railroad tracks early Wednesday morning. Sherburne County Sheriff's Office says 21-year-old Kiyanah Kalla was driving east on Highway 10 at about 4:00 a.m. when she swerved to avoid what she thought was an animal in the road. Her car landed on the railroad tracks near 45th Avenue Southeast. Kalla and her dog were able to exit the vehicle before a train came and hit the car.
--The city of Minneapolis announced they will have three days of the Holidazzle festival this month. The festival will have entertainment, Santa, food, holiday shopping and more on December 17th 5-9pm, Saturday, December 18th from 2pm-9pm and Sunday December 19th from 11am-5pm. Organizers are planning amusement rides and fireworks on Friday and Saturday if the weather allows it to happen.
--The Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Charles A. Lindbergh Park and the Charles A. Weyerhauser Museum/Morrison County Historical Society are once again teaming up for a winter hike/scavenger hunt starting January 1st through the 8th. Walk the trail between each of the sites during daylight hours each day. Also there will be scavaenger hunt and the lists need to be picked up at the park office during their regular business hours. More details you can call any of the three sites or information via each of their websites.
--Pierz Healy High Schools started their annual Toy Drive. Anyone can drop off new and unwrapped toys, also blankets, gifts or money can also be dropped off now through December 13th at the Pioneer Elementary office in Pierz. All donations are used to help support children ages infant-17 in the Pierz School District, staying local.
DEATH NOTICES
--LeRoy Kowalczyk, age 80 of Harding.
WEATHER
TODAY= increasing clouds, temps steady around 40.
TONIGHT= freezing drizzle, light snow late night, low 27.
FRIDAY= fog, flurries earlier, temps rise to 38, then fall and windy.
SATURDAY= cloudy skies, high near 30, low around 20.
SUNDAY= light snow showers, high near 30, low around 10.
SPORTS
HS BHK= Little Falls hosts Princeton tonight 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ
HS BBB= Holdingford at Pierz tonight 7:15pm on 94ROCKS KFML
NFL= Minnesota Vikings (5-6) at Detroit (0-10-1) Sunday at noon.