NEWS
--Belle Prairie Park will be closed to visitors all day next Monday, December 12th through Friday December 16th for forestry management activities. Please respect the appropriate barriers and signage at the park. This message from Morrison County Public Works again the park will be closed next week Monday thru Friday.
--Over the course of the last two weeks, Long Prairie Police and the Todd County Sheriff's Office reported 16 locations around the downtown are have seen their properties vandalized with their doors and other parts of buildings tagged by graffiti. The first reports started around November 18th and have continued through this past weekend. The graffiti has been removed by some businesses and is a bit graphic in nature. Anyone with information on the vandalism is asked to please contact police. Some businesses are considering a reward to offered for an arrest and conviction in the case.
--A St. Paul woman is charged with sex trafficking, promoting prostitution, and receiving profits from prostitution in Stearns County. The Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force began an investigation at the end of June after responding to an online ad. The officer learned the victim was at the Grandstay Hotel and she provided them room number. The officer spoke with an employee of the hotel who informed them that the room was registered to 34-year-old Shaqouia Hoffman. The officer watched as a man in a pickup arrived at the hotel and went inside the room without any luggage. The man returned a short time later and was confronted by police. The man confirmed he had paid for sex and that there were two women in the room at the time. A search warrant on the room led investigators to the victim. She denied texting any men about the ad and said she had only texted Hoffman. She said Hoffman had set up the appointments. As the investigation continued, the officer learned other men had paid for sex with the victim, that Hoffman was taking the profits, that Hoffman was communicating with sex buyers and the victim was engaging in prostitution. Hoffman is being held in the Stearns County Jail and is awaiting her first court appearance. She is also charged with felony drug possession from a separate case.
--The St. Cloud Police Department is reporting an incident on December 3rd at around 8pm on the 100 block of Lincoln Ave SE where a victim was walking in a parking lot when an unknown person ran up behind her, tossed her to the ground and took the bag she was carrying. If you have information on this crime please report information by calling Crimestoppers at 1-800-255-1301 or log online at tricountycrimestoppers.org and click on submit a tip.
--A central Minnesota cowboy remains hospitalized after suffering severe injuries following a bull riding accident. There is a GoFundMe seeing an outpouring of support for the family of Reid Oftedahl of Raymond. Reid sustained several injuries while competing in the National Finals Rodeo on Friday night. He was admitted to the ICU after suffering neck and head injuries. Colter Hensel, the fundraiser organizer and close friend of Reid, set up the GoFundMe to help the family during this time. So far, more than $53,000 has been raised. The family has also set-up a CaringBridge page for Oftedahl. The 28-year-old Oftedahl was making his first appearance at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas after earning enough points during the regular season to rank as one of the top 15 bull riders in the world.
--The Minnesota DNR is reminding those if you need a gift for the holidays how about something from the DNR. For the hunter or angler in your life, you can buy them a lifetime license but you'll want to allow for a three-week processing time frame. And, a Minnesota State Parks gift card can be used for things like rentals, state park vehicle permits, apparel, and at state park gift stores. Gift cards are not redeemable for hunting and fishing licenses or vehicle registrations. Gift cards are sent out through the mail so you should allow two weeks for delivery. If the card won't arrive in time, the DNR has printable gift tags on their gift card webpage.
--The Friends of the Carnegie Library are having a used book sale today, Friday and Saturday during regular library hours. All can come and check out the items available to purchase for the Christmas season. Also the St. Gabriel's Hospital Advocates are having their tree type fundraiser at the hospital than call can come and see today and help out the Advocates from the Hospital with their holiday needs.
--There is a Chicks for Bricks chicken and ham dinner with all the fixings tonight from 5-7pm at Zion Lutheran Church at 411 3rd Avenue Northeast in Little Falls. A $10 suggested donation for the food and fellowship tonight with monies going to help the Fellowship Hall fund at the church. All are welcome.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 24.
TONIGHT= clouds increase, flurries overnight, low 19.
FRIDAY= cloudy skies, warmer temps, high 32, freezing mix late, 25.
SATURDAY= freezing mix early, then cloudy, high 33, low near 16.
SUNDAY= partly sunny skies, high 32, snow/mix late night, low 24.
SPORTS
COL FB= the University of Minnesota and head football coach P.J. Fleck have agreed on a new seven-year contract, the university announced in a press release on Wednesday. Pending approval by the Board of Regents, Fleck will remain at the helm of the Gopher football program through the 2029 season. The deal follows another winning season for the Gophers, who finished 8-4 and accepted an invite to play in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York.
HS BBB= Pierz at Royalton 7:15pm Friday on 94ROCKS 94.1FM.
FAB= Little Falls Community Schools and Flyer Athletic Booster announced their Fan Appreciation Night at the Little Falls Community High School will be on January 13th, 2023 more details to come.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1941= President Franklin Roosevelt announced “December 7th, 1941 is a day that will live in infamy” to Congress as he declares war against Japan. Great Britain also declared war against Japan too.
IN 1952= Lucy Ricardo on TV's I Love Lucy announced she was pregnant, first time this was referenced on network television.
IN 1980= John Lennon is shot and killed outside the Dakota Hotel in New York City by Mark David Chapman considered a deranged fan. Lennon, the former Beatle and with wife Yoko Ono was only 40.
IN 1992= NBC announced the “Cheers” would be ending its run on the network in May of 1993, the show started on NBC in 1982.
--Ho Ho Dough continues with another $100 winner of Ho Ho Dough bucks on Tuesday. Full details on where to register and sponsors are listed at fallsradio.com. Grand Prize to be drawn on December 20th.
--Remember to get your Dairy Recipes in to KLTF, each day through 21st a dairy recipe is read and the qualifier gets a pound of butter from the Morrison County ADA and Little Falls Radio and is in the drawing for 1 of 3 dairy buckets.