NEWS
--Good luck to the Little Falls Boys Nordic Ski Team and Katie Corbett from the Little Falls Girls Nordic Ski Team competing today at the state tournament in Biwabik. Girls begin at 10am, with boys to follow around 11am. Best of luck to the skiers from Little Falls.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office has received complaints regarding a new scam that is circulating, the “DotService.com” scam. Residents receive a letter in the mail that appears legitimate regarding their USDOT number and that they are now past due completing and filing their biennial update. The residents are asked to update their DOT or it could result in a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day, not to exceed $10,000. This letter in question (DOTService.com) is not affiliated with MNDOT or the USDOT. It has been confirmed this is a scam. Residents are reminded that no personal information should ever be shared unless you can verify that the source is legitimate. This scam has already been reported in some surrounding areas like Stearns County too.
--A woman was brought to the hospital after icy roads caused a crash a few miles south of Freeport Tuesday afternoon. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says around 2:20pm an SUV driven by 55-year-old Cheryl Ziemer of Freeport was heading north on County Road 11. At the same time, a pickup hauling a gravity box and driven by 52-year-old Duane Maus, also of Freeport, was heading east on County Road 30. Maus was unable to stop for the stop sign at the intersection and the two collided in the intersection. Ziemer was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Maus was not hurt.
--A 39-year old St. Cloud man was arrested Saturday, accused of spraying a woman in the face with mace and spitting on her. Rogdrick Alphonzo Singleton was charged Tuesday in Stearns County District Court with two felony counts of domestic assault involving intentionally inflicting or attempting to inflict bodily harm on a family or household member within 10 years of previous domestic assault related offense convictions. He also faces two counts of fifth degree felony drug possession.
--Even though the temperature has stayed below freezing, the accumulating snow on the roof of your house can cause problems inside your home. Ice dams can form when the snow gets heavy so if possible you should get the snow pulled down off your roof with a roof rake. If the snow isn't removed, then the thaw and melt cycle can cause ice dams and damage your roof and also the interior ceiling of your home. Snow also needs to be removed from your roof vents, condensation can build up inside your attic and drip water onto your insulation and ultimately down to the light fixtures in your ceiling. There is products available that can help removed the snow from your roofs from stores if you can't reach the roof with a rake.
--If you are up early on Tuesday, February 19th at approximately 4AM, the full moon will be the closest to Earth that it will ever be for 2019. Because it is so close Earth, the full moon will be as much as 7% larger and 15% brighter Tuesday night. The phenomenon is called a supermoon. February's is called the snow moon because while January is traditionally the coldest month of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the heaviest snowfall usually occurs in February.
--A reminder that the legislative update with Senator Paul Gazelka and Representative Ron Kresha is Friday from 10:30-12pm at the Little Falls City Hall council chambers.
--The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office identified Wednesday a woman found in an abandoned house fire 49 years ago near Milaca as Gloria Frieda Rieken. Rieken was 18 years old the day she went missing in early November 1970 in Minneapolis. Almost half a century after she disappeared, the BCA and sheriff's office announced they have identified her as the woman found in the fire by matching her DNA. She was a freshman at University of Minnesota and went missing one morning after leaving her apartment for school on foot. The abandoned house where Rieken's body was found was on Keystone Road, just north of Milaca. On November 10th, 1970 a neighbor had discovered while looking through the debris of the house what he believed to be human remains. In the original investigation, Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office was able to determine the person had been a female, but found no other identification. They also determined that the fire did not cause the death. However, the office was not able to determine the cause of death. Through cold case investigation and the Rieken family's willingness to submit DNA, investigators with the BCA and the sheriff's office were able to identify her remains after excavating them years later. Family members and authorities continue to ask the public to come forward if you have information regarding this case.
--Great River Arts' Spring Dinner Theater "Harvey" has auditions next week. Auditions are Monday and Tuesday at 6:15pm. You are asked to please fill out the online audition form at www.greatart.org/theater and bring it with you to whichever night you attend. Performances for "Harvey" will be on April 4, 5, 6 and on April 11, 12, 13 at 7pm along with two Sunday matinees on April 7 and 14 at 2pm. For information, visit www.greatart.org or call Great River Arts at (320) 632-0960.
NATIONAL NEWS
--Ford is recalling nearly 1.5 million pickup trucks in North America because the transmissions can suddenly downshift into first gear. The recall covers F-150 trucks from the 2011 through 2013 model years with six-speed automatic transmissions. The company says a glitch in sending a signal from the transmission speed sensor is the cause. Ford has five reports of accidents including one that caused a whiplash injury from a sudden downshift.
DEATH NOTICE
--Diann Finken, age 74 of Cold Spring formerly of Grey Eagle
WEATHER
WIND CHILL ADVISORY STARTS AT 11PM TONIGHT.
TODAY= light snow midday, temps drop, and gusty winds, high 21.
TONIGHT= windy and cold, low -10, wind chills near -30 by morning
FRIDAY= sunny and cold, high 11, wind chills near -25 during day.
SATURDAY= partly cloudy, high 16, low around 0.
SUNDAY= snow showers at times, high 18, low around 3 above.
SPORTS
HS BBB= Pierz vs. Howard Lake-Waverly tonight at 7:15pm from St. Cloud States University on FM94 KFML.
HS GHK= Brainerd/Little Falls goes for section title Friday on Q92.
HS BHK= Flyer boys will be home Tuesday night to open the section playoffs against River Lakes on Q92 WYRQ.