[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Newsletter: Thursday, January 14th 2016[/title][fusion_text]Thursday, January 14th 2016
NEWS
–The Little Falls School board Tuesday unanimously approved a two question bond referendum ballot for voters in the Little Falls School District on Tuesday, May 10th. The first question will ask for a $19,670,000 for deferred maintenance and repair. Also included in this will be remodeling and renovation projects, construction and installation of security, safety, accessibility improvements, irrigation and paving improvements, and the construction and equipping of an early childhood/school readiness addition to Lincoln Elementary. The second question which can only pass if the first question does too would be for an additional $12,645,000 for the construction and equipping of a gymnasium/recreation addition to the high school. If approved by voters, the cost would be covered by an increase in property taxes. For more information call Little Falls Community School Superintendent Stephen Jones at 616-2200.
–The Five Wings Art Council has named Laura Hansen of Little Falls the winner of the 2015 Stevens Poetry Manuscript Competition. Her winning book, Midnight River, will be published by the National Federation of State Poetry Societies in 2016. Hansen will be invited to read from her work at the 2016 convention of the NFSPS, which will be held in St. Paul June 9-13th. Hansen, a member of the League of Minnesota Poets, is a regular contributor to regional magazines and literary journals and has self-published three chapbooks. Her poetry has appeared in a number of anthologies.
–A St. Cloud State University philosophy professor has pleaded guilty to illegally smuggling items made of elephant ivory from the United States to China. Forty-four-year-old Yiwei Zheng also pleaded guilty Wednesday to violating the federal Lacey Act, which bans trade in wildlife, fish and plants that have been illegally taken or sold. Zheng was indicted last year on multiple counts related to the smuggling of elephant ivory and rhinoceros horns. As part of the plea deal, Zheng has agreed to pay a $500,000 fine. He also could face roughly three years in prison when he’s sentenced in May.
–Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson has filed a lawsuit against a carnival company for stiffing several county and town fairs across the state. In the lawsuit, it claims Minnesota’s Magic Midway, Inc., which also goes by E.A.R. Carnival Company, has taken down payments from counties and cities across the state without providing any services. In one case, a representative of the company falsely claimed the owner died as the reason they didn’t show up. The fairs paid the company up to $8,500 in down payments to run summer carnivals and in some cases, were given little notice before the big event that the carnival company would be a no-show. This occurred during the 2013 Jackson County Fair, Fillmore County Fair, In 2014, Montrose Days hired the company but on the morning of the event, organizers were called and said they wouldn’t be coming. In 2012, the Big Stone County Fair was left without a carnival. That same year, the Kittson County Fair found out the Sunday before their event that the company was not coming. New London Water Days hired the company to run a carnival and when the company did not show up. The lawsuit was filed in Anoka County District Court. It asks for an injunction and restitution for the counties and towns. From the recent claims no refunds were given back to the fairs or events in the towns mentioned in the lawsuit against the carnival company.
–The first event at the new U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis has been announced as it will be country singer Luke Bryan performing on August 19th. The stadium will be home of the Vikings in the fall.
–Construction has started at a Little Falls ethanol plant to convert it to a renewable chemical manufacturing plant. U.K.-based Green Biologics Ltd. owns Central Minnesota Renewables, formerly known as Central Minnesota Ethanol Cooperative. It’s in the process of retrofitting the 21-million-gallon-a-year ethanol plant into the company’s first chemical manufacturing site by year’s end. Green Biologics will be adding storage and piping to the Little Falls facility it acquired in December 2014. They will continue to produce ethanol until the last possible minute. Once the facility has transitioned, CMR will manufacture high purity, noncarcinogenic normal butanol — commonly found in paint coatings, adhesives and ink — and acetone — commonly found in nail polish and nail polish remover. CMR’s n-butanol and acetone will be made from corn and other agricultural products. CMR’s corn consumption will decline slightly once the facility has fully transitioned into producing its 100 percent renewable bio-based chemicals. By the end of 2015 Green Biologics raised over $76 million in financing from global investors for the Little Falls project. Green Biologics will be able to hire additional workers; however, they did not disclose specific numbers or positions added.
–The 2016 Crow Wing County Dairy Princess Banquet and coronation will be March 12th at the Pierz Ballroom. Dairy farm girls residing in Crow Wing County who will graduate high school this coming year or are not 24 years old are eligible for the competition. For more information on the Crow Wing County coronation contact Rosanne at 218-828-1998 by January 19th. The Morrison County Dairy Princess Coronation will be on Saturday, March 19th at the Falls Ballroom.
–Powerball lottery officials confirmed late last night that at least three tickets in the United States matched all numbers in the nearly 1.6 billion dollar jackpot on Wednesday. The tickets were sold in California, Tennessee and Florida.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
–Chad and Amy Kerfeld of Burtrum, a baby girl born on January 11th
DEATH NOTICE
–John “Jack” Zabinski, age 74 of Bowlus
–Peter J. Kedrowski, age 77 of Swanville.
WEATHER
TODAY= chance of snow and freezing drizzle at times, high 25.
TONIGHT= snow likely, up to 1 inch, low 10.
FRIDAY= partly sunny, windy, falling temp to near 0 in afternoon.
FRIDAY NITE= partly cloudy, cold, low -10, wind chills -25.
SATURDAY= sunny and cold, high -5, very cold night, low -22.
SUNDAY= partly sunny, cold, high -2, very cold night, low -20.
SPORTS
HS BHK= Little Falls at St. Cloud Tech tonight 7pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HS GBB= Pierz at Eden Valley Watkins tonight 7:30pm on FM94.
HS GBB= Foley at Little Falls Friday at 7:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
NFL= The NFL announced after 21 years in St. Louis the Rams are moving back to Los Angeles in 2016. The owners also gave San Diego a 1 year option to join the Rams in St. Louis but they have to get an OK from the St. Louis owner. If the Chargers don’t exercise the option then the Oakland Raiders would be given that option. Though Oakland reported they have changed minds and are staying in Oakland for now. The Rams would move to Inglewood near the LA Airport. If the Chargers move they would play at the same stadium.
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