NEWS
--Little Falls Community High School Principal Tim Bjorge stated Wednesday on KLTF that they are following procedures on how kids enter the building, face coverings, lunch and breakfast models and all items they can do to keep each other safe. There are a bunch of one ways inside the high school for students and faculty to follow so that they don't have as much congestion, hand sanitizing stations are established inside and the big thing from Bjorge is again if you are sick, you should stay home. Bjorge wanted to let parents know that grades 9 through 11 this week but next Monday seniors will be allowed back in schoool. Bjorge stated that activities are starting up again and spectators are limited and seating assignments have been placed in the gym and auditorium at this time. Bjorge stated that the plan right now as kids are in school there will be a 2021 Day of Caring on Wednesday May 5th, prom, graduation but how this will be accomplished is still being worked out at this time. For now, Bjorge said the big thing is students are back and this will take the whole community working together to keep the kids in school right now. If you need to reach Bjorge contact him at 616-2201.
--Another 10 taken off the Morrison County website as more recover from the COVID-19 virus. 84 active cases Wednesday only Little Falls at 36 and Randall at 11 had more than 10 actives cases reported yesterday while Pierz dropped below 10 cases for the first time since last fall. This is the reason that the schools have been able to resume in classroom learning (for most) in all of the Morrison County schools. Statewide yesterday there were 1,237 new cases and 34 new deaths linked to the virus. 4 new cases in Morrison County Wednesday and there was 1 new death in Morrison County of a person in their 70s.
--Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar took center stage at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and used her introductory address to remind Americans that democracy cannot be taken for granted. Klobuchar says the insurrection at the Capitol just two weeks ago awakened Americans to their responsibility to carry the torch for democracy. Klobuchar is the ranking Democrat and incoming chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee. She was the lead Senate Democrat on the congressional planning committee for the inauguration. She introduced the Supreme Court justices who delivered the oaths of office and then introduced Biden before his address in Washington DC Wednesday.
--A three vehicle accident with injuries occurred Wednesday morning around 8:45am near Belgrade in Stearns County. 77-year-old Marvin Kray of Willmar was pulling a truck and trailer when his vehicle on the icy roadway and struck the back of a semi-truck driven by 29-year-old Daniel Illies of Belgrade which then caused that vehicle to strike a third driven by Maland Keith, age 24 of Eagle Bend. Keith and his passenger 24-year-old Cody Biggs of Browerville were injured and treated at the Paynesville Hospital. No other injruries were reported.
--Authorities in Starbuck in Western Minnesota are investigating an incident where a Remington 700 22/250 rifle, 2018 Yahama 3000 generator, camouflage jacket, vortex binoculars and a $600 stimulus check made out to Vance Carsten were stolen from a motor vehicle. A witness said they heard a large banging around 12:30am on Wednedsay morning and show a red vehicle that could have been a Buick or Pontiac model with a loud muffler leaving the area in question at a high rate of speed. Anyone with information regarding the theft or the stolen items should call Starbuck Police 239-2311.
--A Minneapolis man who pleaded guilty to shooting and wounding a woman in St. Cloud in December 2019 has been sentenced. A Stearns County judge has sentenced 27-year-old pooG DaBleed DevilDrugChristLord to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to 2nd-degree attempted murder in October. DevilDrugChristLord who legally changed his name from Jerome Jones prior to the shooting gets credit for already serving more than a year in the county jail. On December 18th, 2019 police found a 42-year-old woman who had been shot multiple times near University Avenue and 15th Avenue South. She was taken to the hospital for treatment of serious, but non-life threatening injuries. DevilDrugChristLord and another man, 28-year-old JB Zimmer of Cokato, were found a short time later in a vehicle in Becker. Police discovered a .22-caliber rifle and several spent shell casings. Zimmer was jailed and awaiting sentencing.
--One person was injured in Otter Tail County Wednesday morning just before 10am on Interstate 94 in Buse Township. 65-year-old Anthony Boys of Elbow Lake fishtailed on the interstate and struck the ditch. He was treated at an area hospital for what the state patrol deemed were non-life theatening injuries.
--Outgoing President Donald Trump has granted clemency to two Minnesota residents convicted of drug charges. President Trump commuted the sentence of 46-year-old Cassandra Ann Kasowski, of Moorhead, who has served more than seven years of an 18-year penalty for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance. The case involved the transportation of methamphetamine from Texas to North Dakota. President Trump also delivered a full pardon to 63-year-old John Harold Wall, of Prior Lake, who pleaded guilty in 1992 to one federal count of aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He has already completed his five-year prison sentence and four years of supervised release.
NATIONAL NEWS
--It was made official Wednesday as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn in Washington D.C. Earlier that morning President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania were seen leaving the White House has he returns to his Florida home.
WEATHER
TODAY= clouds increase, flurries and strong winds, temps drop from the low 30s early today into the low teens by later this afternoon.
TONIGHT= clear skies, cold, low -6, wind chills near -15.
FRIDAY= sunny and cold, high 11, low around -8.
SATURDAY= clouds increase, snow likely by afternoon, high 17 snow will pick up at times between 2pm to 2am dropping 2-5 inches.
SUNDAY= becoming sunny, high near 20, low around 0.
SPORTS
NFL= NFC Championship Tampa Bay at Green Bay Sunday at 2pm followed by AFC Championship Buffalo at Kansas City at 5:45pm on Sunday both can be heard live on AM960 KLTF.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1915= Kiwanis International is founded in Detroit, Michigan.
IN 1949= first Inaugural parade seen on TV for Harry Truman.
IN 1954= the gas turbine automobile is first introduced.
IN 1998= Pope John Paul II is the first Pontiff to visit Cuba.