NEWS
--Rich Prairie Sewer and Water District has implemented lawn watering restrictions for their customers in the Pierz Genola area effective immediately. Guidelines are identical to the city of Little Falls restrictions announced earlier this week. The District will be using lawn water restrictions on an odd/even day system effective immediately. Properties with an odd house number (1,3,5,7,9) will be allowed to water on odd days. Properties with an even house number (0,2,4,6,8) will be allowed to water their lawns on even days of the month. This applies to all residents and businesses using water from the District for lawn watering. The Minnesota Department of Health of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources may have restrictions for other water sources (sand points, rivers, etc.). If you have any questions on the Districts lawn water restrictions, please contact City Hall at 468-6471.
--Air quailty alerts still remain in effect for some of the state as wildfires from Canada, northern Minnesota and Wisconsin bringing in smoke and haze along with the severe drought conditions. Those with breathing issues or problems including COPD or Asthma should try not to stay outside for long periods of time this morning as the winds shifting to the south should start to remove the smoke and hazing by afternoon but another wind shift over Saturday and Sunday could again bring the smoke and haze back. The other issue is the severe drought from lack of rainfall, which has not led to 27 cities including Little Falls to issue water restrictions and water use plans to their residents until further notice. Jon Radermacher, Little Falls City Administrator stated yesterday on KLTF that usage for Little Falls water was around 2.2 million gallons on average a day and the DNR and the city want that lowered to around 1.5 to 1.6 before easing any of the restrictons due to the Mississippi River being as low has it has ever been in quite some time especially south of Little Falls toward St. Cloud and the Twin Cities Metro Area. Until more rain arrives and the chances are minimal with some Friday into Saturday about the only chance in the next week the restrictions are expected to continue in the cities and probably expand to many more in the days ahead. For the latest information on water restrictions in your city contact your local city hall or for the DNR news go to their website.
--A man was struck and killed by a train in Buffalo Wednesday morning. The police department says just after 5am a Canadian Pacific train struck the man on the tracks near the 5th Street Northeast crossing. He had already died by the time emergency responders arrived. Police say the investigation is ongoing and the man's name has not been released yet.
--Two people were hurt Wednesday around 12:35pm on Highway 371 at Gull Lake Dam Road in Crow Wing County in a two vehicle accident. 82-year-old Warren Schneeberger was northbound and turned left when he was struck by a southbound vehicle driven by 58-year-old Mark Giesen. Schneeberger and Giesen's passenger 58-year-old Lisa Giesen were both taken to the Brainerd hospital and treated for their injuries. No addresses were given on the State Patrol website from this accident.
--Minnesota based cereal company General Mills is going to be changing their name from Cheerios to Cheerioats. Cheerioats are being created for a limited time to celebrate their 80th Anniversary, and Cheerioats was their original name back in 1941. The name was changed in 1945 to Cheerios.
--The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, urges boaters to go slow and use caution in lower than normal lakes right now. Warm weather and a lack of precipitation has resulted in low water levels. The Corps is closely monitoring lake levels and will adjust outflows as necessary. Although hazards exist in reservoirs at any elevation, current drought conditions have caused the exposure of even more underwater obstructions. A boater very familiar with a specific lake may find new hazards during low water. Boaters should also be cautious of floating logs or other objects that may show up in previously open water. Residents should monitor water levels in connecting channels, as well as access to docks, boat lifts, boat ramps, etc. In some cases, boats may need to be removed from lifts earlier than normal this year. The lakes are expected to remain low until substantial and consistent rainfall is received in the area. Water levels can be monitored at https://water.usace.army.mil/. The current lake levels are as follows: Gull Lake, near Brainerd, Minnesota, is currently at 1,193.7 feet and outflow is at 20 cubic feet per second, or cfs. When the pool reaches 1,192.75, the outflow will be reduced to 10 cfs. Cross Lake, near Crosslake, Minnesota is currently at 1,229.06 feet and outflow is at 30 cfs. When the pool reaches 1,225.32 feet, the outflow will be reduced to 15 cfs. Big Sandy Lake, near McGregor, Minnesota, is currently at 1,215.93 feet and outflow is at 20 cfs. When the pool reaches 1,214.31, feet the outflow will be reduced to 10 cfs. Pokegama Lake, near Grand Rapids, Minnesota, is currently at 1,273.23 feet and outflow is at 240 cfs. Minimum outflow at Pokegama is the total flow being released from Lake Winnibigoshish and Leech Lake. Leech Lake, near Federal Dam, Minnesota, is currently at 1,294.15 feet and outflow is at 120 cfs. When the pool reaches 1,292.7 feet, the outflow will be reduced to 60 cfs. Lake Winnibigoshish, near Deer River, Minnesota, is currently at 1,297.65 feet and outflow is 100 cfs. When the pool reaches 1,294.94 feet, the outflow will be reduced to 50 cfs.
Come see the Little Falls Radio Cash Cube today at Markets and Music on the Mississippi event starting at 3pm. Win prizes in the Cash Cube from LF Radio while checking out the markets and then music from Brothers Tone and the Big Groove tonight at 6pm at LeBourget Park in Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny, humid, high near 90.
TONIGHT= clear night and humid, low near 68.
FRIDAY= sunny and hot, high 96, t-storms develop in afternoon.
FRI NIGHT= showers and thunderstorms, low around 64.
SATURDAY= sunny skies, warm, high near 90, low near 60.
SUNDAY= sunny skies, warm, high 88, low around 62.
SPORTS
NBA= The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx officially have new owners, the teams confirmed yesterday that pending owners approval that the NBA had voted to approve Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez as limited partners for the Lynx and the Wolves. The initial agreement that owner Glen Taylor confirmed to the Associated Press in April includes a 2.5-year succession plan with a handover in 2023. The reported purchase price was $1.5 billion.
TWINS= Kepler and Polanco homer to lift Twins to a 7-2 win over Whtie Sox to split the 4 game series. Twins host Angels for the first of four games tonight, pregame at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.