NEWS
--It took more than a year, but Minnesotans who kept going to work in person at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic can start applying Wednesday for bonus checks as recognition for their work. The state's online portal to apply for "hero pay" went live yesterday but within a few hours the system was bogged down due to the large number of applicants trying to get online. You do have 45 days to sign up so again they are encouraging those that they do have some more time than all on the first day. Governor Tim Walz said he expected a rush of people to apply right away. "It's not first-come, first-served, it's 45 days. You can sign up any time in those 45 days.” State officials estimate 667,000 workers will get roughly $750 each, but that could change depending on how many people apply. The $500 million agreed to by lawmakers in April will be split equally among all approved applicants, with checks no higher than $1,500 — after the 45-day application period closes. There's also a two-week period to appeal and review denied applications. Eligible workers include those in health care, including long-term care and home care, the courts, child care, public schools, retail, food service, public transit and manufacturing. There are income limits and a requirement to have logged at least 120 hours of in-person work with people outside of your household between March 15, 2020, and June 30, 2021. The governor said the state had a short time to hire a vendor to set up its online portal, but work started on the system nine months ago in anticipation that legislators would eventually strike a deal. Lawmakers have been in talks since last summer over who should get front-line worker checks and how big those checks should be. The state law requires employers with eligible employees to notify them of the opportunity to sign up for the bonus check by June 23. The website is frontlinepay.mn.gov.
--Defense attorneys want the U.S. government to drop its death penalty authorization for a man who kidnapped and killed a North Dakota college student nearly 20 years ago. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in North Dakota has requested a second sentencing trial for 69-year-old Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. A jury sentenced Rodriguez to death in 2007 for the 2003 murder of 22-year-old Dru Sjodin. Last year, U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ralph Erickson, overturned the decision to execute Rodriguez. He ruled defense attorneys were ineffective during the sentencing portion of the trial. If the ruling is approved for another sentencing hearing, then defense said it wants that authorization withdrawn. If that happens, Rodriguez would be sentenced to life in prison. Prosecutors said they expect they would need about two to three months for a sentencing trial. Rodriguez remains on death row for kidnapping Sjodin in November 2003 from Columbia Mall in Grand Forks. Sjodin was a University of North Dakota student who worked at the mall. Prosecutors said Rodriguez sexually assaulted Sjodin, marched her down a ravine near Crookston, Minnesota, slashed her throat and left her for dead in the snow. Her body was found April 17, 2004. Erickson ruled in his opinion reversing the death sentence that defense attorneys during the sentencing portion of the trial should have done more to challenge a medical examiner’s testimony that said Sjodin died from the slash to her neck. Experts hired by the defense said Sjodin could have died from strangulation, and an autopsy report cited suffocation or exposure as possible causes of death, along with the neck slash. Erickson also noted a mental health evaluation may have missed a possible insanity defense and evidence that Rodriguez has severe post-traumatic stress disorder.
--A missing child from Waite Park was found safe after a lengthy search Tuesday night. Police were notified at about 10:00pm of a missing 11-year-old boy who is nonverbal autistic. The boy walked away from the 1000 block of Sunwood Park Lane. When officers arrived, several community and family members were searching for the boy. As time passed, neighboring law enforcement agencies, including the State Patrol flight team and Life Link Air Ambulance assisted in the search. After about three-and-a-half hours, St. Cloud Police spotted the boy four-and-a-half miles away from home near the intersection of 33rd Street South and County Road 75 in south St. Cloud. He was unhurt and reunited with his family.
--There will be a Memorial Event and the planting of a ribbon tree will be Saturday at 1pm at Maple Island Park in Little Falls. The event is sponsored by CHI Health at Home through St. Gabriel's Hospital and will be a time to remember loved ones, friends and family members who have died. All our encouraged to bring a lawn chair for seating and a ribbon of your own to put on the tree at the park. This event will be rain or shine so plan for the weather also on Saturday. If you need information on the event call 320-631-5588.
--A cleanup day is planned for Saturday for the Townships of Pulaski, Platte and Richardson Townships at the Pulaski Town Hall this Saturday morning from 8-10am. This is for all living outside the city limits but within those three townships in Morrison County.
--The Brewskis for New Skis fundraiser is tonight 4-9pm at the Starry Eyed Brewing Company, fun for all ages with raffles, food and drink. This goes to help the Nordic Ski team from Little Falls High School.
DEATH NOTICES
--Dolores Czech, age 92 of Little Falls formerly of Clarissa.
--Ardell Killeaney, age 80 of Little Falls.
--Celestine Kroll, age 92 of Flensburg.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly to mostly cloudy skies, high 76.
TONIGHT= decreasing clouds, low near 50.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, high 78, rain overnight, low 52.
SATURDAY= showers and storms possible, high 78, low 54.
SUNDAY= sunny skies, high near 80, storms at night, low 63.
SPORTS
TWINS= The Twins rattled off 11 hits on route to beat the Yankees last night 8-1 at Target Field. Twins and Yankees wrap up series tonight, pregame begins at 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HS SB= The State Softball Tournament begins today in Mankato. Upsala will take on Randolph at 1pm on 94ROCKS KFML. Upsala will play again at 7pm tonight on 94ROCKS. If they win either of those games they would play again on Friday from Mankato. Other teams like Brainerd, Menagha, St. Cloud Cathedral and Rocori are also competing today at the state tournament.
HS BAB= Zach Gwost pitched a complete game shutout 1-0 for Little Falls to beat Alexandria in game 1 last night only to have Alexandria come back and win 14-4 in 6 innings in game 2 to win the Section 8AAA Championship and advance on to the state tournament.
TRACK= State Track and Field begins today at St. Michael-Albertville High School. There are participants from Little Falls, Pierz, Royalton, Upsala-Swanville, Holdingford and others compete through Saturday.
NBA= Boston beat Golden State last night 116-100 and now lead the best of 7 NBA Finals 2 games to 1, game four is Friday night.