NEWS
Township Election Results from Tuesday March 8th
Agram- Don Tschida- Clerk, Dave Meyer- Supervisor.
Belle Prairie- Pete Przybilla 3 year supervisor, Keith Kruschke- clerk.
Bellevue- Tim Poirier 11 votes to Donald Rudolph 10 votes for
supervisor, Clerk Patricia Kasella 19 votes.
Buckman- Gary Solinger- Supervisor, Nancy Lanners- Clerk.
Culdrum- Robert Doucette 76 votes, 2nd Dean Sherping 36 votes, then
a write-in for Clerk was Julene Rutz 45 votes.
Darling- Jay Tody- Supervisor, Anne Hanson-Clerk.
Granite- Terry Hargrave 1 year supervisor, Jeron Kapsner 3 year
supervisor, Eileen Hargrave Clerk.
Green Prairie- Wayne Stoner-Supervisor, Lois Peterschick-Clerk.
Leigh- Rick Monson- Supervisor, Wendy Tretter- Clerk
Little Falls- Bonnie Bieniek- Clerk, John Theis- Supervisor
Parker- Michael “Mike” Fritz- Supervisor, Tammy Kedrowski- Clerk
Pike Creek- Lisa Turner- Clerk, Ross Wamre- Supervisor.
Platte- Shelley Boser- Supervisor 19 votes, Judy Boser- Clerk 17 votes
Ripley- Jim Cole- Supervisor, Norma Bjornson- Clerk.
Swan River- Gerard Oldakowski- Supervisor, Katrina Oldakowski- Clerk
Swanville- John Fruechte-Supervisor, Sherri Welinski-Clerk.
OTHER NEWS
--Minnesota Republican candidate for governor Scott Jensen on Tuesday named former Minnesota Vikings center and Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl champion Matt Birk as his running mate.
Jensen is the first GOP hopeful in the crowded contest to pick a lieutenant governor to run with him for the Republican Party endorsement. And his choice of Birk came as little surprise after the longtime football player and author joined Jensen's campaign as co-chair. Birk has been outspoken on his conservative views, including on is opposition to same-sex marriage and skepticism toward how the state and nation's have approached the COVID-19 pandemic.
--Two candidates have emerged in hopes of filling a Minnesota House seat being left vacant by State Representative Tama Theis. Tami Calhoun and Bernie Perryman have both announced their candidacy for the seat. Theis is leaving the House seat to run for the Minnesota Senate. Calhoun is a former St. Cloud school teacher and current business owner. She has worked on the St. Cloud Community Policing Agreement, and has worked at the state legislature to increase education funding. Perryman is the owner and CEO of Batteries Plus stores in St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids. She previously managed C & L Distributing in Sauk Rapids and is the current Chair of the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. Perryman also serves on the St. Cloud Public Safety Board. House District 14A represents Waite Park, St. Augusta, portions of St. Cloud, and portions of St. Joseph.
--Due to the Pierz Girls Basketball last night, Pierz Healy High School announced that parent-teacher conferences scheduled for last night will now be March 16th (next Wednesday) from 3:30-6pm in the PAC for grades 9-12 or the MAC for grades 7-8, then conferences will move to the classrooms from 6-7:30pm on March 16th in Pierz.
--Tonight is the Taco Challenge fundraiser for the Little Falls Lindy Dance Team at the Falls Ballroom 5:30-7:30pm. Enjoy tacos, beverages, silent raffle, DJ music and all the proceeds go to help the Booster Club get uniforms next season for the dance team.
--The City of Pierz announced that Garage Sale Days will be May 18th through the 21st with the cleanup day to be held on May 21st.
--A teenager was killed and four other people were hurt in a south St. Cloud crash Tuesday night. The two-vehicle crash happened at about 9:20pm in the 3000 block of County Road 74. St. Cloud Police say a car driven by a 17-year-old along with a 16-year-old passenger, both of St. Cloud, was southbound on County Road 74. Meanwhile, a second vehicle carrying three people from St. Cloud was northbound when the two vehicles collided. Emergency personnel were called in to treat multiple injuries and one person had to be extricated. The police say the 16-year-old passenger in the first car was pronounced dead at the scene. The 17-year-old driver was brought to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
--The American Automobile Association (AAA) reports that the United States did, indeed, set the all-time record for the country's average gas price on Tuesday when a gallon of gas rose to $4.17/gallon. Minnesota currently has the 12th most expensive gas in the country with an average price of $3.92. In Stearns County, the average price of a gallon of gas is $3.85. According to Gas Buddy's Patrick De Haan, the price of gasoline is expected to remain above $4/gallon through November. According to De Haan's analysis, gas will average $4.11 in April, peak at $4.25 in May and finally go down to $3.94 in November. American households spent an average of $1,580 annually on gasoline in 2016 and $1,977 in 2021. That number is expected to climb to $2,745 in 2022. Gas Buddy is predicting a peak daily average price of gas in Minneapolis of $3.75-$4.15 in 2022, while San Francisco is forecast to see a peak of $5.25-$5.65.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly cloudy, high 20, clouds increase late, low 4 above.
FRIDAY= cloudy early, then clearing, high 10, cold night, low -14.
SATURDAY= increasing clouds, high 23, temps rise late, flurries. SUNDAY= partly sunny, breezy and warmer, high 37, low near 18.
SPORTS
HS GBB= Pierz beat Esko 48-42 last night in the section semi-finals and advance to the Section 7AA championship Friday night against Pequot Lakes from UMD in Duluth around 7pm live on 94ROCKS. Also last night Holdingford was eliminated by Sauk Centre in playoffs while Nevis knocked off BBE and Albany beat Kimball to advance.
HS BBB= Pierz at Eveleth-Gilbert tonight at 6pm in boys basketball playoffs, other boys teams Upsala, Swanville, Royalton, Holdingford, Foley, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, Pillager and others are in action tonight in basketball playoffs. The Pierz game on 94ROCKS at 6pm.
COL BB= Penn State eliminated Gophers 60-51 last night from the Big 10 College Basketball tournament likely ending their season.
NFL= The Seattle Seahawks have traded quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. The Broncos are sending a large haul for the nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback, including multiple first-round draft picks and additional picks and players. Wilson has been the starting quarterback for Seattle since 2012. Another quarterback changing teams is Carson Wentz traded from Indianapolis to Washington.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1862= United State issued first paper money up to $1,000 bills.
IN 1951= FBI Director J. Edgar Hoovers turns down Major League Baseball's offer to make him their new commissioner.
IN 1971= Senate approves amendment lowering voting age to 18.
IN 1975= The Rocky Horror Picture Show opens in theaters.
IN 1980= Willard Scott becomes the weatherman on Today Show.