[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=”” padding_right=”” 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, March 31st 2016[/title][fusion_text]
NEWS
–The 6th annual Day of Caring in Little Falls and Randall is from 8:00am-12:00pm on Wednesday, May 4th. Teams of volunteers consisting of students and community members will help homeowners who need assistance who live within Little Falls and Randall with outdoor projects like raking leaves and washing groundfloor outdoor windows. Already close to 150 have signed up and the project is nearing the maximum number of people it can help out. The original sign up date for volunteers and homeowners was to postmark registration forms by April 13th. However, if you need to sign up for assistance you may want to do so much earlier so they still have room for your project. Registration forms are available at several locations including at our Little Falls Radio station. You can also sign up or for more information call Mary Kenna at 631-5677.
–The Minneapolis Police officers involved in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Jamar Clark will not face criminal charges, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. Officers Mark Ringgenberg, 30, and Dustin Schwarze, 28, will not be charged with any crime in connection to the November 15, 2015 shooting. Freeman said during a Wednesday press conference that evidence does not support charges against the officers, that DNA shows Clark was never handcuffed in the incident and that Clark’s DNA was found on Ringgenberg’s weapon, justifying the use of deadly force. The announcement came roughly two weeks after Freeman said he would be making the final decision on charges, and not a grand jury.
–A grass fire burned around 300 acres of swamp and grassland Tuesday north of Motley on Highway 64 in Cass County. The DNR and fire crews worked for over three hours to put out the blaze which started around 2:00pm. The strong dry winds Tuesday caused more problems as the fire spread quickly across the swampy area. Aircrafts dousing water were used to help suppress the blaze. No injuries. The DNR used off road vehicles to control a grass fire Tuesday near Lower South Long Lake outside of Brainerd. No report of damage or injuries. A reminder that burning restrictions remain in place for central and north central Minnesota due to the lack of snowpack, dry weather conditions in March and warmer than average temperatures.
–The State Knowledge Bowl competition will be April 13-14th at Cragun’s on Gull Lake in Baxter. The region competition on March 15th saw Brainerd High School took first, another Brainerd team was 2nd, Little Falls Community High School took third and Staples Motley took fourth. Those four teams will compete at the state competition in April. Brainerd Team I is Scott Woodward, Andrew Pratt, Josh Marquart, Nick Ashman and Renae Ford. Brainerd team II is Sam Dirks, Kyle Hensel, Kristin Ringhand, Matt Greatens and Adam Kleist. Little Falls team is of Annie Corbett, Aaron Hanson, Dane Ingemansen and Joe Klosowski. The Staples-Motley team is made up of Andrew Bates, Jace Hoemberg, Zach Strickland, Asharack White and Chris Hart. Written tests are taken that first night, with oral question rounds the next morning.
–The 9th Annual Fishing with the Pros fundraiser for the Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame is next Friday April 8th at the Falls Ballroom with doors opening at 5pm. Meet 20 different pro anglers with auction items events for kids and adults alike. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. For more information contact Mavis or Brenda at the museum at 616-2011.
–Aitkin County sheriff’s officials say a woman who shot at officers during a standoff has been killed by law enforcement. A statement released by the sheriff’s department Wednesday says deputies were called to check on the woman’s welfare and located her vehicle in a rural area northeast of Aitkin about 5:30pm Tuesday. Authorities say the woman was armed with firearms and threatened to harm herself. Deputies and Department of Natural Resources personnel continued to talk to the 50-year-old woman. Sheriff’s officials say she shot at officers at least twice during negotiations. Officers returned fire about 7:00pm and struck the woman. She was airlifted to a Robbinsdale hospital where she died several hours later. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has been called in to investigate the shooting.
–St. Cloud police are investigating after a shooting Wednesday afternoon in an alley near 123 18th Avenue North that sent one person to the hospital. The shooting just before 1:00pm sent a 21-year-old St. Cloud man to St. Cloud Hospital. No arrests have yet been made. Authorities described the shooting as an isolated incident and there was no danger to the general public.
–Motorists on Highway 210 between Hewitt and Hassman may encounter delays while lane closures occur as crews replace more than 2,300 road signs along nearly 100 miles of the road. The closures will begin Monday in Baxter and Brainerd. Crews will first replace the overhead signing at intersections and within center median or sidewalk. After crews replace those signs, they will begin replacing the roadside signs along Highway 210 from Hewitt to Hassman. The project and lane closures will be complete in July. The new signs have improved legibility and nighttime visibility over the existing signs, most of which are 15 years old or older.
DEATH NOTICE
–Paul R. Lochner, age 59 of Sauk Rapids
WEATHER
TODAY= increasing clouds, rain showers late, high 48.
TONIGHT= rain likely, changing to snow overnight, low 28.
FRIDAY= flurries early, then sunny and windy, high 38, low 24.
SATURDAY= sunny, windy and cold, high 35, low 18.
SUNDAY= rain/snow early then clearing, warmer, high 48.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins are in Washington against the Nationals to finish up exhibition play, games are at 6pm Friday and 11am Saturday. The regular season opener is Monday 2:05 in Baltimore, hear the action of the Friday, Saturday games and all the regular season games on your FM connection for Twins Baseball Q92 WYRQ.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1880= Wabash, Indiana is the first town to have street-lights installed using only electric lighting created by Thomas Edison.
IN 1889= The Eiffel Tower opens to visitors in Paris, France.
IN 1921= Albert Einstein speaks of the Theory of Relativity for the first time in United States at New York University.
IN 1932= Ford introduces the V-8 engine.
IN 1968= Lyndon B. Johnson announced on national television that he will not seek another term as President of the United States.
IN 1982= The Doobies Brothers announced they were splitting up.
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth]