NEWS
–On Wednesday, the Minnesota National Guard hosted an International Women’s Day event in St Paul to celebrate the accomplishments of the females serving in its ranks.
The Guard has changed significantly since its inception in 1856. Today, the Minnesota National Guard is nearly 13,000 strong, Minnesotans who have put on the uniform and sworn to defend our State and Nation. The first women to enter the Minnesota Guard joined in 1973, and there were three. Today, Minnesota National Guard consists of 21.2 percent females. There have been many firsts for women since 1973, such as Audrey Miller being the first woman to commission as a second lieutenant through the Minnesota Military Academy at Camp Ripley north of Little Falls in 1976. The adjutant general recently appointed Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Lisa Erikson as the Minnesota National Guard’s Command Senior Enlisted Leader. Little Falls resident and artist Charles Kapsner’s most recent piece 'Women on Guard," was shown for the first time on display. The four by five-foot painting showcases the multiple layered and the multi model identities of five diverse women from the Minnesota National Guard and their roles aside from the Guard. The portrait will remain on display at this time for at military bases and the armory in the Twins Cities and then the State Capitol.
--The Benton County Board of Commissioners is holding a special meeting next week on revoking a county road right of way to clear a path for a waste water facility in Foley. The county is looking to give up its claim to the land along County Road 50, so the city could buy it to keep pursuing its goal of getting land for an odor control facility. The quarter acre of land would go back to Minden Township, which can then sell it to Foley. The facility is essential so Foley can continue its waste water project to bring its waste water to connect to the St. Cloud regional treatment plant. The public hearing will take place on Wednesday at 6:30pm at Minden Town Hall in Sauk Rapids.
--The Stearns County Board of Commissioners has scheduled a meeting to talk about a jail study on Tuesday, March 14th, at 11:00am in the Service Center Board Room in Waite Park. For the last couple of years, county officials claim they’ve outgrown the facility and say it’s outdated for today’s law enforcement needs. The study looks at the area’s population and crime trends to 2056. The sheriff’s office says some storage closets have been converted into offices. Their contents now sit out in the hallways. The jail currently houses around 40 inmates in neighboring counties because they don’t have the space or staff to watch them locally. The county must pay for each inmate housed outside the Stearns County Jail. The current facility was designed in 1987 and has 135 beds.
--The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced Wednesday that Minnesota’s exports reached a record high of $27 billion in 2022, a 16 percent increase from 2021. North American markets drove Minnesota's export growth in 2022. Minnesota exports to North America grew to nearly $12 billion, jumping by 30% over 2021. Individual national markets gaining over $150 million in exports from the state in 2022 included Canada (up $2.3 billion), Mexico (up $349 million), the Netherlands (up $239 million), Korea ($794 million, up $211 million) and Spain (up $158 million). Minnesota conducted $70 billion in total trade in goods with 215 countries in 2022. Total trade grew 25% since 2021. With nearly $43 billion in imports (up 31%), the state ran a trade deficit of about $15 billion in 2022.
--The Little Falls Community School District invites everyone to the 44th annual Massed Band Concert on Monday, March 13th at 7:00pm in the High School Gymnasium. The performance features over 400 students from 5th grade to 12th grade in the Little Falls Community Schools Band Program. Highlights include the march Semper Fi from the great John Philip Soua, a medley from Duke Ellington including “Take the A Train”, “Caravan” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing”; as well as a thrilling rendition of the classical piece, Pictures at an Exhibition and finally A-Ha’s famous hit, “Take on Me”. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for students. In support of the Morrison County Food Shelf, $1 off admission for each food drive item brought in.
--An unoccupied snowmobile crashed into a home last Thursday on the 300 block of Main Street Northeast in Menahga. The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash, reported at 11:45pm Curtis Roghan, of Menahga, started the machine when it accelerated on its own, striking a neighbor’s vehicle, garage and another neighbor’s house. The snowmobile eventually came to a rest on its own in a snowbank. No one was operating the machine at the time of the crash and no injuries were reported. The vehicle and home that were struck sustained extensive damage, forcing the homeowners to evacuate for the evening due to a power meter being struck.
--St. Francis of Assisi Church south of Upsala is preparing again for their performances of Journey with Jesus to Calvary. The story of Jesus's arriving on Palm Sunday and the people he meet up to the time of his crucifixion and resurrection. The performances will be on March 29th at 7pm, March 31st and April 1st at 7:30pm and Palm Sunday at 1pm at the church in St. Francis. There is no cost as the church says Jesus already paid the price. All are welcome.
--On March 1st, 23 students from grades 4-8 competed in the local Swanville Spelling Bee. 7th grader Milo Hutchins outlasted all others to win the Swanville Spelling Bee and will now move on to the Regional Spelling Bee on Wednesday, March 22, at Sourcewell in Staples. Milo is the son of Lonny and Michelle Hutchins.
DEATH NOTICES
--Raymond “Ray” Schlichting, age 91 of Sauk Rapids.
WEATHER
TODAY= snow in afternoon, high 33 possible 1-3 inches.
TONIGHT= snow ending, mostly cloudy, low 18.
FRIDAY= partly sunny, high near 30, cloudy overnight, low 19.
SATURDAY= snow develops, heavy in afternoon, 3-5 inches then another round of snow overnight into Sunday 1-2 inches, high 27.
SUNDAY= snow in morning, then cloudy, cooler, high 28, low 6.
SPORTS
HS BBB= Osakis eliminated Royalton last night in boys playoffs by the score of 67-59, Mora downed Holdingford 68-39 to move on. In Girls action Pequot Lakes and Crosby Ironton advanced to section finals. Tonight boys action for Swanville hosting Long Prairie-Grey Eagle and Upsala at Browerville winners play on Saturday.
COL BB= The Gopher Men in basketball beat Nebraska last night to open the Big 10 Tournament 78-75. Nebraska had beaten the Gophers two times in the regular season. The #14 seed Gophers will take on #6 seed Maryland tonight in Chicago at 8pm.
TWINS= another Twins spring game today at noon on Q92.
Remember to Spring Ahead on Sunday at 2am 1 hour.