NEWS
--Little Falls Community Schools has announced the opening of the Little Falls High School Track for the public’s use with the following schedule: Mondays through Fridays: May 6th, 2019 - August 9th, 2019. The High School Track will be open during the morning hours of 6:00-8:00am and evening hours of 6:00-8:00pm. The track will not be open July 3rd 4th or 5th. For more information about track availability, please call Community Services at (320) 632-7938.
--The Greater Minnesota 2 Cylinder Club's Annual Field Days and Swap Meet is Saturday and Sunday at the Morrison County Fairgrounds. Gates open at 7:00am each day. This years features all brands Unstyled Letter series tractors, walk behind garden tractors, Yamaha snowmobiles and sleds with Yamaha engines. Auction, silent auction, parade of tractors, FFA tractor driving contest, many demonstrations, garden tractor pull, lots of food and so much more at the event this weekend. More details are expected today on KLTF Party Line at 10am and online at fallsradio.com.
--Two teenagers are accused of assaulting and robbing a man at gunpoint in Millstream Park on Sunday morning. 18-year old Sebastian Dante Terres of St. Joseph, faces three felony charges including first-degree aggravated robbery with a dangerous weapon, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and third degree assault. 17-year old Tanner David Crane of Rice, faces four felony charges including first-degree aggravated robbery with a dangerous weapon, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, possessing a firearm after a previous crime of violence and aiding and abetting third-degree assault. If a 16 or 17-year-old juvenile is charged with a felony-level offense in Minnesota, the records and court proceedings are public. A press release from the St. Joseph Police Department said the victim and the suspects were not known to each other and the incident appears to be a random act. Both suspects were apprehended within 15 minutes and firearms were recovered from the scene.
--The governor says he will follow the finding of an independent audit of the embattled MNLARS system that calls for a new, $73 million software to replace the one that was built by the state. The independent panel of IT experts released their review of MNLARS on Wednesday. Leaders have been trying to decide whether to scrap it and start over or to keep fixing it. Switching to a purchased software system to replace MNLARS will run $73 million, on top of the $100 million originally spent since work began on the system in 2007-2008.
--A Rockville man was taken to the hospital after a crash involving a semi Monday morning. The incident happened around 10:45am at the intersection of Highway 23 and I-94 in St. Joseph Township. The Minnesota State Patrol says a semi, driven by 28-year old Yusuf Ibrahim of St. Cloud, was heading west on I-94 when he starting turning left onto southbound Highway 23 and was hit by an SUV heading north on the highway. Ibrahim was not hurt. 26-year old Aaron Madson, of Rockville, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
--Tonight is the opening night of Freaky Friday performed at the Little Falls Community High School. Tickets were sold in advance for the three days, tonight, Friday and Saturday starting at 7pm. Tickets are still available by contacting the Activities Office at Little Falls High School today by calling 616-2206.
--A fire Monday night in a single family home in St. Cloud's Pantown neighborhood caused an estimated $80,000 in damage. Firefighters responded to the home at 1039 31st Avenue North around 10:30pm. The fire was ruled accidental and caused by a gas leak. A small pinhole formed in a pipe and the gas was ignited inside a wall. Two people were home at the time of the fire and both got out on their own. No one was injured in the fire, but the residents were displaced.
--A Chicago man was sentenced to prison Wednesday afternoon in connection with a fatal Sauk Rapids shooting, but the sentencing date for the St. Cloud man convicted of murder in the joint trial was postponed. 27-year old Nokomis Lee Jefferson of Chicago was sentenced to just under two years in prison, stayed, for one count of second-degree arson. He will be on supervised probation for up to 10 years, and if he breaks terms of probation, he could go to prison. 21-year old William Demont White, Jr. of St. Cloud was convicted in the joint jury trial of second-degree murder, first-degree assault with a deadly weapon and second-degree arson. White was scheduled to be sentenced after Jefferson Wednesday afternoon, but the hearing was delayed. The judge postponed White's sentencing, because the severity of the convictions merits consideration. A new sentencing date has not been set for White.
--The battle over what to call a popular Minneapolis lake will wage for another round, after the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced Wednesday the agency will appeal Monday's Bde Maka Ska decision. DNR officials say a petition will be submitted with the Minnesota Supreme Court by the May 29 deadline. The state Court of Appeals ruled that the former Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Commissioner Tom Landwehr "exceeded his authority" in 2018 when he changed the name of Lake Calhoun, which had existed for more than 40 years, to Bde Maka Ska.
--The Pierz Jazz Band will perform with elementary, high school and others at their 2nd Annual Jazz Night fundraiser on Friday at 7pm at the Pierz Ballroom. Proceeds got to the Pierz music programs. There will be food, silent auction, raffles and open bar at the event on Friday for all to come and hear the students with some adults aiding too in the a one night jazz festival of sorts in Pierz. Advanced tickets are $20 for adults and $7 for students at the district office in Pierz or by any band students. Tickets go up at the door on Friday night.
DEATH NOTICES
--Robert “Bob” L. Benner, age 84 of Onamia.
WEATHER
TODAY= cloudy skies, AM sprinkles, high 54.
TONIGHT= clearing skies, low 34.
FRIDAY= sunny start, high 62, late day showers/T-storms.
FRI NITE= showers & storms early, clearing late, low 48.
SATURDAY= sunny and windy, high 66, low near 44.
SUNDAY= sunny and windy, cooler, high 56, low 37.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins win 6-2 Wednesday due to great pitching from Martin' Perez. Twins finish their series with Houston today, pregame at 11:30am on Q92 WYRQ. Twins then at Yankees Friday night.
NBA= Minnesota Timberwolves are hiring Houston's Gerson Rosas as the franchise's next President of Basketball Operations.