NEWS
--Motorists who travel Highway 27 in Little Falls may encounter delays after the Highway 27 bridge spanning the Mississippi River opens, and another short segment of Highway 27 in Little Falls closes this Saturday, (May 11th). Motorists should plan for the following beginning Saturday, May 11th. All lanes of Highway 27 between Front Street and Lindbergh Drive, including the Highway 27 bridge spanning the Mississippi River, will open Saturday. After crews open the Highway 27 bridge, Highway 27 between Front Street and Fourth Street E will close. The short detour will direct motorists one block south along Front Street, First Avenue SE and Fourth Street SE. Commercial trucks must continue to use the truck detour along Highway 10 and County Road 214. All lanes of Highway 27 between Front Street and Fourth Street E will open in August. The closure and short detour are part of a project that will improve Highway 27 and other infrastructure through downtown Little Falls in 2019. All businesses in downtown Little Falls will remain open and accessible throughout the project, although routes will occasionally change. When complete, the project will reconstruct or resurface two miles of Highway 27 between 15th Street SW and Ninth Street East, install new underground utilities, curb, gutter and sidewalk, improve signals, add new bike lanes through downtown Little Falls and improve short segments of local roads. For real-time travel information anywhere in Minnesota, check www.511mn.org.
--The Little Falls Exchange Club has announced their 2019 Book of Golden Deeds Award Winner is Jim Weiss. Jim has given above and beyond in volunteerism work within the community. The year's Book of Golden Deeds Award banquet for Jim Weiss will be on May 23rd at the Great River Arts Building in Little Falls with social at 6pm and dinner at 7pm, cost is $25 and call for reservations at 632-5425.
--The Minnesota Department of Transportation urges anglers to plan ahead and use caution while driving through highway work zones on the way to their favorite fishing spots this weekend. Motorists may encounter lane closures and detours because of transportation projects that are under way this construction season. Some areas of the state are also experiencing flooding. MnDOT recommends that motorists prepare for slower moving traffic, think about alternate routes, and visit www.511mn.org to get information about road construction projects and traffic impacts. There are close to 80 work projects on Minnesota state highways, not counting for county and city roads also being worked on during this time period. Expect heavier traffic in and around Albert Lea where the governor’s annual fishing opener will occur on area lakes May 9-12. In Central Minnesota alone road work continues on I-94 near Alexandria, Highway 55, 59, 79, 12, 75, 36, 119, 65, I-35 and many others. This also includes the Highway 169 project in Garrison single lae, Highway 55 in Annandale to Maple Lake closed, Highway 15 from Kimbbal to St. Augusta closed and Highway 27 the bridge is closed through Saturday in Little Falls. Expect detours and delays on many of the roadways and expect extra travel with the thousands of anglers getting out the Minnesota lakes, rivers and waterways this weekend. MnDOT urges motorists to be attentive, drive with caution, slow down in work zones and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones as fines double in work zones, some even triple or more. You can stay informed about projects and other transportation topics at 511mn.org and calling 511.
--Mother Nature is not done with her tricks yet as many are waking up to 2-4 inches of snow on grassy areas from yesterday. Over 1 to 2 inches of moisture fell Wednesday. Temps will be near 50 today.
--Swanville Public Schools are hosting a mock car crash on Monday. The event that was originally scheduled today has been postponed to the same time on Monday at the Swanville School. Students will begin by watching a video around 9:10am followed by the Mock Crash itself scheduled around 9:40am. The public should not be alarmed by the heavy emergency responder presence on Monday at the Swanville Public School during the Mock Car Crash event.
--Crosby Police are searching for a missing woman. 56-year-old Kelly Jones was last seen on April 25th at her residence in Birch Street in Crosby. She was reported missing May 3rd by her roommate. Jones told her roommate she was heading to the Twin Cities on the 25th and be back the following Monday but never came back. Jones left with a man that the roommate did not know in a light colored SUV. Jones is 5'7” with black hair and blue eyes and a light skin tone. Anyone with information is asked to call Crosby Police at (218) 546-5137.
--The U.S. Attorney's Office has charged a Sauk Rapids man with 33 counts of filing false tax returns. Authorities say 40-year old Adam Lashinski filed dozens of fraudulent federal individual income tax returns while posing as a certified public accountant. The indictment alleges Lashinski repeatedly filed returns for customers where he omitted taxable income and claimed false adjustments, deductions, and business expenses. The false filings led to larger refunds than what the customers were entitled to. Lashinski is also accused of filing with the IRS to have portions of those returns filed directly into his account. His court appearance has not yet been set.
--Two men were injured when their vehicles crashed Saturday in Wadena County near Menagha. 70-year-old Bradley Goehrig of Menagha was west on Twin Lakes Road with a 14-year-old passenger when he collided with 74-year-old Donald Kienitz of Menahga in the intersection. Both drivers were taken to the hospital and treated for injuries. The teenage passenger was checked out at the scene.
--A reminder from the Morrison County Sheriff's Office that if you want to be put on the list for the upcoming sandbox fill next Thursday, May 16th, you have to sign up by Tuesday by calling 320-631-2880 and leave your name, address, phone number and where the sandbox is located on the answering machine. Anyone within a three mile radius of Bank Square in downtown Little Falls is eligible.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
--Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have named their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The child is now the 7th in line for the Royal Crown held by Queen Elizabeth II since 1952.
WEATHER
TODAY= rain/snow early, then cloudy and windy, high 50.
TONIGHT= frost likely, low around 28.
FRIDAY= sunny and warmer, high 60, low around 40.
SATURDAY= showers and T-storms in afternoon, high 61, low 43.
SUNDAY= sunny skies, high 62, low around 38.
SPORTS
TWINS= Polanco has 5 hits and the Twins rout Blue Jays last night 9-1 to sweep the series. The Twins (23-12) have today off.