NEWS
--The Early Childhood program at Little Falls Community Schools will transition to Distance Learning immediately through Tuesday, November 17. Children and staff are able to return to the Early Childhood Center on Wednesday, November 18th. COVID infections occurred during the Preschool Kids Korner program at the Early Childhood Center which was providing Tier I childcare for families when the district was in Distance Learning from October 26th - November 5th. All people who may have been exposed have been contacted and are following proper COVID safety protocols. Also Little Falls Schools have their Veterans' programs available to view online.
--There is a free grocery giveaway today at Living Hope Church on Haven Road on the north end of Little Falls today from 2-4pm. All are welcome, no appointments necessary, no need to leave your vehicle as volunteers will place the box of items safely. The church asks that no one please come until after 1:45pm as they need to set up the volunteers in the parking lot before the 2pm event begins.
--There were 4,900 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday and a high total of 56 new deaths linked to the virus which include 1 person in the 70s in Morrison County, 1 in Benton and 3 in Stearns County. By county, Benton 37 new cases, Crow Wing 117, Stearns 185, Todd County 27, Mille Lacs 33 and Morrison County at 27 new cases on Wednesday. The County Website was not updated on Wednesday as the County offices were closed for Veteran's Day.
--The Minnesota State Patrol reported a fatal accident Wednesday morning at 6:09am on Highway 71 in Todd County. A vehicle was traveling near the Highway 71 and Highway 27 intersection in Long Prairie when it slid on icy roads, went over the centerline and collided head on with a pickup truck. 70-year-old Richard Kleinschmidt of Sauk Centre was driving the Ford car and died at the scene of the accident. 30-year-old Aaron Thomas of Long Prairie was driving the pickup truck and treated for injuries at Long Prairie Hospital.
--Three people from Fargo, North Dakota was injured around 8:30pm Wednesday night on Interstate 94 in Melrose of Stearns County. The vehicle clipped the back end of a semi-truck and rolled off the side of the road into the ditch. The three were taken to the Melrose Hospital and treated for injuries. The semi-truck driver was not hurt.
--Three people, one seriously was injured Wednesday morning just after 9:30am on Highway 169 in Garrison of Crow Wing County. 21-year-old Robert Nickaboine of Onamia crossed the center-line on an icy patch and road and collided head-on with 34-year-old Amy Ruiz of Hampton, Iowa. Ruiz was airlifted to the Twin Cities with life threatening injuries. Nickaboine and a passenger, 17-year-old Chey Garbow of Onamia were treated for non-life threatening injuries.
--A St. Cloud man has pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge after a search warrant turned up what authorities say was a large amount of methamphetamine at his home. 42-year old Eric Noble pleaded guilty Monday to importing drugs across state lines. According to the criminal complaint, officers found several baggies of meth in the home in the 200 block of Tranquility Drive in St. Cloud in January 2019. Those baggies added up to more than five-and-a-half pounds of meth. Surveillance equipment, cell phones, and other electronic devices were also found inside the house. Police say Noble admitted to buying approximately 140 pounds of meth from out of state at $3,500 per pound and then selling it for $5,000 per pound. He'll be sentenced on December 30th.
--Swanville Schools made this statement on Wednesday afternoon that school was closed for students at the Swanville school Wednesday, November 11, so that staff could do some re-organizing and planning. “There was a positive case, and we did the proper contact tracing, and have taken appropriate steps to make sure that it is safe for students and staff to come back to school. This year, because of COVID-19, the district is allowed up to 5 of these planning days for the year. Also, staff continued working on plans in the event that we have to switch learning models sometime in the future. To help with future transitions, students that have school-owned devices will now be taking them home every night, and then bring them back to school the next morning. That way, if we need to have a distance learning day on short notice, families and staff will be prepared. Our goal remains to keep the student in school as much as possible. While the county case rate numbers are important, we are being advised to look specifically at our own building, and how it is being affected. Just a reminder there will be school tomorrow, Thursday November 12th and no school on Friday November 13th. This Friday has always been scheduled as a day off. Also, the meal menus may be changing. Please refer to our school website for any changes. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at school.”
--The St. Francis Music Center in Little Falls is presenting the St. Francis Concert Orchestra in a live streaming Facebook concert Tuesday, November 24th at 7:30pm. On November 24 at 7:30 visit the St. Francis Music Center Facebook page and welcome in the holiday season with beautiful music. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions they cannot have public events for the upcoming holiday season so Facebook is the only option.
--On Friday, November 13th, at 1pm Don Fitch will be sharing some of his personal experiences from World War II at Zion Lutheran Church located at 411 3rd Avenue NE in Little Falls. The public is invited to attend. Face masks and social distancing is requested.
--Morrison County Veterans Service Officer Kathy Marshik created a video of Morrison County Veterans to view. The video link has been posted on fallsradio.com and the Little Falls Radio Facebook page.
DEATH NOTICES
--Calvin R. Smieja, age 72 of Royalton.
--Irene Sowada, age 66 of Bowlus.
--Alice Leone Schubert, age 100 of Little Falls/Morrison County.
--Kenneth John Mueller, age 75 of Buckman.
WEATHER
TODAY= snow this morning, up to 1 inch, then sunny, high 28.
TONIGHT= clearing skies, cold temps, low near 10 above.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, high near 34, cloudy 25 at night.
SATURDAY= rain and snow showers develop, high 40, low 28.
SUNDAY= sunny, cold and windy with temps steady around 30.
SPORTS
HS FB= Little Falls at Princeton at 5pm today on Q92 WYRQ.
HS FB= Pierz at Montivideo now at 6pm tonight on FM94 KFML.
NFL= On Wednesday the Vikings announced they are not pursuing the issue of having fans in the stands for the remaining four home games. If the state makes no changes before the end of the year there will be no fans at Vikings games in 2020. The Vikings play on Monday night at Chicago at 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF.