NEWS
--The man accused of kidnapping, raping and killing a five-year-old Watkins girl pleaded not guilty to 19 related charges Wednesday. 26-year old Zachary Anderson was arrested in August 2016. Police said he pointed out the location of Alayna Ertl's body after she disappeared from her Watkins home. Authorities found her dead in the swamp near a pink blanket, close to Anderson's Motley family cabin. The charges against Anderson include first-degree murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, theft of a motor vehicle and interference with a dead body. Anderson's attorney asked the court this summer to suppress much of the most incriminating evidence in the case. Anderson's jury trial is scheduled to last three weeks starting April 2nd, 2018. Pre-trial hearings are set for February 8th and March 26th.
--A 71-year St. Cloud man died Tuesday evening after being struck by a car while walking near St. Cloud State University. At about 5:45pm, Adow Hassan Abdi was struck by 45-year old William Eldridge Stone of St. Cloud as Stone attempted to exit a roundabout at 5th Avenue South and University Drive. Stone immediately stopped along with other passers by to provide aid to Abdi. St. Cloud police said Stone displayed no signs of impairment and fully cooperated with the investigation. Abdi was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment of his injuries, but was pronounced dead at 8:34pm. Police are still investigating the crash, with assistance from the Minnesota State Patrol and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to contact the St. Cloud Police Department at (320) 251-1200.
--It was five years ago this past Saturday that Little Falls Native Brian Kobilka and Robert Lefkowitz were named the winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The duo won for their work isolating and further understanding of G protein coupled receptors. About half of all medications achieve their effect through G-protein coupled receptors. The studies by Kobilka and Lefkowitz are crucial for understanding how G-protein coupled receptors function. The Nobel prizes are awarded annually on the birth date of Alfred Nobel October 21st.
--A 34-year old Waite Park man was arrested Tuesday on a warrant related to burglary and domestic assault charges. According to a complaint filed October 9th in Stearns County District Court, Joseph David DeRosier is charged with one count of first degree burglary and two counts of felony domestic assault stemming from an incident October 2nd. He made his first court appearance on the burglary charge Wednesday, and his next hearing is November 2nd.
--The first snow of the season is expected to move in late tonight through Friday. Eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin will see a mix of rain and snow, but with temperatures hovering in the 30s, there is potential for additional snow accumulation if temperatures remain cold enough. A Winter Weather Advisory is now in effect from Little Falls to St. Cloud with 1-3 inches of wet snow late tonight and another 1-2 inches on Friday with very gusty winds. A Winter Storm Warning goes into effect later today in northern Minnesota with wind gusts near 50mph and over 6 inches of snow. The first snow is a reminder to motorists to expect poor visibilities and slippery conditions Friday morning as the heaviest of the snow is expected to fall after midnight tonight and through Friday morning. Then another round of rain and snow is in the forecast for Sunday and Monday.
--Three people were hurt in a crash near St. Martin. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says it happened just after 6:00pm Tuesday at the intersection of County Roads 11 and 12 in St. Martin Township. 38-year old Hilary Hesse of Eden Valley was going west on County Road 12. 41-year old Shawn Frieler of Melrose was going south on County Road 11. Deputies say Frieler failed to stop at the stop sign, struck Hesse’s vehicle broadside, causing it to roll. Frieler was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Hesse’s two passengers, 14-year old Katelyn Holthaus of Eden Valley and 15-year old Destiny Deheer of Watkins, were both taken to Paynesville Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
--The Minnesota Department of Transportation is inviting people to an open house about the proposed Highway 23 expansion project from Richmond to Paynesville. The open house will be next Wednesday from 4-6:00pm at the St. Peter and Paul School Gym at 111 Central Avenue North in Richmond. The project involves the expansion of a seven mile stretch of Highway 23 from two to four lanes. MnDOT says expanding the highway will allow for additional capacity, increase safety and improve the movement of freight. People at the open house will be able to view the Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the project and the current project layouts.
--Minnesota is the second most bicycle friendly state in the nation, according to the League of American Bicyclists’ ranking released this week. Minnesota has consistently ranked in the top five states since the rankings began in 2008. The number one ranking went to Washington state, which has had the top spot since 2008. The Bicycle Friendly States ranking is based on a number of key indicators, including infrastructure and funding that provide safe places to bike; education and encouragement programs that promote cycling; and passage and enforcement of bicycle friendly laws that make it safe and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities to ride. Rounding out the top five bicycle friendly states are California, Oregon and Massachusetts. The report card also noted that Minnesota would benefit from laws that make it easier for local jurisdictions to lower speed limits on state roadways, increase penalties for a motorist that injures or kills a bicyclist or pedestrian, and require the use of a hands free device for phone use while driving. Minnesota has 21 bicycle friendly communities, 86 bicycle friendly businesses and four bicycle friendly communities.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly cloudy, rain develops in afternoon, high 50.
TONIGHT= rain changes to snow, windy, 1-2 inches, low 29.
FRIDAY= snow likely, 1-3 inches, very windy, high 36.
FRI NITE= clearing skies, colder, low around 20.
SATURDAY= partly cloudy skies, high 39, clear night, low 17.
SUNDAY= rain and snow mix by midday, high 42, low 28.
SPORTS
HS VB= Little Falls at ROCORI in first round of volleyball playoffs tonight at 7pm Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com
HS VB= Pierz at St. Cloud Cathedral tonight in first round of volleyball playoffs at 7pm on FM94 KFML and fallsradio.com
HS FB= Aitkin at Royalton in playoff Football Saturday 2pm on Q92.
HS FB= Upsala/Swanville at BBE Saturday 3pm on FM94 KFML.
HS FB= Melrose at Pierz in playoff football 7pm Saturday on FM94.