NEWS
--Brigadier General Lowell Kruse, senior commander at Camp Ripley recently spoke to area city councils in the Camp Ripley Military Base area with their annual reports. Kruse gives the annual report to area governmental bodies that serve as Camp Ripley’s neighbors and said providing the updates is something he enjoys and values as a communication tool to those living near the 53,000 acre military facility. Kruse described his mission as providing the best training resource for the nation’s military as well as the National Guard for Minnesota’s worst day, while being a good neighbor. General Kruse announced that “I'm ending my six-year command at Camp Ripley and this will probably be the last round with community briefs that I do. Sometime this summer, my wife and I are probably going to move to our retirement home over in South Dakota”. He mentioned that May and July will feature artillery units and that the camp is busy with an uptick of reserve soldiers training at the facility along with partners with the Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force and mobile diving and salvage units that work with Navy SEALs. Kruse said he expects to see SEAL teams at Camp Ripley in the next couple of years. The camp is seeing more winter training as the Department of Defense has a strategy to increase readiness to be able to respond in arctic regions. The Coast Guard is in its third year at the camp with ice diving and utilizing the Minnesota School of Diving’s diving tank in Brainerd as part of their training. Kruse said units from Iowa, North Dakota and Illinois will arrive for training in May for a busy month. Residents should expect to see smoke from Camp Ripley in May as controlled burns are planned for 15,000 acres if they can get that in between the snow melt and green up. Kruse also cautioned if anyone sees something that looks like unexploded munitions, don’t pick it up. Instead report it and they will take care of it. Finally he mentioned that Camp Ripley will host an open house on September 17th and more information on who will replace Kruse at the helm will be announced in the next few months.
--Little Falls City Administrator Jon Radermacher spoke on KLTF yesterday and they are like others waiting for the snow to melt, the storm drains to get the water run off to begin any large spring road projects, pothole repairs has been addressed but there is a shortage of asphalt for work to be done in the city right now. Challenges continue before 4th Street work can continue and other street projects to begin, which will be a larger load of work being done this year than in the past 2-3 years. The Railgrade separation is still in the works from monies created in a bill co-authored by State Representatives Ron Kresha and Isaac Schultz. This is year a few years away before anything can be done, but the request was done as Highway 27 bridge work is planned by Minnesota Department of Transportation and with that in the next years the railroad separation could work at that time also but plenty of things still have to come into play before that can be done. Housing continues with the apartment complex in town breaking crown and childcare in the works too with the school and city plan on a 100 children facility in the works to be completed in late 2024. Radermacher also mentioned with the tax issue the city taxes are done by the value of homes, because the selling rate is higher and values of homes going up, that means that taxes will also be up, this was not any decision of the City of Little Falls just want happens with rising rates. Radermacher said if you have questions, he can be reached at 320-616-5500.
--The Little Falls Fire Department was called out at 9:02am Monday to 16542 Riverwood Drive on a report of a detached garage on fire. Firefighters arrived and found the inside of the garage fully engulfed with fire. The fire department was able to contain the fire to the garage. The garage and the contents were a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the MN State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Firefighters cleared the scene at approximately 10:40am.
--Minnesota’s U.S. Senators were at the St. Cloud Regional Airport to announce a $495,000 federal grant on Monday. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith unveiled a package to replace outdated infrastructure through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The funding will be used to replace outdated tower equipment. St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis and Airport Board Chair Brian Myers, along with other board members were in attendance. On January 1st, 2022, St. Cloud turned over airport control to a regional governing board. The new governing board aims to promote service, public interest, and transportation and develop the airport.
--Fire crews responded to fire at a town home complex in south St. Cloud Sunday night. The incident happened just after 8:30pm in the 700 block of 33rd Street South. St. Cloud fire crews arrived to find smoke and fire coming from the attached garage and front door of the home. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, however the fire caused over $210,000 in damage Authorities say one person was taken to the hospital with burn injuries. The fire department said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
--A Brainerd area business owner is facing charges related to tobacco sales. The Minnesota Department of Revenue says the Crow Wing County Attorney's Office recently charged Ronald Beattie Junior with one felony count of possessing untaxed tobacco products. According to the complaint, Revenue Tax Specialists conducted a random tobacco retail inspection of Beattie's business. They allegedly found a substantial amount of tobacco products with no related invoices. Tobacco retailers are required by law to keep invoices for all tobacco products on-site as proof they were bought from a licensed distributor. The specialists seized the tobacco products. Beattie did not appeal the seizure. It has been determined that the unpaid tax on the tobacco products was about $2,000. The felony charge has a maximum penalty of five years in jail, a $10,000 fine, or both.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--John Denny and Page Taylor of Little Falls, a girl born April 7th.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and very mild, high near 70.
TONIGHT= clear skies, a mild night, low around 48.
WEDNESDAY= cloudy and breezy, mild, high 74, low near 54.
THURSDAY= rain in the afternoon, mild and breezy, high 72.
SPORTS
TWINS= White Sox beat the Twins 4-3 on Monday. Twins and White Sox continue their series tonight, pregame at 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.
MASTERS= after 2 days of suspended play, trees falling on the course and very soggy conditions Jon Rahm won the Masters late Sunday to earn the Green Jacket at twelve under par.
NBA= Timberwolves open the playoffs tonight in the play in game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Winner in, loser has another play in.