NEWS
--On Saturday at 1:40pm, the Little Falls Fire Department was dispatched with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to a grass and swamp fire at 1822 County Road 2 in Fort Ripley Township. After arriving on scene the fire department had found that the DNR had worked to control the fire. No structures damaged and no injuries with fire. The fire department were on scene for one hour.
--The Little Falls School Board announced they added a contract approval to last night's agenda for Greg Johnson to become the new Superintendent of Little Falls Community Schools effected July 1st. Johnson had been superintendent since 2014 in Albany.
--A Stearns County man has been convicted on a federal charge of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine while in prison. A jury found 39-year-old Robert Maloney Jr. guilty following a five-day trial last week. The U.S. Attorney's Office says in the spring of 2019, Maloney was coordinating with people outside the prison to sell meth. He used jail phone calls to arrange meetings, and discuss prices and quantities of the drug. Recordings of Maloney's phone calls were used as evidence in the trial against him. A sentencing date will be scheduled at a later time.
--The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is warning the public about a shooting suspect they say is armed and dangerous. According to a release, just before 2:15pm Sunday a shooting was reported in Pelican Rapids. When police arrived they say the suspect, 36-year-old Phoutthasa Prathane had fled the area. Law enforcement agencies are still looking for the suspect, and say he may be armed and dangerous. Prathane is described as 5'9" and 185 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was driving a 2011 black 4-door Toyota Tundra with Minnesota plate 1092CD. Police say the pickup has a wrap-around brush guard on the front. If you see Prathane, do not approach him but call 911 immediately.
--The families of Julius St. John Knudsen and Herbert F. Strobel were presented with Congressional Gold Medals Saturday, April 9, 2022, during the Fall of Bataan 80th Anniversary Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Brainerd Training and Community Center. Strobel was mortally wounded when an enemy artillery shell exploded over his tank. He was transferred to a military hospital where he quickly died. He is buried in a military cemetery in Manilla. Knudsen was part of the Bataan Death March, with reports of him being seen along the route but he never made it to the POW camps and is still missing in action. His family continues to search for his remains, and think they may have the location narrowed down to near a specific village in the Philippines. The newly remodeled armory hosted the annual event which included a reading of the history of the 34th Tank Company in Bataan, the reading of names and wreath laying. Speakers included Lt. Col. John Hobot; Santiago “Sonny” Busa, a Filipino American who emigrated to America with his father and has many years of service with the military and the state department as a diplomat; and retired Major General Gerald Lang.
--The Benton County Sheriff’s department is reporting catalytic converter thefts along the Highway 23 business district and some wire thefts along the Highway 10 business district of St. Cloud. Waite Park Police are also reporting a stolen vehicle on the 500 block of 10th avenue south. At this time they do not have details on that vehicle. There has also been an uptick in licenses plates being stolen from vehicles in St. Cloud and Waite Park and ask if a theft has occurred to call police immediately to find the plates in question.
--Crow Wing’s dairy royalty was crowned during the Crow Wing County Dairy Banquet, held Saturday at the Pierz Ballroom. The Knotty Pine Bakery was recognized for serving real dairy products at their business and was awarded the Butterknife Award. Butch and Rosemary Segler were awarded the Milk Pitcher Award recognizing them for being helpful in promoting the dairy industry. Crowned as the 2022 royalty were Senior Dairy Princess Jenna Caughey; Junior Princess, Allison Woitalla; and Dairy Ambassador, Kaylee Woitalla. The congeniality award went to Allison Woitalla.
--Three members of a rescue squad were on a training mission when their boat overturned. Fortunately, they all suffered just minor injuries. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office says Sunday just after 1pm they got a call about an overturned boat on Green Lake straight out from the Olde Mill Inn Resort. Multiple callers said they could see three people out of the water standing on top of the boat. The victims were Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad members who were on a hovercraft ice water training operation. The boat was being used in a training scenario when the operator was navigating across the lake ice as it was approaching open water. When the rescue boat hit the water at an angle, it caused the boat to flip over and land upside down. The craft occupants were able to get out from under the boat to safety. The three Rescue Squad members were taken to Rice Hospital with minor injuries.
--Due to the persistent drought conditions in the Great Plains and West, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering additional relief through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) to help ranchers cover above normal costs of hauling livestock to forage or other grazing acres. This policy enhancement complements previously announced ELAP compensation for hauling feed to livestock. ELAP livestock and feed hauling assistance is retroactive for 2021 and will be available for losses in 2022 and subsequent years. “Unfortunately, drought conditions across the U.S. continue and, in many states, have worsened. In response, we continue to find ways to help livestock producers alleviate some of the financial strain,” said Whitney Place, State Executive Director for FSA in Minnesota. “This most recent ELAP program update recognizes that, for some ranchers, hauling livestock to forage rather than feed to livestock is easier and makes more sense financially.” For more information on the USDA relief and not to get it log on to the website usda.gov.
DEATH NOTICES
--Claude J. Yurczyk, age 88 of Swanville.
--Roger D. Reed, age 85 of Hillman.
--Robert Cavegn, age 56 of Bowlus.
WEATHER
TODAY= rain likely afternoon, high near 50 and breezy.
TONIGHT= rain likely, breezy, low around 36.
WEDNESDAY= rain and wind, changing to snow, high 43, low 27.
THURSDAY= snow likely 1-2 inches, high 32 and very windy.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins pitching tosses a 2 hitter last night as the Twins beat the Mariners 4-0 to split the 4 game series. The Twins open a 2 game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight at 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.
NBA= NBA playoffs begin with play in games tonight Cleveland vs. Brooklyn followed by the Timberwolves and the LA Clippers at 8:30.