--Lieutenant Colonel Doug Serie, a professor at St. John's University and St. Benedict's College joined KLTF yesterday. Series spoke to parents of high school juniors and seniors that working with Army ROTC you can get a college scholarship to St. Johns, St. Ben's and St. Cloud State University for free and even make a little bit of money by going to St. Johns and St. Benedict’s with work from the U.S. Army. Serie is a selector when he comes to the school and you are joining the Army right away you get to go to college for four years under the scholarship and work off your service in the Army with a job that is provided for you by the service or work on active duty in the U.S. Army. This could be from a leadership position, medical position, teaching or other services. Series said that getting soldiers after they have received a college degree has been greatly beneficial using their skills from college classes to be used to active military, personnel and bases around the nation to help what best serves the Army and U.S. Series said the best way to find out more is go to the website www.goarmy.com/rotc and there an account can be created and help the student apply for the scholarship. You can also contact Joe Peterson 320-363-3218 as he manages the calender for the are selectors with questions and also talking to area schools. Series was talking to students and counselors yesterday at Little Falls Community High School and how the scholarships through the U.S. Army to get tuition for free from some of the area colleges and universities.
--The Stearns County Attorney's Office intends to convene a grand jury to likely consider 1st-degree premeditated murder charges against a St. Cloud woman accused of killing her baby. At her initial appearance in Stearns County District Court, prosecutors filed a notice of intent to convene a grand jury in the murder case against 26-year-old Fardoussa Abdillahi. Grand juries are not open to the public and are convened to consider charges that carry a life sentence. However, the criminal proceedings will be put on hold after the judge overseeing the case has granted a defense motion for a mental competency exam for Abdillahi. According to the Stearns County charging complaint, Abdillahi cut her son's throat and threw the infant in the dumpster. A man called the police on November 28th to request a welfare check. Officers responded to the 2900 Block of Maine Prairie Road where the man said a baby was missing and the mother was saying she threw the child in the dumpster behind her apartment building. Records show several people had gone to the scene to look for the boy when they couldn't find the baby, the search party called the police.
--A Paynesville man faces multiple charges after attempting to flee police Sunday night. The Meeker County Sheriff's Office received a call around 8pm of a possible drunk driver heading south on Highway 15 toward Dassel. Authorities were able to find the driver and a short chase began. The sheriff's office say the vehicle was stopped about two miles south of Dassel. Authorities say the driver, 31-year-old Luke Holmgren, was intoxicated. Holmgren's blood alcohol level was .19, over twice the legal limit. Deputies says Holmgren also had two kids in the car, along with a loaded handgun. Holmgren was arrested and booked into the Meeker County Jail. He faces charges of fleeing police, driving under the influence, open bottle, carrying a gun while under the influence and child endangerment.
--A reminder from the Carnegie Library in Little Falls that local musician Paul Jensen will perform today 4-6pm free of charge. This was rescheduled from last Tuesday at the library. All are welcome.
--Bill Messerschmidt will perform Christmas at the Pipe Organ Sunday at 4pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Little Falls. He will perform contemporary and traditional works on the pipe organ from the church during the performance. There will also be Christmas carols with audience participation. Refreshments will be served. The event is a free will offering and funds go to help Oasis Central Minnesota in Little Falls for helping the homeless this holiday season.
--The Minnesota National Guard is breaking ground on a new Training and Community Center in Luverne today. "The new Training and Community Center in Luverne will be a quality, eco-friendly building that will enhance training, bring new capabilities to the area, and contribute to the mission readiness of the Soldiers in the local unit," said Army Lt. Col. Troy Fink, Construction and Facilities Management Officer for the Minnesota National Guard. The new Training and Community Center replaces the Luverne Armory located on Freeman Avenue, which was built in 1922. The new facility will be a benefit not only to the National Guard but also to the community of Luverne.
--The Upsala Upstage Players are performing Wine Cheese and Murder coming up January 21st and 22nd with dinner and show and January 23rd for a dessert show. There is a deadline to reserve tickets on January 12th. Details will be posted soon on the Upstage Players website and they will join KLTF Party Line January 5th to give out more information and times and menu items next month.
NATIONAL NEWS
--Elon Musk has been named TIME's 2021 Person of the Year, as the one person the company believes has had the most impact — for better or worse — on the world in the past twelve months. Musk is the second richest person in the world, and has risen in prominence to a household name in recent years thanks to ventures such as his electric car company Tesla, spaceflight program SpaceX and his unfiltered Twitter commentary.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
--Dusty Girtz and Gina Sowada of Royalton, a baby girl on Dec 10th.
--Hannibal Von Ghoul and Dennise Moyer of Little Falls, a girl on 12-9
DEATH NOTICES
--Brian D. Lange, age 55 of Upsala.
--Heidi Marie (Kloss) Quinlan, age 45 of Royalton.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny and mild, high around 40.
TONIGHT= cloudy, fog overnight, low near 30.
WEDNESDAY= cloudy, rain in afternoon, high 46 early then dropping.
WED NITE= rain changing to snow late, blustery winds, low 15.
THURSDAY= flurries early, then sunny, windy and colder, high 19.
SPORTS
HS BBB= Long Prairie-Grey Eagle at Pierz tonight 7:15 94ROCKS
COL BB= Gophers vs. Texas A&M tonight 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF.
NFL= Matthew Stafford tossed 3 touchdowns as the Los Angeles Rams beat Arizona last night 30-23 on Monday Night Football.
Another round of Ho Ho Dough qualifiers and another $100 Ho Ho Dough Bucks winner today will be drawn. Listen to Little Falls Radio for details and the names will be on tomorrow's newsletter to be out at our Little Falls businesses.