NEWS
--Nominations for the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Small Business of the Year, Large Business of the Year and Chamber Volunteer of the Year are now being accepted. Each award has specific criteria to assist you in the nomination process. Nomination forms are due in the Chamber office by Friday, January 27th. Awards will be bestowed at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting, on Thursday, February 23rd. Nominees must be a Chamber member. Recipients will receive public recognition and a plaque noting their honor. The names will also be displayed on permanent plaques in the Chamber office. For more information or to submit a nomination contact the Chamber by calling (320) 632-5155.
--A St. Cloud woman was arrested Saturday morning after an acquaintance told police she was beaten and threatened with a knife. 56-year old Linda Kay Kruger was booked at Stearns County Jail for investigation of second-degree assault, threats of violence and fifth-degree assault. She also had a warrant for felony fifth-degree controlled substance crime. The incident that led to her arrest happened before noon at a residence in the 100 block of 19th Avenue North. A 54-year-old woman told police that she and Kruger got into an argument about property. Kruger became violent and assaulted the victim by hitting her in the head, throwing her down and holding a knife to her throat. Kruger threatened to kill the victim with the knife. Police found a small knife at the scene. The victim was not injured by the knife but had minor injuries from being hit in the head. She did not require medical attention. Kruger was arrested on scene.
--A total of 74 fatal work-injuries were recorded in Minnesota in 2015, an increase from 62 fatal work-injuries in 2014 and 69 fatal work-injuries in 2013. The 2015 total is above the average of 66 cases a year for 2010 through 2014. Minnesota’s 2015 fatal injury rate is 2.7 fatalities per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers. Nationally, there were 4,836 fatally injured workers in 2015. The 2015 national rate is 3.4 fatalities per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers, the same as the 2014 rate. In Minnesota industry wise, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting recorded the highest number of worker fatalities, with 23 cases, up from 21 cases in 2014. Construction had the second-highest number of fatalities, with nine cases, compared to seven cases in 2014. Manufacturing and administrative and waste services each had seven fatally injured workers.
--The Minnesota State Patrol identified a Brainerd woman as the person killed when a semitrailer and passenger car collided on Business Highway 371 around 3:15pm Friday. 62-year old Linda K. Marolt died as a result of the crash at Business Highway 371 and Brent Drive, south of Brainerd. Marolt was wearing a seat belt and the airbag deployed. The driver of the semi 59-year old Douglas W. Calkins of Deerwood had no apparent injuries.
--St. Cloud police will host a meeting Wednesday to give the public information about a Level 3 sex offender who is moving to the city. 39-year old Terrence Davone Olive is planning to move Tuesday to St. Cloud after serving a sentence engaging in sexual contact with a 10-year-old girl. Olive does not have a residence and is considered homeless. He has told police that he will be homeless in the city. The community notification meeting will be at 6:00pm Wednesday in the St. Cloud police department's training room. Representatives from the police department along with the Minnesota Department of Corrections will present information at the meeting.
--Benton County Sheriff office reported a girl who ran away voluntarily from her home in Alberta Township had been located as of 10:00pm on Monday. Deputies were notified on Sunday that 16-year old Victoria "Tori" Drulenski had run away from her home. There was some concern that Drulenski did not have access to medication she is required to take regularly. Authorities declined to comment where the girl was located, but she is safe and in good health.
--A 73-year-old Pequot Lakes man, who was injured in a motorcycle crash last month, has died of his injuries. Norman L. Armstrong died Wednesday night at Regency Hospital in Golden Valley. Armstrong was driving a motorcycle that struck another motorcycle about 1:45pm on November 6th on Highway 18, east of Brainerd.
--The St. Cloud Police Department is investigating an armed robbery that took place at a liquor store on Monday night. Police were called at 8:41pm to the Liquor Shoppe on 25th on 25th Avenue North. Officers were told a man entered the store displaying a gun and demanded money from the clerk. The man left on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash and bottles of alcohol. Police attempted to search the area with a K-9, but were unable to locate the suspect. No one was injured during the incident. The suspect was described as a black man, approximately 5'11" and wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans tucked into white socks. Anyone with information is asked to call St. Cloud Police Department.
--A driver and passengers were taken to St. Cloud Hospital Sunday after a pickup unable to stop at an intersection struck an SUV. Shortly before 2:00pm 52-year old Thomas Schrup of St. Joseph, was northbound on Stearns County Road 2 when he was unable to stop for a red light at Stearns County Road 75. The vehicle that was hit was driven by 49-year old Hermenegildo Lopez Olivares of Perham. Schrup and his passenger were not injured. Olivares and his passengers were taken to the St. Cloud Hospital with non life threatening injuries. Passengers included 43-year old Patricia Izarraraz, 21-year old Hector Hugo Salinas, 20-year old Ana Patricia Salinas-Lopez, 12-year old Marco Antonio Lopez, and 8 month old Maribella Sarai Salinas. All are from Perham.
DEATH NOTICES
--Ida Diehl Frodahl, age 96 of Staples
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and very windy, some blowing snow, high 33.
TONIGHT= increasing clouds, low 17.
WEDNESDAY= snow likely, 1-2 inches, high 32, low 15.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, high near 30, low near 20.
CHRISTMAS OUTLOOK= heavy snow, Sat night and Sunday.
SPORTS
GHK= Brainerd/Little Falls vs. Alexandria today at 5pm on Q92.
BBB= Sauk Centre at Pierz tonight 7:15pm on FM94 KFML.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1803= President Thomas Jefferson finalizes the Louisiana purchase from France for most of the western half of the U.S.
IN 1879= Thomas Edison first demonstrates incandescent lighting.
IN 1920= Leslie Townes becomes an official U.S. Citizen after coming from England. In 1927 he changed his name to Bob Hope.