NEWS
--The National Weather Service reported a line of 8 to 18 inches of snow on Monday from St. Mathias, Brainerd/Baxter, Motley, Pillager, Crosby, Camp Ripley to Randall, Little Falls to Pierz. Weather spotters reported St. Mathias 18", Baxter 16", Motley 15", Pillager 15", Brainerd 14", Crosby 13.1", Camp Ripley 13", Little Falls 10", Pierz 7.8 inches and many vehicles stuck, stalled, spun out, off the road and crashed late Sunday into Monday. Troopers with the Minnesota State Patrol have been busy responding to crashes and spinouts with this latest round of snow. From noon Sunday through 8am Monday troopers responded to 189 crashes statewide. There were 21 people hurt in those crashes.
--Morrison County Sheriff's Shawn Larsen stopped by KLTF Monday and addressed a number of items. Winter weather, Larsen said be prepared when winter weather hits, expect slow downs, stalls, spinouts so drive with care, watch your speed as many crashes this year have been speed related, have a winter survival kit in your vehicle and fully charged cell phone in case you get stranded or stuck. Larsen said lake ice is thick in some areas but not in others monitor the lakes before venturing out and watch for possible open spots on larger waterways. Larsen said in the past year the drug problem has stayed about the same but which was once meth that surfaced more now opiods and fentanyl pills are a big problem and if you notice suspicious activity contact the sheriff's office. He reminds those with unused or unwanted prescription drugs you can dispose of them at the sheriff's office and local police departments and Little Falls police is 24/7 drop off site for those types of drugs free of charge. Sheriff Larsen thanks the school districts and local police for working closing with the sheriff's office during the recent Tik Tok threats at schools and also at other times during the year to continue to work together to keep everyone safe. Sheriff Larsen discussed the body cameras that the sheriff's office and many area police departments will be getting in 2022 which is a safety issue for both the officer on duty and the one being stopped. If you have questions or concerns for the sheriff's office call Shawn Larsen at 632-9233.
--A reminder to employers that Minnesota's minimum-wage rates will be adjusted for inflation this Saturday January 1st to $10.33 an hour for large employers and $8.42 an hour for other state minimum wages. The current large-employer minimum wage, $10.08, will increase by 25 cents to $10.33. Other state minimum wages, including the small-employer, youth and training wages, as well as the summer work travel exchange visitor program wage, which are all currently $8.21, will increase by 21 cents to $8.42. These increases are both 2.5%. Large employers must pay at least $10.33 an hour when the employers annual gross revenues are $500,000 or more. Small employers must pay at least $8.42 an hour when the employer's annual gross revenues are less than $500,000. The training wage rate, $8.42 an hour, may be paid to employees younger than 20 years of age for the first 90 consecutive days of employment.
--A former St. Michael mayor was killed after he was struck by a Wright County Sheriff's Department patrol car on Thursday night. Just before 8pm Thursday, police documents say the squad car was responding to calls of a medical emergency when it fatally hit 84-year-old Harry Welter in a driveway in St. Michael. In a release put out by the City of St. Michael, Welter spent time as both the municipality's mayor and a city council member in the '80s and '90s. The release also says he was a veteran of the Saint Michael Fire Department, and served for 23 years. The deputy was not injured.
--A Little Falls man is facing charges after allegedly ramming his vehicle into another while driving on Interstate-94 on Christmas Day. Stearns County District Court records show 34-year-old Kevin Desmet-Groseclose faces four felony counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon. According to the criminal complaint, officers responded to a crash on Interstate-94 near Avon around 1am Christmas Day, when they arrived they found Desmet-Groseclose sitting in a black pick-up and two adults and two children in a blue SUV. The complaint says the driver of the SUV told authorities they had been going east on the interstate when the truck pulled up behind them, flashed its lights, and pulled over into the other lane. The driver of the SUV sped up to get away from the truck but says the driver of the truck sped up as well and crashed into the driver’s side of the SUV, the the truck drove by when the SUV came to a stop, but turned around and drove at the SUV head-on. The driver of the SUV continued eastbound and was able to avoid a second collision before stopping again. This time, authorities say Desmet-Groseclose got out of his vehicle and was hitting the windows of the SUV with a pop can while shouting. Officers say when they spoke to him he seemed manic and was talking about his daughters being missing and possibly kidnapped. Authorities say he later calmed down and remembered little about what had happened. He will make his first court appearance in January.
--Officials from the Beltrami County Sheriff's Office said Sunday morning that a man died after rescue crews pulled him out of a car that fell into Lake Bemidji, just off of the campus of Bemidji State University. The car was reported going through the ice on Lake Bemidji, near Diamond Point Park, at about 5:30pm Christmas Eve. When rescue crews arrived, police say a woman was able to get out of the car on her own and was taken to Sanford Bemidji Emergency Department for medical attention. A firefighter from the Bemidji Fire Department and Beltrami County Sheriff's deputies pulled a man out of the car, officials say, and took him to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, where he would later be pronounced dead.
DEATH NOTICES
--Mickey Boser, age 90 of Osseo formerly of Pierz.
--Joseph “Joe” Schumer, age 83 of Upsala.
WEATHER
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY 9AM TO 9PM TONIGHT.
TODAY= snow likely, 3-5 inches by tonight, high around 18.
TONIGHT= snow ending, clearing and cold, low -16, wind chills -30.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and cold, high 3 above, temps rising at night.
THURSDAY= snow showers possible 1-2 inches, high 11, low -13.
SPORTS
HS SPORTS= many area teams are in tournaments this week including the Little Falls Boys Hockey team hosting their tournament today through Thursday at exchange arena. Boys basketball, girls basketball teams, wrestling and others sports all in action this week.
COL FB= Gophers vs. West Virginia in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Arizona tonight from Arizona, pregame at 7pm on AM960 KLTF.
NFL= Miami beat New Orleans last night 20-3 after losing 7 games in a row, Miami have now won 7 in a row to be 8-7, still playoff shot.
NHL= The Wild game last night was postponed, the Wild will take on St. Louis in the Winter Classic outdoor game on Saturday at Target Field in Minneapolis. Catch the action at 5:30pm Saturday on KLTF.