NEWS
--At 3:32pm Friday the Morrison County Sheriff's Office received a report of a one vehicle accident with possible injuries on 330th Avenue, approximately four miles west of Hillman, in Granite Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 42-year old Christopher Pearson of Pierz, was traveling south on 330th Avenue when Pearson lost control of his vehicle on the icy road, went into the ditch and rolled. Pearson was taken to a local hospital with unknown injuries.
--A 38-year old man died following a snowmobile crash reported just after 8:00pm Saturday on the Paul Bunyan Trail, just north of Olson Road, in Pequot Lakes. The Pequot Lakes Police Department reported two men were riding snowmobiles south on the Paul Bunyan Trail when one left the trail and crashed into a tree. The other snowmobile operator called 911 to report the crash and administered CPR to the victim however efforts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The victim, Andrew Novak from Prior Lake appears to have left the trail, striking the tree. The crash remains under investigation.
--The Crow Wing County Sheriff Scott Goddard is pleased to announce three local awardees of the Minnesota Sheriffs Association Scholarship Program for 2019. The association awards scholarships each year to individuals planning to become Minnesota Peace Officers. The applicants apply through their local sheriff’s offices. This year, the scholarship committee chose 22 recipients. The Minnesota Sheriffs Association Scholarship Program is pleased to announce these awardees from Crow Wing County Alexander Vukelich; Kortny Villnow; and Masen Barton. Recently the Morrison County Sheriffs Office congratulated a winner from Morrison County, Carlie Sobiech.
--Fire destroyed a rural Collegeville garage in Stearns County and its contents, a loss of roughly a quarter of a million dollars. Deputies responded to a call from the 14000 block of Knightwood Road in Collegeville Township on Sunday just before 1:30am. When they arrived, deputies saw a detached garage fully engulfed in flames and heard "loud popping and small explosion sounds." The garage, owned by Kevin and Annamae Schrom, contained two vehicles and a side-by-side ATV. It is a total loss, damages around $250,000.
--The Pierz Area Commercial invites you to the 13th Annual St. Nick Night in Pierz tomorrow from 4-8pm. Tour of Lights Holiday Trolley Rides, random prize drawings, coloring contest, pictures with Santa, cookie decorating happening at area businesses but a number of festivities at St. Joseph's Church parking lot where a live nativity scene where you can see and pet the live animals and take pictures. Also on Wednesday, Holy Trinity School in Pierz will host their Holiday Boutique at the school gym from 3:30pm-7:30pm nearly 50 vendors showing off items for your Christmas ideas. Also Father Pierz School of Religion during that time will have gifts for kids to buy and wrap for $1 for Mom and $1 for Dad. Children will also enjoy hot cocoa and s'mores with a bonfire outside the school. All are welcome to enjoy.
--Sheila Watercott stated on Little Falls Radio Monday that there will be Vaping Prevention presentations to high school students and parents this week. Today the students at Little Falls Community High School will receive a presentation on the dangers of Vaping. Then tomorrow night at 6:30pm a presentation for parents will be in the Little Falls Community High School Auditorium.
--Bethel Lutheran Church in Little Falls has their lutefisk and meatball supper tonight starting at 4:30pm, $18 at the door, all are welcome.
NATIONAL NEWS
--Starting on January 8th, 2020, Social Security offices nationwide will be open to the public on Wednesday afternoons. This change restores Wednesday public service hours that were last in place in late 2012. In another move to improve service to the public, the Social Security agency is hiring 1,100 front line employees to provide service on the agency’s National 800 Number and in its processing centers. The agency is currently bringing onboard 100 new processing center employees and approximately 500 new teleservice representatives for the 800 Number. An additional 500 hires for the 800 Number will occur later in 2020. Currently, a field office is generally open to the public from 9:00am to Noon on Wednesdays. Beginning on January 8, 2020, offices will remain open until 4:00pm on Wednesdays, with typical field office hours from 9:00am until 4:00pm weekdays. While the agency continues to improve both the access to and the experience with its services, it is important to note that most Social Security services do not require the public to take time to visit an office. People may create a my Social Security account, at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.
--The birth rate in the U.S. has declined for the fourth year in a row, hitting a "record low," according to year end data from the Centers for Disease Control. A report released by the CDC found 3.79 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2018, a rate of 59.1 births per 1,000 women. This number was down 2 percent from 2017. The birth rate remained below "replacement," which is the amount of babies that would have to be born for a generation to exactly replace itself-- generally considered to be 2,100 births per 1,000 women. According to the CDC, the U.S. has been below replacement since 1971. The average age of the women giving birth in 2018 was 26.9 years old. Which was a bit older than the 2017 reports. California had the most babies born in 2018 with 454,920. Minnesota had 67,344 in 2018.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Wayne Schmidt and Acacia Smith of Little Falls, a girl born 11-29.
DEATH NOTICES
--Gerald E. Brockway, age 84 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high near 30.
TONIGHT= clouds early, clearing late, low 16.
WEDNESDAY= mostly sunny, mild, high 34, low around 23.
THURSDAY= cloudy, few flurries, high 29 and dropping.
SPORTS
NFL= the tale of two halves as first half Vikings took control, only to watch in the second half, interceptions, fumbles and Dalvin Cook leaving with an injury. Seattle beat the Vikings 37-30 last night on Monday Night Football. Vikings host the Lions on Sunday.
GHK= St. Cloud Icebreakers at Brainerd/Little Falls at the Exchange Area in Little Falls tonight at 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ.
The Kickoff to the KLTF Dairy Recipe Contest will be on Thursday at Coborn's Marketplace when Party Line is live there at 10:05am. Get your dairy recipes in to 16405 Haven Road Little Falls MN 56345, fax 632-2571 or email melanie@fallsradio.com for a chance to win one of three $50 dairy buckets from ADA, Coborn's and AM960 KLTF.