NEWS
--A Hillman man had to be airlifted to the hospital after a snowmobile accident Friday afternoon. The Morrison County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene along Sage Road about four miles southeast of Hillman just after 4:30pm. Sheriff Shawn Larson says 20-year-old Hunter Lund was riding in the ditch along Sage Road when he hit a road approach and was ejected from the machine. Lund was taken by air ambulance to St. Cloud Hospital with multiple injuries.
--The Morrison County ADA is searching for dairy princess candidates for 2020. This year the Dairy Princess Contest and Coronation will be on Saturday, March 21st at the Falls Ballroom. Young women must be a high school senior in high school and not yet 24 years of age. Eligibility includes: 1) You or your parents are actively engaged in the production of milk for sale to a licensed plant and contribute to the dairy check off. 2) You or your parents work full time on a dairy farm. 3) You or your parents custom raise dairy cattle for farmers who contribute to the dairy check off 4) You or your parents lease dairy animals from a dairy farmer. Dairy Princesses who are chosen will be the goodwill ambassador of Morrison County Dairy Farmers, and promote the dairy industry throughout 2020. Please call Stacy Happke at 468-6257 or Cindy Welle 745-2615 for an application. Stacy also has posted information and applications on her facebook page. Sign up is requested by Friday, February 28th.
--A Sauk Rapids man has been arrested after leading police on a short chase. The incident began on Saturday afternoon around 3:15pm on Highway 15 in Sartell when an officer spotted a car that had been stolen out of Coleraine, Minnesota. The suspect led officers into Sauk Rapids, then the driver got out of the vehicle and ran. A police dog was called in and officers tracked him to an unlocked patio door at an apartment building. Thirty-two-year-old Shawn Iees of Sauk Rapids was found inside hiding under some blankets. It was confirmed that he did not live at that apartment. He was arrested and taken to Benton County Jail on a number of charges.
--The Laura Jane Musser Fund announced the 2020 grant round of its Little Falls/Morrison County granting initiative. The Laura Jane Musser Fund wants to help the citizens of Little Falls and Morrison County continue to develop and maintain strong, vibrant and healthy communities. Musser Fund grants up to $10,000 are available through two distinct programs, the General Operating Support Program and the Small Grants Program. Priority is placed on organizations that are working to increase the community’s access to their services through scholarships, hands-on activities, community venues, workshops, discounts and other innovations. Are working in measurable ways to increase their sustainability. Demonstrate capacity to engage their community in their services. Demonstrate support from their community (through volunteerism, membership, in-kind or other types of support). Focus on areas on interest including, but not limited to: Arts, children, education and music. Any charitable 501(c)(3) organizations located in Little Falls and/or Morrison County are eligible to apply to the Laura Jane Musser Fund’s Little Falls/Morrison County Initiative. Online application instructions and grant guidelines can be found at www.musserfund.org. The application will be available online from February 25th through March 25th with funding decisions will be announced by July 2020.
--More Our Town 56345 vision forums being held today 8:30-11:30am at Purple Carrot and tomorrow 4-7pm at Middle School.
--Join Brothers Tone and the Big Groove for their Love Train dinner and show this Saturday night at the Falls Ballroom in Little Falls. Dinner is a choice of steak or shrimp alfredo with all the fixings and dessert and dance with your sweetheart to the great love songs from yesterday and today. Tickets are $35 for dinner and show and must be purchased by tomorrow at participating businesses including Little Falls Radio offices 8-5 today and Wednesday. You can get dance only tickets for $15 at the ballroom the night of which will include sweet treats. There will also be a cash bar. Doors open at 6pm, dinner at 6:30 and dance at 7:30pm on Saturday night, get your tickets today.
--A Sauk Centre man rolls his snowmobile near the Wobegon Trail. On Saturday at 7:19pm Stearns County deputies responded to a snowmobile crash with injuries on County Road 65 near the Wobegon Trail. 56-year-old Robert Kohorst of Sauk Centre, was driving his Polaris snowmobile westbound on the Wobegon Trail when he lost control and rolled it near the intersection of County Road 65. Mr. Kohorst suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the Melrose Hospital by ambulance and he was wearing a helmet.
--A man has been rescued after his snowmobile broke through thin ice on a lake in northern Minnesota. The Becker County Sheriff's Office says the 36-year-old Milaca man was traveling on Rice Lake Saturday morning when he approached open water where water flows between Rock and Rice Lake. He tried to avoid the open water, but his snowmobile skidded and broke through the ice. Other snowmobilers saw him and were able to use a tow strap to pull him out of the water. The man was treated for hypothermia. Just a reminder to be cautious on lake ice.
--Zion Lutheran Church of Little Falls is holding a "Chicks for Bricks" fundraiser dinner on Thursday from 5-7pm. Menu includes: chicken, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, corn, coleslaw, pickles, dinner rolls, desserts, & beverages. Pirce is $8. Take out available. Proceeds go on loan for new Fellowship Hall.
DEATH NOTICE
--Jerome “Jerry” Witt, age 90 of Bloomington, MN
WEATHER
TODAY= AM flurries, then partly sunny, high 25.
TONIGHT= snow after midnight, low around 21.
WEDNESDAY= snow likely, 1 inch, then dropping temps, gusty winds.
THURSDAY= sunny and very cold, high -3, lows around -20.
SPORTS
HS WRE= Pierz opens section playoffs tonight at Pequot Lakes/Pine River Backus, coverage starts at 6:30pm on FM94 KFML.
NFL= The Minnesota Vikings have hired long-time NFL coach Dom Capers as a senior defensive assistant. The 69-year-old Capers starts his 33rd season as a coach in the league. He served last year as a senior defensive assistant for Jacksonville. Capers was an NFL head coach for two teams over eight seasons and a defensive coordinator for four teams totaling 16 seasons.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1990= Buster Douglas knocks out Mike Tyson to win the world boxing title in Japan, considered one of the biggest upsets in boxing.
IN 2013= siting poor health, Pope Benedict XVI resigns his post, first Pope to resign since Pope Gregory XII in 1415.