NEWS
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office were testing the outdoor warning sirens on Monday morning between 8:45am-12pm. This was only a test to ensure the siren is working properly. If this were a real event, please remember to take the following precautions for safety: Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. Again they were only testing the sirens and there was nothing to be alarmed about Monday morning.
--This is the week that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is seeking input on protecting and restoring the water quality in the Mississippi River-Sartell Watershed. Water quality monitoring has uncovered excess levels of phosphorous and bacteria in the watershed. Two lakes and 15 streams are now considered impaired. The MPCA is preparing a total maximum daily load report which specifies how much pollution reduction is needed. The agency also has drafted a Watershed Restoration and Protections Strategies for the watershed called a WRAPS report which summarizes watershed conditions, prioritizes resources and establishes key restoration and protection strategies. The first meeting is tonight from 4-7pm at the Royalton American Legion. The second meeting is Thursday from 4-7pm at the Sartell Community Center.
--The Department of Natural Resources is educating you on the dangers of oak wilt. The invasive tree disease has been in Minnesota since the 1940s and is deadly to red and bur oaks. Brian Schwingle is the Forest Health Specialist with the DNR and said there are a few ways the disease spreads. It moves long distance on infected wood that people move around. It moves naturally in two additional ways, particularly in the spring time from sap beetles carrying spores or tree to tree from connected roots. Schwingle says now is a good time to prune your oak trees as winter brings the lowest risk of spreading the disease. He said they do early detection every year for Morrison County and Pine County. The DNR also collaborates with property owners and local soil and water districts in the area on projects to control oak wilt with the ultimate goal of slowing or stopping its northward direction. An early sign of oak wilt is seeing lots of leaves on the ground during the growing season. High-risk zones for oak wilt are in east-central and southeastern Minnesota.
--There are caucuses around Minnesota for the Republican and the DFL party. You can check with your local affiliation for the party location for the caucuses tonight. This year the precinct caucuses lose a bit of luster with the Super Tuesday Primary being done this year in Minnesota a week later on Tuesday, March 3rd. For more information on voting sights or caucus locations they are available at the Secretary of State's Website.
--The 54th annual Central Minnesota Farm Show is in St. Cloud today and Wednesday at the River's Edge Convention Center. The free show features features more than 350 booths, over 200 exhibitors and several presentations. The presentations range in topics from the farm economy, to propane safety to addressing farm stress. The hours are 9am-4pm today and 8am-3pm on Wednesday. The Farm Show is organized by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce and is considered one of the largest farm shows in the upper Midwest.
--The warmer weather has led to street flooding during the day causing hydroplaning of vehicles. Slow down by heavy water.
--Crow Wing Sheriff Scott Goddard reported that on Saturday at 8:51pm, Crow Wing County dispatch received a call of a snowmobile accident on a state trail about a ½ mile off of Fox Glenn Drive in Fifty Lakes. Upon arrival of deputies and first responders, they found a 61-year old male victim who had struck a group of trees when he lost control of his snowmobile. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Riding with the victim on a separate snowmobile, was the victim’s wife who called 911. The victim has been identified as 61-year old David Alan Walter of Fridley, whose body was transported to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
--The Minnesota National Guard will see several milestone events this year, including the deployment of nearly 1,000 soldiers and the opening of a 150,000 square-foot readiness center in Arden Hills. The Minnesota National Guard currently has nearly 700 soldiers from the 34th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade and more than 200 airmen from the Minnesota Air National Guard deployed to the Middle East. Throughout 2020, four additional Minnesota Army National Guard units are expected to deploy, they are the 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry are expected to deploy to the Horn of Africa, the Alexandria-based Battery C, 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery will deploy to Afghanistan with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division where they will defend U.S. and Allied positions using the Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar system. Also in the fall, the Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company, with more than 150 soldiers, will deploy to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in support of Joint Task Force Guantanamo and nearly 40 soldiers of Minnesota National Guard's 177th Cyber Protection Team will mobilize within the continental United States to provide support to U.S Cyber Command. In addition, the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division will transport thousands of pieces of equipment and nearly 5,000 soldiers across the country to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Lastly, the Minnesota Army National Guard, along with the entire U.S. Army, is implementing a new six-event physical fitness test that is designed to more closely assess combat readiness. The Army Combat Fitness Test will replace the current three-event test that has been in place since 1980.
DEATH NOTICES
--Jeanette “Jan” M. Kiefer, age 91 of Little Falls
--Roderick “Butch” Fietek, age 73 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= becoming cloudy, windy, high 34.
TONIGHT= cloudy early, clearing late, low 8 above.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and cooler, high near 20, low around 0.
THURSDAY= sunny and colder, high 16, low around -3.
SPORTS
NHL= The National Hockey League Monday annnounced that the St. Louis Blues will be the opponent for the Minnesota Wild on January 1, 2021 for the Outdoor Winter Classic Hockey Game that will be played at Target Field in Minneapolis.
GBB= Little Falls at Alexandria in playoffs Thursday 7pm on Q92.
GBB= Spectrum at Pierz in playoffs Thursday 7pm on FM94 KFML.
WRE= State Tournament wrestling for Royalton/Upsala as a team starts at 9am Thursday, Foley starts at 11am Thursday. Individuals begin at 9am on Friday, hear wrestling coverage live on Q92.