NEWS
--The National Weather Service reporting a winter storm will affect parts of Minnesota today. The heaviest will be northern Minnesota from Grand Rapids to International Falls. That area could see wind gusts over 45mph, white out conditions and 4-8 inches of snow. Another area like along Lake Superior could see more snow from the lake effect. Central Minnesota will deal with more wind then snow with wind gusts 25-40mph, maybe 1-2 inches of snow this afternoon into the evening but temperatures turning the coldest they have been in the past 4-5 weeks with temps dropping to near 0 tonight and wind chills around -20 or colder into Wednesday morning. Temps in the teens on Wednesday and than within the next 24-36 hours the temps will be back in the 40s Thursday and 50s Friday.
--No one was hurt in a fire Sunday in the basement of Garvey Commons at St. Cloud State University. St. Cloud Fire Department officials say they responded to a report of fire alarms sounding and the sprinkler system in operation in the basement of the building at 577 1st Avenue South. The building had been evacuated by the time fire crews had arrived. Fire crews found the sprinklers had controlled the fire. The sprinklers were shut down and the burned material was removed. Officials say the fire was contained to the room it started in, due to the double-headed sprinkler system. The fire is under investigation by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
--Fire damaged a south St. Cloud apartment building on Sunday. Firefighters were called out to 1320 6th Avenue South around 3:30pm. Fire crews arrived to find heavy black smoke coming out of one of the apartment units. The fire was quickly extinguished, but the damage caused by the flames caused it to be uninhabitable. The building's exterior also was damaged from the smoke and flames extending out of the apartment unit. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Fire Marshal's Office.
--The St. Cloud Cathedral High School Dance Team is being recognized on the floor of the Minnesota Senate for defending their state title. A resolution written by Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) congratulates them on winning the 2024 Minnesota State High School League Class A state championship, Jazz Division. It says competitive sports in high schools teach the principles of sportsmanship and fair play. The Crusaderettes were one of six teams in the jazz and high kick final. The victory is their fourth overall state win. The Minnesota Secretary of State is expected to present it to the school.
--A raging fire at a northwestern Minnesota grain elevator kept crews from at least 17 different departments busy overnight, closing area schools Monday and triggering a request for residents to refrain from using water. Reports of the fire near the city of Haley began coming in around 11:30 Sunday night and by the time engine crews arrived the structure was engulfed, with flames leaping high into the night sky. A call went out and fire crews responded from nearby communities like Moorhead, Dilworth, Glyndon, Barnesville, Lake Park and Detroit Lakes. Multiple reports say the fire took hours to knock down, putting a significant strain on Haley’s water supply. The city sent out a message asking residents to refrain from using water as much as possible due to the fire, and school was canceled Monday to allow the water tower and system to recharge. Police Chief Joseph Backlund deemed the elevator a total loss. As of Monday morning, it is unclear how the fire started.
--The Little Falls Fire Department was called out Sunday around 4pm to the intersection of Fountain Road and 15th St Southwest in Little Falls on a report of a grass fire. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire. It burned approximately 1-2 acres. The fire started because of a nearby resident burning a brush pile. Fire Chief Craig Selena stated with the abnormal warm and dry winter, the fire danger is high for this time of year. Current DNR burning restrictions only allow special variance permits for our area. Based on the weather forecast, the dry conditions are likely to remain for the foreseeable future.
--A St. Cloud woman is charged with assault after allegedly attacking a man with shards of a broken mirror. St. Cloud Police were called to a home in the 100 block of 7th Street North Friday morning on a report of an intoxicated and disorderly woman. Officers arrived to find a man who had multiple cuts on his chest, arm, and torso. Court records show 19-year-old Jewelradon Kennedy Smith was upset that the man's girlfriend was at the home and she had to sleep upstairs. Records show Kennedy Smith had broken a mirror and was throwing shards of glass at the man. The victim said when he went to grab the defendant to get her to stop, she began cutting him with a piece of the mirror she had concealed in her hand. According to the criminal complaint, Kennedy Smith admitted she started to stab the man in the chest and arms.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Brent Bloom and Paige Handel of Cushing, a boy February 22nd.
DEATH NOTICES
--Michael Leo Krutchen age 89 of Fort Ripley.
--Linda M. Carll age 72 of Long Prairie.
--Richard J. Marshik age 85 of Little Falls.
--Denise Marie Lee, age 61 of Randall.
--Robert H. Schroeder, age 94 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= cloudy skies, light snow showers, very windy with falling temps through the day into the teens by 5pm, wind gusts 35mph.
TONIGHT= clearing skies, breezy, and cold, low -1, wild chill -20.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and cold, high 18, low near 10 then rising.
THURSDAY= sunny and warmer, breezy, high 47, low 25.
SPORTS
GBB= Girls Basketball playoffs start for area teams on Thursday. Greenway at Pierz 6pm Thursday live on 94ROCKS KFML. Little Falls will be on the road Thursday night at Detroit Lakes with game time scheduled at 7:30pm and live on Q92 WYRQ. Upsala will host Swanville in a first round match, Royalton, Holdingford and Foley all get to open the playoffs at home on Thursday night. Everyone from the area that wins Thursday move on to play on Saturday. Boys basketball playoffs begin next week for area teams.
WRE= Little Falls vs. Simley at 9am Thursday from State Wrestling Tournament in St. Paul. Winner plays at 1pm, the team that loses will wrestle right after at 11am in consolation on Thursday. If the Flyers win one of the first 2 matches they will wrestle again at 5 or 7pm. Hear the team action live on Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com.