NEWS
--The Brainerd Jaycees announced Sunday morning that Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Hole in the Day Bay of Gull Lake is still a GO on Saturday February 3rd at noon. On Thursday, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office went out to several Brainerd area lakes to check the thickness and quality of ice, the results of which have implications for upcoming events like the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza. The latest checkup on the ice conditions focused on three lakes in the Brainerd Lakes Area: Gull Lake, Round Lake, and North Long Lake. The results were positive. Although conditions have improved, it is still important for those wanting to go on the ice to be cautious. The area where the event is to take place was around 11 inches. While ice conditions are improving on the lakes, ice thickness is not quite where that the sheriff’s office would like it to be at for the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza. “Well, ideally, we would like to see at least 16 inches of ice for the contest. We can make some exceptions if we have decent quality ice, but that comes with some restrictions on the event itself,” “So if we can get close to that 14 inches of ice, we will impose those restrictions to let the contest go on. That mainly is just keeping some of the heavy equipment off and spacing out some of the different structures that are placed out there on the ice.” While this year’s winter has been peculiar, worries regarding ice conditions for the Ice Fishing Extravaganza are something the Brainerd Jaycees have plenty of experience with, and they’re confident they will still reach their goal of holding the contest on time. Another technique being used by the Jaycees is plowing areas of the ice. It’s a procedure that has been done in the past to help with the event. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office also said that the ice conditions will be checked more frequently leading up to the Ice Fishing Extravaganza including later this week and next week before holes are dug out on February 2nd. Per the rules listed on the Ice Fishing Extravaganza website, if the event has to be postponed, it will be moved to February 17th, but for now, all plans are to go ahead with the original date which is next Saturday February 3rd.
--The St. Cloud Police Department is warning of a scam call popping up around town. Authorities say they know at least three incidents where a caller claims to be an officer with the department, and money needs to be transferred due to a legal claim or debt. The Federal Trade Commission says to never give anyone personal or banking information over the phone. Scammers might pretend to be law enforcement or a federal agency. They might say you’ll be arrested, fined, or deported if you don’t pay taxes or some other debt right away. The goal is to scare you into paying. But law enforcement and federal agencies won’t call and threaten you, and those who need to pay a fine will never be contacted via telephone or email.
--Two people are dead following a head on crash on Highway 7. The Minnesota State Patrol says 40-year-old Darren Tombers of Watertown was driving east on 7 near Wildwood Avenue in Minnetrista just after noon on Friday when he drifted over the center line and hit a Mack truck. Tombers was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger, 30-year-old Shawna Jacobson of Brooten, was also killed. The semi driver from Winnipeg was not hurt.
--A Belgrade woman died in a 2-vehicle accident Monday at 6:46am in Stearns County. 41-year-old Cassie Mithaugen died at the scene of the accident. A 3-year-old passenger was taken to Children's Hospital and the other driver was treated at the scene.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office reported last week they responded to a burglary report in the 10700 block of Highway 115 in Randall where a boat, trailer, and motor were reported stolen, had a one vehicle rollover on Highway 64 near Motley in Cass County no injuries reported. Responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 10 at 230th Street, Randall. Minor injuries were reported. The theft of tools was reported in the 1500 block of Mary Lane, Little Falls. Mailbox damage was reported in the 16100 block of 50th Avenue, Little Falls and also was reported in the 26300 block and 26200 block of Highway 25, Pierz. A theft report was made in the 130 block of Main Street in Upsala. A gas drive-off in the amount of $64.23 was reported at Speedway in Pierz and a DUI arrest in Randall. A reminder if you notice suspicious activity in the area contact the sheriff's office at 320-632-9233.
--Princeton Fire and Rescue Department assistant chief Josh Vaccari recently was seen showing a mask damaged in a training exercise. "It's the only thing that protects a firefighter from 600 degrees of fire and hot gases." From compromised gear to trucks with broken safety features that they claim have not been repaired, firefighters in Princeton are fed up with it. "When the chief was told we had to make those repairs, he said it was not in the budget to make those repairs," Vaccari said. Those issues, combined with what they claim is a lack of communication and billing issues with the townships they serve, have Vaccari and many others publicly criticizing their chief. "It's very awkward," he said. The Princeton Fire Department is a paid-on-call volunteer department made up of 36 firefighters. Of that group, 33 recently presented a signed vote of no confidence in their Chief Ron Lawrence to the city council. Now, the firefighters have given city leaders an ultimatum. If they don't get the response they want from the city by February 8th of the termination of the fire chief, Vaccari claims two-thirds of the department say they'll quit. "The firefighters don't trust the chief. They don't feel safe working for him anymore. And that's why we're putting our foot down," Vaccari said. "If all those repairs are made and we had a different chief, we would stay." Blue Hill Township ended its contract with Princeton Fire last summer, and Vaccari claims two others are threatening to leave as well. Though they claim the Fire Department is a family in Princeton, the problems have reached a critical point. "If we can't do our jobs effectively, the citizens are at risk." Now it is in the city's hands.
DEATH NOTICES
--Eugene “Gene” Bellefeuille, age 94 of Little Falls
--Richard V. Blaisdell, age 78 of Brainerd formerly of Pierz.
WEATHER
TODAY= cloudy skies, high 30, freeze fog overnight, low 26.
WEDNESDAY= fog early, then cloudy, high 34, low near 28.
THURSDAY= rain showers at times, high 36, low near 30.
SPORTS
HS BHK= Little Falls at St. Cloud Cathedral tonight in St. Cloud with puck drop at 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com.
NFL= Kansas City at Baltimore Sunday at 2pm, followed by Detroit at San Francisco at 5:30pm for the AFC and NFC Championship. The winners will then play in the Super Bowl in Las Vegas which is scheduled for February 11th at 5:30pm also on AM960 KLTF.