NEWS
--Most schools are back in class today so please remember to watch for school buses back out this morning around the area. Some schools resume classes on Wednesday.
--The Little Falls City Council will have their reorganization meeting of officers and first of the year items tonight, with work session at 7pm and meeting at 7:30pm at Little Falls City Hall.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce announced their January 2024, Employee of the Month as Marvin Stuckmayer. Marvin has worked for Midwest Machinery Company and is known by his employer as the “pulse” of the company for the past 25+ years. Congratulations to Marvin Stuckmayer January Employee of the Month for the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office on Friday posted a message from the Minnesota Department on ice safety and that in the past week many Minnesota lakes that started the freezing over have reopened with the heavy rains and warmer temperatures. This is not the year for ice and snow so far and the DNR is recommending those with ATV's fish houses and vehicles should not be on the ice at this time as already there have been 3 deaths, and dozens of items falling through the ice in the state. The full posting is on the sheriff's office Facebook page for anyone to view the safety precautions.
--An arrest has been made and the victim identified in a Dassel Township shooting death. The Meeker County Sheriff's Office says they have arrested 35-year-old Bryan Demarais of Dassel on 2nd-degree homicide charges. He is being held in the Meeker County Jail and will make his first court appearance on Tuesday. Just after 10am on December 28th, the Meeker County Sheriff's Office was called to a shooting at the 22000 block of 713 Avenue in Dassel Township. Officers arrived to find 29-year-old Kayla Demarais of Dassel dead in the home from multiple gunshot wounds, and the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office ruled her death a homicide. The two children at home at the time of the shooting were not hurt and are in protective custody. Bryan and Kayla Demarais were married, and the investigation is ongoing.
--An Albany man was hurt in a rollover on Interstate 94. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened just after 9am Friday in Monticello. Twenty-three-year-old Kenneth Ruegemer was driving a car eastbound when it slid off the road and entered the median. The car rolled over the median cable barrier and came to a rest in the westbound lanes of I-94. Ruegemer was taken to CentraCare Hospital in Monticello with non-life threatening injuries.
--The Brainerd Fire Department responded to a report of visible smoke at 9:11pm Tuesday, December 26th at Brainerd Garages, 1212 Industrial Park Road SW. Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said when crews arrived at the storage unit, they found one of the units on fire. Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire and were on scene for about 2.5 hours with no reported injuries. Holmes said adjacent units were also damaged by heat and smoke. The fire is under investigation by the Brainerd Fire Department, the Brainerd Police Department and the State Fire Marshal's Office.
--The Haven of Mercy ACC announced a State of Haven of Mercy Catholic Community address will take place January 11th at 7pm scheduled at the Falls Ballroom. All are invited to attend that night.
–A Meat Bundle Bingo is scheduled to help work at St. Stanislaus Church in Sobieski January 21st at 1pm in the church basement.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office posted Congratulations to Jerome Kahl on his retirement with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Kahl finished with the sheriff's office last week. Little Falls Radio also wish Jerome Kahl all the best in his retirement. Kahl has helped in calling play by play for Pierz sports and Victory League baseball during the tournaments for Little Falls Radio for many years.
--The National Weather Service shows in the 14 day forecast for Morrison County a change in the weather pattern. Dry conditions through Saturday this week with temps in the 20s and 30s. Saturday night snow will start to come into the area and the forecast shows that snow will continue off an on from the 6th through the 12th of the month bringing a potential during that time period of 3-6 inches to the area the most seen so far this winter. Then a sudden drop in temperatures with below zero highs and 20 below or colder lows in the forecast starting January 14th. Again this is two weeks from now.
--One person was hurt in a car crash near Kimball Saturday morning. The Minnesota State Patrol says at about 6:30am a pickup driven by 26-year-old Seahara Nystrom of St. Cloud was going North on Highway 15 when it went off the road into the ditch and rolled. Nystrom was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
--The Sartell Police Department are reporting a theft on 19th Avenue North where officers were called to a construction site. Tri-County Crimestoppers says a contractor indicates an unknown party stole 4 heavy duty batteries out of a forklift at a job site. The cost of the batteries is believed to be $450. The incident is believed to have happened between December 21st and December 23rd. If you have information on any unsolved crimes in the Stearns, Benton or Sherburne County area please report information by calling Crimestoppers at 1-800-255-1301, online or submit a tip and use the P3 mobile app and submit your information that way.
DEATH NOTICES
--David “Dave” B. Quammen, age 81 of Apple Valley
--Odele M. Maciej, age 86 of Rice.
WEATHER
TODAY= AM mist/drizzle, then cloudy, high 32.
TONIGHT= partly cloudy, low around 19.
WEDNESDAY= sunny, temps steady around 20, breezy, low 9.
THURSDAY= AM sun, then cloudy in PM, high 24, low near 17.
SPORTS
VIKINGS= Green Bay beat the Vikings 33-10 on Sunday night with Jordan Love tossing for 4 touchdowns for the Packers who go to 8-8 and a win at Chicago Sunday gives them the last playoff spot in NFC. The Vikings fall to 7-9 and are at Detroit on Sunday at noon. The Vikings could still get the last playoff spot but only with a win at Detroit and losses by Green Bay, Seattle, Tampa Bay and New Orleans on Sunday. If any of those don't happen on Sunday then the Vikings will end their season at Detroit Sunday at noon on KLTF.
NFL= Dallas held off Detroit Saturday night 20-19 in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens win on Sunday and lock up home field for the NFC and AFC playoffs for their teams.
HS= Little Falls Boys Hockey team wins 2-1 Thursday, Friday and Saturday in their holiday tournament over Princeton, River Lakes in regulation and overtime win Saturday over Bloomington Kennedy.