NEWS
--The Little Falls Exchange Club is seeking nominations for its annual Book of Golden Deeds award. This year will mark the 46th year the Little Falls Exchange Club has presented this award to a member of the community. The Book of Golden Deeds is an award to honor women and men who have unselfishly rendered service to the community, usually without recognition. These are every day folks who have given of their times and talents to simply help others. Anyone who knows of such a person and would like to nominate them for this award, is asked to send a narrative of the accomplishments, reasons or acts this person has done to receive this award. Anyone who has nominated a person or persons in the past who has not received this award, may send an updated nomination. A full narrative is not needed as the Little Falls Exchange Club keeps past narratives in a file. Nominations should be submitted by March 31st. This year’s award will be presented at a dinner banquet on May 3rd at the Falls Ballroom. Nominations may be send to: Mark Gerbi, PO Box 178, Little Falls, MN. 56345. For more information about this year’s award, contact Gerbi at (320) 632-5425.
--Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl reported that around 1:00pm on February 28th law enforcement and emergency services were dispatched to a report of a snowmobile crash near Ruth Lake, North of the City of Emily. 52-year old Jeffery Weber of Crosslake was located just off a snowmobile trail and pronounced dead by emergency personnel. Weber had been snowmobiling with a friend. The friend reported that when he arrived at the Ruth Lake, he noticed that Weber was no longer behind him. The friend back tracked his way down the trail, located Weber and called 911. Weber was transported to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office. The investigation remains open and the Sheriff’s Office is awaiting word on the cause of death.
--A Stearns County deputy found a Sauk Rapids woman unconscious in her car around 1:00am Saturday morning after seeing tail lights in a swampy area off County Roads 115 and 136 in St. Augusta. The deputy came to the intersection and saw the tail lights about one hundred yards off and walked out to the swamp to check on the vehicle. It was found to be a pickup that had hit "several bushes and trees coming to a stop part way through another bush" after leaving the roadway. The deputy noticed the windows were frosted and there were no tracks coming from the car, so they pushed through the brush and found 42-year old Rebecca Ann Witt of Sauk Rapids unconscious in the driver's seat. She had lacerations to her face, neck, and had a large lump on the right side of her head. Witt was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, which is under investigation.
--A two vehicle car crash Saturday night around 10:15pm on County Road 7 sent three people to the hospital including two with life threatening injuries. One vehicle was driving west on the road east of Odessa when another going east crossed over to the other side of the road and crashed into the first vehicle. The report states both drivers were transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. One of the drivers 52-year old Dean James Serna of Fergus Falls was transported to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, North Dakota. The other driver 28-year old Clark Jay Berghuis of Willmar was taken to St. Cloud Hospital. Berghuis' passenger, 46-year old Eric John Barck of Marshall was also taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
--A woman accused of 11 counts of aiding and abetting criminal sexual conduct has been offered a plea deal. 38-year old Nikki Jo Hauser is suspected of abusing a child younger than 16 years old. A plea agreement discussed during a pre-trial hearing Monday in Stearns County District Court includes options for Hauser, if she chooses to accept a deal: Depending on her plea, her sentence could range from 21 years and eight months in prison to 25 years and six months. Each of Nikki Hauser's 11 charges carries a maximum sentence of 30 years and a $40,000 fine. Her next court date is scheduled for April 5.
--A team with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, will begin collecting snow surveys throughout the region today through March 12th. The team is taking the surveys to assist Corps’ water management officials in determining how much water is contained within the snowpack this year. The team will begin in Forest Lake, Minnesota, and make a counterclockwise trip around the region. This area includes western Wisconsin, northern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. Additionally, Corps of Engineers park rangers will be taking snow surveys in the Mississippi River Headwaters region. The nearly 600 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response.
--Saturday night around 11:40pm the Stearns County Sheriffs Office learned of an ATV crash. 32-year old Christopher Conroy of Albany lost control of the ATV while riding in the city of Holdingford. He drove the ATV home. He was transported to the St Cloud Hospital for minor injuries. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. It is believed alcohol was a factor in the crash.
--Due to the snow Monday, the Brainerd Blueprint Meeting last night was moved to Thursday in Baxter, Upsala City Council meeting last night moved to next Monday, Little Falls Township Meeting last night was moved to next Monday night at the township hall.
DEATH NOTICES
--Timothy Robert Mears Sr., age 73 of Staples.
--Delrose M. Stoll, age 92 of Pierz.
WEATHER
TODAY= gradual clearing, breezy, high near 30.
TONIGHT= clear skies, colder temps, low 7.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high 27, low around 8.
THURSDAY= increasing clouds, high 28, low around 10.
SPORTS
TWINS= catch Twins baseball today at noon on Q92 WYRQ.
HS BBB= Little Falls at Fergus Falls tonight 7pm on Q92 WYRQ
HS BBB= Pierz at Esko tonight 7pm on FM94 KFML.
All high school playoffs games are also at fallsradio.com.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1808= first U.S. college orchestra organized at Harvard.
IN 1836= Mexico attacked the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
IN 1896= the horseless carriage was demonstrated for the first time in the United States in Detroit by Charles King. Later the automobile.
IN 1970= The Beatles released “Let It Be” their final album together.
IN 1983= Donald Trumps- United State Football League begins play.