NEWS
--The Little Falls Fire Department Sunday at 10:07pm were dispatched to 814 4th St Northeast in Little Falls on a report of a shed on fire. Little Falls Police Officers arrived first and reported the shed was fully involved with fire and was starting to spread to another nearby shed and was melting siding on another garage. Firefighters arrived and quickly worked to extinguish the flames. The shed that burned was a total loss and there was damage to another shed on the same property. In addition, the heat from the fire melted the siding on a garage across the alley. Firefighters were assisted at the scene by the Little Falls Police Department. The cause is under investigation but believed to be accidental. There were no injuries.
--Camp Ripley, the military training facility near Little Falls has been testing its own drinking water for the past several years for PFAS. Testing has turned up “forever chemicals” in some private wells around Camp Ripley, including one that exceeded federal safe levels for drinking water. The military training facility near Little Falls has been testing its own drinking water for the past several years for PFAS. The chemicals are in firefighting foam that was used for training at the camp until 2017. Recently, officials expanded testing beyond the camp's boundaries, as the U.S. Department of Defense deals with a massive PFAS problem at military bases across the country. Of the 30 wells tested nearly all had some PFAS chemicals, mostly at low levels. Only one had PFAS above the federal recommended limit for drinking water of 70 parts per trillion.
--Two young men were treated for gunshot wounds after a shooting at a house party early Sunday morning. St. Cloud police were called to a home in the 2500 block of 42nd Avenue South just after 2am.
Officers found an 18-year-old man in the front yard with a gunshot wound to his chest. They also stopped two vehicles from leaving the scene and in one of those vehicles was a second victim a 19-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the arm. Both victim are from St. Cloud. The 18-year-old is in St. Cloud Hospital in serious condition. The 19-year-old was treated and released. Police took a 17-year-old boy into custody for possession of a gun without a serial number, carrying a gun without a permit, and giving a false name to police.
--One person was hurt in a single-car crash near Kimball early Sunday morning. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, an SUV driven by 22-year-old Haley Fleischhacker of Sunfish Lake was going east on Highway 55 at the intersection of 123rd Avenue around 5am when it left the road coming to a stop in the ditch. Fleishhacker was taken to the St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
--One man is dead in a single-car crash near Monticello. The Minnesota State Patrol says a pickup was going east on Interstate 94 at mile marker 190 around 12:30pm Saturday when it went off the road to the right and crashed. The driver of the truck, 45-year-old Henry Smith of St. Cloud died at the scene.
--A wayward moose caused a crash that eventually involved three vehicles and five people in Northern Minnesota Saturday. The State Patrol website says two teenagers were driving north on Highway 53 near Virginia shortly before 9pm when a moose entered the roadway and they hit the animal with their compact vehicle. Investigators say the vehicle suffered heavy damage, injuring a 16-year-old passenger who was taken to St. Mary's-Essentia Hospital in Duluth. Her injuries are described as non-life threatening. The 16-year-old male driver was uninjured. It was reported that the moose did not survive.
--After over 1 inch of snow nearly 2 in spots it is a very slippery morning today to start with plows out on your Tuesday. Remember slow down after our first measurable snowfall which will likely be gone by tomorrow.
--Today is Halloween and that means many trick or treaters out later today. There are city events in Little Falls at Chamber Businesses, Pierz, Royalton, Randall, Brainerd and others that businesses are doing trick or treats for kids elementary age or younger in most cases right after school around 3:30pm to 5-6pm tonight before dark. Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen asks if you are going out tonight go to residences that have decorations and porch lights on do NOT got ones that are dark. Have the kids watch for vehicles if crossing roadways, best to wear something reflective or have a flashlight or something that vehicles and others can see them coming for safety. Please be respectful to property and others if out tonight, Halloween means fun but also means to abide by the laws of doing nothing illegal to homes, yards, vehicles or other people. After trick or treating have Mom or Dad or an adult look through the candy to make sure no tricks are being played on the kids. You hope this to be true with all residents but last year in Brainerd needles were found in some candy. Please enjoy yourself, but be safe for all involved this Halloween night. For the trick or treaters this afternoon listen in to Little Falls Radio Q92 WYRQ from 3:30-5pm for Halloween music.
--White House officials say President Joe Biden will highlight his administration's investments in rural America during a visit this week to a Minnesota farm. President Biden is scheduled to appear in the state on Wednesday, but officials haven't released exact details on where he'll visit. Biden's trip to Minnesota comes on the heels of 3rd District Congressman Dean Phillips announcing he is running for president, becoming the party’s first elected official to challenge Biden in the 2024 Democratic primary.
--Labor of Love in Little Falls reportedly has a new home in the Historical Episcopal Church on 4th Street Northeast in Little Falls. An open house fund raising event is scheduled for November 16th which will be from 5-9pm. The name will be called The Chapel Thrift Store. The full opening is scheduled December 1st.
WEATHER
TODAY= AM snow, then becoming sunny and windy, high 33.
TONIGHT= increasing clouds, few flurries, low 18.
WEDNESDAY= becoming sunny, a bit warmer, high 38, low 22.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, high near 40, low near 20.
SPORTS
HS FB= Upsala Swanville vs. Belgrade Brooten Elrosa in the Section Championship at Fargo Friday at 10am on Q92 WYRQ.
MLB= Texas wins 3-1 Monday over Arizona. Leads World Series 2-1.
NFL= The Vikings confirmed that quarterback Kirk Cousins has torn his right Achilles and will miss the remainder of the NFL season.
HALLOWEEN HISTORY
--The origin of Halloween begins back in Celtic times of harvest celebrations and religious items of halting evil spirits on All Hallows Eve with All Saints Day the next day on November 1st. Later stories of German of Jack O Lanterns (originally turnips made to pumpkins when they came to the United States) bobbing for apples, wearing masks and parading around town. Though trick or treating was more tricks at one time, radio shows of 40s and 50s made it a fun time.