NEWS
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office Emergency Management wants to remind everyone that Severe Weather Awareness Week is next week April 8th through 12th. On Thursday, April 11th, they will be participating in the Statewide Tornado Drill with sirens being activated at 1:45PM and 6:45PM. Outdoor warning sirens and NOAA Weather Radios will sound in two simulated tornado warnings. The tornado drills allow everyone in the community to practice their emergency plans for tornadoes. The first drill is intended for institutions and businesses. The evening drill is intended for second shift workers and families. There is no such thing as an “all-clear” siren. For more information about severe weather safety and preparedness, please visit the Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management website. Each day of the week highlights an important seasonal weather safety topic: Monday- Alerts and Warnings; Tuesday- Severe Weather, Lightning and Hail; Wednesday- Floods; Thursday- Tornadoes and Friday- Extreme Heat. Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen encourages everyone to be informed and prepared when severe weather strikes later this year.
--Minnesota school districts don’t have to make up the days they missed because of extreme cold and snow thanks to a bipartisan bill signed Monday by the Governor. The “Snow Day Relief Bill” allows districts to avoid penalties in state law for failing to provide a certain amount of classroom instruction time. Although there is no recent evidence it’s ever been enforced, state law calls for districts to lose money and administrators to be jailed for not providing enough school time. Governor Tim Walz has said since schools closed in late January for frigid temperatures, he did not want to punish districts for keeping kids safe. A record snowfall in February followed January’s Polar Vortex, closing schools for even more days.
--Widespread snow cover and melting snow curbed field activities across Minnesota with virtually no days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending March 31, 2019, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Some flooded rivers and standing water, while still high, have begun to recede. Reported field activities for the week were scarce with some farmers spreading manure in the morning when the ground was solid enough to support the equipment. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated very short and subsoil moisture supplies were rated around 49 percent adequate, and 50 percent surplus. Respondents reported widespread snow cover as well as most areas still having considerable frost in the soil. Cattle producers continued spring calving, after a rough winter.
--After the success of last year’s campaign, Great River Regional Library has decided to bring back their Locally Growin’ April fundraiser. The campaign is set up by and geared toward meeting the needs of each of the individual libraries. Each of our 32 branches (including Little Falls, Pierz, Royalton, Swanville and Upsala) is responsible for picking something that they want to raise money for. Last year the campaign raised $20,000 region-wide. Check with your local libraries or the Great River Regional Library website for more information on the events in your area. The Friends of the Carnegie Library in Little Falls will be holding a book sale later this month (April 25th-27th) to help with the upkeep and items in the Little Falls Branch.
--The Heartland Symphony Orchestra performs their spring concerts this weekend Saturday in Little Falls and Sunday in Brainerd.
--Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge southeast of Little Falls is planning a series of prescribed burns to be conducted during April and May when weather and safety conditions are right to meet the objectives of the burns. Prescribed burns help maintain and restore the natural habitats for wildlife and reduce the chance of wildfires outside the refuge. The oak savanna ecosystem, with its plants and wildlife, is adapted to fire and depends on periodic burning for continued existence. The refuge averages around 200 acres of prescribed burning each year. Crane Meadows will notify Little Falls Radio of the burns on a daily basis when they are being conducted so continue to listen to Little Falls Radio for the latest announcements.
--The Aitkin County Sheriff's Office reported a fire in Shamrock Township Sunday night around 11:10pm. When deputies and firefighters arrived they discovered two deceased individuals, an 80 year old male and 69 year old female. The State Fire Marshal was called in to investigate the cause and the bodies were taken to the medical examiner's office for official identification.
--The Lakes Area Police Departments reported this past weekend one of the busiest weekends of DWI arrests in quite some time and are reminding motorists not to drink and drive. From Friday to Sunday alone, Baxter Police arrested four, Nisswa two, Pequot Lakes reported 5 arrests and Brainerd had 3 arrests all for driving under the influence of alcohol or under the influence of illegal drugs and were taken into custody. This was 8 more than the St. Patrick's Day weekend one more than the New Year Eves holiday in those areas. --The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has place Stearns County under quarantine after emerald ash borer was found in Sauk Centre. The Department of Ag confirmed emerald ash borer larvae in several trees. Because this is the first time emerald ash borer has been found in Stearns County, the Department of Agriculture is limiting the movement of firewood and ash material out of the county to reduce the risk of spreading the insect. A total of 18 Minnesota counties including the Twins Cities Metro and counties south of Stearns are now under a full or partial quarantine by the Department of Health.
--The 12th Annual Fishing with the Pros Fundraiser for the Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame in Little Falls will be held April 12th at 6:30pm at the Falls Ballroom. Come and meet 20 pro fishermen and women at the event, they will be auctioning off their lures and guided tours. The dinner and event is $30 for adults and $15 for children under 12. All proceeds go to the Minnesota Fishing Museum to continue to show off memories of fishing in Minnesota. For more information and tickets call Brenda at 320-616-2011.
WEATHER
TODAY= becoming sunny, high 45.
TONIGHT= increasing clouds, low 26.
THURSDAY= flurries and sprinkles during day, breezy, high 47
THURS NIGHT= rain showers early, then cloudy, low 36.
FRIDAY= partly sunny and warmer, high near 60, low around 47.
SPORTS
TWINS=Twins come back with a run in the 9th and one in the 10th to beat the Royals last night 5-4 in 10 innings. The Twins wrap up short series with Kansas City, pregame at 11:30am on Q92 WYRQ.
COL BB= Auburn vs. Virginia Saturday at 5pm followed Michigan State and Texas Tech in Final Four at U.S. Bank in Minneapolis.