NEWS
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen reports that charges are pending against a 16-year old male from Cushing for his involvement in a burglary at Anglers Corner, located on Bear Road, Cushing Township, Morrison County. Around 7:00pm on Monday the owner of Anglers Corner called the Sheriff’s Office to report his business was broken into, but it did not appear that anything was missing. On Tuesday the Sheriff’s Office received a report that several bottles of alcohol were missing from the business. According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrived and observed foot tracks from the roadway to the northwest corner of the business. They noticed a window that was broken where it appeared the suspect gained entry. Deputies followed the suspect tracks to a residence on Beaver Road. While at the residence they made contact with the homeowner who was cooperative during the investigation. The missing liquor bottles were found in a bedroom of the residence. The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Little Falls Police Department in locating the 16-year old male suspect who admitted to the burglary. Formal charges for 3rd Degree Burglary are pending.
--Next Tuesday is voting day for the Pierz and Brainerd School District Referendums. Absentee voting continues through Monday where you can vote at the district offices. The Pierz School District website has more information on the $9,995,000 bond referendum and what will be included. Also on their website is a referendum tax calculator where you can calculate exactly what the cost would be to your property taxes if approved. The polling places next Tuesday for the Pierz School District referendum are at Pierz City Hall, Agram Town Hall, Buh Town Hall and Pulaski Town Hall.
--MNDOT announced on Tuesday that forty schools in Minnesota will benefit from $225,000 in planning assistance grants that support the Safe Routes to School program. Safe Routes to School is an international program to increase physical activity, improve health and reduce traffic congestion around schools by making it safer and easier for students to walk and bicycle to school. Planning assistance grants provide communities the resources to convene a team, prioritize strategies and identify solutions. MnDOT announced the available planning assistance grants in October 2017. The agency received applications for more than 63 schools and awarded 12 grants that will benefit a total of 40 schools. Regional partners will administer grants in their area. The Safe Routes to School grants in this solicitation are funded with state and federal Safe Routes to School dollars. Since 2005, MnDOT awarded nearly $20 million in federal funds to communities to support Safe Routes to School. Safe Routes to School 2018 Planning Assistance Awards locally went to St. Cloud School District 742 / St. Cloud Area Planning Organization, City of Foley and the Monticello Public School District #882.
--The latest round of snow has once again kept troopers with the Minnesota State Patrol busy. From noon until 8:45pm Monday they responded to a total of 197 crashes statewide. Thirteen of those crashes involved injuries, but there were no serious injuries or fatalities. In addition, they assisted with another 123 vehicles that went off the road into the ditch and one jackknifed semi.
--Upsala Elementary, Grades K-4 will have scheduled conferences on Thursday 3:30-7:30pm, then next Monday 3:30pm-7:30pm there will also be a Title 1 meeting April 9th at 3:30pm.
--The St. Cloud Fire Department helped remove a person who was "inadvertently dumped into the back of a garbage truck" about 4:30am Tuesday. According to a news release, the person was inside the dumpster near Lincoln Elementary School. The garbage truck driver noticed the person on a camera that monitors the hopper. Firefighters used a ladder to help assist removing the person from the hopper. In January, city sanitation workers discovered a person trapped inside the back of a garbage truck. In that incident, firefighters responded to 815 St. Germain Street after the workers heard the person yelling.
--A 36-year old man was arrested after he drove a snowmobile into open water Saturday on Round Lake in Nisswa. A report of a snowmobile through the ice on Round Lake was received at 9:36pm with a location given near Forest Hills Circle and Highway 371. Crow Wing County Sheriff's deputies and Nisswa Police Department officers were at the scene. The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office reported the driver was arrested for driving while intoxicated.
--A St. Cloud man has pleaded guilty to trying to pay a 15-year old girl for sex. 41-year old Ryan Mulliner was arrested in a prostitution sting last November. He pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to one count of Prostitution, Offering to hire someone believed to be 13-16 years old for sex. According to the criminal complaint, Mulliner told investigators he went to the hotel to try to convince the girl to stop prostituting herself, however, text messages from Mulliner included terms commonly associated with buying sex, and he wanted to make sure it wasn't a trap by the police. Mulliner was arrested at the hotel where the encounter was to take place and police say he had a large amount of cash on him. As part of the plea, Mulliner is expected to be sentenced to an 18-month stayed sentence, with 20 days of jail and/or home monitoring, attend a sexual exploitation program, complete a psychosexual evaluation and be on probation for 10 years. He will be sentenced May 24th.
--Zion Lutheran Church of Little Falls will host a Polka Praise Service this Sunday with Jerry and Joyce at 9am. There will also be brats and hot dogs served in the new fellowship hall following the service. A free will offering will be accepted.
--The Little Falls Community Jazz Night is next Monday at 7:00pm in the Little Falls Community High School, Charles D. Martin Auditorium. Over 150 students from bands from Our Lady of Lourdes, The Community Middle School and High School will perform the blues, Smooth Latin grooves rock. Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for children. Pre-concert music starts at 6:40pm.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 28.
TONIGHT= clear skies, low around 6 above.
THURSDAY= partly sunny, afternoon snow likely, high 32.
THURS NITE= snow early, then cloudy and windy, low 8.
FRIDAY= sunny, cold and very windy, high near 20.
SPORTS
TWINS=Twins wrap up their 2 game series, after yesterday off with Pittsburgh. Pregame at 4:30pm today on Q92 WYRQ.
NHL= The Wild clinched a playoff spot Monday night after LA won and the Wild beat Edmonton. The Wild still have a few games left in the regular season before the playoffs start, at Anaheim tonight.