NEWS
--At 8:06am Tuesday the Little Falls Fire Department was dispatched on a report of a vehicle on fire on the roadway in front of 15813 110th Avenue in Pike Creek Township. Firefighters arrived and found the engine compartment of the truck on fire. The Little Falls Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office. The cause of the fire is under investigation but is believed to be accidental. Firefighters cleared the scene at 8:40am.
--A local auto dealership has officially changed ownership. Joe Sexton and Gary Posch closed on the sale of Brandl Motors Monday, selling the company to Morrie's Auto Group based in Minnetonka. Despite selling the dealership, both Sexton and Posch say they plan to remain involved with the St. Cloud Rox organization as they look for that next challenge in their lives.
--Governor Tim Walz has signed a bill into law that will give county and tribal agencies $36 million to process Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare health insurance renewals. Eligibility requirements were changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, relaxed to allow 1.5 million Minnesotans onto the rolls. That includes 40 percent of children in the state. With the public health emergency ending, the goal for officials is to keep people from falling into gaps in coverage.
Walz says, “We want everyone who qualifies to keep Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare so they can continue receiving uninterrupted health care.” Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan says that will lead to increased health disparities for vulnerable populations, on top of what already exists. “This bill will help reach communities where they are so people can keep their insurance.”
--It might be a bit trickier getting around Benton County this summer as it prepares for its most extensive road construction program in the county's history. Interim Engineer Mark Loidolt says they have 40 miles of roadway that will either be a mill and overlay or a full reclamation. One of the larger projects is County Road 1 also known as Mayhew Lake Road. Crews will be grinding up the old pavement and for a segment there, adding a little gravel on top when we reclaim the road, paving the driving lanes and the shoulder. So, there will be a 6-foot paved shoulder along the whole length of CSAH 1 starting at County Road 29 and going all the way up to CSAH 2. Loidolt says a couple of county roads intersect with Mayhew Lake Road that will also get done. Some other projects scheduled for this summer include County Road 13 at the south end of Little Rock Lake, County Road 21 north of Rice, County Road 56 northeast of Rice, and County Road 62 southwest of Foley starting later this spring.
–The Stearns County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a new phone scam that's circulating. Sheriff's Office dispatch has received multiple calls from citizens who say they've received a phone call from someone who says they are a Stearns County Sheriff's Sergeant. The caller then asks for medical information, legal documents or tries to intimidate the victim about unpaid or past-due fines. The calls are a scam intended to gather personal information or money from their victims. If you receive a call like this, never give out any personal information, hang up, and then call the sheriff's office.
--The Darling Lutheran Cemetery Association will have their spring cleanup day on May 6th at 9am, please bring your own yard tools. Questions can be called to 320-360-9920.
--The Pierz Lions will be hosting their annual Easter Egg Hunt this Saturday at 11am sharp at Pioneer Elementary playground.
--A reminder to parents and students in Swanville, due to the weather today, Swanville has decided to go to an E-Learning day today for all students in the Swanville School District. Pillager and Brainerd also have e-learning days. There are other schools starting late today and Wadena and Staples College Campus are closed. Continue to listen to Little Falls Radio for updated weather details.
--A Dassel man is dead after a two-vehicle crash in Wright County Tuesday morning. It happened on Highway 12 near Keats Avenue Southwest, just west of Howard Lake around 7:30am. The State Patrol says a car driven by 46-year-old Toby Birr and a box truck driven by 30-year-old Alexander Rosenberger of St. Cloud were both headed east on Highway 12 when they collided. Birr was killed in the crash and Rosenberger was not hurt. Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts and the pavement was dry at the time of the crash.
--Two people were hurt in a crash in Benton County. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 4pm Tuesday in Watab Township. A pickup driven by 42-year-old Jason Sand of Holdingford was going west on Highway 10 while a car driven by 61-year-old Devey Dahlheimer of St. Cloud was going west on Little Rock Lake Road when they collided at the intersection. Dahlheimer was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Troopers say Sand was hurt but didn't go to the hospital.
--Healthcare organizations are starting to loosen the rules on some COVID-19 policies. CentraCare has announced plans to drop the mandatory masking requirement when inside their hospitals and clinics. CentraCare dropped the mandate on this past Sunday. They still have some protocols in place for employee masking – and patients should continue to mask if they have any respiratory symptoms. Anyone who still wishes to wear a mask in the clinics and hospitals is welcome to do so.
--The Morrison County Township Officers Association will hold its spring meeting on Wednesday, April 19th at 7pm at the Morrison County Government Center Board Room, lower level.
NATIONAL NEWS
--Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday at his arraignment hearing in a Manhattan courtroom. The judge declared that next in court appearance will be on December 4th.
WEATHER
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7PM TONIGHT.
TODAY= freezing drizzle changing to snow, strong winds and dropping temps through the 20s, around 1 inch by evening.
TONIGHT= snow ending, gusty winds over 40mph, low 18.
THURSDAY= partly cloudy, breezy and cold, high 30, low 8.
FRIDAY= sunny and warmer, less windy, high 41, low near 25.
SPORTS
TWINS= the Twins announced yesterday that they have moved the home opener with the Astros from Thursday to Friday. The weather is calling for temps only in the 30s and wind chills in the teens Thursday and so they decided to move the game to Friday where temps will be near 50 in the Minneapolis area. All the festivities for the opener have been moved to Friday for the Twins and Houston. The game time remains the same at 3:10pm just a day later. Marlins beat the Twins last night 1-0 for their first loss. The Twins wrap up series with Marlins in Miami today, pregame begins at 11:30am on Q92 WYRQ.