NEWS
--Congratulations to Kim Radunz of Little Falls who was drawn as the grand prize winner of the Ho Ho Dough Promotion from Little Falls Radio and participating businesses yesterday on the KLTF Party Line program. Kim Radunz won $500 cash and $500 in Ho Ho Dough to be spent back at participating businesses. She was one of the weekly qualifiers during the drawing on December 7th and registered at Design Electronics. Thank you to everyone for shopping local and signing up for our Ho Ho Dough Promotion. Also a big thank you to our participating businesses listed, without whom we could not have done this: Brandl Motors, Broadway Tire, Design Electronics, Falls Energy, Fleet Supply, GoldSmith Jewelers, Hartmann's Hardware, Hilmerson Sports Center/ General Rental Center, Pierz Foods, Thrive With Vision, Touright Bicycle Shop, Rudolph Auto Solutions and Wiczek's Floors and More. Once again congratulations to the grand prize winner Kim Radunz of Little Falls and Merry Christmas from our Ho Ho Dough sponsors and Little Falls Radio!
--The Minnesota State Patrol reported an injury crash Tuesday morning at 10:25am. A car driven by 28-year old Haley Lueckel of Rice was travelling southbound on Highway 10 when she lost control and rolled into the median several times near the Highway 27 entrance ramps in Little Falls. According to the report from the Minnesota State Patrol, Lueckel was wearing a seatbelt. Lueckel was taken to St. Gabriel's hospital for non life threatening injuries.
--A Princeton man was killed in a crash in Benton County Tuesday morning. The incident happened just after 11am at the intersection of Highway 95 and 105th Avenue Northeast in Saint George Township, near Duelm. The Minnesota State Patrol says 79-year-old Lowell Yahnke was heading east on Highway 95 when he crossed the centerline, went into the ditch and struck a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities say Yahnke was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash. The Minnesota state patrol say there were wet road conditions that played a factor in the crash.
--Ron Kresha announced Tuesday that there are still plenty of free meals available this week thanks to the support of the Little Falls Ministerial Association, Black and White, Donna's Big Johns and Dominos Pizza. Meals will be distributed December this Thursday, Friday on Christmas Eve and Saturday Christmas Day. At the AT Black and White meals are available for pickup only and at Donna's Big Johns and Domino's they are available by pickup or delivery. If you interested in meals, maybe know of someone who is shut in or not able to enjoy Christmas with the family, an elderly couple who is in need of some holiday cheer this is a great way to make a Merry Christmas for you or someone this year. If interested, you must call Ron Kresha at (320) 348-0958. Tim Sumner also informed Little Falls Radio yesterday they need 6 volunteers to help with this effort from 3-5pm Thursday December 23rd. If you can help please call Tim Sumner at 632-2540. If you wish to financially support efforts like this one and future ones, you can mail checks to Little Falls Area Ministerial Association or LFAMA to the address of 18892 205th Avenue Little Falls, MN 56345.
--Fire crews responded to a vehicle fire early Tuesday morning. The incident happened just after midnight at 380 5th Avenue South in St. Cloud. Crews arrived to find a passenger van fully engulfed next to the home. Firefighters were able to put out the blaze before it extended to the house. The fire caused roughly $2,000 in damages and the vehicle is a total loss, cause is under investigation.
–The Front Line Foundation announced that it has granted death benefits to support to the family of Upsala firefighter Brian Lange who died on Saturday, December 11 of a medical illness connected with his service. Lange, 55, was a 22-year veteran of the Upsala Volunteer Fire Department. The payments to Lange bring the total of first responder families supported to seven for the year 2021. To date TFLF has paid out $318,000 in death benefits and equipment funding since its inception in 2018. Founded in late 2018, The Front Line Foundation was formed to support Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, EMTs and members of the National Guard across Minnesota, to grant financial support to families of first responders who have died in the line of duty. The Foundation’s mission is to bridge the gap between the death and benefits being paid, which can help families with ongoing expenses. The Foundation also provides support in the purchase of tactical equipment for first responders which isn’t included in department budgets.
--Central Minnesota soldiers with the Minnesota National Guard's Cyber Protection Team have returned home. More than 30 soldiers with the guard's 177th Cyber Protection Team were mobilized in October of last year to Fort Meade, Maryland. They were part of a task force that helps protect the Department of Defense networks from cyber-attacks. The soldiers returned in three groups starting at the end of November, with the last group returning home this past weekend. The team includes soldiers from Royalton, Sartell and Rice. Minnesota is one of only three states to have this kind of team.
--The National Weather Service says they've confirmed at least 15 tornado touchdowns in Minnesota on Wednesday, December 15th. The National Weather Service in Chanhassen has confirmed six separate tornadoes in Freeborn County ranging from either an EF-2 or an EF-1. The National Weather Service in La Crosse has confirmed nine more tornadoes with four in Fillmore county, two in Winona county, and one each in Mower county, Wabasha county, and Houston county. They all ranged from either an EF-0 or an EF-1.
--Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and his family have tested positive for COVID-19. The governor says his son, a ninth-grader, does have mild symptoms, but he and his wife are asymptomatic. Walz says his family is isolating and he will be working from home for now.
--The Department of Natural Resources stated Tuesday in their weekly conservation report that ice conditions in the area have improved and ice anglers have been fishing on a variety of lakes in the Brainerd Lakes area. Also they remind others who maybe doing some hunting until the end of the month in legal areas and means that trespassing has been an issue around this time of year and please remember to watch your surroundings and following property lines. Local law enforcement also remind ice anglers to be aware that ice conditions could change with warmer temperatures later this week and officers feel that no ice is ever 100% safe.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny, high 23, cloudy flurries overnight, low 18.
THURSDAY= partly sunny, high 30, temps steady overnight.
FRIDAY= drizzle and fog, high near 40, then falling to 10 above late.
CHRISTMAS DAY= snow develops, colder, windy, high 16, low -1.
SPORTS
--Four-time WNBA champion and current head coach of the Gopher's women's basketball team Lindsay Whalen was nominated to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022.