NEWS --Little Falls Radio is saddened to learn of the passing of longtime owner of KLTF Radio John Hewitt “Jack” Lemme. Lemme died Tuesday at age 91. Shortly after AM960 KLTF started operations in Little Falls in 1950, Lemme purchased the station in 1952 and remained owner for over 40 years. Lemme was also a very active community leader. A celebration of life for Jack Lemme is February 24th at First Lutheran Church in Little Falls at 2:00pm.
--Little Falls Police received word this past week of fraudulent checks being passed around the city. The Stearns County Sheriff's office reported that checks at two gas stations and department store in town reported the checks to area police. Police was asking store owners if need be to ask for proper identification if taking checks or credit cards. In the past month there were also reports of counterfeit bills circulating once again. Authorities ask store owners and banks to have proper security measures when receiving cash or checks.
--A biplane with engine trouble was forced to land in a swamp near Sleepy Hollow Road in St. Mathias Township Saturday afternoon. The plane was seen by witnesses sputtering over the area when it banked left and turned into a tree line near a swamp where it went down. The pilot informed authorities there were no injuries. The plane was removed later that afternoon by a flatbed, gooseneck trailer.
--A 43 year-old man may faces charges after allegedly threatening two women on Tuesday. Police were called to a complaint regarding threats shortly before 11:00am near Highway 10 and East St. Germain Street of St. Cloud. An 18-year-old woman and a 22-year-old woman told police they had been at a mobile home smoking methamphetamine with Rick Roy Morehouse. The two victims said Morehouse threatened to kill them and would not allow them to leave the home. Morehouse was later located and taken into custody. He was taken to the Benton County Jail and may face charges of threats of violence and kidnapping.
--Benton County Sheriff deputies were able to locate a stolen manure spreader that had gone missing in Foley last month. The spreader was stolen from a property on 25th Street Northeast. A suspect vehicle in the theft was described as an older Ford truck. Investigators received an anonymous tip that was able to lead deputies to the truck, which lead to the discovery of the stolen farm equipment. The spreader has since been returned to the owner. In a press release Tuesday Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck stated this is another example of the public and law enforcement working together to keep Benton County safe.The investigation is still open and active.
--A 26-year-old man who suffered a gunshot wound from a handgun Monday night in Pequot Lakes has died from injuries. Police stated that the man, whose name was not released, was found shot around 7:40pm in an apartment in the city and taken to an area hospital the airlifted to the Metro Area where he later died at a Robbinsdale hospital. Police stated that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted an their investigation is ongoing.
--An Eden Valley woman was injured Sunday evening after a collision with a deer. 56-year old Robin Fox Getzkow was driving east on Interstate Highway 94 when a deer ran out into the road and struck the vehicle from the side. Getzkow was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Her passenger was not injured.
--Ladies Night Out Pierz Style from FM94 is March 23rd.
--The man who admitted last year that he abducted and killed Jacob Wetterling in 1989 will not have to pay restitution to his victims. A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Danny Heinrich won't pay restitution, after the government told the court that no restitution was owed. Heinrich is serving 20 years in federal prison for child pornography. As part of a plea deal on that count, he confessed to kidnapping, molesting and killing 11-year-old Jacob, though he was not charged in the boy's murder. He led authorities to Jacob's remains in central Minnesota last fall. Jacob's abduction gained national attention and led to changes in sex offender registry laws.
--Motorists traveling on area highways in central Minnesota may encounter periodic lane closures and flaggers as tree clearing work is scheduled. Disruption to traffic is expected to be minimal as the work will take place off the highway; however, there will be occasions when equipment parked along the highway may require a lane closure or flagging operation. Tree removal work is being done on Highway 71 and Highway 27 in Long Prairie in preparation for future road resurfacing project to begin this summer. Also tree removal work on Highway 210 (Highway 169) northeast of Aitkin in preparation for future culvert bridge replacement project to begin in late June.
--A man was injured in a snowmobile crash around 6:00pm Saturday on Gull Lake in rural Brainerd. The Cass County Sheriff's Office reported deputies and emergency responders arrived and located an adult man injured from the crash. The victim was transported to shore and hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries. Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch reminds those travelling on lakes and waterways to always use extreme caution with rapidly changing ice conditions and hazards such as hard-packed snow drifts and ice heaves, especially when travelling after dark.
--After a weekend of vehicles plunging through the surface of Minnesota lakes and deteriorating ice conditions, the Sherburne County Sheriff made the difficult decision to pull the plug on this weekend's big ice fishing tourney in Big Lake. The 'Little Hole in Big Lake' contest was set for Saturday but with above freezing temperatures predicted for the rest of the week, including possible temperatures in the 50's on Friday, Sheriff Joel Brott decided it would not be safe. Ice conditions have eroded so much that public access points have been shut down on a number of lakes across the metro and greater Minnesota areas.
--Due to the weather the Warming House/Ice Rink on the west side of Little Falls will close for the season. The last staffed day is today.
DEATH NOTICES --John Hewitt “Jack” Lemme, age 91 of Little Falls.
WEATHER TODAY= partly to mostly sunny, high near 30. TONIGHT= partly cloudy, low 20 then rising toward morning. THURSDAY= sunny and warmer, high 46, low around 30. FRIDAY= sunny and warmer, high 54, low around 33.
SPORTS GHK= Brainerd/Little Falls defeated Sartell 2-0 last night in hockey playoffs, the girls advance to the section finals against Roseau Friday night at 7pm in Bemidji on Q92. Winner on to state tournament. COL BB= Gophers host Indiana tonight 7:30pm on KLTF.