NEWS
--19-year-old Alexander Wiggers of Little Falls formerly of Pierz, was convicted of second degree arson in Morrison County District Court. The complaint states that on November 15th, 2021, a fire was reported inside the Pierz Post Office building. Deputies arrived on scene and spoke to a witness, who stated he stopped by the post office to get his mail and when he walked into the building, he observed a fire across the room on the envelope stand. The Pierz police chief, reviewed surveillance cameras along Main Street in Pierz and observed a subject entering the post office about 11:12pm and then leaving. The surveillance video allegedly showed that at 11:25pm the witness arrived at the scene and reported the fire. While the witness was trying to put out the fires from the burning envelopes, cameras allegedly show that the suspect was walking by City Hall. The suspect was identified as Alexander Gregory Wiggers. The police chief went to Wiggers’ residence located on North Main Street in Pierz. Wiggers admitted to starting the fire in the Pierz Post Office by using different brochures and a pack of Camel cigarettes. Wiggers was sentenced to two days in jail and supervised probation for five years. He was also ordered to pay $7,252.71 in restitution.
--A Little Falls man has pleaded guilty to four counts of 2nd-degree assault with a deadly weapon after ramming his vehicle into another while driving on Interstate-94 on Christmas Day. According to the criminal complaint, officers responded to a crash on Interstate-94 near Avon shortly before 1am. Authorities say when they arrived they found 34-year-old Kevin Desmet-Groseclose sitting in a black pickup and two adults and two children inside a blue SUV. According to the complaint Desmet-Groseclose drove by when the SUV came to a stop, but turned around and drove at the SUV head-on. The driver of the SUV continued eastbound and was able to avoid a second collision before stopping again. This time, authorities say Desmet-Groseclose got out of his vehicle and was hitting the windows of the SUV with a pop can while shouting. Officers say when they spoke to Desmet-Groseclose he seemed manic and was talking about his daughters being missing and possibly kidnapped. Authorities say he later calmed down and remembered little about what had happened.
Desmet-Groseclose will be sentenced on April 4th.
--Tuesday at noon, a court-appointed judicial panel released maps showing Minnesota’s new congressional and legislative district boundaries. 6th District Republican Tom Emmer will continue to represent the St. Cloud metro area. However, more of Stearns County has been moved into 7th District Republican Michelle Fischbach's district. Morrison County has also been moved from the 8th District into the 7th District. Every member of the United States Congress is up for election this fall and that is why the maps had to be redrawn now. 8Th District Congressman Pete Stauber will now have his district go farther south into the north Metro Area and include the city of Stillwater. While the 7th District will consist from Morrison County, Todd, Wadena and all counties north of west of those and into southern Minnesota including the northern part of Blue Earth County. Districts 2-5 will be minimized to represent about one or two counties in the Metro Area for the upcoming November elections.
--The Superintendent of the ROCORI school district Brad Kelvington has announced that he is leaving the district. His last day on the job will be June 30th. He has been at ROCORI for four years. In the near future, the School Board will be discussing how best to commence a search for a new superintendent for the 2022-2023 school year.
--Good luck to the Little Falls Flyer Boys Nordic Ski Team as they compete today and Thursday at the State Nordic Ski Tournament at Biwabik. The team will compete in the 5K classic/pursuit race today starting around 2pm racers from Little Falls include Conner Grant, Ethan Yorek, Alexander Oberton, Angus Rustud and Grant Yorek who were the top 5 finishers in the sections (they are also allowed two alternates if need be in the race today. On Thursday is the relay events and Elliot Oberton and Edward Sobiech will compete with prelims that morning and hopes to make it to finals later that afternoon in Biwabik. Again good luck to the Nordic Skiiers at state.
--An alert sheriff's deputy in Sherburne County made an arrest after spotting a man wanted on active warrants for his arrest. The investigative sergeant was on his way to work Friday morning when he spotted 51-year-old Shane Priem of Elk River at a gas station in Elk River. The plain-clothes officer first spotted Priem's vehicle at the gas station and then spotted Priem walking out of the store. After making the arrest, the sergeant searched Priem's vehicle and allegedly found a half-pound of methamphetamine, paraphernalia, Ziploc bags, and a digital scale. Priem was booked into the Sherburne County Jail on suspicion of 1st-degree drug possession.
--Students of Little Falls FFA stopped by Little Falls Radio yesterday. Lauren Wiherski the Chapter President spoke on their recent trip to Indianapolis where they got to learn and be part of a large national event. The members spoke about being part of Horticulture, General Livestock, Horse Judging and many other items from agriculture. The students will be having an Appreciation Breakfast for the Community on Sunday, February 27th from 8:30-12:30pm at the Little Falls VFW with pancakes, eggs and all the trimmings for a free will offering to help with the FFA projects. The students also spoke on what they liked about FFA and what they would tell their underclassmen on joining the program in Little Falls with help from their three advisers, Matt Petrowitz, Kim Czech and Gabby Molitor. Listen to Little Falls Radio next week for more on FFA week from our commercials.
--Ice Fest members are reaching out for volunteers to help with tasks that range from disassembling the banners/frames, dismantling the hockey boards, unloading the trailer into the storage unit, picking up cones, etc. If your company/organization has a volunteer program, this would count towards that. Any amount of time that anyone can contribute would be great! Many hands make light work. If you can help out please call Becca at 320-282-8901.
DEATH NOTICES
--Wilfred “Willie” Zack, age 87 of Little Falls.
--Darnell Froelich, age 79 of Pierz.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny, temps dropping through the day.
TONIGHT= clear skies, cold, low -8. wind chills near -25.
THURSDAY= sunny and cold, high 5 above, low near -11.
FRIDAY= cloudy, snow showers before noon, high 26.
SPORTS
NFL= The Minnesota Vikings will officially Thursday announced the hiring of Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach. O'Connell was the offensive coordinator of the Rams who won the Super Bowl Sunday.
OLY= after a shootout loss to Slovakia, the United States men's hockey team was eliminated from medal contention. The Women's Hockey for the USA goes for gold late tonight against Canada.