NEWS
--Little Falls Radio is excited to announce we are now streaming all three radio stations, AM960 KLTF, 92.1FM WYRQ and 94.1FM KFML (FM94) through fallsradio.com. We will continue to use our sports streaming service so you can listen to archived local broadcasts but now in addition all three stations are also streamed live. To listen to each station online click on the “Listen Live logo” on our homepage at fallsradio.com or find a link under our streaming tab.
--Former Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann says she won't run for former Senator Al Franken's seat. The conservative and 2012 presidential candidate said in December she was considering a bid after more than three years out of office. Franken resigned over sexual misconduct allegations. U.S. Senator Tina Smith, who was appointed to Franken's seat, is running in November. She faces one Democratic challenger and Republican State Senator Karin Housley. Former Governor Tim Pawlenty also announced in recent weeks he will not seek the U.S. Senate in November.
--A 58-year old man was hospitalized after being struck by a vehicle Sunday afternoon around 1:30pm in the parking lot at McDonald's on Washington Street in Brainerd. The Brainerd Police Department reported David Lawrence, of Grand Forks was transported by North Memorial Ambulance to Essentia Health-St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd for possible injuries. The driver of the vehicle, 66-year old Michael Hanson of Brainerd was not injured.
--Three pounds of meth, 23 pounds of marijuana and eight guns. Those are the illegal items confiscated by officers at St. Cloud's COP House in the last year. The new outpost was built after the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation purchased the former house on the property and tore it down. The foundation partnered with St. Cloud police to establish the COP House program, which is modeled after a program in Racine, Wisconsin. Officers at the COP House also made 122 felony arrests last year. More than $20,000 in cash and eight vehicles were forfeited. A grant funds three officers for the house, and the police department funds a fourth officer.
--Work is under way by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to install technology at seven rest areas in the state that will help truck drivers find safe parking along high volume freight corridors. Minnesota is working with seven other states to implement the Regional Truck Parking Information and Management System that will collect and broadcast real-time parking availability on dynamic message signs. In Minnesota the signs will be posted along the I-35 and I-94 corridors and on MnDOT’s 511 traveler information website. The network will become operational in January 2019 however some states, including Minnesota, could become operational sooner. Other states participating in the project are Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. Project funding comes from a $25 million U.S. DOT TIGER grant and the states. In Minnesota, the project will cost $1.4 million. MnDOT contributed $177,500. The seven rest areas with the technology will be at Forest Lake, Lake Lakota, Big Spunk Lake, Enfield, Elm Creek, St. Croix, and Heath Creek. MnDOT and the other participating states first proposed the project when truck parking became a national safety concern following the 2009 murder of a trucker in South Carolina. Federal legislation, called Jason’s Law, put a national spotlight on addressing the shortage of long-term parking.
--A Minnesota man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder in connection to an attack last week on a priest in Anamoose, North Dakota. 42-year old Chad Vincent Legare of Alexandria is charged with felony counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault and burglary for the alleged physical assault on the 62-year old Reverend Robert Wapenski at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church on January 30th in Anamoose. Wapenski was treated at an area medical center. Alexandria police arrested Legare without incident on Monday. He is being held in Minnesota, pending extradition.
--A fire that started in a camper at about noon Tuesday damaged a garage and several vehicles at a Waite Park house. The camper was sitting next to a detached garage at 613 Second Street North in Waite Park. The fire spread to the garage, which contained two motorcycles and a sports car, according to homeowners Jennifer and Bradley Deerfield. Also damaged by the fire were a pickup parked outside the garage and a boat on the neighboring property. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
--A St. Cloud man is suspected of burglary and sexual assault. The incident happened in the 1200 block of Washington Memorial Drive in St. Cloud around 4:00am Saturday. Stearns County charged 34-year old Venkatram Ramavath with a first-degree burglary charge, third-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charge. Ramavath made his first appearance in court on Tuesday morning.
--The Boys and Girls Club of Little Falls will be hosting a Mardi Gras fundraiser this Friday at the Falls Ballroom. Doors open at 5:30pm and the cost is $25. All proceeds go to help the Little Falls Boys and Girls Club programming for 2018. For more information on the event and the club itself call 320-414-0322 or check out the community calendar page at fallsradio.com for details on the Friday event.
DEATH NOTICES
--Odell V. Coenen, age 85 of Little Falls
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny to sunny skies, high 10 above.
TONIGHT= clear skies, low around -13.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, cold, high 8 above, low around -10.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, high 12 above, low around -6.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins Hot Stove show tonight 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.
WRAP= Join Al Windsperger Saturdays at 9:05am for the Saturday Morning Sport Wrap, a look back to the week in high school sports with names and numbers of events. He also speaks to high school coaches and players about the winter season. That is Saturday morning at 9:05am on AM960 KLTF and online at fallsradio.com.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1914= Charlie Chaplin makes his major U.S. film debut.
IN 1936= first Felix the Cat cartoon shown as opening for a movie.
IN 1944= Bing Crosby recorded “Swinging on a Star”.
IN 1961= Jane Fonda made film debut in “A String of Beads”.
IN 1964= Beatle Mania arrived in the United States as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr landed in New York to a crowd of people- they performed on Ed Sullivan 2 nights later.