NEWS --The Little Falls Fire Department responded to a couple vehicle fires in the last few days. Around 5:45pm on Saturday 12 firefighters responded for around 45 minutes to a vehicle fire on 11th Street and 3rd Avenue NE in Little Falls. The fire appeared to have started in the engine compartment of the vehicle of Bert Lalonde. There were no injuries. At 7:53am Tuesday another vehicle fire was reported at the off ramp of US Highway 10 and Minnesota Highway 27 in Little Falls. 14 firefighters responded for around 45 minutes. This fire also appeared to have started in the engine compartment of the Bob Wenzel vehicle. No injuries were reported. The Little Falls Fire Department also responded to a couple of carbon monoxide alarms over the weekend.
--A St. Cloud man was hurt in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 15 near County Road 1 in Sartell. The Minnesota State Patrol says around 5:30pm Monday, a minivan driven by 35-year old Jodee Christianson of Rice, and an SUV driven by 54-year old Sandra Thene of Sauk Rapids were stopped at the light on Highway 15 North. While they were stopped, a car driven by 63-year old Miles Christie of St. Cloud rear-ended Christianson, who was pushed into Thene. Christie was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. No one else was hurt.
--A Big Lake man was hurt in a rollover crash on Highway 25, in Big Lake Township Monday. The Minnesota State Patrol says 44-year old Craig Mosley was heading south on Highway 25, near County Road 14 around 2:30pm when he lost control, went off the road into the ditch and rolled. Mosley was taken to Monticello Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Ice and snow covered road were a crash factor.
--A 64-year old was injured in a two-vehicle accident around 8:00pm Sunday on Highway 169 in Onamia Township. Carolyn Lee of Onamia was at a stop sign turning onto the highway when a southbound vehicle could not stop to turn right and collided with the Lee vehicle. Lee was taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries. The other driver, 28-year old Blake Carney of Richfield was not injured. Icy roads were to blame for the accident.
--The Minnesota Department of Transportation is accepting public comments on rules governing public transit. Comments can be made by going to MnDOT’s rule making web page and clicking on the “comment on rules” section. MnDOT’s Office of Transit and Active Transportation administers the public participation program for transit in Greater Minnesota, which establishes the procedures and standards for review and approval of applications for financial assistance. MnDOT has not yet drafted rule amendments but is interested in hearing from stakeholders about updates that should be considered. Rule amendments would affect current public and private transit providers, and eligible recipients applying for financial assistance for public transit in Greater Minnesota. This includes public transit authorities and commissioners, and counties and home rule charter cities that fund or operate public transit. There is no deadline for the public comment period. There will be a 30-day comment period after MnDOT hears from stakeholders and proposes rule changes.
--Little Falls Knights of Columbus 1804 Youth Free Throw Competition starts this Sunday at 1pm at Mary of Lourdes Middle School Gym. Registration is at 12:30pm. Questions call Kurt at 632-5149.
--Governor Mark Dayton Tuesday unveiled his request for public works construction projects this year. He wants the state to fund $1.5 billion of public works projects across Minnesota and asked legislators to approve $858 million more for local projects. More than a third of the $1.5 billion would be designated for state run colleges and universities, mostly making repairs and improvement on existing buildings. The rest would go to improve other state buildings, construct affordable housing, upgrade clean water facilities and construct other projects in all parts of Minnesota. For the most part, especially for colleges and universities, the list emphasized repair work on existing buildings. However, both the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State systems also would get major renovation and construction money from the Dayton plan. While Republicans did not immediately react to the Dayton plan, they generally have called for substantially lower bonding bills. That is especially true in light of a $1 billion public works plan that passed last year.
--For the fifth consecutive year, city and county entities within Morrison, Cass, Crow Wing, Todd, and Wadena counties (Region 5) have the opportunity to partner with National Joint Powers Alliance and make special projects and initiatives come to life. The application process for NJPA's 2018 City and County Innovation Funding program is open now through May 9th. Since 2014, Region 5 cities and counties have used over $1.6 million in Innovation Funding to positively impact central Minnesota with 21 projects. Some of the most recognizable past recipients of Innovation Funding include Sprout Growers and Makers Marketplace in Little Falls coordinated through Morrison County and Community Development, and Portable Speed Awareness Signage initiated by the city of Pierz. NJPA anticipates it will award $500,000 worth of projects; the amount is pending budget approval by the organization's Board of Directors.
--The Cambridge man accused of stabbing his sister multiple times has been charged for her murder. 37-year old David Michael Otey made his first appearance Tuesday in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd, where he was charged with felony second degree intentional murder without premeditation in the stabbing death of Danyele Johnson on Saturday.
DEATH NOTICES --Irene Langner, age 95 of Holdingford --Roger Harry Chuba, age 84 of Upsala --James R. Frederickson, age 86 of Little Falls
WEATHER TODAY= sunny and warmer, high 30. TONIGHT= increasing clouds, not as cold, low 19. THURSDAY= partly sunny and mild, high 36, low 23. FRIDAY= mostly cloudy, very mild, high 41, low 26.
SPORTS TWINS= Twins Hot Stove is tonight 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.
TODAY IN HISTORY IN 1871= Cable cars first introduced in the United States. IN 1916= The Professional Golfer's Association formed (PGA) IN 1955= first nuclear submarine Nautilus given first test run. IN 1988= Washington beat Vikings 17-10 in NFC Championship.