NEWS
--Little Falls Community Schools Superintendent Greg Johnson spoke on KLTF yesterday after an email sent around this weekend caused misinformation about their summer care program. Johnson said that some employees had resigned from their program and many questions came up from the email in question. Johnson said that there will be summer child care and their kids hideout program will continue as it has been done in the past. Johnson said this weekend shows how social media can spin out of control and reminds those if you have questions, concerns please contact the school, talk to the superintendent or Community Services Kayla Gruber for the information on their programs. Johnson said that Little Falls Community residents who want to register students for kindergarten can do so on Monday, February 20th at the middle school commons which will include other items like bus rides and a free meal and there will be come and see days in April where they can view the classrooms for their students coming in the fall of 2023. He thanks all the paraprofessionals during this week for the paras at the schools. Johnson said to please reach out to him at 320-632-2001 again with any questions or concerns that arise. He also posted on the school's facebook page the statement on the recent summer care concerns.
--A St. Cloud man was hurt in a crash in Wright County Monday morning. The incident happened just before 9am on Westbound I-94 in Otsego. The Minnesota State Patrol says 27-year-old Ayanle Mussie was heading west on I-94 when he crossed the center line and crashed into the rear of a semi-trailer. Mussie's vehicle then left the roadway and crash into the median barrier before heading into the ditch. Mussie was taken to North Memorial hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the semi, 53-year-old James Naaykens of Medway, Maine, was not hurt.
--A south Brainerd homeowner did not realize a fire was burning in their attic when law enforcement responded to a report of smoke from a passerby. The Brainerd Fire Department responded to the house fire at 8:24pm Sunday on the 1500 block of Norwood Street, near Harrison Elementary School. Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said a passerby noticed smoke coming from the roof area and reported the fire. The homeowner was unaware of the fire and both residents were safely evacuated. Holmes said about 30 firefighters spent two and a half hours ensuring the fire in the attic was extinguished. As the home sustained major water damage, the occupants were assisted by the Salvation Army.
--A Brainerd woman is facing a charge of domestic abuse after a child was dropped off at school with significant injuries. Making her first appearance in Crow Wing County District Court Monday, Dayna Leigh Baker, 36, faces one count of felony domestic assault by strangulation. The charge carries a maximum sentence of three years confinement or a payment of $5,000, or both. According to court documents, law enforcement officials received a complaint Friday from a worker with Crow Wing County Community Services regarding a 7-year-old student with redness and bruising on their head, face and neck, and what looked like fingerprint bruises and redness on the back of their neck. Baker has denied choking the child but did admit to slapping the child after misbehaving.
--Pierz Healy School wants to congratulate Connor Kruse who recently was one of the District 19AAA winner of the Triple A banquet recently in Albany. Conner is the son of Amy of Lowell Kruse. Kruse will move on to the regional round of the Triple A award.
--Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan rolled out the last piece of their budget proposal Tuesday, calling for the largest tax cut in state history that includes sending out surplus checks to residents and legalizing adult-use cannabis. It's the fourth and final installment of packages within the administration's larger "One Minnesota" two-year budget proposal. The previous proposals included making the state "the best in the nation for children," focusing on Minnesota's workforce and investing in public safety across the state. Governor Walz recommends sending nearly $4 billion of the state's $17.6 billion surplus directly back to residents in the form of checks. More than 2.5 million Minnesota households would get the checks. "These direct payments would be structured as an advanced income tax credit equal to $2,000 for families with income below $150,000 and $1,000 for single filers making less than $75,000," according to the news release from the governor's office. Residents could also qualify for an additional $200 for each dependent, up to three children. "For a middle-class family of four, the One Minnesota Budget could put $10,000 back in their pocket. We are delivering a transformational budget for Minnesotans, and I look forward to getting this done," is what the Governor said.
--A 62-year-old Merrifield man was injured after he crashed his snowmobile on County Road 128 in Crow Wing County. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash, reported at 7:45pm Tuesday, January 17th in Irondale Township, west of Ironton. According to the report, the man was snowmobiling with a group when he lost control and hit a tree. The man became separated from his group after the crash and called 911 to report a possible broken leg. The driver of the snowmobile, Michael Henry Rader, suffered a fractured leg and was transported to the hospital. Deerwood Fire Department stated they had to use a tracked utility vehicle with a rescue sled to get to him, as he was about a mile down a groomed snowmobile trail.
--At the January Swanville School Board meeting, the board voted to change our school calendar a bit, in reaction to the last couple snow days that have occurred. The changes are a full day of school on February 16th and a ½ day of school on February 17th. April 6th will now also be a full of school for students and staff in Swanville.
DEATH NOTICES
--Loretta Mary Wippler, age 90 of Randall.
--Helen Larson, age 88 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= light snow showers, falling temps in the afternoon, windy.
TONIGHT= mostly cloudy, low around 0, wind chills near -15.
THURSDAY= sunny early, then increasing clouds, high 16, snow likely at night 1-3 inches into Friday, turning windy, temps rise to 26.
FRIDAY= snow early, then windy and temps fall below zero by night.
SPORTS
TWINS= Another Twins Hot Stove show tonight 6pm on Q92.
HS BHK= Little Falls at Cambridge-Isanti Thursday 7:15 on Q92.
HS WRE= Pierz vs. Mora and Princeton in a triangular of wrestling Thursday with the first Pierz match at 5pm on 94ROCKS.
NFL= Dalvin Cook of the Vikings has been added to the Pro Bowl on Sunday, February 5th in Las Vegas making 6 Vikings on the starting squad and there are others on reserve. The game will be done flag football style with Eli Manning and Peyton Manning as team coaches.