NEWS --On July 25th last year the Morrison County Commissioners passed on a 3-2 vote the Greater MN Transportation Sales and Use Tax. Back in 2013 the Minnesota legislature enacted a statute that allows a county to pass up to a half percent sales tax to raise funds specifically for transportation. Counties are required to use a 5 year plan and only those projects may be funded with this type of tax. This ½ percent tax affects most retail sales. The main exception is the purchase of motor vehicles registered for road use. The tax went into effect Monday. The estimated revenue is one million dollars a year. It is estimated around 19% would come from non county residents. The county was facing a $9.6 million dollar shortfall in their five year transportation plan before this tax was enacted.
--Pillager firefighters were able to aid two people who got stranded Sunday morning around 3:00am in the Pillsbury State Forest, north of Pillager. The two had gotten lost after they ran out of gas. Authorities were called from family members who said that the two were able to call. They stated they were lost but did not know where exactly. The Cass County Sheriff's Office was able to pinpoint their location by GPS from their cell phone and locate them within 30 minutes. The two were not injured but very thankful as temperatures had already dropped to 23 below zero by 3:00am that morning.
--Firefighters were called to a house fire around 3:00pm Friday in Breezy Point. Fire Departments from Pequot Lakes, Ideal and Crosslake responded to the home. Only a cat was in the home at the time and saved. The house sustained significant damage but was still intact. The cause was not determined by authorities.
--The Stearns County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to a house fire at 340 1st Street in Roscoe New Years Day at 10:00am. Paynesville Fire and Rescue, St. Martin Fire and Rescue, Paynesville EMS, and Chain of Lakes Fire and Rescue responded to find the home engulfed in flames. Juevnal Martinez was inside the home when the fire started and made it out safe. No injuries were reported. The fire marshall was called to investigate the cause which is still under investigation. The house was deemed a total loss.
--A fire in a bathroom of a St. Cloud duplex displaced three residents and caused an estimated $30,000 in damage. Firefighters around 9:15pm Sunday responded to 1312 5th Avenue South. No one was injured. The cause is being investigated.
--Emma remains the top name for girls born in 2017 according to National birth records. It is also the #1 girls name in 2017 in Minnesota. Rounding out the top 5 were Olivia, Sophia, Ava and Isabella. Some new names to the list include Gemma, Maci and Rowen. Noah replaced Mason as the top boys name nationally in 2017, followed by Liam, Mason, Jacob and William. Mason remained the top boys name in Minnesota in 2017 followed by Landon, Wyatt, Henry, Liam and Grayson. Oliver and Sawyer added to the top 10. Emma has been the top girls name the past three years, and has been the top girls name seven times since 2004.
--Faith Lutheran Church is hosting a “Goat Fund Me” fundraiser event this Friday at 6:00pm at the church on the southeast end of Little Falls to benefit a mission in Jamaica. More details on the event will be discussed today on Community Events at 8:45am on KLTF. Details on that event along with many others in the weeks ahead, are at the community calendar site at fallsradio.com.
--A St. Cloud man was sentenced Thursday to over three and a half years in prison for attacking another man with a baseball bat. 29-year old Michael Adrian pleaded guilty to 2nd Degree Assault with a Dangerous Weapon back in October. Adrian struck a victim numerous times in the leg with the bat and it was all caught on video camera.
--A Big Lake teen's New Years Day death has been ruled a homicide, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office. 18-year old Ahkeem Deontravaye Robinson of Big Lake, died at 2:54am Monday of a stab wound to the left shoulder. The manner of death has been ruled a homicide. The press release states the date, time, and location in which the injury was sustained as "unknown."
--One resident sustained minor injuries in a Tuesday house fire at 908 Seventh Avenue North in St. Cloud. Fire was coming from a second-floor bedroom window when units arrived about 4:30pm and crews put out the fire quickly. Officials said an unattended candle caused the fire. Damage is estimated to be $90,000.
--A St. Cloud man was injured in a single vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon. At 12:38pm the Stearns County Sheriff's Office responded to a motor vehicle accident with injuries about a quarter mile south of 330th Street on Stearns County Road 10 in Albany Township, a few miles southwest of Albany. 23-year old Brett Adam Rickert-Shepard of St. Cloud was traveling north on County Road 10. While rounding a curve his vehicle slid on the slippery road and went into the ditch. The vehicle hit a culvert, causing it to roll. It also sheared off a utility pole. The vehicle came to rest on its hood, but Rickert-Shepard was able to escape and was walking around when the deputies arrived. Rickert-Shepard was transported to St. Cloud Hospital with non life threatening injuries.
--Morrison County Sheriff's Deputies reported a theft on Great River Road on December 27th near Bowlus. The owner said his barn door was open and two saddles worth $3,300 were missing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 632-9233.
--There is a blood drive today, Thursday and Friday at the St. Francis Convent in Little Falls. Call for appointments at 632-0663. Today is quite full according to Sister Julien but walk ins are always welcome.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS --Kennard and Laura Fellbaum of Little Falls, boy on December 30th --Joe and Zhen Tuong of Little Falls, boy on December 29th
DEATH NOTICES --James Henry Gau, age 87 of Brainerd
WEATHER WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11AM TODAY TODAY= sunny skies, highs just above zero, wind chills at -20. TONIGHT= clear and cold, low -18, wind chills near -30. THURSDAY= sunny and cold, high 4 above, low -16 FRIDAY= partly sunny and cold, high 3 above, low -13.
SPORTS COL BB= Gophers vs. Illinois tonight 7:30pm on AM960 KLTF HS GBB= Little Falls at Foley Thursday at 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ HS GHK= Grand Rapids at Brainerd/Little Falls 4pm Friday on Q92 HS WRE= Pierz and others at Little Falls quad, 5pm Friday on FM94 HS BBB= Little Falls at Alexandria Friday 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ.