NEWS
--One of two men wanted for allegedly shoplifting and then breaking a police officer's arm has been arrested. The city of Waite Park posted on their Twitter account Monday afternoon that 20-year-old Dean Derosier has been located. They are still searching for 23-year-old Derek Plante. Both men are from Little Falls. Officers were called to Menard's, at 251 10th Avenue South, Thursday just before 7:30pm to investigate a shoplifting complaint. After the two had fled the scene, one of the officers discovered Plante near the store and attempted to handcuff him. Plante resisted and the officer's left arm was broken during the struggle. Plante fled the scene. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Waite Park Police Department or Tri-County Crime Stoppers. Pictures of Plante have been posted on the Morrison County Sheriff's Facebook page.
--The Little Falls City Council met on Monday night. At the meeting Brad Hircock was appointed Council President and Jerry Knafla Council Vice President. The council approved moving forward with the CRS Enhancement Software and Services with LETG for the Little Falls Police Department. This will be required by January 1st of next year and will allow area agencies to share information with each other. The Little Falls City Council accepted the retirement of Little Falls Fire Chief Mike Nieman. Nieman will remain with the Fire Department for a couple months while a few new firefighters that were recently hired are trained in. As Nieman will be retiring the Little Falls Fire Chief and Emergency Manager position has been posted as an opening through the city. The council also accepted the retirement of firefighter Tony Lukasavitz. The Human Resources Director position description and paygrade for MaKayla Payne was approved. The Swat Team Cooperative Agreement with the Morrison County Sheriff's Office, Little Falls and Pierz Police Departments was approved by the council. Because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day later this month the Little Falls City Council will meet next on Tuesday, January 21st.
--Three people were taken to the hospital after a two-vehicle crash near Foley. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 5:15pm Monday at the intersection of Highway 23 and County Road 4 in Gilmanton Township. Troopers say a pickup driven by 35-year old Emily Shelton of Sauk Rapids was heading south on the county road when it went through a stop sign and struck another vehicle. Shelton and her two young passengers were not hurt. The driver of the second vehicle was 60-year-old Doreen Hanson of Donnelly. She, along with her two passengers two-year-old Nova Hanson and 29-year old Carissa Hanson of Appleton, were all taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
--WalletHub released its annual report on the best states to raise a family, and the home of the Vikings grabbed the top slot. The research compares America's 50 states across 50 key indicators of family friendliness, ranging from median family salaries and housing affordability to unemployment rate and child care costs. Rounding out the top 5 on the list were Massachusetts, North Dakota, Vermont and New Hampshire. The worst states to raise a family, according to WalletHub's research, were New Mexico, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia and Alabama. Wisconsin was ranked 13th best state to raise a family, while South Dakota and Iowa were 11th and 12th.
--The Upsala Upstage Players will be presenting Murder May I on January 31st through February 2nd at the Upsala High School Auditorium. Tickets will be available to purchase at the event.
--Supporters of Our Mississippi Our Future are holding a community forum on Thursday, January 16th to demonstrate deep-rooted support in Minnesota for keeping clean water clean including in the Mississippi River’s headwaters area. The community forum will be held from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Little Falls Initiative Foundation. Community forums are also being held in Brainerd, Bemidji, Duluth, Grand Rapids, Rochester, and St. Cloud. State lawmakers, local officials and community leaders are invited to join citizens in conversations about the value of clean water and how we can take action to protect our rivers, lakes and streams. Area residents who want to ensure our waters remain clean and healthy are encouraged to attend. Our Mississippi Our Future is a grassroots conservation campaign that seeks to unite Minnesotans to support the protection and restoration of the Mississippi and the state’s most significant waters.
--Two people were hurt when the pickup they were riding in rolled. The Minnesota State Patrol says the crash happened just after 10:00am Monday on Highway 71 south of Sauk Centre in Stearns County. 24-year old Gary Jones of Sacred Heart was driving south when he lost control of the pickup on the icy roads. His two passengers, 36-year old Cassandra Jones of Echo and 12-year old Samara Munsterman of Echo, were both taken to Sauk Centre Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Jones was not hurt.
--A Montrose man is charged with 2nd degree murder in the death of a man whose body was found along a gravel road in Meeker County. 37-year old Alejandro Vega Jr. is charged in the beating and strangling death of 34-year old Justin Warnke of Buffalo. Warnke's body was found in a t-shirt, shorts and socks along a dead-end road on the morning of December 29th. Investigators say the victim had blunt force trauma on his head and chest. An autopsy determined Warnke was beaten and strangled to death. Vega was arrested on New Year's Day and told investigators he was with Warnke and they were doing drugs at his apartment. Vega said he then left for a time and when he returned Warnke was bleeding and unresponsive. Vega couldn't explain why he didn't call police at that time. Authorities say that surveillance cameras show Vega bringing out a body in a blanket and placing it in a vehicle. Vega said he knew he couldn't have a dead body in his apartment so he wrapped it up in a blanket, put garbage bags over Warnke's head because of the blood, tied him to a cart and dumped the body. Vega has a bail hearing on January 21st.
--Today is the third and final day of the blood drive at the St. Francis Convent in Little Falls from 8:30am-2:30pm.
WEATHER
TODAY= increasing clouds, snow after 4pm, cold, high 7.
TONIGHT= rising temps, gusty winds overnight, snow showers.
THURSDAY= snow early, up to 1 inch total, high 28 then falling.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, colder, high 10 above, low around -13.
SPORTS
MLB= Twins Hot Stove tonight at 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.
TODAY IN ELVIS HISTORY
IN 1935= Elvis Aron Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi.
IN 1954= on his 19th birthday, truck driver Elvis Presley recorded his first songs in Memphis, Tennessee paying $4 to record them.
IN 1993= The Elvis Presley commemorative postage stamp is introduced by the U.S. Postal Service.