NEWS
--Authorities have arrested the husband of a woman whose body was found along the side of the road. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office says Monday night at 8:30pm deputies arrested 47-year-old Tony McClelland of Fort Ripley. The death happened about two weeks ago and investigators have been working on the case since then. The body of 49-year-old Angela McClelland of Fort Ripley was found early Sunday morning on June 25th in Fort Ripley Township. Both the husband and victim lived together in their Fort Ripley home. McClelland was arrested and transported to the Crow Wing County Jail, where he was booked on 2nd-degree murder charges along with charges of Criminal Vehicular Homicide.
--A crash has caused a power outage. East Central Energy says at 1:30am Tuesday a vehicle struck equipment at its Langola substation causing 650 members to lose power in the areas of Watab, Rice, Royalton, and Langola. Crews were able to restore power to all but 126 members at 4:30am. Crews were able to replace and repair damaged equipment by late yesterday morning.
--A northern Minnesota man has pleaded guilty in a child sex child sting out of Stearns County. Thirty-three-year-old Joshua Jansen of Pelican Rapids has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of engaging in electronic communication relating to or describing sexual conduct with a child. According to the charges, an undercover officer with the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force set up the profile of a teenage girl in an online chat room last July. Court records show Jansen made contact and quickly initiated a sexual conversation. Jansen was also accused of sending explicit pictures and soliciting the girl for sex. Jansen will be sentenced on September 11th.
--A number of Minnesota cities are pushing a pause button on new cannabis businesses when the new law goes until effect August 1st.
The City of West Saint Paul Monday night passed a moratorium on new cannabis retail businesses until January of 2025. That date coincides with the current timetable for the state's new Office of Cannabis Management to begin issuing licenses to cannabis retailers. The new recreational marijuana law bars cities from outright banning cannabis businesses, but cities can stall would-be retailers until those state licenses become a reality. It's clear some would-be marijuana retailers want to set up their stores between now and January of 2025 in anticipation of gaining a state retail license. The League has posted a handy online FAQ about the new law and what cities can and can't do to add extra layers of regulations. While the state will issue the retail licenses it will be up to cities to inspect and regulate the stores. The retailers will have to register with local cities and comply with local zoning rules, which may include setbacks — minimum distances from schools. The City of Hopkins is taking a different approach with its temporary moratorium, which is on Tuesday night's city council agenda. Hopkins is starting with just a 90-day moratorium, assuming the council can adopt a set of rules across the next three months. The City of Mankato passed a one-year moratorium on new cannabis businesses May 22. City leaders also wanted a cooling off period while regulations are being clarified.
--The Minnesota State Fair has added 34 official new foods and seven new food vendors to the expansive menu already offered at the Great Minnesota Get-Together. In total, 500 foods will be available at nearly 300 different concession locations throughout the fairgrounds this year. The Minnesota State Fair is August 24th through September 4th.
--Little Falls City Administrator Jon Radermacher spoke on KLTF yesterday and said the 4th Street Project is on schedule and the 27 part of it should be completed by the August 4th deadline to reopen the 27 part of the highway, 4th Street work will continue through the summer and some other smaller projects, crack sealing and some out maintenance work being done and no new larger projects are expected later this year still. Recent reports talked about a possible roundabout on the east side of Little Falls at Highway 27 and 18th Street, Jon said this is just a planning stage to work on some the traffic in that area with U-turns, controlled Right turn and other items into and around Highway 27. Radermacher said this is very early planning and could be 2026-2027 before Mn DOT would probably look into a roundabout in that area again a ways off, this goes also with the Sales Tax wanted in the City is likely to go to a moratorium vote in the 2026 election if the legislatures signs off on a few things in the next session and the railroad realignment project is also still quite a few years away before anything is put in place for anything to be done on that in the city of Little Falls. Radermacher said that the apartment complex work continues for the 50 unit complex, with the road work on 4th Street this will help with water flow and other items to improve in the city of Little Falls. Radermacher also mentioned they held a long day of interviews this week to help with a new streets superintendent coming in and added more work to the parks department where only two people have been doing most of the work this year of getting the parks ready for a number of events and if you would like to help out with some summer work this year for parks and recreation around the city contact Jon at 320-616-5500.
--A Sauk Rapids-Rice teacher has been given a national award for her work in educating both students and other teachers in the culinary arts. Mary Levinski is the 2023 Secondary Educator of the Year. The award is given by the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education and the Idaho Potato Commission. Levinski is most well-known for her role as a coach in culinary competitions where her students have won several state and national awards. She also has taught the curriculum to other high school teachers and members of the food service industry.
--The Linden Hill Garden Tour event is today from 3-8pm with sites in Little Falls and also in Bowlus to view. If you would like tickets to the event today contact Linden Hill at 320-616-5580.
--Join Little Falls Radio today from at the Pierz Veterinary Clinic for their Customer Appreciation event which runs from 11am-3pm. There will be a fun carnival event with food, the Little Falls Radio Cash Cube, animals and a bouncy house for kids to enjoy. Also broadcasting live at the event on Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com.
WEATHER
TODAY= chance of showers today, isolated T-storms, high 76.
TONIGHT= showers, possible T-storms early, cloudy, low 54.
THURSDAY= AM showers then sunny and warmer, high 82, low 58.
FRIDAY= sunny and warmer, isolated shower, high 85, low near 56.
SPORTS
ALL STAR= Elias Dias hits a 2 run homer in the 8th inning to lift the National League to a 3-2 win over the American League in the All Star Game last night in Seattle. This is the first NL win at the All Star Game since 2012. The American League had won 9 in a row. Sonny Gray and Pablo Lopez each pitched scoreless innings in the game.