NEWS
--Little Falls Police Department facilities are about to become safer and more secure. The City Council has approved a request from interim Police Chief Kyle Johnson for updates to the video surveillance cameras at the police annex building. New card readers, allowing access to police department facilities by the use of a card FOB instead of a keypad, will be installed at the police station and the police annex building. The upgrades come at a total cost $22,689.
--Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is planning a series of prescribed burns to be conducted during the spring season to help maintain the natural habitats for wildlife and reduce the chance of wildfires outside the refuge. The refuge averages around 200 acres of prescribed burning each year. Prescribed burns, fires that are carefully planned, are beneficial to native prairie and oak savanna plant communities at the refuge. The burns are conducted under a special set of guidelines for weather and safety called a "prescription." These prescriptions are planned to accomplish specific objectives for vegetation and wildlife management. Before a burn begins, temperature, relative humidity, fuel conditions, wind speed and wind direction are measured. Refuge staff takes into account smoke drift, nearby buildings, livestock and other safety factors when deciding whether to burn. Prescribed burns at Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge are planned to be conducted in April and May, when weather and safety conditions are right to have them.
--A woman is jailed after allegedly forcing a worker to perform sex acts. The Willmar Police Department says at about 1:30pm on Saturday they were called to a business in the 2400 block of First Street South on a report of a woman screaming. Officers arrived and found a female employee who said she had been punched by the female owner of the business. The victim was transported to the hospital by ambulance with minor injuries. While conducting the investigation, Willmar Police Officers received information that the victim had just recently come to Minnesota from out of state and was living inside the business along with the owner. The victim stated that she had come to Willmar on the prospect of a new job and that the owner had secluded her inside the business, was not allowing her to leave, was controlling basic care items such as allowing her to eat & bathe and that she was instructed to perform sex acts on customers when requested. When she refused on Saturday, the victim said she was assaulted by the owner. Based on the incident information, officers obtained a search warrant and conducted a search of the business. The search found what appeared to be living quarters inside a business not designated for housing. The owner of the business, a 55-year-old woman from Willmar, was arrested.
--The Benton County Sheriff's Office is alerting residents to a phone scam where the caller imitates a sheriff's deputy. Authorities say they began getting calls from people who were contacted by someone claiming to be a Sergeant Brown from the Benton County Sheriff's Office. The caller said they had civil process papers that needed to be served. Sheriff Troy Heck says the victims quickly realized it was a scam and hung up before ever giving out any financial information. Authorities remind you that they will never ask you for bank information. You're asked to immediately hang up and notify the sheriff's office if someone unexpected contacts you. Never give out your personal information over the phone unless you initiate the call.
--Another grass fire Monday that Little Falls Firefighters responded too at 1:15pm along with the DNR battled a grass fire along Lawson Rd in Fort Ripley Township. The fire burned approximately 1 acre. Again dry conditions in the area means any spark from a lit cigarette, ATV backfire or any items that could spark could easily ignite a fire.
--It was announced Friday that Heidi Hahn will resign as superintendent of Brainerd Public Schools at the end of the school year. “It is with a mix of emotions that I tender my resignation from my position as Superintendent at Brainerd Public Schools effective the end of the 23/24 school year,” she wrote in her letter. “After 28 years of dedicated service to our students, our families, our staff and our community, this decision has not been made lightly but with careful consideration of my personal and professional journey.” School Board Chair Kevin Boyles said the news was unexpected, but he is supportive of her choice. The board announced it Monday night at their school board meeting and started the process to finding the next school's superintendent for the Brainerd School District.
--A Cold Spring man accused of sexually assaulting a girl when she was as young as 10-years-old has pleaded guilty. Forty-two-year-old Hector Medina Acosta has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of 2nd-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim under 13-years-old. Court records show Medina Acosta assaulted the girl between 2013 and 2015 when they lived together. The girl said Medina Acosta touched her inappropriately several times during that time. Investigators spoke with Medina Acosta who allegedly admitted to groping the girl and that he moved out because of issues with his wife and to remove himself from the victim so nothing further would happen. Medina Acosta will be sentenced on June 17th.
--The Empty Bowls Fundraiser for Oasis Central Minnesota is this Sunday from noon-2pm at First Lutheran Church in Little Falls. Students from Little Falls Community High School help in creating hand crafted bowls which you can take home after the meal on Sunday. Soup, homemade bread and treats from many groups and organization. Tickets at the event are $15 for adults and all proceeds go to Oasis Central Minnesota in their helping the homeless in area.
LOCAL TOWNSHIP ELECTION RESULTS WILL BE ON THURSDAY'S NEWSLETTER.
DEATH NOTICES
--Randy David Englehart, age 69 of Cushing.
WEATHER
TODAY= cloudy skies, high near 60, cloudy night, low 35.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, breezy, high 47, cooler night, low 32.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, high 43, rain/snow late night, low 30.
SPORTS
HS BBB= Upsala takes on East Central tonight in playoff action from Hinckley Finlayson High School, tip off at 7pm on Q92 WYRQ. The winner plays Friday in the section championship against either Nevis or Browerville from St. Cloud State University.
VIKINGS= Kirk Cousins is no longer a Minnesota Viking, it was announced Tuesday that Cousins has accepted a 4 year 180-million dollar contract to play quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. The Vikings did sign backup quarterback for San Francisco last season Sam Darnold for a one year deal with the Vikings. Vikings also have announced the signing of Green Bay running back Aaron Jones.