NEWS
--The 26th annual Morrison County Sheriff's Office Sandbox Fill will be held on Thursday, May 16th. Anyone living within a three mile radius of Bank Square in downtown Little Falls may have a sandbox filled. There will be a limit of three wheelbarrows per household and this is for sandboxes only. All that is required is a donation to the food shelf. Donations can be given at the time of the sandbox fill or left by the sandbox if you are not home. To place your name on the list, call (320) 631-2880. The deadline to have your name put on a list is May 14th. If there is no answer please leave your name, address, phone number and where the sandbox is located on the answering machine.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce May Employee of the Month is Sherri Senn-Post. Senn-Post has worked for the New 2 You Thrift Store in Little Falls for four years. As the Assistant Manager of the store now, she also oversees and coordinates more than 20 volunteers that help with the store that gives proceeds to the local Boys and Girls Club. Congratulations to Sherri Senn-Post the May Employee of the Month by the Little Falls Chamber of Commerce.
--A reminder from The Minnesota Department of Transportation, Morrison County Public Works and area law enforcement to please slow down in work zones around Little Falls and the surrounding area. With detours around the Highway 27 bridge over the Mississippi River, there are larger amounts of traffic using ramps onto Highway 10 from north and south of the detour areas causing delays and slower traffic in areas. Also railroad work is being done this week on the tracks in north Little Falls so expect delays as you cross the tracks. There will also be slower train traffic during the road work on Highway 27. Please drive safely and if need be slow down.
--Cleanup days are planed for this weekend including a Clean Up Day for residents in Little Falls Township this Saturday from 8-11:30am at the Little Falls Town Hall and Community Center. There is a cleanup Day scheduled for Elmdale, Swan River, Swanville and Two Rivers Townships on Saturday from 7am-11:30am at the Elmdale Township Town Hall. Also the city of Randall will have their Treasure Day on Saturday where items left on the curb are welcome to be picked up by those traveling through Randall. There will also be a DAV clothing drive for those wishing to donate clothes for the DAV starting at 4:45pm Friday at the Bingo Park in Randall.
--More places for kids has been recently proposed in different towns around the area. Lum Park is decidedly the best spot for Region Five's proposed children's museum, according to the Brainerd City Council. According to information on the Minnesota Legislature website, the goal of the Region Five Children's Museum is to bring children and families together and provide "dynamic, material-rich environments, exhibits, events and programs" to engage children in a unique learning experience. Six indoor and outdoor exhibit areas are proposed to include activities and learning experiences related to lake fishing, gardening and growing one's own food, woodland exploration, travel and other recreational themes. While Brainerd ponders this idea, the Bowlus Treasurer has raised funds in bringing new playground to the Bowlus playground behind the community center. The group raised over $13,000 in funds to help with the project. The new playground in Bowlus would feature a wide variety of equipment, from a large play set and toddler swings to a long playground zip line and spring riders. The goal is to have the playground installed by the end of May.
--Little Falls Community Schools Superintendent Stephen Jones spoke on Little Falls Radio Tuesday about the work planned this summer. The schools will be upgrading remaining door handles to latch doors instead of door knobs to bring up to ADA requirements. Little Falls Community High School will be enclosing some of the rooms to make the high school classrooms more secure. Work will be done at the Athletic Complex north of Little Falls including paving pathways to help with walkers, adding a concession stand and a changing room area. For information on the work being done this summer call Superintendent Stephen Jones at 632-2001 at the school.
--An 88-year old from Bertha is dead after a two vehicle crash Tuesday around 10:00am in Todd County. Joseph Stroderl was on Highway 210 at County Road 23 when he reportedly failed to yield and struck an SUV driven by 44-year old Kristine Brown of Eagle Bend. Brown had non-life threatening injuries and taken to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment. Stroderl was pronounced dead at the scene.
--Stearns County is using a federal grant to help them catch drivers who run red lights. The money will be used to install what's called traffic signal confirmation lights. They are small blue lights mounted on the traffic signal mast or pole. The blue light is wired into the red light circuit, so the red traffic signal and blue confirmation signal light up simultaneously. County Engineer Jodi Teich says it will help police officers catch red-light runners from a safe location. Red light running is probably one of the biggest causes of crashes at our signalized intersections in the St. Cloud area. So, in an effort to reduce those serious and sometimes fatal crashes, they are hoping for it to be more of an education campaign and have people realize there's certainly a better chance getting caught. The blue confirmation lights will be installed on several intersections along County Highway 75 between St. Joseph and Waite Park, County Highway 75 in St. Cloud, and parts of Highway 15 through central Minnesota. Because cameras are illegal in Minnesota, other communities have been using the blue lights with considerable success. The lights are expected to be installed and operational by late summer.
--A semi-truck driver from Fergus Falls was injured Tuesday morning around 6am when he left the road and rolled on Highway 71 near Sauk Centre in Stearns County. 63-year-old David Ehlers sustained injuries in the accident but was not hospitalized.
DEATH NOTICES
--Diane Evelyn (Young) Kowalczyk, age 65 of Harding.
--Lyle D. Nelson, age 96 of Randall
--Georgia Anderson, age 73 of Onamia.
WEATHER
TODAY= cloudy skies, scattered sprinkles, cool, high 47.
TONIGHT= rain likely, low around 36.
THURSDAY= early shower, then partly sunny, high 53, low 38.
FRIDAY= sunny early, high 62, thunderstorms by late afternoon.
SPORTS
TWINS= Gerrit Cole shut down Twins as Astros blast out 15 hits to win 11-0 on Tuesday night at Target Field. Twins and Astros have game 3 tonight 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HS SB= Foley at Pierz Friday at 4:30pm on FM94 KFML.
VL= Pierz Bulldogs at Pierz Brewers Sunday 1:30pm on KLTF.