NEWS
--Due to a malfunction in the air handler motor at CHI St. Gabriel's Health in Little Falls in the emergency and radiology departments, they will be diverted today until at least 5pm. The hospital announced that if you have a medical emergency don't hesitate to call 911. The hospital will still triage all patients who come to the facility and provide care for those who need it, but may end up diverting you to another part of the facility or another facility depending on the urgency of the matter due to work being done in those parts of the facility on the air handler today. Again this only effects the radiation and emergency departments and hopes to be completed by 5pm today. Thank you for you understanding from the hospital.
--Due to an electrical issue, the Little Falls Carnegie Library is closed today, it was also closed yesterday, the hope to have the issue resolved by Thursday. Library is closed today.
--Julia Mueller, Executive Director of Linden Hill spoke on KLTF yesterday about the questions surrounding what is going on there. Recently work is being done on the south end near the river, the road to the riverbed area was removed and moved out for erosion work along the river. So walkers that take that sound end area will notice that this being worked on and raised and then the road that was moved will be paved still this spring or early summer. The other question is garden work and clean up has been going on and many have noticed vehicles and others working around the facility to get ready for the wedding that start this weekend at the conference and retreat center and for the summer tours that will begin at the end of the month. Julia mentioned that they are also working on garden areas and the large oak trees for future use also at the center. If you have questions on Linden-Hill reach out to Julia at 320-616-5580.
--The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is restricting water use from a central Minnesota creek. The DNR says authorized water use in the Little Rock Creek Area is negatively impacting the stream’s ecosystem, violating sustainability standards. A water use conflict exists due to competing demands for agricultural irrigation and natural resources. The demands exceed the available water supply.
Officials say this necessitates establishing a sustainable diversion limit to protect the stream’s ecosystem. The limit will be set at 15% of the August median base flow, which is roughly 1.6 cubic feet per second when averaged across the three stations. Consideration of new irrigation permits and increases in authorized volumes for third-priority water use within the zone will be withheld until a water allocation plan is approved. The 21.7 mile segment of Little Rock Creek and its 4.7 mile tributary, Bunker Hill Creek, are designated trout streams and Special Management Waters. They contain more than two dozen fish species. The DNR stocks them with brook trout and, when available, brown trout. The DNR and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency periodically conduct trout population assessments, fish community assessments, and stream temperature monitoring. Two years ago, a dam on Little Rock Creek was deemed obsolete and removed. One reason for its removal was that the water in the creek was too warm to sustain fish and other aquatic life.
--The Little Falls Community High School spring play is “The Wizard of Oz” performed Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm at the Charles D. Martin Auditorium. Tickets are being sold online through the activities office at the high school. Call 320-616-2200 for info.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism May Employee of the Month is Michelle Gottwalt. Gottwalt stated that "Working at St. Otto's has been a great experience. I feel blessed to work in long-term care and truly appreciate this generation. It takes a team effort, and you will see this at St. Otto's. We all work together to help each resident, as this is their home. I'm all about having a positive attitude and always striving to brighten someone's day." Her supervisor stated “She genuinely cares about her residents. She understands what the residents are going through, being in a new environment and often having to rely on others to do basic tasks they used to be able to do for themselves. She takes the time to build trusting relationships with the residents. She has been a part of the St. Otto’s team for almost 6 years. The team at St. Otto’s Care Center loves working with her. She makes every shift a good shift. Congratulations to Michelle Gottwalt as employee of the month.
--A 57-year-old Red Lake man was rescued Monday, April 29, after walking away from Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd and becoming trapped along the steep bank of the Mississippi River nearby. Police Chief John Davis said the Brainerd Police Department responded at 4:07pm to Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center after receiving a call of a suicidal person who left the facility. The man was observed walking down a steep embankment behind the hospital. Officers from the Brainerd and Baxter police departments, deputies from the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office and members of the Crow Wing County Drone Team responded and began searching for the man. Davis said after about 27 minutes officers located the semi-responsive man along the riverbank. Davis said the Brainerd Fire Department was called to help rescue the man. The terrain made it difficult to retrieve him from the riverbank, and it took responders about 20 to 25 minutes to retrieve him, he was then returned to the hospital with unknown injuries.
--The Greater Minnesota 2 Cylinder Club Field Days and Swap Meet is Friday and Saturday at the Morrison County Fairgrounds. Gates open at 7:30am each day, there will be tractor displays, gas engines, working demonstrations, silent auction, school house to be open, concessions, drive your first tractor, kids activities, tractor pull on Friday night, antique and garden tractor pulls are on Saturday. Inside vendors, outside vendors, food and much more this weekend to check and see at the 2 Cylinder Club Field Days and Swap Meet.
DEATH NOTICES
--Richard Sufka, age 82 of Little Falls formerly of Royalton.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly cloudy skies, high 66, cloudy night, low 46.
THURSDAY= rain likely, windy and cooler, high 53, low near 48.
FRIDAY= AM showers, then sunny, high 63, rain late, low 45.
SPORTS
TWINS= Jhoan Duran returns and gets the Twins a save as they beat the White Sox 6-5 last night to win their 9th in a row. The Twins try for their 3rd sweep in a row today, as they wrap up with Chicago, pregame begins at 12:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
DERBY= The Kentucky Derby gets raced this Saturday at Churchill Downs to begin Horse Racing's Triple Crown for 2024.