NEWS
--The Little Falls American Legion Post 46 and VFW Post 1112 are reminding those who wish to attend the ceremony at Oakland Cemetery on Monday at 10:30am that you will have to come from the east end of Little Falls over to the cemetery due to road construction. Because of 4th Street Southeast being closed at this time the only way to reach Oakland Cemetery is to travel on Highway 27 east to County Road 256 (Hawthorne Road) and go south to 138th Street then turn right and head to Oakland Cemetery for the program on Monday at 10:30am. The Legion and VFW will also have their service at the Camp Ripley Chapel at 8:30am Monday with busing to the chapel that morning from the VFW, American Legion, St. Mary's and Our Lady of Lourdes Churches. A rosary will be prayed at 8am.
–A high school senior from Royalton was one of 10 winners of the Helena Agri-Enterprises Homegrown Scholarship program in the northern district. Marizza Lenz will receive $1,000. Her application was weighed against those of students in 14 states. Helena Senior Business Development Manager Kurt Sieren says Lenz’s biography made her a natural choice for the panel to select. The scholarship program has been around for five years. Applicants must write a 300-word essay on how they impact their community positively and a 500-word essay on their passion for agriculture and how they intend to contribute to it in the future. Lenz will use the scholarship to attend Ridgewater College in Willmar to be a veterinary technician.
--Three members of the Saint Cloud Fire Department were honored at Monday’s city council meeting for their part in a rescue that happened last September. A fire broke out at an apartment complex in the 600 block of 11th Street South with people inside. Chief Matt Love says firefighters were able to get into a unit and locate a woman who was passed out, shrouded from view by heavy smoke.
The woman was passed to others after she was taken outside. They treated her on the street until an ambulance could reach the scene. The quick actions probably saved her life. Exposure to smoke and superheated gases is often deadly. The St. Cloud department handles similar calls thousands of times each year. Love says over 75 firefighters in the department are trained to provide medical aid.
--The 40-year-old runway system at St. Cloud Regional Airport will be replaced thanks to some state bonding money. Monday night the Minnesota State Legislature included $3.9 million for the airport in the bonding bill. Airport Director Bill Towle says the Precision Instrument Landing System (ILS) and the Approach Lighting System need to be replaced and relocated. Those systems are especially important during inclement weather and low visibility. The total cost for the project is about $6 million with another $1.1 million coming from the Federal Aviation Administration & $1 million from MnDOT Aeronautic.
--A farm accident left a man pinned in a skid-steer loader Sunday. Isanti County Sheriff’s Deputies were sent to an address in the 36100 block of Wyanett Township, Northeast of Princeton, just after 4:00 Sunday afternoon. When they arrived they found a 37-year-old man pinned between a skid-steer loader and a tractor. Authorities say the man was trying to pull start the tractor with the skid-steer. The tractor started, and rolled onto the skid-steer, pinning the man inside. Authorities and neighboring farmers were able to use another tractor to lift the tractor and free the man, who was sent to Princeton Hospital, treated, and released.
--Check out the latest on the Little Falls Radio Facebook Page.
--St. Cloud police are investigating a potential shooting incident in a south St. Cloud neighborhood Tuesday afternoon. Police reported around 3pm that a suspect is in custody and there are not believed to be any injuries. The case remains under investigation and police say there is no further threat to the community.
--The Minnesota Legislature adjourned the legislative session a few hours before midnight Monday night on a $72 billion state budget. The big tax bill of the session, which cleared its final test Sunday evening, included $3 billion in tax cuts, including modest one-time rebates from the state’s $17.5 billion budget surplus. But lawmakers also approved tax increases to provide ongoing funding for long-term initiatives like transportation improvements and a new paid family and medical leave program. Top Democratic legislative leaders agreed Monday said they met all the major goals they laid out at the start of the session in January after taking control of both the House and Senate for the first time in eight years. But the Republican minority, which was largely sidelined on most contentious issues this session, was upset that Democrats spent most of the surplus instead of returning it to taxpayers. And they decried Democrats for raising taxes by $2.2 billion over the next two years via the tax bill alone. Social Security benefits will be fully tax exempt for Minnesotans making $100,000 or less and partly exempt for those whole earn up to $140,000. But the bill also includes tax increases on companies with global income and some reduced deductions for wealthy individuals. Republicans said the various tax increases across the budget canceled out any relief. The transportation bill approved in both chambers Sunday contains new funding for public transit, roads and bridges. They settled over the weekend for $300 million to help nursing homes that are struggling with staff shortages and cost pressures stay open. Lawmakers over the weekend also gave final approval to legalizing recreational marijuana. It will be legal to possess and grow your own cannabis, within limits, starting August 1st. Democrats made abortion rights one of their top priorities of the session. They moved quickly to enshrine the right to abortion and other reproductive health care into Minnesota statutes in January, and followed up with legislation to protect patients from restrictive states who come to Minnesota for abortions. A full list of the actions done by the Minnesota Legislature and the new laws that will go into effect are available to view at the State of Minnesota website.
--In a related note there will be a post legislative update at Little Falls City Hall on June 20th from 8:30-10am put on by Little Falls Chamber of Commerce.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny, possible sprinkles, high 66.
TONIGHT= partly cloudy skies, cooler night, low near 40.
THURSDAY= sunny and breezy, high 72, low around 50.
FRIDAY= sunny and warmer, high near 80, low around 55.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins blow a 3-0 lead to lose 4-3 to the Giants last night. The Twins wrap up series with the San Francisco Giants today with pregame at 11:30am on Q92 WYRQ.
HS SB= Pierz wins 5-0 over Eden Valley, now have St. Cloud Cathedral Thursday at 5pm in Waite Park on AM960 KLTF. Little Falls beat Detroit Lakes yesterday 15-0 and will face Sauk Rapids-Rice Thursday at 4pm live on Q92 WYRQ. Streamed at fallsradio.com. Upsala and Swanville both won Tuesday to advance on in playoffs.