NEWS
--The Belgrade/Brooten police department has released more information about a body that was found in an alley. The man who died has been identified as 58-year-old Brian William Brockopp of Brooten. The preliminary autopsy results did not disclose anything of a suspicious nature. Brockopp's body was discovered around 1:20pm on Thursday in an alley east of Western Avenue South in Brooten. Again foul play was not suspected.
--The Alexandria Police Department has released the name of the victim in a homicide investigation. They say 58-year-old Desiree Frederick of Alexandria was stabbed to death. On Friday at about 10:30pm police were called to the 1600 block of 6th Avenue East. They found Frederick's body unresponsive inside a home. The police department says they do not believe there is any risk to the public, however, no arrests have been made. The Minnesota B-C-A is assisting authorities in Douglas County.
--An Isanti man charged with having sexual intercourse with a girl younger than 14-years-old has pleaded guilty. Forty-two-year-old Tim Henke has pleaded guilty to one count of 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct. Two other identical counts will be dismissed at sentencing. According to the criminal complaint, St. Cloud Police met with the girl last December after she reported meeting a man she believed to be 30-years-old. The girl indicated the two connected on a dating app and continued to communicate on the Snapchat app. Court records show Henke came to the St. Cloud area on three separate occasions and picked up the girl in various business parking lots. The girl told investigators that all three meetings led to sex acts. In an interview with authorities, Henke admitted he knew the girl through the apps, but thought she was 19-years-old and denied meeting her in person. However, according to the charges, police used a search warrant to look into Henke's Snapchat account and the GPS function showed Henke at the locations and during the times when the girl said the two had met. According to the charges, after the second meeting, the girl admitted her real age and Henke said he wanted to continue the relationship. Henke will be sentenced on March 4th. Prosecutors will be asking for a sentence of more than 14 years in prison.
--St. Cloud State University’s 24th president is stepping away at the end of the academic year. Dr. Robbyn Wacker’s last day is June 30th, which marks the end of her current contract. Wacker came to St. Cloud in 2018 after 20 years at the University of Northern Colorado and was the first woman to lead SCSU when she started in 2018. SCSU says it is turning the corner when it comes to incoming students this past year. Its freshman enrollment was up by 16.5% this fall, the first increase since 2015. The campus also has 18.1% more students living there, and the number of students leaving with degrees is up by 11.9%. Wacker was heavily involved in Unleash the Future, SCSU’s first fundraising campaign in 20 years. The university eclipsed its goal of $35 million by raising around $39.8 million. SCSU will begin to search in the spring for an interim president to serve out the remaining two years of Wacker's term. to serve a two-year term.
--Today, The Bank Square Plaza in Bank Square in Little Falls is now opening up Wednesday mornings 9am-1pm for people to visit and gather. People can bring snacks, beverages, games and just have a place to chat. That way people can get out and do something fun with friends while enjoying the holiday décor and some music. This is a free event just to get people out and enjoy some time together.
--There will be a Holidate event tonight at the Pierz Healy High School to help students go to Costa Rica next June. Students will baby sit and play games with the younger kids as the parents shop the town as many businesses are staying open late in the Pierz community until 8pm tonight. That is tonight from 5-8:30pm at the high school in Pierz, $25 a kid to help with their fundraiser. Questions contact Sabrina Becker at the High School today.
--A St. Cloud man has been sentenced on a felony drug charge after a traffic stop caught him with 254 grams of methamphetamine. Forty-seven-year-old Gregory Britton was sentenced to five years and seven months in prison. He gets credit for having served 499 days in the county jail. Britton pleaded guilty last month to one count of 1st-degree sale of 17 grams or more of cocaine or meth within a 90-day period. The traffic stop also turned up plastic baggies, a scale, and more than $1600 in cash. According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement tried to make a traffic stop near Clearwater in July 2022. The driver was speeding, crossing over both the fog line and the center line of County Road 75. The officer tried to make a traffic stop, but the driver continued on, at one point, driving through a stop sign. Court records show Britton then stopped the car, exited, and yelled that he was going to jail. Authorities say Britton smelled like marijuana and a search of the vehicle turned up the drugs and paraphernalia inside a lunchbox.
--Congratulations to Mike Wagner the latest Ho Ho Dough $100 winner in bucks to be spent back at the sponsors. The next drawing is Tuesday December 5th register at the sponsors today. Full details of the winner and qualifiers and sponsors are at fallsradio.com.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Jesse Roach and Jillian Cox of Little Falls, a boy born Nov 26th.
DEATH NOTICES
--Daryl D. Breden, age 53 of Long Prairie.
WEATHER
TODAY= mainly sunny, mild, high 41.
TONIGHT= clear skies, low around 24.
THURSDAY= partly cloudy, breezy, high 35, low near 14.
FRIDAY= sunny and cooler, high near 30, low near 20.
SPORTS
WILD= The Wild Monday fired coach Dean Evason after losing 14 of this first 19 games. Wild introduced John Hynes of as new coach.
NFL= The Vikings (6-6) are off until December 10th when they visit the Raiders. Justin Jefferson will be back, question now on the QB.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1825= Italian Opera “Barber of Seville” debuts in the USA.
IN 1877= Thomas Edison demonstrated his hand-cranked phonograph using the nursery rhyme “Mary had a little lamb” on it.
IN 1948= the children's show Kukla Fran and Ollie debut on TV.
IN 1963= The Beatles release “I Want to Hold Your Hand” the song is the first to be released in the United States, starting Beatlemania.
IN 1981= actress Natalie Wood drowns at Catalina Island at age 43.
IN 2001= Beatles member George Harrison died age age 58.