NEWS --53-year-old Danny Heinrich Tuesday afternoon admitted in court to kidnapping, sexaully assaulting and murdering 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling of St. Joseph in October, 1989. In his own words, Heinrich says he saw the three boys on their bikes at the Tom Thumb store, parked his car, and waited for them. Heinrich confronted the boys, asked for their names and ages. Heinrich says he told Trevor Wetterling and Aaron Larson to run and not look back. He then grabbed Jacob, handcuffed him, put him in his car and took him. Heinrich then took Jacob to a gravel pit near Paynesville where he sexually assaulted the boy told him to turn around and then shot him in the back of the head. After shooting Jacob, Heinrich found a bobcat at a nearby construction site and used it to bury Jacob. Heinrich returned to the grave site a year later, he found Jacob’s red jacket exposed, dug up the remains and reburied them. A plea deal struck between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Danny Heinrich in the Wetterling case calls for no charges in the death of Jacob Wetterling. He is currently facing a 20-year prison sentence for pleading guilty to child pornography charges. Sentencing will be set for November 21st. Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner says technology advancements and DNA processing were instrumental in solving the Wetterling case. Stearns County Attorney, Janelle Kendall says they needed to find Wetterling to move forward in the case. Patty Wetterling spoke at the news conference saying thank you to all involved in helping find Jaco, “our hearts are hurting” and “for us Jacob was alive until we found him.” Patty says she and the Wetterling family can’t talk right now, it’s too painful. Last year, authorities named Heinrich as a person of interest in the abduction of Jacob Wetterling after being arrested for child pornography charges. Last week Wednesday, Heinrich led authorities to Jacob’s remains for the plea agreement.
--Little Falls Schools Superintendant Stephen Jones gave a construction update on school projects. Employees of Fisher Track are finalizing the last bit of dirt this week on the track and some additional seeding work. The track will be available for full usage by students this year and there will be a grand reopening this Saturday with ribbon cutting ceremony at 9:00am. Work continues on the Early Childhood Center on west side of Lincoln Elementary. The goal is to open bids on October 6th. An additional bid package is commencing with the Early Childhood Center and the Middle School roof package as bids were opened Tuesday from the school board. Planning is underway for the Belle Prairie Complex creating a baseball field and soccer fields. That is scheduled to start in the spring. The High School Science Department is continuing to refine the concept and design for reconstruction of the science rooms at the high school to make them more student-friendly. The school also is interested in working to bring more fresh air into Lindbergh Elementary with a dehumidification process to help with these needs. Updates will continue to come from Stephen Jones in the weeks ahead which can be viewed at the Little Falls Community School's website.
--A 34-year-old Columbia Heights man drowned Sunday night at Quarry Park and Nature Preserve in Waite Park. Stearns County said around 6:15pm they got a call of a missing swimmer. The swimmer identified as Juan Alberto Morales-Rosas was found about two hours later face down in the quarry. He was pronounced dead. The incident appears to be accidential and foul play is not suspected in the case.
–The 44th Annual Little Falls Arts and Crafts Fair is this weekend in Little Falls 8-6 Saturday and 9-4 Sunday with over 600 vendors, including 115+ new vendors, mancave area by the depot and more. It is also the West Little Falls Antiques and Collectables Fair Saturday and Sunday and the Lone Eagle Auto Club's Auto Show and Swap Meet is Sunday from 7am to 4pm at the Fairgrounds. Details on all of these events can be found at fallsradio.com on community calendar.
--A 49-year-old woman died Monday after the van she was driving left the roadway striking several trees on Cass County Road 8 in Gould Township, south of Federal Dam. The Cass County Sheriff's Office responded to the fatality at 4:48pm Monday. The sheriff's office reported the driver of the van, Tracy Gale of Federal Dam, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Four juveniles in the van were transported to the Bemidji Hospital and one juvenile female was transported to the Deer River Hospital and to a Duluth Hospital for serious injuries. The crash remains under investigation.
--St. Cloud police arrested a 33-year-old man early Saturday in connection with robbing a convienence store on the city's north side on August 31st. Ricky Hughes Jr. was arrested and is awaiting charges in Stearns County. Hughes is accused of robbing a gas station and struggling with an employee with a knife causing the employee to suffer minor injuries. The suspect then fled with an amount of cash.
--Little Falls comedian Jason Schommer is making a move to Hollywood. Schommer will be working on the FX Network comedy Baskets this fall which stars Zach Galifianakis and Louie Anderson, who Schommer has worked with for many years. Schommer will perform one final farewell show tonight at 7pm at Great River Arts in Little Falls aptly titled Hollywood or Bust. Tickets can be purchased online at greatart.org, at the door or by calling GRA at 632-0960.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT --Thomas Kottschade and Nicole Bue of Little Falls, a boy Sept 1st.
DEATH NOTICES --Ian M. Tougas, age 77 of Fort Ripley.
WEATHER TODAY= showers and storms develop in afternoon, high 71. TONIGHT= storms with damaging winds and rain, low 55. THURSDAY= partly sunny, breezy, high 72, storms late night, low 50 FRIDAY= storms likely, some strong during day, high 72.
SPORTS TWINS= Royals score 7 in the 9th to rout Twins 10-3 last night. The Twins host KC again tonight 6:30pm on Q92, off Thursday. COL FB= Gophers host Indiana State Saturday 10am AM960 KLTF CC= Join Al Windsperger this Saturday at 9am for Coaches Corner live at the Little Falls School Track during their ribbon cutting ceremony and grand reopening of the track for Little Falls Schools. Coaches Corner is 9am Saturdays on AM960 KLTF.
TODAY IN HISTORY IN 1813= “Uncle Sam” first used to refer to U.S. by Troy Post of NY IN 1936= The Boulder Dam begins operations, later Hoover Dam. IN 1963= American Bandstand leaves Philadelphia and becomes only a Saturday show with Dick Clark in Los Angeles.