NEWS
--The City of Little Falls will be going back to implementing lawn watering restrictions within the City in accordance with notification we have received from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. More than 50% of the State is experiencing a severe drought and the DNR has determined that the State is now in a “Drought Warning” phase. The City will be using lawn watering restrictions on an odd/even day system effective immediately. Properties with an odd house number will be allowed to water on odd days. Properties with an even house number will be allowed to water their lawns on even days of the month. This applies to all residents and businesses using City water for lawn watering. The Minnesota Department of Health or the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources may have restrictions for other water sources (sand points, river water, etc.). If you have any questions on the City’s lawn water restrictions, please contact City Hall at 616-5500.
--Deb Boelz of the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce spoke on KLTF Tuesday morning and wanted to welcome everyone back to Little Falls for the Arts and Crafts Fair this weekend since there was not one last year. There will be the hand crafted fair on the east side of the river, in the streets, parking lots, parks and in front of businesses. On the west side of town is the Marketplace Fair for merchandise that your can buy the nationally known brands and items including some local area store vendors. Boelz said in the past weeks some vendors have cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns but still expecting 500+ this weekend also they are following guidelines for health spacing out a bit more and using hand sanitizer for those attending. Members of the State Patrol will be patrolling the stop light intersections downtown, the boys soccer team will be doing nighttime security so watch for them after hours of the event. A number of organizations will be helping to park cars downtown and around the events and they will also have parking at the fairgrounds for shuttle buses, Pierz High School schools will be helping park cars at the fairgrounds. There will be plenty of new food vendors and many local businesses will also be open for those coming into town to help with small local businesses. The onsite directory is available at area businesses or at the chamber office by Thursday and already available online at lfmnchamber.com or call Deb at 632-5155. Deb had a shout out to the public that they are in need of a non-profit or group to help make some money that 10 pound bags of ice are already made up but need those to sell to the vendors for $3 downtown and around the event this weekend. If you can help out the chamber this weekend call Deb ASAP at 632-5155.
--A federal judge has thrown out the death sentence for a man convicted in the 2003 slaying of a North Dakota college student. Judge Ralph Erickson ruled Friday that misleading testimony from a medical examiner and limitations on mental health evidence had violated Alfonso Rodriguez Jr.'s constitutional rights. He ordered a new sentencing phase be conducted. Rodriguez has been on death row at a federal prison for nearly two decades in the death of Dru Sjodin from Pequot Lakes who was abducted from a Grand Forks mall parking lot in November 2003. Rodriguez, a sex offender, was arrested the following month. Despite several massive searches, Sjodin's body wasn't found until the following April near Crookston.
--Minnesota State Fair attendance was down nearly 1-million people from 2019, showing around 1.3 million attended the fair this year.
--A job posting has officially been made for the position of Morrison County Administrator. The Board voted July 27 to contract with DDA associates to assist in the search for the next county administrator. The position was vacated last Friday which was former administrator Deb Gruber’s last day with the county. For those interested in the posititon the posting will be up for four weeks then a screening of candidates will begin to begin the proceess of a new administrator.
--A 23-year old Baxter man faces criminal charges for allegedly assaulting a woman and two police officers. Jordan Richard Kelley was charged in Crow Wing County District Court with felony domestic assault and two counts of fourth-degree assault against a peace officer. The charges stem from a 911 call at 9:15pm August 30th to the Baxter Police Department of a domestic assault outside a residence on Clearwater Road in Baxter. The 911 dispatcher was told a man was assaulting a woman who was down on the ground. When police arrived a man, later identified as Kelley, was sitting on the ground alongside the southwest corner of the building and a woman was walking away from him. A police sergeant approached the woman as she was trying to get inside the apartment complex and he observed blood running down the right side of her cheek/chin area and noted a red mark next to the corner of her right eye. The woman refused to tell officers what happened or if she was assaulted. Kelley remains in custody with his next hearing scheduled September 16th.
--A St. Cloud man accused of raping two women and slashing a dog's throat has been found competent to face those charges. Twenty-two-year-old Joseph Vogel is charged with criminal sexual conduct against two different women. He is also charged with the mistreatment of an animal for allegedly killing the dog. Back in November, Vogel was ruled incompetent to face the charges. The Stearns County Attorney's Office filed a notice of intent to resume the prosecution once competency was restored against Vogel. Earlier this year, A judge ruled Vogel has now been found mentally fit to face the charges. According to the complaint, two women claimed that while in a relationship with Vogel he pinned them down and forced intercourse on them. A separate filing accuses Vogel of slashing the throat of a dog after it killed two cats. Vogel told authorities he used a butcher knife to cut the dog's throat and then got into his truck and watched the dog run in circles before collapsing in the ditch.
DEATH NOTICES
--Clyde Allen Hirschey, age 80 of Pillager formerly of Staples.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, breezy, high near 70.
TONIGHT= clear night, cooler temps, low 47.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, less windy, high 70, low near 45.
FRIDAY= sunny and warmer, high near 80, low around 53.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins shut out Cleveland 3-0 last night. Twins continue their series with Cleveland today at 4:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
COL FB= a tough blow to the Gopher football team as their star running back Mohamed Ibrahim will miss the entire season after suffering an injury against Ohio State that will require lower leg surgery. The Gophers host Miami of Ohio Saturday 11am on KLTF.
NFL= The NFL regular season kicks off Thursday night between the Super Bowl Champs Tampa Bay and Dallas, 7pm kickoff on KLTF.