Thursday, April 17, 2025

Some parts of Minnesota could see severe weather this afternoon and evening. The strongest chance will be in southern Minnesota around I-90 where large hail, damaging winds and heavy rains are forecast with a possible isolated tornado. In central Minnesota there is a very isolated chance of severe weather with the potential of thunderstorms between 1-7pm today some could have gusty winds and hail later today. Continue to listen to Little Falls Radio for the latest weather information if the weather gets bad today. 

Two students were allegedly threatened by a man outside Cathedral High School on Wednesday morning. The incident happened just after 7:45. The students told officers with the St. Cloud Police Department a stranger approached them and he commented that he wanted to shoot them before walking off. The school was put into shelter-in-place protocol while officers searched the area. They found a 58-year-old man and took him into custody. A press release notes the man had no gun on him, and officials do not think he had the ability to carry out his threat. The investigation into the incident is still active.

The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the two people involved in Saturday’s murder suicide in Waite Park. According to an autopsy, 29-year-old Demico Elyea-Goss shot 36-year-old Janet Vercruysse of Waite Park multiple times before turning the gun on himself. Authorities say just after two that afternoon, two officers were across the street from the home on the 200 block of 10th Avenue North in Waite Park on a separate, unidentified matter, when they heard the shots. They headed toward the house and saw two kids, ages five and eight, run from the house and told them there had been a shooting. Officers went inside and found the bodies. Police say “multiple firearms were located at the scene.” The kids were not hurt.

A man convicted in connection to a 2023 shooting in St. Cloud that left one man dead and two others wounded has been sentenced for aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Prosecutors say on October 22nd, Deionte Jaewon Parker was at a house party on the 700 block of 6th Avenue South when a fight broke out over a stabbing that happened in July of that year. Parker fatally shot 34-year-old Antonio Carl Harris Junior, and two other men, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries. One of them had apparently been trying to broker a truce between Parker and the other man when Parker fired. He was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Parker was convicted by a jury in March. On Tuesday, Stearns County District Court Judge Shan Wang sentenced him to 40 years in prison.

St. Cloud area faith leaders as asking those to attend a meeting on Saturday, April 26th, at 10am inside Salem Lutheran Church the gathering is to launch a campaign to get support for more Amtrack service, including more routes between St. Cloud and Moorhead and increased routes to Chicago and Duluth. A press release states that St. Cloud Representative Dan Wolgamott and Representative Erin Koegel of Spring Lake Park will be in attendance. She is the DFL lead on the transportation committee. In Feburary, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Met Council announced the likelihood that the Northstar Commuter Rail will transition from trains to buses. Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle and MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger issued a joint statement saying, “MnDOT’s recent Twin Cities – St. Cloud-Fargo/Moorhead Corridor study makes it clear we can provide more cost-effective transit service in the corridor currently being served by Northstar Commuter Rail. As the world and consumer demand change, we must be willing to be flexible and innovative to offer better service while saving dollars. We have jointly started the process to explore transitioning to bus service in this corridor. That process includes working with our federal partners and our rail partners at BNSF Railway, who we have appreciated as a critical partner. In the coming months, we will have more information, including timeline information and projected future savings.” The Northstar stops in St. Cloud already takes riders by bus to the rail terminus in Big Lake. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was talk of extending rail service to St. Cloud. In 2019, the Northstar served over 767,000 passengers annually, but ridership has tanked to just over 50,000 in the last several years. House Transportation Finance and Policy Chair Jon Koznick (R-Lakeville) says, “Northstar has been an over $320 million failed experiment, costing taxpayers $11 million annually despite near-zero ridership.” Koznick’s bill, which formally begins to end Northstar operations, is in the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee.

The Pierz Lions have their Easter Egg and this year Ducky Hunt on Saturday at 11am at Pioneer Elementary School in Pierz. All are welcome the hunt is made for the younger grades elementary school and down and there will be other items and the Easter Bunny on site this Saturday in Pierz.

Death Notices- Darlene Day-Beaulieu age 64 of Isle, Michael Loso, age 40 of Mille Lacs Reservation, Verne Deering, age 89 of Little Falls. Janice Dorr, age 57 of Onamia. 

Weather- Thursday increasing clouds, showers and thunderstorms afternoon some storms could produce gusty winds and hail, high 61, showers and thunderstorms early tonight then breezy, low 37. Fog early Friday then cloudy and breezy, with isolated showers, high 46, low around 28. Saturday sunny skies, a bit breezy, high near 50, low near 30. Sunny and warmer Easter Sunday, high 60, low near 40 with isolated rain showers possible by late in the day into the evening of Sunday. 

Sports- Ty France walk off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th gives the Twins a 4-3 win over the Mets Wednesday afternoon to take their first series of the season. The Twins (7-12) have today off, travel to Atlanta tomorrow night. Royalton beat Pierz in baseball yesterday 7-4 while Little Falls beat Foley in baseball Wednesday 8-2. Listen to sports today on recap of Wednesday's game and if any games can be played today on the local schedule also get a recap of local sports Saturday at 9:05am on the Sports Wrap on AM960 KLTF then starting May 3rd Minnesota Sports Saturday with Alex at 1pm on AM960 KLTF. 

Maundy Thursday- Today is Holy or Maundy Thursday in the Bible. The evening when the Last Supper is performed by Jesus and the Apostles which led to the Holy Eucharist in the Catholic Church, after the meal this would lead to Jesus's arrest in the garden before Good Friday tomorrow. There are Masses and services planned around the area, check with your local churches for information.