Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Baxter Police reported that on Monday at about 9:32pm, the Baxter Police Department received information regarding a possible threat to Forestview Middle School. During the investigation, officers identified a 14-year-old male student responsible for making the threats. The juvenile was taken into custody without incident for felony threats of violence and transported to a juvenile detention center. The safety of our schools and community remains our highest priority. The department worked closely with school officials to assess the situation thoroughly. At no time did the Baxter Police Department identify an immediate threat and there is no indication of any continued threats to students, staff, or facilities. This remains an active investigation and has been referred to the Crow Wing County Attorney’s Office for prosecution. It was reported around a dozen threats to schools were reported around Minnesota Monday and Tuesday and in some of the cases already teenagers were taken into custody for the threats that were made. School officials and law enforcement are encouraging parents and teachers to talk to students and children on the consequences of calling in threats to schools and they could be prosecuted to the extent of the law.
One person from St. Francis was injured around 9:20am Tuesday on Highway 23 in Mille Lacs County. 72-year-old Douglas Anderson was traveling on 23 went of the road and struck a tree. Anderson was taken to the Princeton Hospital for injuries.
A St. Cloud man's lengthy legal battle over a criminal sexual conduct case has ended after a judge imposed a stay of imposition at his sentencing. Thirty-five-year-old Robert Bernard is sentenced to probation with credit for 68 days in the Stearns County jail. Bernard pleaded guilty in July 2024 to having intercourse with an underage runaway girl. He tried to withdraw the plea in January, claiming it was made under duress. A judge denied the motion last July and ordered Bernard to undergo a mental competency exam. He was found competent to face the charge in October. As part of the plea agreement, Bernard is allowed to serve out his conviction through five years of probation. According to the charges, Bernard went with the girl to a North St. Cloud apartment building and had sexual intercourse with her. Court records show Bernard admitted to having intercourse with the victim, but said she told him that she was 19 years old.
Two men have been arrested in connection with a large methamphetamine bust in west central Minnesota. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office says agents of the CEE-VI Drug and Gang Task Force executed multiple search warrants in Montevideo and Maynard in Chippewa County related to the trafficking of large quantities of methamphetamine. Task Force agents recovered about 10 pounds of meth. A 28-year-old Maynard man and an 18-year-old Montevideo man were arrested. They are expected to be charged with 1st Degree Controlled Substance charges. The Sheriff's Office says they are expected to charge additional people connected to this case in the future. The Task Force was assisted by the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Montevideo Police Department, and the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office.
A home sustained significant damage after a fire on Sunday morning. The Meeker County Sheriff's Office says they received a report around 9:15 about a house fire in the 500 block of Simon Avenue west in Dassel. Deputies arrived to find heavy smoke coming out of the second-floor window of a home owned by 65-year-old Connie Pool. Pool and one other person, 42-year-old John Klingelhoets, were home but not hurt in the blaze. The Sheriff's Office says the home received considerable damage from the fire and smoke, and it is believed the cause of the blaze was electrical. The Minnesota Fire Marshal is investigating.
Governor Tim Walz signed two executive orders Tuesday aimed at reducing gun-related violence in Minnesota. The orders create a statewide safety council and direct state agencies to take steps to prevent gun-related injuries and deaths. The governor said the actions come after Republican legislative leaders declined to hold votes on gun safety measures. “Gun violence has inflicted heartbreak and loss for families in Minnesota and across the country time and time again. Enough is enough,” said Governor Walz. “We have repeatedly met with Republican legislators to find a path forward but were met with excuses and stonewalling, so today I am taking executive action. These executive orders lay a critical foundation for the upcoming legislative session, and now we need Republicans in the Legislature to show courage and pass comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation, including a ban on high-capacity magazines and assault-style weapons. Minnesotans are demanding action.” The executive orders direct state agencies to pursue several strategies. A new Governor’s Statewide Safety Council will bring together leaders from law enforcement, education, mental health and community organizations to develop recommendations for preventing mass violence, domestic terrorism and politically motivated attacks. The Department of Commerce will work with insurers to collect and analyze firearm-related claims data. The Department of Public Safety will expand education and training on extreme risk protection orders, which allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals in crisis. The Department of Education will partner with local schools to provide families with safe storage guidance and gun locks. House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who is running for governor, criticized Walz’s approach in a statement. “Once the Governor saw that even his own legislators weren’t on board with his gun bans, he pivoted to political rallies and insulting Republicans for suggesting bipartisan ways to keep students safe,” Demuth said. “Now, he’s pushing an advisory council and PSA campaigns for laws we already have.” Demuth said if Walz wants a special session, he should call one, and accused him of politicizing tragedy and ignoring bipartisan safety solutions.
First United Church of Little Falls will hold their Blue Christmas longest night service at 7pm on Sunday, December 21st the shortest day, longest night of the year. The service will be at First United Church and via zoom from their website https://www.firstunitedlf.org/ to view for those unable to attend. The service is intended to help those through tough times at Christmas, those feeling sorrow or those, just needing a quiet time to take a break during the holiday season. There is no cost to come and take in the event Sunday night.
Entertainment news: more celebrity deaths this week, Gil Gerard star of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" has died of cancer at age 82. Actress Rachel Carpani of NCIS Los Angeles died unexpectedly at age 45. Singer Carl Carlton, who had the hit Everlasting Love died at 72 and actor Peter Greene from Pulp Fiction and the Mask has died at age 60.
Weather: Little Falls Airport broke a record yesterday at 48 degrees. Today cloudy skies, chance of freezing drizzle after 3pm, still windy, high 35, freezing rain, some rain and then some snow tonight, slippery roads are likely with half inch of slush by morning temps stay steady around 30 into the morning of Thursday. Light snow before noon Thursday with temps dropping from 30 early to 5 above by late afternoon wind gusts as high as 40mph at times during the day. Windy and cold Thursday low -10 below zero, wind chills make it feel like -25 or colder into Friday. Friday cloudy high around 20 with light snow showers at times, snow showers Friday night temps drop to 4 above, Saturday sunny and windy, high 13, low around -8. Sunday sunny skies still colder with high 15 low around 6 above.
Sports: High School Boys Basketball Thursday night, Crosby-Ironton at Little Falls 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ. Pierz at Upsala at 7:15pm on 94ROCKS KFML. NFL Football Los Angeles Rams (11-3) at Seattle Seahawks (11-3) for the top spot in the NFC West Thursday 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com