Wednesday, October 8, 2025
It was Sunday, October 8th, 1950 AM960 KLTF went on the air at 10am. Over the past 75 years AM960 KLTF has been your station for news, weathers, local sports, community events, entertainment, Party Line, Up Front and so much more. Thank you to all who have sponsored, come before on the air to inform and entertain you, and all who have listened over the past 75 years to KLTF. Today we celebrate with a celebration at the Falls Ballroom, doors open at 8:30am, Up Front with special guest Todd Kosovich at 9am commercial free, then 10am Party Line for two hours with giveaways of AM/FM radios from participating businesses, along with many special guests to talk and also for staff to give many thank you messages. Then Polka World Today at 12:15pm after the news with an hour of polka music with Gene Retka, all live at the Ballroom, come for coffee, donuts and water from donations from businesses, this is all live on AM960 KLTF and streamed at fallsradio.com.
Sartell police have released the name of the boy involved in a serious bike crash. Twelve-year-old Raghav Shrestha of Sartell remains in critical condition and on life support at the Hennepin County Medical Center. Despite having a helmet on, he suffered a severe head injury, which appeared to have caused the initial cardiac arrest. His family gave Sartell police permission to share his name and condition so his friends and the community could be updated. Shrestha is a 7th grader at the Sartell-St. Stephen Middle School. The Sartell Police Department says he was riding his bike down Muskie Hill and crashed near the bottom at around 7:50pm on Sunday.
A Pine City driver was seriously injured Sunday morning at 4:12am on I-94 at West Union Township of Todd County. Bonnie Lou Johnson veered off the road and struck the median. Johnson reportedly had life threatening injuries and taken to Alexandria hospital. A passenger was reportedly also taken to the hospital but it was not reported on the extent of his injuries.
A Park Rapids man has been charged with assault and attempted murder, and his wife charged as an accomplice to assault and attempted murder after the fact, following a stabbing and assault near Park Rapids early Saturday morning. According to court documents, 44-year-old Charles Justus is accused of attacking the victim with his fists and stabbing him eight to 10 times in front of his daughter. The victim, a 49-year-old man suffered stab wounds to his left arm, upper back, and abdomen and was airlifted to a Fargo hospital due to the severity of his injuries. Justus reportedly told investigators he had been awake for a couple of days due to methamphetamine use and that he believed his wife had been unfaithful to him with the victim. Justus’ wife, 50-year-old Danielle Westphal, is accused of helping Justus discard of the bloody jeans Justus had reportedly been wearing by throwing them out of a vehicle into the ditch on Highway 34. The jeans were later recovered by law enforcement. Westphal also admitted to using methamphetamine the night of the incident, according to court documents. Justus is being held in custody on $2 million bond or bail with no conditions or $1 million with conditions, while Westphal is being held on $750,000 bond or bail with no conditions or $350,000 with conditions. Their next court hearings are scheduled for October 13th.
One of three anglers who fell into the Mississippi River near the Xcel Energy Monticello Nuclear Power Plant on Tuesday when their boat capsized is dead. According to Captain Ryan Ferguson with the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, around 10:30 a.m., a 911 caller reported a fishing boat had tipped over. Officials say two men made it to shore on their own, while a third man was found unresponsive and pulled from the water by Xcel Energy staff. First responders began life-saving measures; however, the man died. The other two anglers were treated on scene. Deputies were assisted by Xcel Energy employees, Monticello Fire Department, Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota DNR, Minnesota State Patrol, and Allina Ambulance. The men’s names weren’t immediately released.
Nine local cooperatives have come together this year to celebrate what makes them unique: their members. 2025 is the International Year of the Cooperative, and October is recognized as Cooperative Month across the country. Participating cooperatives include Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, Brainerd BN Credit Union, Crow Wing Food Co-Op, Crow Wing Power, Crow Wing Power Credit Union, CTC, members Cooperative Credit Union, Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union, and Tremolo Communications. Although their services vary, cooperatives are united by one foundation: the people they serve are members with a voice, not customers in a transaction. Throughout the fall, members and residents will see more stories, events, and activities highlighting the cooperative difference—whether through scholarships, community giving, volunteer efforts, or simply reliable services. For more information on Cooperative Month and how local cooperatives support their members, visit cwpower.com.
The Heartland Symphony Orchestra performs Opening Nights on Saturday at 7:30pm at the Charles D. Martin Auditorium, the concert is free to attend. They will also have a show Sunday 2:30pm in Brainerd.
Death Notices: Ann M. Wachlarowicz, age 60 of Little Falls. Raymond "Ray" Kurowski, age 89 of Elmdale.
Weather: Freeze Warning remains in effect until 8am the 5am temp was 27 degrees. Morning frost then turning sunny, high 62, tonight, clear skies not as cold, low 42. Thursday sunny skies, high 66, clear night low 45. Friday sunny skies, high 67, clear at night low around 40. Saturday sunny not as warm, high 65, breezy, clear night low 38. Sunday showers develop at times, high 68, low around 44.
Sports: Pierz advanced in tennis playoffs with a 4-3 win over #6 Pequot Lakes to advance to the section finals Thursday against Mora/Pine City winner. Little Falls Boys Soccer opens section playoffs tonight 7pm at St. Cloud Tech winner moves on to Saturday. Girls soccer opens playoffs on Thursday. WNBA Finals game 3 tonight between Las Vegas and Phoenix with Aces up 2-0. Listen to Minnesota Wild Hockey Saturday at 6:45pm on your new FM home for the Wild Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com.