Thursday, July 16, 2026
An Air Quality Alert remains in effect until 11am Friday morning. Heavy smoke from wildfires in northern Minnesota and Canada is expected through the day and nighttime hours causing breathing issues from some you have issues with smoke and particles in the air, the winds will become southwest on Friday removing the smoke from the air but bringing in hot and humid air that will return with highs today in the 80s and tomorrow in the 90s Saturday and Sunday in the 80s and the smoke could return by Saturday night into Sunday with a northerly flow. The smoke and haze did keep the temps down Wednesday and again today so the Extreme Heat Warning and Heat Advisory for the area has been cancelled. There is an extreme heat warning for the Twin Cities Metro Area today but all others in the state were removed.
The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism announced Wednesday that there will be several layout updates for the 2026 Little Falls Arts & Crafts Fair, taking place Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13. Last year, the Chamber introduced the first phase of a new Fair layout by closing portions of First Street NE and First Street SE to vehicle traffic and creating pedestrian-only areas. Following the positive feedback received from vendors, attendees, businesses, and community partners, those street closures will continue in 2026. During the Fair, First Street NE and First Street SE will be closed to vehicle traffic and open exclusively to pedestrians. Vendors will be located both along the sidewalks, as in previous years, and in the center of the streets. A major new safety improvement for 2026 is that vendors will no longer be placed along Highway 27. Removing vendor booths from the highway will improve safety, reduce congestion, create safer pedestrian movement, and provide clearer and faster access for emergency vehicles. The Chamber is also relocating the Marketplace Fair from the west side of downtown to the east side. Marketplace vendors will now be located on First Street SE between Mid MN Federal Credit Union and Nouis Home Care. Bringing the Marketplace Fair into the main Fair area will create a more compact, connected, and safer event footprint. The change is designed to improve pedestrian safety and traffic flow, increase vendor visibility, make it easier for attendees to explore the entire Fair, and encourage visitors to experience the many downtown businesses located throughout the event area. The West Side Antiques and Collectibles Fair will remain in Le Bourget Park. “These updates build upon the positive changes introduced last year and allow us to continue improving the Fair experience,” said Purva Watten, President and CEO of the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism. “Our goal is to create a layout that prioritizes public safety and also support our vendors and businesses. We believe this change makes it easier for attendees to enjoy everything the Fair has to offer.” All other Fair areas will remain the same. The 2026 Little Falls Arts & Crafts Fair Hours Saturday, September 12th 8am to 6pm and Sunday, September 13th from 9am to 4pm. Additional information, maps, parking details, and visitor updates are available on www.littlefallsartsandcraftsfair.com or by phone 320-632-5155.
The Little Falls School Board has scheduled a Closed Special Meeting at 5pm on Monday, July 20th at the District Boardroom. They must first open the meeting, then handle the closed item which is according to the school release *Pursuant to the Attorney-Client privilege to discuss a pending appeal of an MDE Complaint and a Pending Administrative Complaint* . Then they will reconvene the open meeting, take action on the Approval from the Superintendent as the identified official with authority from the closed item and then adjourn the meeting on Monday.
U.S. Forest Service officials said Wednesday that wildfires in northern Minnesota experienced "significant" growth Tuesday night, causing additional fires to start. In a statement Wednesday, the agency said ongoing heat and dry vegetation are feeding into the rash of fires, which have consumed close to 35,000 acres of forestland in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, in addition to thousands outside the perimeter and into Canada. As some fires have reportedly merged, the Forest Service said 15 burn overall, four of them inside the BWCA. State and federal officials are working in tandem with Canadian officials to manage the response. At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, officials said the forest hasn't seen conditions this extreme or fires this widespread in more than two decades. "We've had extreme weather conditions, very warm temperatures, low humidity, rapid rates of spread, along with very tough access and egress for our firefighters," said Nick Petrack, forest fire management officer for the Superior National Forest. "We're doing the best we can." International efforts are also being asked for to help with the fires.
President Donald Trump has endorsed his longtime friend and supporter Mike Lindell in the Republican race for Minnesota Governor. Trump wrote on his Truth Social site, "Mike Lindell, the 'My Pillow Man', and one of America's greatest and most hard-working Patriots, is running to be Minnesota's next governor. Mike Lindell has my complete and total endorsement. Lindell has responded with his own social media post. Thank you, Mr. President! I truly appreciate your confidence in me as I run to become the next Governor of Minnesota. Lindell is in a crowded primary race to be the Republican nominee. The field includes the Republican endorsed candidate, Kendall Qualls, and Minnesota Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth. Fluence Media Political Analyst Blois Olson says he believes Trump's endorsement means the Republican race is now probably a two-person race between Lindell and Demuth. Early voting in the Minnesota Primary is already underway. The Primary Election day is Tuesday, August 11th. The winner will advance to the General Election in November.
Farmington Police are searching for the person responsible for hitting and killing a child bicyclist and fleeing the scene on Tuesday evening. Just before 10 p.m., police were called to the intersection of Minnesota Highway 50 and Dushane Parkway, right in front of a McDonald’s restaurant after a 13-year-old boy from Apple Valley had been struck by a passing driver. Bystanders, police, firefighters, and paramedics all tried saving the boy, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. A preliminary investigation reveals the two boys were crossing Highway 50 when a vehicle traveling westbound hit one of them. The car then drove off without stopping. Police are now looking to identify the driver and the vehicle involved. Detectives believe the suspect vehicle is a small black SUV with front-end or passenger-side damage. The vehicle is also missing its passenger-side mirror. Anyone who has information that could help ID the suspect vehicle is asked to contact the Farmington Police Department at 651-280-6700. Police are also interested in speaking with anyone who was in the area at the time of the crash, or who may have dash camera or surveillance video that captured the vehicle before or after the collision. Minnesota State Patrol is conducting the crash investigation, with the assistance of local police.
94ROCKS KFML will be live from ROCKFEST In Cadott, Wisconsin today through Saturday. Join JZ and Paladin out at the event and live 2-5pm today and tomorrow from ROCKFEST. Expected over 80 rock bands from the past and the present performing live for the three day and night event. Follow the guys also on the 94ROCKS Facebook Page and listen in today and Friday in the afternoon with Paladin from ROCKFEST on 94ROCKS.
Death Notices: Joan R. Schmidtbauer (Eller), age 92 of Little Falls.
Weather: Air Quality Alert in effect until 11am Friday. Smoke and haze today, partly cloudy skies, high 88, clear and humid night, smoke and haze likely, low 68. Hot and humid Friday less smoke by afternoon, high 93, low around 66 with clear skies Friday night. Saturday sunny and hot, high near 90, low around 64. Sunday sunny skies, high near 88, low around 63 storms likely after 1am Sunday night. Thunderstorms in the morning Monday then sunny and windy in the afternoon high 86, low around 60 with some late evening showers before midnight. Tuesday sunny and cooler, high 81, low around 61. Wednesday cloudy skies, few rain showers, high near 82, low around 60.
Sports: Kayla McBride scored 24 as the Lynx beat LA Sparks Wednesday for fourth straight win 96-87, Courtney Williams 19, Olivia Miles 18 but left the game with an ankle injury, though the update was she just rolled it and hopefully will be better for their next game Saturday. The Lynx have Portland on Saturday then two games at Seattle early next week before the All Star Game July 25th in Chicago. Argentina scored 2 late goals to stun England 2-1 to advance to the World Cup Finals against Spain. Little Falls VFW won 10-0 and 11-1 Wednesday over St. Cloud Blue in VFW playoffs and will move on to the Elite 8 of teams tournament next week in Litchfield. Fall sports schedules are coming out for area schools it was announced that Little Falls Flyer Football opens September 4th 7pm at home against Annandale, Pierz will open on the road at Sauk Centre 7pm on September 4th. Parkers Prairie will be at Upsala vs. USA Patriots for a 4pm game on September 4th and Royalton will open September 3rd against Kimball. Also Royalton will be at Holdingford in week 2, while Pierz will travel to Little Falls on October 2nd for their matchup this year. Listen to high school sports later this year on Little Falls Radio and online at fallsradio.com.