NEWS
--A Melrose woman died in a single-vehicle crash yesterday Monday afternoon. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says a 911 call came in from a cell phone just before 4pm but Dispatchers were unable to understand the caller, but found the phone's general area by using GPS. First responders arrived in the area of 355th Avenue and the Wobegon Trail in Melrose Township and began looking for the crash site. Authorities were able to find the car a few minutes later with the help of the Stearns County phone operator who was monitoring the GPS signal and listening for sirens on the still open line. The sheriff's office says the car had been going south on County Road 185 when it crossed County Road 65 and continued south on 355th Avenue. Authorities say the car then went into the woods at the dead end of 355th Avenue and crashed into a tree. The driver, 38-year-old Katie Llewellyn, sustained serious injuries and died at the scene. She was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
--An Elk River police officer is recovering after a crash in her squad car Monday night. According to the Minnesota State Patrol’s preliminary report, at about 8:25, Officer Grace O’Konek was traveling east on Main Street, crossing 169 in Elk River, when she was hit in the intersection by a driver in a Ford F-150 who was headed north. The squad then hit one SUV, and another stopped on Main Street. O’Konek suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The pickup truck driver, 55-year-old Jeffrey Stankiewicz of Naples, Idaho, was also hurt. Both were taken to Mercy Hospital for treatment. Neither SUV driver nor their passengers were hurt.
--A 70-year-old man who went missing in the northern Minnesota woods was found by a K9 officer and its handler. The Hubbard County Sheriff's Office says the man, who has Alzheimer's, was reported missing at 11:38am Sunday near Lake Belle Taine in the Dorset area. The man lives in rural Hubbard County, and after speaking with family and searching the immediate area, an Everbridge emergency notification was sent out to people within a 2-mile radius of the man's home. After an hour of searching, the police K9 "Ace" was called in with his deputy handler, with the dog finding the missing man in a wooded area after about a 20-minute search. The man was checked by paramedics, but he was unharmed and returned home to his family.
--The second of two men involved in a 2022 shooting in Avon has pleaded guilty for his role in the crime. Twenty-two-year-old Emmanuel Johnson has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting 1st-degree robbery involving a dangerous weapon. Johnson, who was arrested in Harvey, Illinois, and extradited back to Stearns County pleaded guilty Monday. The other man, 22-year-old Grant Monaghan, was sentenced to three years in prison on the same charge. Court records show the shooting happened in a gun deal gone bad in March 2022. Police responded to the 300 block of Char Avenue Northeast in Avon after an 18-year-old man said he was shot in the chest. Monaghan told police during a deal to sell a gun, Johnson robbed the victim of the money and shot him once in the chest. The victim survived the shooting. Sentencing is at a later date.
--A reminder that the Darling Cemetery fall cleanup day is this Saturday on October 14th at 9am. Rain or shine, bring a rake to help.
--The Little Falls City Council meets Monday at 7:30pm at City Hall and City Administrator Jon Radermacher will give an update on city items this Monday at 8:30am on AM960 KLTF.
--The Little Falls Fire Department reported to citizens of Little Falls, that you have most likely noticed lots of training going on at the Little Falls Fire Department and other locations throughout town recently. The Little Falls firefighters generally do over 100 hours of training per year and even closer to 200 hours during their probationary year. These brave firefighters train on specialized equipment and tactics so when we receive the call we’re ready.
--Little Falls High School is hosting their first annual Cool School Polar Plunge on October 31st, 2023. The Cool School Polar Plunge raises funds for Special Olympics and other inclusive programs in Minnesota. A portion of the funds raised will also stay in Little Falls to directly support inclusive programs in our high school, including Flyer Pride and special education activities. Little Falls High School supports a culture where every student has opportunities to feel included. The Cool School Polar Plunge is a great way to celebrate our positive culture and help all students feel supported and included in our Flyer community. The school is asking businesses to support the Polar Plunge this year by either donating directly to a student (each student is asked to raise a minimum of $50 in order to take the plunge on October 31st, they also get a Cool School Polar Plunge t-shirt) or making a larger donation directly to the school. Donations from businesses that we receive at the school will be used to support multiple students in the plunge. For example, if a student would like to plunge, but fell short in reaching the $50 goal, we could use the business donations to help them reach the $50 goal in order to plunge. For example, a $200 donation could help at least 4 students participate in the plunge. Questions call the High School 616-2200.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Logan and Samantha Meyer of Pierz, a baby boy born Oct 9th.
DEATH NOTICES
--Allan A. Warzecha, age 85 of Holdingford.
--Lacy Gwen Lucking, age 65 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny, high 56, clouds increase late in the day.
TONIGHT= rain starts, breezy, low near 40.
FRIDAY= rain likely, gusty winds over 40mph, high 46, low 37.
SATURDAY= rain ends early, then cloudy, high 50, low 37.
SUNDAY= cloudy skies, not as breezy, high 51, low near 34.
SPORTS
TWINS= The Twins season is over as Houston holds off the Twins last night 3-2 to take game 4 of the ALDS and win the series 3-1. Twins got homeruns from Royce Lewis and Julien but Houston also got two homers and a two run blast from Abreu that was the difference. Houston moves to take on Texas Sunday in Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday.
NFL= The Vikings will be without their star receiver Justin Jefferson after he suffered a hamstring injury last weekend. Jefferson is expected to miss at least 4 weeks and likely not to return until about week 10 of the season. The Vikings are at Chicago on Sunday at noon then the following week the Vikings host the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night October 23rd at 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF.
HS FB= Upsala/Swanville at Benson tonight at 7pm on Q92 WYRQ more high school football will be tomorrow night on LF Radio.