NEWS --Around 3:35pm Thursday the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a two vehicle accident at the intersection of Iris Road and Edgar Drive in Little Falls. A pickup driven by 30-year old Joseph Peterson of Little Falls was traveling southbound on Edgar Drive approaching Iris Road as 50-year old Sherry Donahue of Little Falls was traveling eastbound on Iris Road. Peterson failed to yield to Donahue who had the right of way and the vehicles collided. Both drivers were injured and taken to the Little Falls Hospital.
--Police in Grand Rapids say the vehicle that hit and killed a mother of three in Foley Tuesday night was stolen. The owner of the 2004 GMC Yukon left it running outside a liquor store in Grand Rapids Monday afternoon. He went into the store and returned to find it gone. Police searched the area but did not find the SUV, so they entered the license plate into the state's stolen vehicle system. The Minnesota State Patrol notified Grand Rapids Police Tuesday night the vehicle they'd been looking for was involved in the Foley crash. The crash killed 35-year-old Lindsay Cardinal of Foreston. Cardinal died at the scene. Her children, 4-year-old Wyatt and 1-year-old Evelyn were hospitalized last week in St. Cloud and listed in fair condition. Her daughter, 5-year-old Lillian, was not injured in the crash. Troopers believe the driver of the vehicle that crossed the center line, 29-year-old Kevin Couch from Milaca, was impaired by alcohol, drugs, or both. He and his passenger remain hospitalized. The man allegedly responsible for the crash has two previous DWI convictions and was recently cited for driving with a revoked license. Formal charges are pending against Couch in Benton County.
--A Long Prairie man has been sentenced to twelve and a half years on first degree manslaughter charges for fatally striking his ex-wife with a shoe hammer. 49-year-old Craig Williams was found guilty in December for intentionally causing the death of Nancy Williams. The jury returned a guilty verdict of manslaughter but not guilty of second degree murder. The incident occurred August 23rd, 2013. Williams was sentenced to 15 years prison in Todd County but given 2 and half years of this sentence stayed for time already served.
--A 43-year-old Brainerd man faces eight felonies after engaging in sexual conduct with a female teenage victim. Brian Raden was charged in Crow Wing County District Court of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim 13-15 years old, first degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim under age 16 and having a significant relationship with her along with second degree charges of criminal sexual conduct, stalking and interfering with privacy charges that are also felonies. Raden posted bond of $10,000 to be released with a number of conditions including having no contact with the victim or anyone that victim knows, no firearms and making all future court appearances including his next court hearing on Wednesday.
--The Little Falls Police released information that they have made four arrests since January 26th including a 25-year-old woman for giving false information and not having a valid drivers license, a 32-year-old man for control substance crimes, a 26-year-old man on assault charges and aiding with the Central Minnesota Violent Offenders Task Force last Tuesday in executing a warrant in Sauk Rapids. The Morrison County Sheriff's Office arrested a 47-year-old man last Monday of DWI on Highway 25 in Buckman and investigated an accident along the Soo Line Trail near 280th Avenue in Pierz.
--A 19-year-old from Isle was injured after an accident Wednesday on Highway 47 in Spencer Township of Aitkin County. Michael Smithson was west on 47 when he lost control and left the roadway striking the ditch, rolling several times where he became partially ejected from the vehicle. Smithson was treated for non-life threatening injuries at the Aitkin Hospital.
--Isaiah Ehlinger graduated from Kimball High school in 2015. This past weekend he was part of the most watched TV event of the year. On Sunday Ehlinger got to hold the United States Air Force flag during the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. When he originally enlisted Ehlinger thought he was going to be an EMT or fireman. During basic training Ehlinger was selected to be a part of the USAF Honor Guard. He was one of only 14 people selected out of 1200.
--Minnesota communities and schools wanting to develop safer routes for students to walk and bicycle to school can apply for planning assistance grants through the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program. Application deadline is March 3. Planning assistance grants are the first step for communities to assess their current conditions for walking and bicycling to school and decide what they need to effectively implement a Safe Routes to School program. Since 2006, MnDOT has worked with communities around the state to fund nearly 300 schools’ plans to develop and advance safe routes to school. For more information, go to the Mn Dot website and safe routes.
--The Little Falls City Council meets tonight 7:30pm at City Hall.
--The Morrison County Commissioners meet tomorrow morning at 9am at the Morrison County Government Center boardroom.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT --Matthew and Crystal Wenner of Pierz
WEATHER TODAY= cloudy skies, high near 30. TONIGHT= freezing drizzle, sleet to snow overnight, low 22. TUESDAY= snow, mixing with freezing drizzle, temps drop and winds pick up through the day, 1-2 inches, high 24 early down to 15 in PM. TUES NIGHT= cloudy early, clearing late, colder, low -7. WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high 8 above, low 12-below zero.
SPORTS SUPER BOWL= The New England Patriots completed the biggest comeback in the history of the Super Bowl. Atlanta led 28-3 late in the third quarter. Tom Brady battled back throwing over 400 yards as the Patriots tied the game at 28 with less than 1 minute remaining. In overtime Brady led the Patriots down for the game winning touchdown by James White, who had 3 of the 4 touchdowns for New England as New England won Super Bowl 51 by score of 34-28 in OT. It is Tom Brady's and the Patriots 5th Super Bowl win, 4th MVP, 7th overall Super Bowl for Brady, it was the 9th overall for the Patriots as team. Lady Gaga performed the halftime show last night in Houston. Now all eyes move to Minnesota as the Vikings US Bank Stadium will host Super Bowl 52 on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis. HS GBB= Long Prarie-Grey Eagle at Pierz Tuesday 7:15pm on FM94 HS BHK= Little Falls at Alexandria Tuesday 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ. COL BB= Gophers beat Illinois Saturday to end 5 game losing streak. Gophers host Iowa Wednesday 8pm on AM960 KLTF.