Friday, September 4, 2026
Due to the High Heat Index on Friday the Pierz football game with Sauk Centre will now start at 8pm Friday night instead of 7, again Pierz football now at 8pm Friday night on 94ROCKS KFML.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 10pm Thursday for most of northern and north central Minnesota with heavy rains, gusty winds and hail. The watch includes Cass, Crow Wing and Wadena Counties.
The Wright County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 57-year-old man who was found dead inside his Monticello home Thursday morning with an apparent stab wound. Deputies were called to a home at The Meadows on State Highway 25 Northeast just before 7:30 a.m. after a 911 caller reported finding the man dead. According to the sheriff’s office, investigators identified a person of interest within minutes and learned that person may have been driving to a home in Cass County to harm someone there. Using Flock Safety automated license plate readers, deputies located the vehicle and took the person into custody about 10 miles from the Cass County home. A shotgun was in the front passenger seat. The person at the Cass County home was found unharmed. The sheriff’s office has not released the name of the man who died or the person taken into custody, and no charges have been announced. The investigation is ongoing.
Two people were hurt when then Hummer vehicle struck theirs in Walker of Cass County Thursday. Around 11:15am a Hummer driven by a 19-year-old reportedly pulled out in front of a vehicle driven by 75-year-old Diane Herbst of Walker. Herbst and her 77 year old passenger from Walker were both taken to Park Rapids hospital for treatment of injuries. The 19-year-old from Walker was not hurt.
One person was injured when his vehicle veered off Highway 23 in Benton County and rolled into the median. Just after 3pm Garrett Peterson, 22 of Moose Lake was treated at St. Cloud Hospital. Peterson told authorities of a Ford Sedan in the other direction that veered towards him and left the scene. The State Patrol said that the investigation into the case is ongoing.
The Little Falls Police Department this past week as received a number of driving complaints from ATV's, motorcycles and other vehicles, fraud and theft reports. There were non injury accident reports, animal complaints and suspicious activity all called into the office. Police Chief Kyle Johnson said if you notice anything suspicious to call it in at 320-616-5570. Also he reminds those that many RV's and vehicles will be coming in over this coming weekend or early next week as Arts and Crafts Week is coming in Little Falls September 12th and 13th. There will be no parking areas, shuttle bus parking areas, closures on 1st Street that weekend in the downtown area other congested items. Just a reminder to those coming and going through Little Falls in the week ahead.
The Stearns County Sheriff's Department are reporting a stolen motorcycle. Tri-County Crimestoppers says the motorcycle is a 2004 blue Suzuki Enduro with Minnesota license 89180MD. It was taken from the 14700 block of River Street in Holding township. Waite Park Police are reporting the theft of 2 e-bikes. The bikes were recovered and they do have suspects in that case. Crimestoppers says that e-bike and e-scooter owners do the best they can to secure them and always know the serial number associated with your e-bike or e-scooter. If you have information on any unsolved crimes in the Stearns, Benton or Sherburne County area please report information by calling Crimestoppers at 1-800-255-1301, online at tricountycrimestoppers.org and click on submit a tip or use the P3 mobile app and submit your information that way.
Severe drought has spread across more than half of Minnesota on the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, released Thursday puts 52.46% of the state in severe drought or worse, up from 48.08% a week earlier. The report reflects conditions as of Tuesday, September 1st. Extreme drought, the second-most severe of the monitor’s five categories, expanded to 4.57% of Minnesota, up from 3.50%. Conditions worsened at every level. Nearly 80% of the state, 79.72%, is in at least moderate drought, and 95.53% is abnormally dry or worse. Just 4.47% of Minnesota is drought-free, down from 4.71%. Central Minnesota, including Morrison, Stearns, Benton and Sherburne counties, sits inside the band of severe and moderate drought running across the middle of the state. The turn has been sharp. On June 2nd, severe drought covered 1.21% of Minnesota, and no part of the state had reached extreme drought. A year ago, no part of Minnesota was in moderate drought at all, and 86.52% of the state was drought-free.
Law Enforcement is reminding travelers and motorists that Friday for many begins the long holiday weekend for Labor Day, expect heavy traffic flows this weekend. Extra law enforcement will be out watching for speeders, distracted and inattentive driving and impaired drivers through Labor Day.
Death Notices: Patricia "Patty" L. Dickmann, age 75 of Little Falls. Daniel J. Reller, age 57 of Minneapolis formerly of Little Falls.
Weather: Friday mostly cloudy early, then sunny and humid, high 85, heat index values in the low to mid 90s. Cloudy skies Friday isolated thunderstorms after midnight, low 60. Saturday sunny and humid, high 87. Thunderstorms likely Saturday night low near 65. Sunday showers and storms in the morning, then partly sunny, high 84, showers and storms likely Sunday night low 66. Showers and thunderstorms likely Labor Day and still humid, high near 80, low around 65. Cloudy and breezy Tuesday with spotty showers possible, high near 80, low around 54. Wednesday sunny and cooler, high 73, low around 48. Thursday a few showers are possible late day, high near 80, low around 55.
Sports: High School Football Friday night Annandale at Little Falls 7pm on AM960 KLTF. Pierz at Sauk Centre now at 8pm on 94ROCKS KFML. Upsala/Swanville hosts Parkers Prairie at 4pm in Upsala. Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, Browerville and others open the football season Friday night as others opened the season Thursday night around the state. The State Amateur Baseball Tournament wraps up this weekend with games Friday in Class C and Saturday in Class A and B including Sobieski vs. Jordan at 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com. If Sobieski wins Saturday, play Sunday, if they win Sunday they play Labor Day for the championship, good luck to the Skis from Little Falls Radio. Twins return to action Friday night at Chicago White Sox at 6:40pm all later games this weekend in Chicago as Saturday at 6:10 and Sunday is just after 5pm. The FIBA world cup of basketball begins today and runs through the 17th for men and women of Team USA, for the women it includes Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark.