Thursday, September 24, 2026
The Morrison County Sheriff's Office released a little more information on the stolen trailer from the Falls Ballroom earlier this week. At approximately 4:39am Monday, a white Ford Crew Cab left the Falls Ballroom parking lot with a 14’ 6000-pound enclosed trailer, that said Dee's Decorating on it, and left westbound on Highway 27. Sheriff's deputies have been looking into additional camera and surveillance systems in the area as we continue to gather information. The investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information regarding this incident or may have additional video or surveillance footage, please contact the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office at (320) 632-9233 and reference case #26008147. The Ballroom stated after the robbery that around ten thousand dollars in valuables were also in the trailer with photos posted on the Facebook pages of the Falls Ballroom and the Sheriff's Office. Any help in the case is appreciated 320-632-9233.
A recent public open house was held at the Little Falls Chamber of Commerce building with the Minnesota Department of Transportation on learning of some of their possible decisions on the bridge and railroad tracks in Little Falls along Highway 27. However, the city of Little Falls said that it would still be at least 5 years away, and the city's part in it has not set aside money to build it. The event had quite of bit of feedback including is it possible to build a walkway still for those to get from east to west and if the road and railroad would be moved what would that mean to businesses along that stretch of Highway 27. All questions were taken under advisement but the City of Little Falls said Monday that nothing would be able to be planned until 2031 if at all for the future.
Authorities have identified two men who were shot and killed and a third who was critically wounded Monday night in Willmar. The triple shooting happened around 8pm Monday in Rau Park, located near the Kandiyohi County Fairgrounds. When first responders arrived at the scene, they provided immediate medical aid to two men who had been shot, 20-year-old Yasir Diriye Kahin and 19-year-old Guleed Fahran Abdi, until they were transported by ambulance to a hospital in Willmar. Another man, 19-year-old Alexis Antonio Quintanilla Deras, had already been put in a personal vehicle bound for the hospital’s emergency room. Kahin and Deras, both of Willmar, died at the hospital, while Abdi, of Bloomington, remains in critical condition, according to the Willmar Police Department. It’s believed that the shooting was an isolated incident, though no arrests have been made. As the investigation continues, anyone who witnessed the shooting or knows anything about it is urged to come forward. Willmar PD is instructing people with information that’s relevant to the case to call Sgt. Chad Nelson at 320-235-3100, extension 3107.
Drivers in Paynesville will be detoured around a construction zone starting on Monday. The Minnesota Department of Transportation will close Highway 55 as crews begin work on the bridge over the North Fork River. A detour will be in place throughout the winter into early July of 2027. Crews will begin by removing the old bridge first and then begin building the new structure, continuing through the winter. The closure is between Business 23 West and the east junction of County Road 130. Southeastern traffic will be detoured via eastbound Highway 23 over to Veterans Drive, via Business 23, and to West Main Street. The Northwest detour will be via West Main Street to Business 23 West, to Veterans Drive and to westbound Highway 23. Also St. Cloud to Rice will have tree work along roadways in the next few days, and more road work is scheduled toward to the Twin Cities Metro Area this weekend with overnights being the time for many of those projects. Please remember to slow down in work zones. The County has projects also still happening including Belle Prairie Park project now expected to last through most of October.
Former Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn has been sentenced in federal court in connection with a child sex sting operation in 2025. Eichorn, a Republican from Grand Rapids, resigned from the Senate after his arrest in March 2025. He was originally charged with coercing a minor for sex but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of attempted possession of child pornography in May of this year as part of a plea agreement. On Wednesday, Eichorn was sentenced to 16 months in prison plus five years supervised release. Prosecutors were seeking a five-year prison sentence and described Eichorn as a predatory offender. Eichorn admitted during his plea hearing that he responded to an online ad seeking sex from someone he thought was a 17-year-old girl. In a news release, Eichorn’s attorney said Eichorn told the judge that “what I did was both morally wrong and a serious crime, and I have no one to blame but myself.”
A 49-year-old Merrifield man who was found guilty in 2024 of murdering his daughter’s boyfriend will get a new trial. The Minnesota Supreme Court issued a decision Wednesday that reversed the second-degree murder conviction of Michael LaFlex and ordered a new trial. LaFlex had been convicted in connection with the death of 23-year-old Bryce Brogle, who had been reported missing after going to the Laflexes’ storage unit on Oct. 26, 2022. The criminal complaint in the case accused LaFlex of shooting Brogle in the back of the head from a distance and then burying his body in Crow Wing County. Officers searched the storage unit and later found a grave in Crow Wing County where Brogle’s body was discovered. In writing the opinion, Justice Paul Thissen concluded that the district court’s jury instruction was plain error and the error affected LaFlex’s substantial rights because there is a reasonable likelihood that it had a significant effect on the jury’s verdict, and the error must be corrected to ensure the fairness and integrity of the judicial proceedings. The court had instructed that the jury not consider the lesser-included offense of first-degree heat-of-passion manslaughter if it found LaFlex guilty of first-degree murder. A date for the new trial has not been set yet.
Congratulations to the 2026 Swanville Homecoming Royal Court. Abby Wimmer, Ellie Johnson, Ava Beto, Allison Bernadot and Delaney Chuba, Colby Twardowski, Beau Thieschafer, Isaac Miller, Isaac Gapinski and Asher Johnson. The Upsala/Swanville homecoming game is October 2nd against Browerville and that game will be heard live on Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com.
The Pierz City Council will meet Monday at 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
Death Notices: Andrea "Andy" R. Rivetts, age 57 of Little Falls.
Weather: showers likely, steady to heavy at times likely through the day until around 7pm tonight, high near 60, low around 53 cloudy overnight. Mostly cloudy Friday high 68, cloudy skies low around 57 Friday night. Rain early Saturday heavy again at times throughout the day, some thunder and lightning is also possible, high near 63, low around 54 with rain ending Saturday night. Sunday partly sunny, high 68, cloudy Sunday night low around 53. Monday cloudy skies, high near 70, more humid, then showers and storms Monday night low around 55. Showers and windy Tuesday high 63, low around 50. Wednesday showers likely and cooler, high 55, low around 46 and clearing Wednesday night.
Sports: Luke Keaschall hits the homerun to lift the Twins to a 4-2 win over San Francisco Wednesday to take two of 3 from the series. Twins (75-84) have today off, host Texas Friday night. Lynx host Indiana tonight 7pm in the regular season finale, Cheryl Reeve rested players on Tuesday for the upcoming playoffs and as the Lynx have home court with Golden State losing, they may rest some more tonight as Olivia Miles is dealing with a calf strain, the playoffs begin on Sunday where the Lynx would be hosting the New York Liberty right now in the first round. Little Falls Tennis wins again Wednesday 4-3 over Pine City for their 11th win of the season. Dallas beat the Wild 2-0 in preseason hockey. NFL Thursday Night Football is Atlanta at Green Bay coverage begins at 6:30pm tonight on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com.