Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Last night on KSTP TV News they investigated Oakland Cemetery in Little Falls the story uncovered dead board members, a big raise for the cemetery’s caretaker and an attempt to get taxpayer money to pay for it. The cemetery’s caretaker was interviewed and Brian-Paul Klein Crowder defended his compensation and denied any wrongdoing. But plot owners and their families say they are in the dark about who is making decisions that will affect the cemetery’s future. The Oakland Cemetery Association of Little Falls is the nonprofit that manages Oakland Cemetery, Federal tax filings for the association, analyzed by 5 INVESTIGATES, show its net assets have declined each year since 2016. The story went on to state the nonprofit drew even more ire from community members after Crowder pushed the local state representative to spend taxpayer money on the cemetery. In 2025, Rep. Ron Kresha (R-Little Falls) authored a bill to provide a $100,000 annual grant for maintenance. The proposed direct appropriation would have been funneled through the Minnesota Historical Society. The legislation did not receive a hearing and did not result in any dedicated funding. The full KSTP Investigation story can be found at this link https://kstp.com/5-investigates/dead-board-members-a-big-raise-and-taxpayer-money-questions-swirl-around-cemetery-in-little-falls/.

The local Morrison County Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 12 has started the clothing drop off site for those wanting to drop off any clean clothing, shoes, ties, purses, towels, belts coats, bedding or pillows. You are asked to package them in 13 gallon trash bags. Drop off is every Friday now through the end of September 9am-12pm at 609 4th Avenue Northeast in Little Falls. NO TV's, microwaves, computers, or any electronic items will be accepted only clothing, towels and bedding please. If you have large amounts of clothing best to call Tim Tabatt 320-630-3428 and he will pick it up. This helps support local disabled Veterans residing in area facilities, hospitals and homes. Again Friday's 9-12pm in northeast Little Falls for drop offs. 

The man charged with shooting Minnesota lawmakers last summer will not face the federal death penalty in the case. Vance Boelter is accused of shooting and killing Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband in their Brooklyn Park home last year, as well as shooting State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in their Champlin home that same morning. Boelter was allegedly dressed as a police officer when he visited both lawmakers' homes in the early morning hours of June 14, 2025. A federal grand jury indicted Boelter last July on six federal charges connected to stalking, murder and firearms offenses in the shootings of the Hortmans, Hoffmans, and attempted shooting of the Hoffmans' daughter, Hope. Some of the federal counts included the possibility of the death penalty if convicted, but a Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed to KARE 11 on Monday that the death penalty was no longer on the table. "Bringing justice to the families and loved ones of victims of violence is the number one priority of the Department of Justice," a DOJ spokesperson said in a statement. "Prosecutors worked hard on this case to make sure he was held accountable to the fullest extent possible." Separately, a Minnesota grand jury indicted Boelter last August on state charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of felony animal cruelty and one count of impersonating a police officer. The first-degree murder counts carry a maximum potential of life imprisonment without parole. The state prosecution is on hold while Boelter faces federal charges. 

On June 8, 2026, the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State announced the certification of candidates for all federal and state offices for the August 11, 2026 State Primary Election. Lists of candidates who have filed for are available electronically from the Candidate Filing website. A description of the contents of the downloadable text files is in the candidate files layout file.  Candidates for local offices that do not have primaries can file for office from July 14, 2026 until July 28, 2026.  Requirements for candidates vary by the office type and political party affiliation. Minnesotans can find qualifications and filing instructions for each office in the updated Become a Candidate section of mnvotes.gov.  Some petitions for minor party and independent candidates in the general election are still being processed. These will be complete by the close of business on June 16, at the latest. Minor party and independent candidates with successful petitions will advance directly to the November 3 General Election. Voting in the August 11 Primary Election will begin on June 26, 2026. To be eligible to vote, a person must be 18 or older by Election Day, a U.S. Citizen, a resident of Minnesota for at least 20 days, not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction, and not under a court order that revokes your right to vote. If you are eligible to vote, you can register to vote at mnvotes.gov/register. There are three ways to vote:  1. By Mail: Minnesotans can vote by mail by requesting a ballot at mnvotes.gov/absentee starting June 26. About 150,000 Minnesotans live in mail ballot precincts and will be mailed a ballot automatically if they are registered to vote. To be counted, absentee ballots returned in-person must be received by local election offices by 5 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballots returned by mail and mail ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters can track their ballot at mnvotes.gov/trackmyballot. 2. Early In-Person: Minnesotans can vote early in person at their local election office during business hours between June 26 and August 10. Beginning on July 24, voters can cast their ballot into a ballot tabulator using the new early voting process. Learn more about voting early in-person. 3. In-Person on Election Day: Minnesotans can vote in-person at their local polling place on Tuesday, August 11. Find a polling place at mnvotes.gov/pollfinder. Check your registration online at mnvotes.gov/register. All polling places are open until 8 p.m. As long as voters are in line to vote by 8 p.m. they can vote. In Minnesota, people can register to vote on election day. Online interactive tools for voters to register to vote, check their registration, request an absentee ballot, and track their absentee or mail ballot are also available in 11 languages. 

Sartell Police are reporting a vandalism on June 7 at Watab Park where Alicia Mages from Tri County Crime Stoppers says someone had tagged (spray painted) the shelter building on the property.  She says that type of thing also happened earlier in the week.  Mages suggests reporting this type of vandalism immediately if you see it happen. 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.

The winner of the River Rat Race 5K run on Saturday at Crane Meadows near Little Falls was Morcelli Kombo, St Cloud with the time of 1921. The women’s winner was Jocie Wheeler of Clearwater with the time of 2223. There were 117 finishers in the 5k. All results on www.riverratrace.com.

Death Notices: John H. James, age 89 of Little Falls. Dolores "Bieganek" Preimesberger, age 97 Genola's Oldest Resident and last remaining former business owner and icon. 

Weather: Air Quality Alert 12-9pm this afternoon and evening. AM fog today then sunny, humid, high near 90, light winds. Storms after midnight tonight some strong with heavy rains towards morning, low 68. Wednesday early storms possible, then sunny, high 87, more storms after 2pm some could be severe with gusty winds and hail, clearing in the evening, low 57. Thursday partly sunny, spotty showers and windy, high 74, Thursday night clear skies low 52. Friday sunny and very windy, high 73, clear Friday night low near 51. Saturday sunny and cool, high 71 low around 49. Sunny Sunday and continued cool, high around 70 low around 50. 

Sports: Twins open a series at Detroit tonight at 5:40pm after having yesterday off. The Lynx host Dallas tonight at 7pm. San Antonio beat New York last night 115-111, Knicks lead NBA finals still 2-1. Good luck to Imagine Hines and Peyton Carr from Little Falls and Nathan Cekalla of Pierz who are competing Tuesday at the State Boys and Girls Golf Tournament, where top golfers will try and advance to the finals on Wednesday. Tough break for Robert "Bob" Bell the former Pierz golfer, after finishing 1st in Round 1 of the U.S. Open qualifier with a 65 yesterday he then finished with a 74  in the second round and ended with a 139 and that missed the cut for qualifying for the U.S. Open this year. Sam Udovich of Inver Grove Heights was named one of the alternates. Victory League Game of the Week Royalton at Pierz Bulldogs Sunday at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com.