Wednesday, March 19, 2025

--The man found dead at the Elk River Landfill last week has been identified as a 63-year-old Little Falls man. He was reportedly delivering a load to the landfill at 225th Avenue Northwest and Highway 169 when his vehicle was found unoccupied, according to Elk River Police Capt. Joe Gacke. When someone at the landfill noticed his truck sitting empty but no one around, a call was made to 911 to report the driver missing, Gacke said. Police reportedly found the man partially buried in the landfill. They say no foul play is suspected. Police are working with the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office. Police only stated the man was a missing worker from Little Falls but did not release the name.

--Two Burtrum residents were injured Monday, March 17 in a two-vehicle crash in Stearns County. Leroy Theisen, 79, and Logan King, 22, were injured in the crash. The crash was reported at about 9:30 a.m. County Road 17 and County Road 13 in Melrose Township. According to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office, Samantha Pohlmann, 32, of Grey Eagle was traveling southbound on County Road 13 and Theisen was traveling eastbound on County Road 17. Theisen attempted to turn left onto County Road 13 when he pulled in front of Pohlmann, and their vehicles collided. Theisen and King were transported to the Melrose Hospital for treatment of their injuries. 

--The House Republican Caucus is quickly moving to distance itself from a GOP senator arrested this week for soliciting a minor. Senator Justin Eichorn of Grand Rapids is alleged to have messaged what he thought was a teenage girl in an attempt to arrange a meetup. Eichorn was actually speaking to a police officer. When he showed up for the meeting in Bloomington, law enforcement was waiting to arrest him. He was arrested on solicitation of a possible minor. House Speaker Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring and Leader Harry Niska of Ramsey have already released a joint statement asking Eichorn to step down. It reads, “Given the seriousness of the charges, Senator Eichorn should resign. While he is entitled to due process, we must hold legislators to a higher standard.” The DFL currently holds a slim 34-33 advantage in the state’s upper chamber.

--A group of Minnesota GOP senators are looking to cut the Northstar Line to help save state government some money. At a press conference on Monday, deputy minority leader John Jasinski said that with a future budget projection showing the state $6 billion in the hole in the next biennium, ending the service is necessary. He notes the line’s finances are in terrible shape. “A recent MnDOT report confirmed that Northstar is a financial black hole. It’s 97% subsidized. Less than 3% of its costs are actually by ticketed sales. Taxpayers are footing the bill for virtually the entire train.” Jasinski elaborated further on the cost being borne by the public. “We could save $11 to $12 million per year by cutting out the Northstar train. It’s approximately $173 per ride that is government subsidized.” The Northstar Line connects Minneapolis with Big Lake. Buses bring riders up to St. Cloud. MnDOT and the Metropolitan Council said in February that they were already looking into shutting down the trains in favor of a more cost-effective option. 

--A Brooklyn Park man pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking that resulted in death, Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick announced Tuesday March 18. According to court documents, on July 26, 2023, Allen Lee Goodwin, 50, sold a mixture of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl to a 38-year-old male victim who lived on the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. The next morning, Goodwin’s victim injected the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl substance and died minutes later. In his plea agreement, Goodwin admitted he intentionally transferred the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl mixture to his victim, and that the man would not have died but for the use of the fentanyl substance that he sold him. Goodwin pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death in U.S. District Court before Judge Donovan W. Frank. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.

--A Waverly, Minnesota man has been charged after he allegedly led police on an 80-minute long pursuit last week, extending from Minneapolis to St. Michael. Charles Anthony Stiller, 23, is charged with one count of fleeing a police officer and 4th-degree assault, which relates to an allegation he spat at a state trooper. Stiller was also suspected of being high on methamphetamine during the incident, but a blood draw is still being processed as of Monday. 

--Authorities have identified the woman killed in a rollover crash in Cass County on Saturday. The Cass County Sheriff's Office said Mikayla Butcher, of Bemidji, died at the scene following the crash on Saturday evening. The driver in the crash, a 23-year-old Walker man, has been arrested and booked into the Cass County Jail for probation violation and probable cause DWI charges, according to jail records.

 --Holy Trinity School in Pierz is getting ready for their annual school carnival this Sunday 11am-3pm. There will be a number of raffles, including the grand raffle, kids games, food booth and more to help out the Catholic School in Pierz this Sunday.

DEATH NOTICES- Chester A. Skalsky, age 74 of Little Falls. 

WEATHER- today cloudy and windy, few flurries early, high 38, tonight, clearing and windy, low 21. Thursday sunny less windy, high 47, low around 32. Friday sunny skies, high near 50, low around 26.

SPORTS- State Tournament Boys Basketball quarter-finals from Tuesday, Albany advanced in AA quarter-finals 80-57 over Pelican Rapids. Waseca beat Pequot Lakes 49-45 in quarters. Alexandria beat Byron in the 3A quarter-finals 82-70 to advance to semi-finals action Thursday and Friday this week.