Wednesday, September 3, 2025
An ATV crash on Saturday in Morrison County sent two people to the hospital. The Morrison County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened around 7am on the Soo-Line Trail between Partridge Road and 335th Avenue, about six miles east of Pierz. According to the Sheriff's Office, 58-year-old Troy Pelland of International Falls was driving a side-by-side ATV west on the Soo Line Trail when he lost control of the vehicle, entered a steep ditch, and rolled. Pelland, and a passenger on the ATV, 57-year-old Lori Pelland of International Falls, were both taken to the St. Cloud Hospital with unknown injuries.
A Chevrolet Impala veered off Highway 84 and struck a large tree leaving the driver with life-threatening injuries. The Minnesota State Patrol reported 2005 Impala was traveling north on the highway when it went off the roadway to the right at 16th Avenue Northeast in Ponto Lake Township, Cass County. Road conditions were dry at the time of the crash. The crash was reported at 12:21pm Sunday, Aug. 31. The driver, Donald Arthur Waldera, 87, Longville, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital. He was wearing a seat belt and the air bag also deployed. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, North Memorial Health Ambulance, Backus Fire Department and Life Link air care responded to the crash.
A single-car crash sent one person to the hospital on Saturday. The Meeker County Sheriff's Office says the incident happened in the 73000 block of County Road 6 in Collinwood Township. The Sheriff's Office says 18-year-old Marlon Guillen-Sarmiento of Willmar sustained non-life-threatening injuries when he drove off the roadway and struck a pole. Authorities say Guillen-Sariento's driving license was suspended at the time of the crash, and he was taken to a local hospital. A juvenile passenger in the vehicle was not injured, and the cause of the crash remained under investigation.
One person was hurt when three vehicles collided near Kimball Tuesday morning. The crash happened at the intersection of Highway 15 and County Road 146 just after 5:30am. The Minnesota State Patrol says a crossover SUV was headed north on Highway 15 while one pickup was eastbound on County Road 146, and a second pickup was westbound on the county road. All three vehicles collided in the intersection. The SUV driver, 52-year-old Jamie Leither of Kimball, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the pickups, 45-year-old Jacob Salzbrun of South Haven, and a 16-year-old girl were not hurt in the crash.
Governor Tim Walz announced Tuesday that he will call a special session to weigh gun control legislation, including a ban on assault weapons. With the Minnesota House at a tie and the Senate with two open seats, Walz made it clear, he wants action. “The sad reality of it is that what happened last week with the Catholic School shooting in Minneapolis is preventable because so many nations around the world do it, and we cannot resign ourselves to believe that our little ones can’t be safe in what should be and always is the most safe environments they can possibly be in, so there’s more work to do there.” As an avid hunter who grew up with guns, Walz said back in his day, kids brought their shotguns to school and went hunting after, but “it’s a different world.” While not giving specifics, he believes the package he has put together is “very comprehensive” and has been implemented elsewhere “without infringement on people’s Second Amendment rights,” but it has “been proven that it will help protect our students.” He agreed mental health issues do need to be discussed, but accused opponents of cutting funding for mental health, adding he’s “happy to add it in” and believes it should be part of it, but worries some may say now is not the time to debate that. House Speaker, Representative Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring, issued a statement following the announcement of the special session, saying, “As disappointing as it is that the governor is doing this in such an overtly political way, House Republicans stand ready to protect students and schools. I hope we can have a real conversation about all aspects of safety – including things like the school security funding that was denied by the DFL trifecta in 2023 and more funding for desperately needed mental health resources – instead of vague demands for policies that have not stopped gun violence in other states.” Any bills that are created and passed must be done so in a bipartisan way. An official date for the session is expected to be announced later this week.
A Twin Cities man faces felony domestic assault charges after law enforcement says he attempted to drown both his sister and mom in an Otter Tail County lake. Otter Tail County Sheriff's officials say deputies were called to Otter Tail Lake just before 4pm Saturday on reports a man was trying to drown family members. By the time squads arrived a neighbor and other family members had managed to free and rescue a 25-year-old woman and a 64-year-old woman. Investigators learned that the suspect, a 42-year-old man from Shakopee, had become angry with his younger sister and allegedly grabbed her by the throat, choking the victim as he held her under water. The sister eventually lost consciousness as she lay on the bottom of the lake. When the suspect's 64-year-old mother attempted to intervene, the man reportedly grabbed her by the hair and attempted to pull her head under water. At that point the neighbor heard the commotion unfolding and was able to intervene to the point that both women could be pulled onto dry land. Paramedics treated the 25-year-old for injuries to her neck chest and collar bone, and transported her to a local hospital. The mother was checked out on scene and released. Deputies found the suspect still in the lake, and were able to talk him into coming out of the water without further incident. He was placed under arrest and taken to the Otter Tail County Jail, where the man is awaiting official charges.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation began nighttime resurfacing work on Highway 210 from Brainerd to west of Ironton on September 2nd and going through the overnight hours to September 6th. MnDOT will micro-surface the pavement, a process that renews the road surface and seals minor cracks, pavement ruts and other irregularities. Work will occur nightly from 6pm to 7am with alternating lane closures in both directions. Motorists should be prepared to encounter flaggers and a pilot car guiding traffic through the work zone. The resurfacing will be completed in segments, so expect the work area location to change and move. After the initial resurfacing is complete, there will be a two-week pause to allow the new pavement to cure. Crews will return the week of Sept. 22-27 to apply permanent striping and final pavement markings. All work is weather-dependent, and the schedule is subject to change.
Purva Watten, CEO of Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism spoke on KLTF Tuesday about the Arts and Crafts Fair in Little Falls, West Little Falls Antiques and Collectibles at LeBourget Park both with hours from 8-6 Saturday and 9-4 Sunday. Also the Lone Eagle Auto Club show is Sunday at the Morrison County Fairgrounds. Purva reminds those there is free parking, and free shuttle service too and from the downtown area both days from the Morrison County Fairgrounds. Also print directories are back at the Chamber office this year to pick up or at their temporary office downtown Little Falls by the courthouse this weekend. She reminds motorists that 1st Street to the north and south of Highway 27 (Bank Square) will be closed this weekend and some side streets are also closed, a map is on the site littlefallsartsandcraftsfair.com or on their Facebook page. You can contact Purva at the Chamber Office with any questions about the weekend at 320-632-5155.
The 2025 Minnesota State Fair wrapped up on Monday with another good year for attendance. Labor Day's attendance of 150,442 brought this year’s cumulative total to 1,940,869, making it the fifth best-attended fair ever. Visit mnstatefair.org/about-the-fair/attendance for 2025 attendance numbers.
The regular monthly meeting of Bellevue Township scheduled for Wednesday, September 3rd at 6:30pm is being postponed until Wednesday, September 10th at 6:30pm.
Death Notices- Rose Ann F. (Miller) Magnan, age 83 of Little Falls.
Weather- isolated showers today, partly sunny and windy, high near 60. Few showers early tonight otherwise partly cloudy and cool, low near 40. Thursday morning sun, PM showers and thunderstorms, high 61 showers Thursday night low around 40. Friday sunny and cool, high 57, clear night low 38. Saturday sunny and cool, high 61, low around 42. Sunday sunny and a bit warmer, high 68, low around 47.
Sports- White Sox rout the Twins 12-3 last night at Target Field. The Twins continue series with White Sox tonight at 6pm on Q92 WYRQ and wrap up that series tomorrow night. You can listen to high school football Friday night as Little Falls is at Milaca 7pm on AM960 KLTF and Foley is at Pierz on Friday night at 7pm on 94ROCKS both games are streamed online at fallsradio.com.