NEWS --The Minnesota Department of Transportation held its statewide construction kickoff Wednesday and there are a handful of projects that will impact drivers through central Minnesota. In Morrison County road work will include Highway 27 east of Lastrup replacing the bridge/box culvert at 350th Avenue up to County Road 47. Also install a rural intersection at Highway 27 and County Road 8 near Hillman. Those projects are scheduled this summer. An open house was held this week regarding the resurfacing project on Highway 24 between Clear Lake and Clearwater. That work is scheduled for April through August. Also scheduled to start this month is overnight work on I-94 between Clearwater and Monticello. Crews will work to smooth both eastbound and westbound lanes. The project should be completed by the end of May. Starting in June, Highway 10 between Clear Lake and Big Lake will undergo construction. The project will run through October and require single lane traffic in each direction. If you travel on the eastern end of Highway 23, you should expect delays from July through mid September between Mora and Brook Park. Two Stearns County highways are MnDOT projects scheduled for this summer. The work includes reconstruction, utility replacement and sidewalks. Highway 4 in Lake Henry will be rebuilt between May and August and Highway 238 in Albany will be under construction from June to mid-September. There is a number of projects in Crow Wing County also from Brainerd/Baxter, Emily, Garrison and Highway 210 project west of Staples later this spring and summer. For a full list of projects for the Minnesota Department of Transportation view the MN Dot website and click on 2018 projects.
--A one vehicle accident early Wednesday sent an 18-year old to the hospital. 18-year old Cassie Phillips of Glenwood was on Interstate 94 in Avon Township of Stearns County around 2:45am when she over corrected on a curve and drove into the ditch. Phillips and 19-year old Kaylee Coziahr of Alberta were not injured. Another passenger, 18-year old Renae Moore of Starbuck was injured and taken to the St. Cloud Hospital for treatment.
--On Monday the Benton County Sheriff’s Office arrested 3 people after discovering controlled substances during a traffic stop. The traffic stop originally for a broken tail light was conducted around 5:00pm near 10th Ave NE and Ocarina Drive in Sauk Rapids. During the stop the officer recognized one of the passengers 52-year old Lisa Platz of Rice who was wanted on a 1st degree damage to property warrant. She was arrested on that charge. During the stop the officer also found believed to be controlled substances. The driver 48-year old Joseph Depa of Sauk Rapids was arrested for 5th degree controlled substance crime and 4th degree driving while under the influence. The other passenger 32-year old Amanda Loehrer of Sauk Rapids was arrested for a 5th degree controlled substance crime.
--Firefighters from Crosby and Brainerd were called Wednesday night to a two story apartment building on the 100 block of First Street Southwest in Crosby. The fire was reported to have started because of a clothes dryer. Smoke escaped from second floor story windows as firefighters worked in below freezing weather. Damage was limited to the area where the dryer started on fire. No one was at home at the time of the fire. According to Crow Wing County property tax records, the apartment building is owned by Hudrlik Properties LLC.
--Pierz City Council meets Monday 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
--The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office has received 5 additional reports from the public on a scam of a caller stating they had an arrest warrant for them. The caller instructs the target how to pay by debit, credit or cash card to avoid being arrested. At least three of the calls have been targeted towards people working in area health care facilities. This is a scam. If you receive a call such as this it is best to hang up. The sheriff’s office continues to investigate these crimes and encourages the public to call with any information.
--A Dassel woman was arrested by the Foley Police Department Tuesday in connection with an incident involving a van that went missing from the St. Cloud Technical and Community College campus earlier this week. 34-year old Jessica Ann Seelen is charged with a felony for receiving/possession of stolen property. The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
--A number of people were arrested during a probation check on April 4th at a residence on the 4600 block of Cinosam Road. Investigators from the Lakes Area Drug Investigative Division (LADID) were at the residence to assist Crow Wing County Community Corrections on a probation check. During the check, a number of subjects were located in the residence and arrested for a variety of offenses. One of the suspects, Jaredin Kieffer, did run from the residence. He was later located by assisting officers and a K-9. Jaredin was arrested without incident. LADID was assisted on scene by the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office, Nisswa Police Department and the Brainerd Police Department. Arrested were: 41-year old Brooke Kieffer of Brainerd for Probation Violation and 5th Degree Drug Possession; 24-year old Jaredin Kieffer of Breckenridge on Fleeing (on foot), False Name and Warrant(s); 20-year old Madison Auvil of Baxter for 5th Degree Drug Possession; and 40-year old Ryan Beach of Brainerd arrested on 5th Degree Drug Possession and Probation Violation.
--Weekend events include dinner theater at Great River Arts, Boutique and Craft Show Saturday at Holy Trinity School in Pierz to help Holy Trinity PTO, St. Joseph's Church raffle to follow 4:30pm Mass Saturday in Pierz, Pasta Bar Fundraiser at St. Francis Convent Saturday, Heartland Symphony Orchestra performs in Little Falls Saturday night and in Brainerd on Sunday, Polka Praise Service with fellowship and food to follow Sunday at Zion Lutheran Church in Little Falls. Get details on events at fallsradio.com community calendar.
WEATHER TODAY= sunny and cold, very windy, high near 20, wind chills near 0 TONIGHT= clear skies, low 5 above, wind chills near -10. SATURDAY= sunny and cold, high 28, low around 0. SUNDAY= snow in afternoon, 2-5 inches, high near 30, low near 10. MONDAY= light snow early, then cloudy and windy, high 35.
SPORTS TWINS= Miguel Sano, Mitch Garver and Eddie Rosario homer to win the home opener 4-2 over Seattle Friday. Twins and Seattle continue their series, weather permitting, with games Saturday and Sunday afternoon, both have pregame starting at 12:30pm on Q92 WYRQ. HOK= University of Minnesota Duluth will take on Notre Dame for the NCAA Men's Hockey Frozen Four Championship on Saturday in St. Paul after UMD beat Ohio State and Notre Dame beat Michigan with just seconds left yesterday in the semi-finals. WRAP= Al talks track on the Sports Wrap Saturday 9:05am on KLTF