NEWS
--A Brainerd man accused of the murder of 43-year-old Lynnie Ann Loucks was indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree premeditated murder. 53-year-old, Michael Lowell Munger is charged with the murder of Loucks, who was found dead April 28th at a residence north of Brainerd she shared with Munger. Munger was arrested at the residence and arraigned April 29 on charges of second-degree murder with intent but without premeditation and second-degree murder without intent but while committing a felony in connection with Loucks’ death. The Crow Wing County grand jury indictment charging Munger with first-degree murder was filed July 19. The new charge carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Munger’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 24th.
-- St. Cloud police are asking for help identifying a hit-and-run driver. Officials say the hit-and-run happened Wednesday just before 5pm in the 300 block of Wilson Avenue Northeast. A nine-year-old from St. Cloud reportedly tried to cross the road but collided with a passing vehicle. The female driver got out of the car but then left the scene. The girl was taken to the hospital for treatment and released. Police are looking for a lighter-colored sedan with possible light damage to the passenger side. The driver was described as a white female between 30 and 50 years old, last seen driving South on Wilson Avenue. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the St. Cloud Police (320-251-1200)or Crimestoppers (1-800-255-1301).
--Authorities have arrested a second man involved in a south St. Cloud shooting last month that injured four people. St. Cloud police say 20-year-old Jamarcus Morris, of St. Cloud, was arrested in Sartell Wednesday afternoon. Authorities learned Morris was inside an apartment in the 1000 block of 1st Street Northeast in Sartell. Police say an arrest warrant had previously been issued by a Stearns County Judge for Morris. Members of the St. Cloud Police SWAT Team used a search warrant and arrested Morris. He's being held in the Stearns County Jail on the arrest warrant. Morris faces four counts of 2nd degree assault from the shooting. Last week, 26-year-old Bryant Garth II was arrested and charge after records show Garth was one of three people who fired multiple gunshots into a crowd of people near the intersection of 11th Avenue South and 6th Street South on July 6th. A warrant has been issued for a third man named in the shooting, 28-year-old Daquan Ledbetter, who remains at large.
--The Sauk Rapids Police Department has released a statement on a fake Facebook post that has been widely shared. Police Chief Perry Beise says the post about a child safety alert and a person on it coming to kids at a family bonfire and peeking through windows has been passed around several social media and other sites. Beise says at this time the Sauk Rapids Police Department has not received any calls reporting this event and believe this posting to be fake. They encourage people to verify what they are sharing before causing undue concern. This comes after two other incidents of fake postings surfaced in the Sartell and Sauk Rapids area.
--A former wrestler at St. Cloud State University has pleaded guilty to assaulting another student last fall on September 18th. Twenty-one-year-old Ezayah Oropeza pleaded guilty to a charge of 3rd degree assault causing substantial bodily harm. Oropeza will be sentenced on November 9th.
--Little Falls Police wants to thank all who came out to the National Night Out event at the Convent Tuesday. Pictures of the event have been posted on the police department Facebook page.
--Another busy weekend of events, corn boils are going on today one in Hillman at the Lutheran Church, another at the Swanville Lions Park, Scandia Valley Summerfest Saturday near Cushing with craft and vendor sale, bake sale, turkey BBQ fundraiser for the fire department, ice cream, petting zoo, safe house demonstration and much more. Also St. Joseph's in Pierz church festival on Sunday with Mass at 10am, food and events at 11am on the church grounds with bingo, dice game, live music, gun raffle and large cash raffle ends the day at 4pm in Pierz. The Little Falls Senior Center has a pancake breakfast on Sunday plus Benton County Fair until Sunday and Crow Wing County Fair until Saturday tonight and tomorrow at the Crow Wing County Fair are the Baja Races. More details on events can be found at fallsradio.com and community calendar.
--Bloomington Police confirm that gunshots were fired at the Mall of America Thursday but no victims were found. The scene has been secured. They are still searching for a suspect. The Mall was closed last night but is expected to reopen again today.
--A Clear Lake man has been sentenced for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. A Beltrami County judge has sentenced 42-year-old Jonathon Isaacson to eight years and four months in prison. He gets credit for already having served seven days in the county jail. The assault happened on an ice fishing trip on Upper Red Lake in January 2021. Isaacson pleaded guilty in June to 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim between 13-15 years old.
--The Pierz City Council meets Monday night at 7pm at city hall.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
--NBC announced that their longtime NBC daytime drama "Days of Our Lives" is leaving the airwaves and moving to a new home next month. Starting September 12th Days of Our Lives will be streamed exclusively on Peacock. The show started on the network in 1965. NBC will replace the show with an NBC News Daily program.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny, hot and humid, windy, high 92.
TONIGHT= showers and storms, some heavy rains, low 67.
SATURDAY= showers and storms likely, high 78, low near 60.
SUNDAY= partly sunny, cooler, isolated showers, high 70, low 53.
MONDAY= sunny skies and pleasant, high 75, low near 61.
SPORTS
TWINS= Blue Jays get 6 runs in the 8th inning to beat the Twins last night at Target Field 9-3. The Twins (55-50) continue series with Toronto tonight, pregame at 6:30pm, Saturday 5:30pm and Sunday at 12:30pm, Inside Twins starting at noon, all live on Q92 WYRQ.
ALL= All Sports Meetings are being set for Little Falls Monday night at the high school, Pierz also Monday night at the high school. Thursday for Swanville schools in the auditorium.
WNBA= WNBA player Brittney Griner was sentenced to over 9 years in prison in Russia for having drugs on her person in an airport. Following the sentence both countries have reportedly starting on working on a prisoner swap between the two countries.
NFL= linebacker Anthony Barr signed with Dallas leaving Vikings.
REGION 8C= The Region 8C Amateur Baseball Tournament starts tomorrow in Freeport at 10:30am with Freeport vs. Pierz Lakers, then Buckman vs. Avon, Nisswa vs. Randall and St. Stephen vs. Foley listen to all 4 games Saturday and another 4 games on Sunday also starting at 10:30am on AM960 KLTF and online at fallsradio.com.