NEWS
--Motorists on Highway 27 between Little Falls and Onamia will encounter delays and detours when segments of the road close while two bridges are replaced beginning Monday, July 11th. Highway 27 between Morrison County Road 23 in Lastrup and Morrison County Road 47, east of Lastrup, will close July 11th through mid-August. A signed detour will direct motorists along County Road 23 and County Road 47. Also Highway 27 between Morrison County Road 43 and Morrison County Road 45, just east of Little Falls, will close September 6th through late October. A signed detour will direct motorists along County Road 43 and County Road 45. The closures are needed while crews replace the two Highway 27 bridges over the Skunk River east of Lastrup and Rice Creek east of Little Falls in Morrison County. When complete, the project will result in a safer roadway with wider shoulders, and replace two aging bridges with new, lower maintenance box culvert bridges.
--The Little Falls Rotary Club has started to collect items to be dispersed to homeless and near-homeless veterans. The Minnesota Action Council for Veterans (MACV) sponsors StandDowns across the state to help veterans. At these StandDowns, hundreds of homeless veterans are provided with necessities which include food, clothing, medical, legal and mental health assistance. They also get job counseling and referrals. The Rotary Club has placed collection boxes at MidMinnesota Federal Credit Union, Ace Hardware, American Legion, Coborn’s, VFW and New 2 You Thrift Store. Cash donations can also be made by check and mailed to: Rotary Homeless Project, PO Box 414, Little Falls, MN 56345. What is needed for the StandDowns are gently used or new backpacks, travel-size lotions, shampoos and soaps, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, dental floss, white athletic sox and women’s personal hygiene products. In 2015, 2,574 veterans were given a hand up during 10 StandDown events held in 10 locations in Minnesota.
--The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office has released information of a possible hostage situation on Tuesday night. Around 8:45pm a 911 call was taken that a woman said her husband was threatening her and their children with a firearm at their Deerwood residence. Deputies responded and after setting up a perimeter started negotiations with those inside. The man, his wife and her sister all gave significantly conflicting stories on what happened. Deputies stated there was no hostage situation, the children were fine and the three adults were all separated for the night. No shots were fired and no one was arrested. The incident remains under investigation.
–Stearns County reported a man died Wednesday morning after being trapped under a tractor at a farm in Millwood Township northeast of Melrose. The man was identified as 65-year-old Donald Hinnenkamp of Melrose. Hinnenkamp was found partially entangled in a hay merger. It appeared that Hinnenkamp may have had a medical episode which led to him becoming trapped underneath.
--Fire destroyed an Emily landmark in Crow Wing County Wednesday. The Bungalow Tap House was destroyed by fire Wednesday morning. The restaurant was built in 1903. Firefighters arrived around 2:45am and at that time the fire was coming out of the structure and the roof was beginning to cave in. The building could not be saved. No one was in the building at the time of the fire and the cause is still under investigation. There were no injuries.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that Theresa Messinger is their July Employee of the Month. Theresa has been a manager/cosmetologist at Fresh Hair Professionals for the past five years. Congratulations Theresa Messinger on being named the Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce employee of the month.
--Michael Scholtes of Little Falls won $17,777 playing the Cash Clover lottery game. Scholtes purchased the ticket at West Side Liquor and he received the prize on June 23rd.
--The 4th of July weekend is here with plenty of events for everyone. Events include Sunday Arts in the Park at Gregory Park in Brainerd, then in Randall a car show, street dance and fireworks at night. Bowlus has their fun day Sunday with country/gospel mass at 10am, parade at 11:15am, water wars, and hours of entertainment after noon, fireworks at dusk. Monday events include parades in Hillman and in Randall at 11:00am, Pillsbury at 2:00pm and Brainerd at 4:00pm. Randall also has bed and duck races after their parade. Hillman has softball tournaments and other events that day. Brainerd has a free corn on the cob feed while supplies last starting at noon, Hairball plays that night and fireworks wrap up the night in Brainerd just after 10:00pm. Get details on all the 4th of July events at fallsradio.com then click on the community calendar.
--Minnesota voters will be asked this fall whether state lawmakers should be setting their own salaries, or whether those decisions should be made by an independent citizens commission. The constitutional amendment voters will consider establishes a citizens board to set the lawmakers salary. There hasn’t been a change to their base salary of about $31,000 since 1999. A survey by the National Conference of State Legislatures ranks Minnesota 19th in base pay for legislators among the 39 states that provide an annual salary. The governor and Supreme Court chief justice would pick the members of the citizens council.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
--William Gaskin and Sadie Wright of Little Falls, a boy June 27th
--Sara Ballou of Randall had a baby boy, born on June 28th
--Lee and Kayla Boyles of Little Falls, a girl born June 25th
--Jim and Jolene Crosby of Randall, a boy born on June 29th
DEATH NOTICES
--Sylvia M. Stoner, age 77 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 72, clear night low around 50.
SATURDAY= sunny skies, high 75, low around 55.
SUNDAY= sunny and a bit warmer, high 82, low around 60.
INDEPENDENCE DAY= sunny, high 83, late night storms low 64.
TUESDAY= storm early, then hazy and humid, high 85.
SPORTS
TWINS= The Twins lost their second straight to Chicago yesterday 6-5. Minnesota opens up a weekend series tonight with the Texas Rangers. Listen to each of the games on 92.1FM WYRQ
VL= Aitkin at Fort Ripley Sunday at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF
A reminder that there will be no newsletter Monday due to the offices being closed for the 4th of July Holiday.