NEWS --Congratulations to the Pierz Pioneer Baseball Team winning the Section 6AA Championship Thursday 6-4 over St. Cloud Cathedral. Pierz will advance to the Class AA State Tournament next Thursday in St. Cloud. This is the first state appearance for Pierz since 1986. Hear the games on FM94.
--The Morrison County Area Foundation, a Turn Key Partner Fund of the Initiative Foundation, is now accepting grant applications that will improve the quality of life for residents of Morrison County. Qualifying applicants are those that serve the residents living and/or working in Morrison County and must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, school districts, local units of government or operating through a mission-related fiscal sponsor. The maximum grant is $2,000, not to exceed approximately 50% of the total project and priority will be given to projects that meet one or more of the following areas, programs that provide positive opportunities for community youth and programs that facilitate school and business partnerships to support next generation and workforce development. The deadline to sign up for the grants is June 19th by visiting morrisoncountyaf.org for more information on to apply online.
--CentraCare Health in Long Prairie was evacuated for a time Monday following a localized fire in their back up generator for the nursing home facility. Long Prairie was able to contain the fire after a short time and no one was hurt in the incident. After a short time patients, residents and faculty were all allowed back in the facility in less than an hour. The generator was a total loss. A new one was installed.
--A broadside crash on Highway 371 Wednesday in Crow Wing County resulted in serious injuries. Around 3:30pm a vehicle driven by 93-year old Irene Jenson turned from Green Gables Road to go north on Highway 371 and was broadsided by another vehicle driven by 25-year old Andrew Jay of Brainerd. Both Jensen and her passenger 68-year old Pearl Greenwalt of Baxter suffered serious injuries. The other driver Jay suffered non life threatening injuries.
--The body of a fisherman was pulled from the waters of Little Pine Lake in Crosslake Wednesday. The Sheriff's Office said around 5:15pm there was a report of a man floating in the water. The man, 65-year-old Gerald Becker of Elk River was found unresponsive and declared dead. Foul play is not suspected. An autopsy is scheduled.
--Two 12 year old boys Sunday stole a vehicle in Baxter and drove it around in an alleged joy ride clocking very high speeds. Police say around noon they received word of a driving complaint on Pine Street in Brainerd. The two 12 year old males were stopped and the vehicle was found to be stolen from a residence on Clearwater Road. Authorities would not release the name of the juveniles but only that they face possessing a stolen vehicle, theft and the driver not having a valid driver's license. Both have been taken to a Juvenile Detention Center while charges were processed.
--Tomorrow morning is the Morrison County Breakfast on the Farm from 7:30-11:30am at David and Betty Czech Farm on Highway 238 southwest of Little Falls- meet Princess Kay, petting zoo, ag learning center have Breakfast from the Bowlus/Sobieski Lions and more also join Farm Director Scott Colombe broadcasting live at the event just after 7:00am on AM960 KLTF. Scott will have a registration box at the event for you to have a chance to win a pair of tickets to Pierz Freedom Fest in July from Little Falls Radio.
--A 41-year-old Paynesville woman was injured about noon on Wednesday when the car she was riding in was struck and rolled over near North Junior High School. Connie Jean Erickson was a passenger in a car driven by 45-year-old Gary Joe Erickson of Paynesville. Gary Erickson was driving eastbound on 12th Street North when he entered the intersection of 29th Avenue North on a red light. Gary Erickson's car was then struck by the vehicle driven by 72-year old Jeffrey Hamilton of St. Cloud. Connie Erickson was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment of non life threatening injuries. Gary Erickson was cited for failure to obey a traffic signal.
--The artistic director for the St. John's Bible will become a knight. Donald Jackson will be inducted into the Order of St. Gregory the Great in a ceremony at Westminster Cathedral in London next Wednesday. The world-renowned calligrapher has been the principal illuminator for the St. John's Bible since 1998. He created illustrations and other visual additions in the book, which might be the first handwritten and illuminated Bible compiled by a Benedictine monastery since the invention of the printing press. For decades, Jackson has also been senior illuminator to the crown office of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Bishop Donald Kettler of the Diocese of St. Cloud nominated Jackson for the award, which is a rare honor for non-Roman Catholics. Jackson is an Anglican Communion.
--Loon survey volunteers are needed to help monitor the loon population in Becker, Otter Tail, Aitkin, Crow Wing and Itasca counties during the June 24th to July 4th monitoring period. For the past 23 years hundreds of volunteer observers have helped the DNR gather information about common loon numbers on more than 600 lakes throughout the state. Volunteers can choose one (or more) of the lakes listed on the DNR website for the particular county to monitor on morning hours of the dates listed. Volunteers are asked to complete one or more assigned lakes and consider participating in the program for multiple years. Surveys can be conducted from shore or by boat or canoe. The DNR will provide detailed instructions, training materials, maps and data forms.
--Sunday is the Holy Family Heritage Festival on the parish grounds in Belle Prairie. Also Monday kicks off Dam Festival week in Little Falls with sidewalk sale Friday and the festival parade 11:00am Saturday with more events that afternoon. Listen to Little Falls Radio Monday at 8:25am for the first Dam Festival Medallion Hunt clue from Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union. The winner gets $500 in cash.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT --Troy and Sashine Jones of Little Falls, boy on June 7th
WEATHER TODAY= hazy, humid, hot, high 91, afternoon storms likely. TONIGHT= strong evening storms, then clearing low 68. SATURDAY= sunny and warm, high 86, storms overnight, low 58. SUNDAY= partly sunny, high 81, storms likely afternoon and night. MONDAY= storms early, then partial sun, high 80, low 55.
SPORTS TWINS= A seven run 7th gave Miami a 10-3 win over the Twins. Twins host Boston for a weekend series. Pregame tonight is at 6:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 12:30pm on Q92 WYRQ. VL= Lastrup at Buckman Sunday at 4pm on AM960 KLTF.