NEWS
--Little Falls Mayor Greg Zylka Thursday on KLTF wanted to personally thank all the volunteers in the community for give up their own time to help Little Falls prosper for events, fundraisers and just finding more ways to help out in Little Falls. Zylka stated they are opening to work with the local option sales tax, waiting on the state legislature on that and hopefully will get passed through. Zylka said they work working with the golf course and the large housing project and day care properties that they are working with. He is working on ways to abandon the railroad tracks on the northeast end of town, one numerous city streets which has been exempt from the railroad for many years. Mayor Zylka wants residents to please support local businesses during the summer months, take advantage of our local attractions and visit our local parks and playgrounds for young and old alike to enjoy what the city has to offer and get outside again.
--A bicyclist was injured yesterday around 2:15pm on Highway 371 in Ft. Ripley Township of Crow Wing County. An SUV driven by 68-year-old Paul Haider of Lakeville was traveling northbound on highway 371 at Koering Road in Fort Ripley Township. A bicyclist was also traveling northbound on the right hand shoulder. The bicyclist then proceeded to cross the highway. He put his arm out to signal just before he ran into the right side of the vehicle. The bicyclist, 77-year-old Frederick Olson of Eden Prairie was taken to Brainerd hospital for his injuries.
--A 17-year-old boy was killed in a motorcycle crash in St. Cloud. Police say the incident happened at about 3:30pm Thursday at the intersection of 15th Avenue and Veterans Drive. The driver of the bike was from St. Cloud. His name has not been released. The crash investigation determined that the motorcycle was traveling west on Veterans Drive when it went up to the sidewalk after it crossed through the intersection with 25th Avenue. It continued on the sidewalk and then lost control and struck a wooden electrical pole.
--A 58-year-old Pillager man was arrested Tuesday, June 15, following an ongoing investigation into the sales and use of drugs. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and the Crow Wing County Lakes Area Drug Investigation Division Task Force conducted a search warrant at a residence in Sylvan Township in rural Pillager. Drug agents seized 9.7 grams of methamphetamine, 324 grams of marijuana, three dosage units of a schedule II controlled substance, two dosage units of a schedule IV controlled substance, 15 dosage units of a legend drug, 2 grams of marijuana wax, 12 marijuana plants and ammunition. The sheriff's office prepared pending charges against the Pillager man relating to drug sales and drug possession for the attorney’s office to review. Sheriff Tom Burch reports some information that led to this arrest was gathered from an anonymous Crime Stoppers of Minnesota Tip. Tips can be submitted safely and anonymously through crimestoppersmn.org/ or by calling 1-800-222-8477.
--A Sauk Centre man who pleaded guilty to sexually molesting two young girls has been sentenced to just over 14 years in prison. Thirty-nine-year-old Elliot Hill pleaded guilty in March to two counts of 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13. Court records show Hill told investigators he was an alcoholic and drank every night. He said he did not remember what he would do when he was drunk because he would blackout. As part of Hill's sentence, he gets credit for serving nearly two-and-a-half years in the county jail. After completing his prison term, he will be on conditional release for 99 years and must register as a predatory offender. The girls were abused at Hill's Sauk Centre home at various times in 2018.
--Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin will be sentenced Friday for the May 2020 murder of George Floyd. On April 20, a jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree manslaughter, second-degree murder and third-degree murder in Floyd’s death, making him the first white police officer to be found guilty of murdering a Black man in Minnesota. The state rules that a sentence to second-degree unintentional murder, the prosecution has asked for a 30 year sentence where defense has ruled that the sentence should be lesser or even probation only.
--A family of seven is displaced after their home caught fire early Thursday morning. The Meeker County Sheriff's Office got a call about a house fire in the 23800 block of 700th Avenue in Dassel Township at about 1am. Fire crews worked to quickly extinguish the flames as paramedics assessed the family for possible smoke inhalation. The homeowners, Dustin and Amanda Darwin, and their five children were treated at the scene but did not need hospitalization. Authorities determined the fire started in the laundry room and may have been related to a clothes dryer. The sheriff's office says the main floor laundry room and kitchen sustained significant fire and smoke damage. The Red Cross is assisting the family to find temporary housing.
--A Canadian man has pleaded guilty to transporting 67 illegal guns in a rented truck that was pulled over on Interstate 94 in northwestern Minnesota earlier this year. Twenty-nine-year-old Dayne Sitladeen was a passenger in a truck that was pulled over near Fergus Falls in January for driving close to 100 mph. A state trooper searched the truck after he smelled marijuana and Sitladeen and the driver gave him fake IDs. That's when a bag of guns was discovered. Court documents state that Sitladeen was in the country illegally. At the time he was wanted on a 2019 Canadian arrest warrant for first-degree homicide, fentanyl distribution and other possesion charges.
--The Little Falls School Board meets Monday at 5pm at the middle school media center. They will approve the budget for the next school year and run down the list of donations from the 2021 Day of Caring.
--The Pierz City Council meets Monday at 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
DEATH NOTICES
--Viola Berg, age 89 of Little Falls.
--Mary Lou Schmitt, age 87 of Royalton, formerly of Morrill.
--Alcuin John Harren, age 77 of Balsam Lake, WI formerly Upsala.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, warm, high 86.
TONIGHT= clouds increase into the night, low 59.
SATURDAY= showers early AM & mid to late PM, high 80, low 57.
SUNDAY= showers and T-storms liklely, high 77, low near 56.
MONDAY= sunny skies, high 82, storms develop later at night.
SPORTS
TWINS= Eddie Rosario helped his new team beat his former team last night as Cleveland beat the Twins 4-1. The Twins continue series with Cleveland tonight at 6:30pm then Saturday and Sunday are 1:10 first pitches with pregame Saturday at 12:30 and Inside Twins Sunday at noon on Q92 WYRQ.
VL= a very busy weekend of Victory League games with games tonight, tomorrow and Sunday. The game of the week is Foley at Buckman and that is now 4:30pm Saturday on AM960 KLTF.