NEWS
--With the 4th of July on Tuesday many events start up this weekend and go into next week. The City of Randall started this week with a medallion hunt which was found the same day it started. Sunday there is a car show, Monday street dance and fireworks at night and Tuesday an open house at fire hall, raffles, duck races and more in Randall. Bowlus has their fun day on Sunday with a polka mass at 10:00am, parade at 11:15am, water wars with fire departments at 2:30pm, events all afternoon, live music, street dance, raffle at 9pm and fireworks at dusk Sunday. Brainerd has a car and an RV show today at seperate sites, Arts in the Park Sunday, then on Tuesday, parade at 4:00pm, music at the high school at 6:30pm and fireworks at dusk. Hillman has a parade Tuesday at 11:00am and events throughout the day. Area attractions also have events like the Lindbergh Site during World War I reenactment tours of the homestead in 1917 Saturday and the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery will be open for tours of the committal hall and the portraits of Charles Kapsner Saturday and Sunday. There are many other events going on around the state of Minnesota and firework displays throughout the weekend. Everyone at Little Falls Radio hopes you and yours have a safe and happy 4th of July holiday.
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larson appeared on Little Falls Radio yesterday and wanted to mention to motorists and boaters to stay alert this 4th of July holiday. Last year there were two incidents in the summer, days apart, where a 3 and 4 year old were injured in water activity related accidents. Please make sure that young children are being watched when near water, watch speeds on roadways and waterways with expected high number of motorists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and others are out. In many cases serious injury accidents can be avoided by just being alert of your surroundings. Larsen reminds everyone to enjoy yourself this week but buckle up, stay alert, and never drink and drive. Have a plan in place with a designated driver if heading out to the many events.
--A 16-year old girl from the Alexandria area was killed Wednesday afternoon when the vehicle she was driving was hit by another vehicle west of Brooten. Kassie Lyn Dillon of Carlos was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident occurred around 4:30pm at the intersection of Stearns County roads 19 and 18. Dillon was traveling south on County Road 18 when a car traveling west on County Road 19 ran a stop sign and hit her vehicle in the driver's door. The driver of that car 42-year old Christopher Wayne Ziemer of Belgrade was taken to St. Cloud Hospital. A passenger in the Dillon car, 20-year old Justin Virgil Cumberbatch of Alexandria, was taken to a hospital in Glenwood and later transferred by air to St. Cloud Hospital. Both Ziemer and Cumberbatch sustained life threatening injuries. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash.
--A Crosby woman was injured Wednesday afternoon in a one-vehicle accident in Crow Wing County. 28-year-old Samantha Carlson was on Highway 169 in Garrison Township when she left the roadway and struck a tree just after 1pm. Carlson was taken to the Crosby Hospital and treated for her injuries. The State Patrol also reported around noon an accident with injuries near Motley on Highway 64 in Cass County but no other information has been released.
--The Little Falls City Council will hold a work session and their regular council meeting Monday 7:30 at City Hall.
--A St. Cloud area man is jailed in Stearns County in lieu of $500,000 bail after being accused of posing as a police officer before blindfolding and handcuffing a woman inside her apartment and ransacking it. 35-year old Johnathon Demetrus Herring is charged with first degree aggravated robbery and possessing a firearm after being convicted of a crime of violence.
--A 45-year old Wadena man faces 10 felony counts of possessing pornographic work involving a minor. Aaron Dean Ferguson will make his first court appearance on the charges July 24th in Wadena County District Court. Each of the felony counts carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
--Motorists in Long Prairie will encounter crews, equipment and narrowed travel lanes on Highway 27 and Highway 71 after a project to improve the roadway, sidewalks and other infrastructure begins Monday, July 10th. Motorists should plan their travel, and expect the following traffic changes. Highway 27 and Highway 71 will remain open, but lanes will be narrow and will close intermittently while crews complete their work. Shoulders will also close as needed. Access to all local residences and businesses will be maintained. Highway 27 and Riverside Drive will be detoured for about five days in late July. Highway 27 and Highway 71 will be reduced to a single lane with flaggers allowing one-way, alternating traffic through the work zone for about one week in September. An open house scheduled on this project is next Thursday from 4:00-6:00pm at Long Prairie city hall. Attendees will be able to view a large layout of the project, get project details and get their questions answered from MnDOT staff and others working on the project.
--Xcel Energy will be performing a gas purge near downtown St. Cloud today. The gas purge will take place at the intersection of 16th Avenue North and 5½ Street North. The City Engineer's Office said there may be a presence of a natural gas odor in the area during this time. The gas purge will be monitored by Xcel Energy.
WEATHER
TODAY= showers and storms likely in afternoon, high 72.
TONIGHT= storms before dark, then clearing, low 50.
SATURDAY= sunny skies, high 74, showers overnight, low 53.
SUNDAY= sunny skies and pleasant, high 77, low 55.
MONDAY= sunny skies, high near 80, showers late night, low 60.
4th of JULY= T-storms early morn and late evening, high 84, low 63.
SPORTS
TWINS= Joe Mauer hit his 30th double of the season last night but Red Sox homered twice to beat the Twins 6-3 to take 3 of 4 in the series. Twins have 4 games in 3 days in Kansas City this weekend. Tonight pregame at 6:30pm, there is a day night double header on Saturday 12:30pm and 7pm and Sunday 12:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
LYNX= Lynx return to action tonight at Phoenix at 9pm.
VL= Sobieski at Upsala Sunday 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF then tune in Monday at 7:35am for the Victory League Roundup on KLTF. The Victory League in July will begin playoffs with the Region 8C Tournament beginning the final weekend in July starting in Pierz.
A reminder that due to the offices of Little Falls Radio closed Tuesday, there will be no local coupon connection program on Monday at 8:15am- it will return July 10th on AM960 KLTF.