NEWS
--Authorities are looking for two suspects in the sexual assault of a teenager in St. Cloud. The St. Cloud Police Department says officers were called to 16th Street Southeast Wednesday night. At the scene, officers met with a 14-year-old girl who told them she had been sexually assaulted. Authorities say the girl was walking alone in the 1700 block of University Drive Southeast when a black SUV approached her. Police say the girl spoke briefly with the two men in the vehicle and was then forced into the SUV. The girl told officers the men drove her to a park in the 1900 block of University Drive Southeast, and forced her out of the vehicle and into a wooded area where they forced sexual contact with her. The suspects are described as two light-skinned black men in their mid-20s. Authorities say one is approximately 6 feet tall with a diamond-shaped face and was wearing a black hat, gray pants, and a black sweatshirt, while the other man is described as having a rounder face and being heavier set. The make and model of the SUV is unknown. Authorities say no weapons were used in the incident and officers were not immediately able to locate the suspects or the suspect vehicle in the area. Anyone with information is asked to contact the St. Cloud Police Department or Tri-County Crime Stoppers.
--A Burnsville man was arrested during a drug bust in Sartell Thursday. As part of an ongoing investigation of the distribution of methamphetamine in the area, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force carried out a search warrant at a home in the 100 block of Le Sauk Drive. During the search, authorities found methamphetamine in the home and arrested 41-year-old Brett Otterman. He was taken to Stearns County Jail and faces charges that include 1st Degree Possession of a Controlled Substance. The CMVOTF is made up of investigators from the Sartell and St. Cloud police departments as well as deputies from Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, and Morrison counties.
--The wildfire Tuesday that burned in the Rum River State Forest reportedly rekindled into Wednesday and burned over 225 acres. Crews said the large fire near Rum River State Forest just north of Milaca Wednesday morning was contained. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently issued burning restrictions for several counties until adequate moisture comes to the area.
--The Little Falls Police Department reported a number of vehicle accidents and damage to property on Tuesday. Starting at 8:35am an accident in the Coborn's Parking Lot, then 10:50am report of windows damaged on 7th Street Northeast, 5:13pm report of a vehicle damaged on 1st Avenue Northeast, 7:52pm a vehicle opened its door and was struck by an oncoming vehicle on 18th Street Northeast there were no injuries reported in any of the those calls. More calls last week for illegal burning, suspicious activity and domestic situations.
--Weekend events include many fish fries wrapping up for the Lenten season tonight. Breakfast Sunday morning at St. Stanislaus in Bowlus by the Knight of Columbus St. Gregory Council with a raffle at noon, Royalton Lions Senior Dinner at noon Sunday at Royalton Legion, Ham Bingo Sunday at Holy Family Church of Belle Prairie, another Ham Bingo Sunday at St. Mathias Catholic Church. A bake sale will be at St. Mary's Church after the Saturday and Sunday Masses. Journey with Jesus to Calvary tonight and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday will be at 1pm at St. Francis of Assisi Church south of Upsala.
--Another successful Ladies Night Out in Pierz! Thanks to the sponsors and those who participated and dressed up! Congratulations to our Grand Prize winner Janell Hoheisel of Pierz and our “Lumberjill” dress up winner Julie Gangl-Rohlig of Buckman.
--The 2024 Morrison County Dairy Princess Coronation and Banquet is Saturday at 8pm at the Falls Ballroom. This years contestants are Paige Gerads, 19-year old, daughter of Jamie and Rebecca Gerads of Albany, Paige Fellbaum, 17-year-old daughter of Kennard and Laura Fellbaum of Swanville, Brook Doroff, 17-year-old daughter of Brian and Joanne Doroff of Little Falls and Josi Smude, 16-year-old daughter of David and Joni Smude of Pierz. Tickets are available at the door the Dairy Princesses will represent the Morrison County Dairy Industry over the next year, and serve malts at the county fair.
--A postal truck was involved in a crash Wednesday near Rockford. A three-vehicle crash on Highway 55 after 11am sent the driver of the postal truck, 61-year-old Thomas Molitor of Buffalo, and the driver of a pickup, 53-year-old Erik Sorenson of Buffalo to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No other injuries were reported.
--A 58-year-old Waite Park man is jailed after prosecutors say he raped a woman and threatened to kill her. Police were called to 5th Avenue South in St. Cloud Sunday afternoon for a sexual assault in progress. Curtis Brame is accused to threatening a couple with a knife then forcing a woman down and raping her. Police found and took Brame into custody where he allegedly threatened the officer and his family. Then also is accused of being so uncooperative at the hospital that an exam couldn’t be performed due to staff safety concerns. Brame is charged with one count of first degree criminal sexual conduct and also threats of violence.
--A Rockville man has pleaded guilty to causing a crash that killed his passenger last August. Twenty-seven-year-old Aler Gomez-Lucas has pleaded guilty to one count of criminal vehicular homicide. Gomez-Lucas was driving east on Highway 10 near Little Rock Lake when he lost control and rolled his vehicle. His passenger, 17-year-old Nurban Ruvelsi-Perez died when he was ejected into the roadway and was struck by an oncoming pickup. Court records showed a breathalyzer test at the scene was at 0.178. A blood sample taken at the hospital was sent to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for analysis. The pickup driver will not be charged. Sentencing for Gomez-Lucas will be on June 26th in Stearns County District Court.
WEATHER
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10AM TODAY THEN A WINTER STORM WATCH 7AM SUNDAY TO 7AM TUESDAY.
TODAY= morning snow showers, then PM sunshine, high 32.
TONIGHT= clear skies, colder night, low 10.
SATURDAY= sunny AM then clouds increase, high 30, low 25.
SUNDAY= heavy snow, gusty winds, 3-5 inches, high 28, low 22.
MONDAY= rain, snow, wind, heavy snow at times, high near 34.
SPORTS
BBB= The State Boys Basketball Tournament wraps up on Saturday.
TWINS= listen to Twins Baseball today at noon, Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at noon live on Q92 WYRQ.
WRAP= Saturday Morning Sports Wrap 9:05 Saturday, this weekend talking to area track and field coaches on season on AM960 KLTF.