NEWS
--Congratulations to the Graduating class of 2023. Graduation ceremonies are tonight in Pierz, Royalton, Upsala and Swanville. Swanville will be on the football field, Upsala is celebrating their 100th graduating class this year. Little Falls Community High School will graduate at 2pm on Sunday at the high school gym. Good luck to all the graduates from Little Falls Radio.
--Two people were hurt in a crash in Sauk Rapids. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened just before 5:30pm Wednesday. A car was going north on Highway 23 and a pickup was going north on 31st Street Northeast when they collided at the intersection. The pickup driver, 49-year-old Michael Maanum of Sauk Rapids, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the car, 44-year-old James Orton of Foreston, had non-life-threatening injuries but was not hospitalized.
--Two people were seriously hurt in a Meeker County crash Wednesday afternoon. It happened just after 4pm at the intersection of County Roads 18 and 14 south of Darwin. The sheriff's office says a minivan driven by 93-year-old Gloria Ruzicka of Hutchinson collided with a pickup driven by 30-year-old Kyle Johnson of Dassel. Deputies learned Ruzicka was heading east on County Road 18 when it collided with the pickup traveling south on County Road 14. A passenger in Ruzicka's van, 83-year-old Doris Stubson of Hutchinson, was seriously hurt and had to be airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital. Ruzicka was taken to Hutchinson Hospital by ambulance but was later airlifted to the Hennepin County Medical Center. The sheriff's office says Johnson was not hurt. The crash is under investigation, but the sheriff's office says it appears to be the result of a failure to yield right-of-way.
--An Alexandria man was taken to the hospital after a rollover near Melrose. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 11:15pm Wednesday. 32-year-old Jared Harstad was driving west on Interstate 94 when his car went into the median and rolled over into the right ditch. Harstad was taken to Melrose Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Troopers say alcohol was a factor.
--A Stearns County crash sent two to the hospital Wednesday morning just before 8am. The Minnesota State Patrol says 32-year-old Kayle Paulson of Kimball and a young passenger were driving north on Highway 24, South of Kimball when they were rear-ended by a car driven by 44-year-old Lori Verry of Dassel near mile marker 131. Paulson and her passenger were sent to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
--Two people from Baxter were hurt in a two-vehicle crash in Wright County Wednesday morning. The incident happened around 10:20am on Highway 55 at County Road 6 near Annandale. The Minnesota State Patrol says an SUV was going north on County Road 6 and a car was going west on Highway 55 when the two vehicles collided in the intersection. The driver and passenger in the SUV, 56-year-old David Liebeg and 64-year-old Wendy Ward, were taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the car, 58-year-old Jeffrey Baumann of Northfield, was not hurt.
--Area fire departments are warning those this Memorial Day weekend that a high fire danger still remains in central and north central Minnesota and some burning restrictions are still in place. With a mainly dry couple of weeks and not much mention of any rain this weekend, fires could still start quickly. Already Nisswa and Brainerd firefighters battled grass fires earlier this week.
--Monday is Memorial Day a day to remember the men and women of the armed forces who have died in battle and defending our nation. The Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls will have their program Sunday with music at 1:30 and program with speakers at 2pm, please bring your own lawn chair as seating is limited at the event. Monday is the federal holiday meaning that all government centers, city halls and agencies are closed, banks, financial institutions, post offices, libraries and many businesses are closed on Monday for Memorial Day. There are many Memorial Day services and programs including Camp Ripley Chapel at 8:30am, Oakland Cemetery at 10:30am in Little Falls, St. Joseph's in Pierz at 10am, Cushing Baptist at 10am with Randall Cushing Little Elk Lions, 8am Mass at St. Stanislaus in Bowlus at 8am, Royalton Legion starts at the Legion at 8:30 and then to cemeteries, Hillman Legion begins their day leaving at 8:30am from Hillman Legion to many cemeteries. There are also events in St. Cloud, Brainerd and other communities to remember the fallen on Memorial Day Monday. A National Moment of Silence is planned at 3pm on Monday afternoon for all to remember.
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen reminds those heading out this weekend which unofficially kicks off the summer travel season that roadways will be congested, watch your speed, expect delays, put down the cell phone to stop distracted driving, buckle up and make sure all in the car are buckled up for safety this weekend. Never driver and drive or drink and boat on the waters and remember all you have the ultimate sacrifice without them there would be a Memorial Day weekend to enjoy. If you need assistance from the Sheriff's Office contact them at 320-632-9233.
--Jackie Devine is reminding runners that the River Rat Race at Belle Prairie Park is a week earlier than prior years and will be June 10th with registration starting at 7am. Preregistration is already online by going to river rat race website for further information.
DEATH NOTICES
--Barbara “Barb” Kaluza, age 79 of Little Falls.
--Darrel J. VanDenheuvel, age 71 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high near 80, clear night low around 50.
SATURDAY= sunny skies, high near 80, clear night, low 58.
SUNDAY= sunny and warm, high 82, clear night, low near 60.
MEMORIAL DAY= partly cloudy, high 84, storms late night, low 57.
TUESDAY= showers & storms possible, high 85, low near 63.
SPORTS
SB= Pierz wins 1-0 over St. Cloud Cathedral to advance to the section semi-finals Tuesday at 7pm. Sauk Rapids-Rice beat Little Falls 3-2 in 8 innings Thursday, Little Falls then took on Willmar and won that game 12-2 in 5 innings. LF will play on Tuesday afternoon. Also High School Baseball playoffs begin next week for area teams.
TWINS= Twins open a series with Toronto tonight at home, pregame tonight at 6:30pm, Saturday 12:30pm and Sunday Inside Twins start at noon all live on Q92 WYRQ. Then on Memorial Day they open a series at Houston at 2:30pm also on Q92 WYRQ.
A reminder due to Memorial Day on Monday there will be no newsletter from LF Radio. It will return on Tuesday morning.