[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Newsletter: Friday, November 27th 2015[/title][fusion_text]
NEWS
–A Benton County judge sentenced Travis Michael McKinney to 18 years in prison Wednesday for his role in the December 2013 shooting death of Jamie Robert Wylie. McKinney pleaded guilty in August to aiding an offender after the fact in a plea deal that capped his sentence at 18 years. McKinney was originally believed to the person who shot Wylie, but co-defendant Joshua Lee Smith pleaded guilty and said he shot the 31-year-old Foley man. Smith was sentenced to slightly less than 33 years in prison. Benton County District Court Judge Michael Jesse heard McKinney say at Wednesday’s sentencing that he knew he had made bad choices and that he couldn’t take those choices back.
–The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office responded to a one vehicle accident around 1:00pm on Tuesday on Dove Road east of Motley. A dump truck was traveling north on Dove Road when the driver, 34-year-old Wesley Kosec, suffered an unknown medical condition. The truck crossed the center line and entered the ditch on the west side of Dove Road, hitting some trees. Kosec was taken to the Staples Hospital with unknown injuries. The Sheriff’s Office also responded to a one vehicle rollover Wednesday around 7:45am on Great River Road near Bowlus. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the driver, 23-year-old Anne Klisch of Bowlus was traveling southbound on Great River Road when she lost control on the icy roadway and rolled her car. Klisch was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with unknown injuries.
–A two vehicle accident Wednesday around 1:45pm at the intersection of Highway 10 and 210 in Motley sent two to the hospital. 44-year-old Scott Deegan of Staples went through a yellow light at the intersection while a car driven by 21-year-old Kennedy Vilas of Bemidji was turning right and the two collided. Vilas and a passenger 24-year-old Tara Summers of Bemidji were both taken to an area hospital with non-serious injuries. Two children ages 5 and 3 in the vehicle were not injured and also Deegan had no injuries.
–Stearns County Deputies responded to a house fire Wednesday around 2:15pm on County Road 32 in Lake Henry Township. The homeowner, Joseph Hemmesch, reported that he had been sleeping when he awoke to find the residence filled with smoke. Hemmesch ran to a neighbor to call 911. The fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshall’s Office. No injuries were reported and home sustained severe fire damage.
–After months of intensive fundraising efforts, the YMCA and city of St. Cloud are moving forward with building a $24.9 million community and aquatics center that could open in 2017. St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis and Greg Gack, the director of the St. Cloud Area Family YMCA, unveiled the news Wednesday morning at the site of the future aquatics center, off Northway Drive in Whitney Park. Planning for the project has been underway since 2004, when voters authorized $10 million to be spent on an indoor community center or aquatics center. The city share of the funding comes from $10 million in current local-option sales tax revenue and $4 million from future local-option sales tax revenue. The YMCA has funded much of the remainder with donations from area businesses. Now that all the money has been raised for the aquatics center, the project needs final approval from St. Cloud City Council and the YMCA board. Kleis said he expects crews to be working at the site within the next few weeks.
–With Thanksgiving weekend here, a reminder from area law enforcemen to plan ahead for a sober ride. Don’t drink and drive.
–Now that Thanksgiving is over it is the true start of the holiday season as today is Black Friday, Saturday is Small Business Saturday and Monday is Cyber Monday for retailers. The Santa Parade is tonight at 6pm in Little Falls. The parade starts on Lindbergh Drive South and goes east on Highway 27 to Bank Square and left to the fire hall. Christmas at Mansions at Linden Hill, Christmas Tree Lane at the Fishing Museum, Christmas tours at the Convention and Visitors Bureau all begin today and run through December 6th. Next week you have the St. Nick Night Celebration in Pierz on Wednesday and the Randall Holly-Day event Thursday. Details at fallsradio.com.
–State Senator Mary Kiffmeyer, who is a Pierz native, recently announced from her office that she is having an official Senate Resolution introduced that recognizes Pierz’ very own Sue’s Drive In, which the establishment will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary. She would like to present the resolution to the entire family at the December 14th Pierz City Council meeting.
–Three people were arrested Wednesday for distribution of drugs after a search warrant was exeuted by the Lakes Area Drug Investigative Division and Crow Wing County Deputies. The Sheriff’s office stated that the two cases are related and formal charges are pending through the Crow Wing County Attorney’s Office. The arrests are results of an ongoing investigation and more arrests are possible.
–A man and his daughter were injured in a single-vehicle rollover about 8:40am Monday on Highway 18 and Burgwald Road in Brainerd. 64-year old David Barwell of Aitkin was traveling west on Highway 18 when he lost control of the vehicle, veered to the right and rolled into the ditch. Bardwell and his daughter, 18-year old Breanna R. Bardwell of Aitkin were taken to Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd for non-life-threatening injuries. They both were wearing their seat belts. Road conditions were icy.
–The Morrison County Commissioners hold their next meeting on Tuesday morning at 9am at the Morrison County Government Center.
DEATH NOTICES
–Evelyn M. Helmerick, age 99 of Little Falls formerly of Randall.
–Richard L. LaCoursiere, age 52 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 25.
TONIGHT= clear skies, low 10
SATURDAY= sunny skies, high 34, low around 17.
SUNDAY= sunny skies, high 35, snow after midnight, low 19.
MONDAY= snow showers likely, heavier at night, high 33, low 24.
SPORTS
COL HK= St. Cloud State vs. Minnesota today at 5:30pm on KLTF
COL FB= Wisconsin at Minnesota Gophers in the regular season finale for Paul Bunyan’s Axe- pregame 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF. The Gophers need a win to be bowl eligible.
WRE= Congratulations to Pierz graduate and current St. Cloud State wrestler Clint Poster being named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the week November 16-23rd. Poster currently is 8-0 after his first two meets this season in Indiana and Iowa.
NFL= Detroit routs Philadelphia 45-14, Carolina goes to 11-0 with a win over Dallas 33-14 and Chicago ousted Green Bay in Lambeau the night Brett Favre’s number retired, Bears win 17-13 on Thanksgiving.
NFL= The Vikings are at Atlanta Sunday at noon.
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