NEWS
--A Baxter man died last Monday as a result of injuries sustained after being run over by a payloader. Around 4:25pm the Sioux County Sheriff's Office investigated an incident at a farm property four miles west of Rock Valley, Iowa. 17-year old Joey Van Ginkel of Rock Valley was backing a Volvo payloader on the property. 52-year old Bradley Peetsch of Baxter, was walking behind the payloader when the payloader drove over Peetsch. Peetsch was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Rock Valley and later flown to a hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D. Peetsch was later pronounced deceased as a result of his injuries. Peetsch lived in Leader area and attended Motley High School at one time. The incident remains under investigation.
--A House Unbuilt announced the public launch of Relay of Voices: The Great River Run, an expedition on foot from the Headwaters to the Mouth of the Mississippi River culminating in Summer/Fall 2019. With outreach and investment in 100 communities along the Great River Region, six men and women will journey the 2,300 mile distance running in relay fashion over a 100 day period. Event organizers from Chicago will be in Little Falls on Wednesday, May 2 at 9:00am. They are seeking to connect with each of the 100 communities identified as stops and learn from local leaders and citizens about the region and its relationship to the river. The advance tour is also seeking to establish partnerships with each community that are specific and central to each area's needs and desires. The public is invited to this meeting to be held at the Cass Gilbert Depot in Little Falls. The local communities are invited to get involved by offering time to teach them about your community, brainstorm and shape how the Relay will impact your region, build engagement through social media and events, connect them with local citizens who know the Mississippi River and help them secure space to land and launch in your town, obtain permits and connect with volunteers.
--18 charges have now been filed against the former longtime superintendent of the Rocori School District for indecent exposure. The charges filed Thursday against 56-year old Scott Staska in Stearns County are in addition to 10 counts of indecent exposure filed last week. Staska, of Cold Spring, was arrested in March and accused of exposing himself in two Kwik Trip stores. The criminal complaints outlining the new misdemeanor charges describe eight incidents that allegedly occurred at two gas stations in St. Cloud and two stores inside Crossroads Center. These are added to the 10 charges from Waite Park from incidents that occurred, including 4 alone from a Kwik Trip Gas Station. Police met with Staska on March 21st to show him surveillance videos of one of the incidents, and Staska admitted that it was him. He has resigned from Rocori Schools and withdrew from consideration of being the next superintendent of the Moorhead school district. He has had no similar accusations against him involving students or staff in the Rocori School district.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office, CHI St. Gabriels Health and others are hosting a Coffee with the Cop event on Tuesday, May 1st at the Upsala Community Center from 7:30-8:30am. The main topic is on drug abuse and prevention to the area. They will be accepting unused or expired medications that can be dropped at the event in Upsala. A breakfast will be provided to all who come to the event, free of charge on Tuesday, May 1st in Upsala.
--Pierz City Council meets tonight 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
--Todd County Sheriff's Deputies are reminding motorists to watch for deer, as in the past week alone nearly a dozen car/deer accidents were reported in Todd County. Only one person had minor injuries.
--On Thursday, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office recovered a stolen vehicle and arrested two individuals. At about 7:30am on Thursday, a citizen contacted a Minnesota State Trooper to report that there was a vehicle parked on the roadside on Halfway Crossing NW in Langola Township that contained two sleeping individuals. This information was relayed to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and investigating deputies were sent to the area of Halfway Crossing. Upon arriving in the area, deputies found a blue 2005 Ford Escape parked on the side of the road. Inside the vehicle were a man and a woman who were sleeping. Investigating deputies ran the license plate on the vehicle and learned that the vehicle had been reported as stolen to the Leech Lake Tribal Police Department. The occupants of the vehicle identified themselves with names that were later found to be false names. The occupants were placed under arrest for possession of stolen property and taken to the Benton County Jail. At the jail, it was discovered that the two were 31-year old George Fineday III no permanent address, and 24-year old Corina Marie Dudley of Bemidji. Back at the scene of the arrest, a search of the stolen vehicle turned up credit cards and identification documents in the name of other individuals, drug paraphernalia, and stolen merchandise. Fineday and Dudley were booked and on charges of possession of stolen property and providing a false name to police.
--A 20-year old man is facing felony charges after allegedly threatening two people with a sword. St. Cloud law enforcement were called to 1536 Northway Drive on a report of threatening conduct Wednesday around 5:20pm. 20-year old Jacob Samuel Hemmingson of St. Cloud was taken into custody and three swords were seized. Hemmingson was held in Stearns County Jail on $10,000 bail on two felony terroristic threats charges.
DEATH NOTICES
--Delphine A. Gall, age 96 of Buckman.
--Florence M. Kapsner, age 95 of Little Falls.
--Eugene Blaze Czech, age 70 of Sobieski.
--Arlene Marie Skrock, age 96 of Royalton.
--Paulette A. Pappenfus, age 68 of Little Falls.
--Russell Frederick, age 86 of Long Prairie.
--Mary Becker, age 41 of Little Falls
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and mild, high near 70, rain late night, low 44.
TUESDAY= rain in morning, wind in afternoon, high 54, low 28.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high near 60, low around 35.
SPORTS
WILD= Winnipeg shut out Wild 5-0 Friday and win series 4-1.
WOLVES= Wolves beat Houston 121-105 Saturday, but Rockets still lead the series 2-1, game 4 is tonight in Minneapolis.
TWINS= Twins get a grand slam from Eddie Rosario, but blow the save in the 9th and Tampa Bay wins it in the 10th Friday 8-7. Twins give up 8 runs in the late innings Saturday to lose 10-1 to the Rays. Carlos Gomez hits a walk off homer Sunday for Rays to win 8-6 over Twins to sweep series. Twins at Yankees today 5:30pm on Q92