NEWS
--The Minnesota State Patrol has identified the 22-year old passenger from Little Falls who died in an accident Thursday morning as Luke Jacobs of Little Falls. The fatal accident occurred around 6:35am Thursday on Highway 23 in Munson Township of Stearns County. Jacobs was the passenger in the vehicle driven by 35-year-old Albert Hemmesch from Fort Ripley. Hemmesch was taken to North Memorial Medical Center with life threatening injuries. The report stated the other driver Brian Johnson sustained non life threatening injuries.
--At 7:25pm Thursday the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a two-vehicle accident on the Mississippi River Bridge, approximately two miles east of Bowlus in Two Rivers Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 54-year-old Robert Bartkowitz of Little Falls was traveling east on Nature Road approaching the Mississippi River Bridge. A 16-year-old juvenile female of Bowlus was traveling west on Nature Road, on the Mississippi River Bridge. The two vehicles collided on the bridge due to the icy road conditions. Bartkowitz and his 66-year-old passenger, Dennis Lively of Royalton were transported to St. Gabriel’s Hospital by Mayo Clinic Ambulance with serious injuries. The 16-year-old juvenile female was transported to St. Cloud Hospital by private vehicle with unknown injuries. The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Bowlus First Response Team, Royalton Fire and Rescue and Mayo Clinic Ambulance.
--Two men were injured Wednesday, March 29, after a vehicle they were in crashed on County Road 109 and Weisman Road in Crow Wing County. The Mission Fire Department and the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash, reported at 10:56pm in Mission Township, northwest of Trommald. According to the report, a 2018 Subaru Legacy was eastbound on the highway when it went into the ditch and flipped vertically, coming to rest on its nose, in between two trees about 10 to 15 feet in the woods. Both occupants were found outside the vehicle when fire crews arrived on scene, Mission Fire Chief Eric Makowski said. Both Steven Seberson, 48, of Merrifield, and Ryan Seberson, 47, of Brainerd, were treated at the scene and transported to the hospital. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office said the crash is under investigation.
--Two 15-year-old boys were arrested Thursday, March 30, after they shot at a vehicle on 164th Street Northwest in Cass County. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident at 11:06am in Pike Bay Township, north of Cass Lake. According to the report, two juvenile males were traveling in a vehicle on 164th Street Northwest, west of 61st Avenue Northwest when they encountered two males on the roadway. The males in the vehicle were shot at several times, with several rounds striking the vehicle. No injuries were reported from the gunfire. Law enforcement immediately set up a perimeter and began to search for the two suspects, who reportedly fled the area on foot. After extensive searching of a large wooded area utilizing numerous officers, a K-9 team, drone teams, tracked all-terrain vehicle, and snowmobiles, both suspects were taken into custody without incident.
--A St. Cloud man was taken to the hospital after the Jeep he was driving went off the road and rolled. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 10:20pm Thursday on Highway 29.
Twenty-six-year-old Cody Kruckeberg of St. Cloud was taken to Glenwood Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
--State Representatives Ron Kresha, R-Little Falls, and Isaac Schultz, R-Elmdale Township, have scheduled a number of in-district town hall availabilities. This tour will include meeting with city leaders and constituents to listen to challenges the legislature can address. Tour stops include: Wednesday, 10am, Aitkin Police Station, 1pm Milaca City Hall and 2pm Onamia City Hall. Thursday, 9am Upsala Area Community Center, 10:30am, Royalton City Hall, noon, Pierz Senior Center and 1:30pm Little Falls City Hall. Then the following Monday April 10th at noon at Swanville Senior Center. These meetings will each last about 30 minutes during which community members can share their concerns and hear about all that is taking place at the State Capitol. With a packed schedule, both days will be full of conversations to bring back to the legislative process.
--Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce's April Employee of the Month is Bob Skiba of Little Falls Plumbing & Heating.
--A 21-year-old Cass Lake man was arrested Tuesday, March 28, after he was found in possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop on Highway 64 in Cass County. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle at 3:09pm in Ansel Township, east of Nimrod, and during the course of the stop, the vehicle was searched and three bags of white powder were located. The substance was later weighed and field-tested positive for fentanyl, containing 194 grams with an estimated street value of approximately $19,400. The powder was not tested for any other substances, the sheriff’s office reported. The suspect was transported to Cass County Jail pending formal criminal charges Cass County Sheriff Bryan Welk reported during the first quarter of 2023, drug Investigations in Cass County resulted in the seizure of seven firearms; as well as the seizure of 743 grams of methamphetamine, 1.25 grams of cocaine, 28 grams of psychedelic mushrooms, 48 grams of fentanyl, and 85 gabapentin pills. A stolen truck and a stolen dump trailer were also recovered. A total of $35,548 in U.S. currency was seized, pending forfeiture, with 23 probable cause arrests and seven warrant arrests.
--The Pierz Pioneer Elementary musical Willy Wonka will be performed tonight at the PAC inside the High School in Pierz due to the bad weather in the forecast for Tuesday. Again tonight at 6pm.
DEATH NOTICES
--Bill Swanson, age 79 of Little Falls.
--Luke A. Jacobs, age 22 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
WINTER STORM WATCH 6AM TUES TO 1AM THURSDAY
TODAY= partly cloudy, high near 40, snow after 3am, low 24.
TUESDAY= snow, sleet, freezing rain, some thunder, high 32
TUES NIGHT/WED= freezing rain, sleet then snow and wind temps steady around 30 until early Wed then dropping through day.
SPORTS
TWINS= another 2-0 win for the Twins on Saturday with key hitting and running from Byron Buxton. Joey Gallo hits two homeruns as the Twins win 7-4 to sweep Royals on Sunday. The Twins travel to Miami today against the Marlins at 5pm on Q92 WYRQ.
NCAA= San Diego State and Connecticut in the basketball championship tonight. LSU beat Iowa yesterday for women's title.