NEWS
--On Tuesday the vacant Morrison County Commissioner District 5 seat will be up for election. The seat has been vacant since the unexpected death last fall of then county commissioner Duane Johnson. The two candidates who advanced past the primary was Greg Blaine and Kenneth Primus. Precincts that voted by mail include the cities of Bowlus, Elmdale, Flensburg, Sobieski and Swanville along with Culdrum and Parker Townships. Those with mail in ballots may also choose to drop off ballots at the Morrison County Courthouse until 8:00pm Tuesday. Precincts will be open for voting in person from 7:00am-8:00pm Tuesday in Pike Creek, Elmdale, Swan River, Two Rivers and Swanville Townships along with the city of Upsala.
--There are school district referendums up for vote in both the Pierz and Brainerd school districts on Tuesday. Absentee voting today is going until 5:00pm at the Pierz School District website. Tomorrow, voting for the Pierz School District referendum is from 12:00-8:00pm at the Agram Town Hall, Buh Town Hall, Pulaski Town Hall and Pierz City Hall. Details on the nearly $10 million dollar bond referendum are listed on the Pierz School District website.
--Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced Thursday he is seeking the Republican nomination to run for a third term as Governor of Minnesota. Pawlenty was governor from 2002-2010 and in the past 8 years, had decided on a run for President in 2012 and even thought about running for U.S. Senate later this year from the seat left by Al Franken who was replaced by Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith. Pawlenty felt the way Minnesota was going, he needed to help bring it back on track for aids to Education and the environment.
--A Sherburne County jury convicted 37-year old Juan Carlos Garcia-Morales Tuesday. The incident happened just before 8:00am on February 22nd, 2017. The Minnesota State Patrol says 33-year old Matthew Barthel of Big Lake was heading south on County Road 81, crossing Highway 10 on a green light, when he was hit by a Jeep that ran a red light. The crash sent Barthel's vehicle crashing into a third vehicle. Barthel was taken to a Monticello hospital where he was pronounced dead. Results of a blood test showed Garcia-Morales had amphetamine and methamphetamine in his system at the time of the crash. Garcia-Morales will be sentenced June 18th.
--Superintendent John Thein will fill the Rocori school district superintendent position left vacant by Scott Staska, who was put on paid administrative leave after being arrested on charges of publicly exposing himself in March. The Rocori school board unanimously approved Wednesday an interim superintendent agreement with Thein "on an interim basis until such time as another person is permanently employed." Thein's salary will be $2,750 on a weekly basis. That amount is equal to an annual salary of $143,000, which is similar to what area superintendents make. The agreement took affect Thursday and is terminable at-will by either the district or the employee upon two week's written notice to the other party, the contract states. Thein most recently acted as interim superintendent at MACCRAY public schools in Clara City from August 2017 to January. City attorneys from Waite Park and St. Cloud are coordinating prosecution against former school superintendent Scott Straska after he allegedly exposed himself on 16 occassions at St. Cloud and Waite Park businesses. Staska is expected to make his first court appearance within four to six weeks.
--Off-duty Avon police officer Jason Falconer was shopping for vitamins and a gift for his son at Crossroads Center mall when he heard commotion caused by a man on a stabbing spree. Falconer stopped the mall assailant on September 17th and he's been branded a hero for his actions that day. He received the Congressional Badge of Bravery Award Thursday at the St. Cloud Police Department. Congressman Tom Emmer, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Sen. Tina Smith presented Falconer with the award. Local and federal officials thanked Falconer for saving lives and stopping the threat posed by Dahir Adan, who stabbed and injured 10 people in the mall that day. Adan advanced on Falconer, who then shot and killed him.
--Two were injured around 4:30pm Friday on Highway 10 west of Motley in Villard Township of Todd County. 46-year old Christopher Brotherton of Staples and his passenger 52-year old Valerie Elifrits of Staples were both taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries. The other driver in the rear-end accident, 32-year old Shane Gordon of Brainerd was not injured.
--A Sauk Centre man will have to serve 17 more days in jail and be on probation for up to five years for entering a man's home and threatening to kill him last November. 28-year old Eric Terhaar pleaded guilty to two counts of violating a restraining order and one count of making terroristic threats. As part of the plea, a burglary charge was dismissed. If Terhaar violates the terms of his probation, he could be sent to prison for just more than a year. According to the criminal complaint, the incident started on the night of November 5th when another man texted Terhaar's girlfriend. A witness who was with Terhaar at a local bar said he got angry and left to go confront the man. Records show Terhaar went over to the man's house, barged in, put the man in a headlock and threatened to kill him. Police ultimately located Terhaar who told officers he was at the bar all night and was never at the victim's house. Witnesses, however, testified seeing Terhaar at the man's residence. Then on separate occasions, one later in November and again in December, Terhaar violated the terms of a restraining order by getting too close to the woman's apartment building. The violations are felonies because the violation occurred within 10 years of previous convictions.
DEATH NOTICES
--Duane Wind Sr., age 60 of Onamia
--Gerald “Jerry” Fischer, age 69 of Pierz.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly cloudy, flurries early with fog, high 36.
TONIGHT= partly cloudy, low around 15.
TUESDAY= mostly cloudy, high near 40, low around 25.
WEDNESDAY= rain showers in PM hours, high 46.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins lost 11-4 to Seattle Saturday and did not play yesterday due to the weather. Twins host World Champion Houston Astros tonight at Target Field. Pregame at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HOK= University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs beat Notre Dame Saturday 2-1 to win the NCAA Mens Frozen Four.
GOLF= Patrick Reed finished at 15 under par and won the Masters just ahead of Jordan Spieth and Ricky Fowler. Tiger Woods finished the 4 day tournament at 1 over par.