NEWS
--The Minnesota State Patrol reported Friday that the 64-year-old Pierz man involved in an accident when a hay bale fell from a truck has died from his injuries. Myles McGrath was on a motorcycle southbound on Highway 25 in Platte Township Thursday around 5:30pm when Roger Lanners lost three haybales from a trailer he was pulling with his pickup and McGrath crashed into one of the bales then struck the median of the roadway. He was taken to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale where he died late Friday.
--On August 13-15 investigators from the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office conducted an online solicitation sting. During the operation investigators were targeting individuals seeking to have sexual contact with juveniles under 15 years old. As a result the following individuals were arrested for various charges related to solicitation of underage children to engage in sexual activity. Those arrested included Danny Lee Schroeder of Brainerd, Mark Joshua Ridlon of Ironton, William Anthony Desrocher of Brainerd, Eddy Alejandro Aquino Reynoso of Long Prairie, and Douglas Arnold Odegard of Baxter. Sheriff Scott Goddard states, “I’m extremely saddened to learn that members of our communities were actively attempting to prey upon children. I want the citizens of Crow Wing County to know that my office has a very aggressive stance of this type of predatory behavior and I am very pleased with my investigators and those who provided my office with the assistance to stop these predators before they succeed in harming anyone. We will continue to tirelessly pursue anyone suspected of this type of behavior.” Assisting the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office was the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Lakes Area Drug Investigative Division (LADID), and the Nisswa, Brainerd, and Baxter Police Departments.
--A groundbreaking ceremony Monday, Aug. 12, for Barrett Petfood Innovations, a $20 million project in Little Falls which could create 60-100 quality new jobs in region. Those on hand included city and county officials, members of the Barrett family, representatives of the financial institutions involved in the project, as well as contractors. The Initiative Foundation and other local lenders helped fund construction of a 165,000-square-foot Barrett Petfood Innovations (BPI) manufacturing facility in the Little Falls Chief Hole-in-the-Day Industrial Park. The $20 million financing package will fund construction as well as acquisition of equipment for the company’s second location at 15657 18th St. NE, Little Falls, as it expands its manufacturing, packaging and distribution business. BPI’s headquarters and initial manufacturing plant, previously known as Barrett Ag Services, Inc., is located on Minnesota Highway 25 south of Brainerd, where the company will continue to employ 100-plus people. The expansion into Little Falls is expected to add 60 to 100 new jobs to the local economy over the next three years.
--Two people were hurt when they struck a school bus Friday around 5:15pm on Highway 10 at Little Rock Lake road in Benton County south of Rice. The bus turned left and was struck by 16-year-old Daniel Hovland. Hovland and is 48-year-old passenger were treated for minor injuries. The school bus driver was not hurt. There were no students on the bus at the time.
--The Little Falls School Board meets at 5pm today at the Community Middle School media center.
--The Little Falls City Council meet tonight at 7:30pm at city hall with a work session scheduled at 6:30pm tonight a city hall.
--Today and tomorrow (August 19th and 20th), the Morrison County Department of Public Works will be conducting a culvert replacement on County State Aid Highway 51 (Quest Road) that will require a detour of traffic. CSAH 51 (Quest Road) will be closed just to the east of its intersection with County Road 275 (295th Avenue). Traffic will be detoured while the project is being conducted. West bound traffic will be directed south onto County Road 274 (324th Avenue), then west on County Road 274 (243rd Street) back to CSAH 51 (Quest Road). East bound traffic on CSAH 51 (Quest Road) will be directed east onto County Road 274 (243rd Street), then north on County Road 274 (324th Avenue) back to CSAH 51 (Quest Road).
--Kurt Stumpf, a Pierz area native, has been named the new superintendent of Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (JWP) Schools. Before coming to Janesville, Stumpf was a teacher in Pierz, a dean of students in Little Falls, and the middle school principal in Sartell. JWP will be his first superintendent position.
--St. John's University has executed a boil order after discovering E. coli in the campus water supply. The E. coli bacteria was found in a building within the distribution system. The source of the contamination was not provided in the email. Chlorination and system flushing began immediately after the discovery, according to the email. They will continue to take water samples on a daily and weekly basis until the supply tests negative for the bacteria. The MN Department of Health is involved in the decontamination effort and will grant approval to lift the boil order. They discourage any use of tap water for drinking, brushing teeth, making ice or preparing food unless it has been boiled for a minimum of one minute until further notice. St. John's University will begin fall classes next Monday.
--Listen to Little Falls Radio today for Pierz Oktoberfest medallion hunt clues, the winner of the hunt gets $500 in Pierz Bucks.
DEATH NOTICES
--Dennis Tuholsky, age 89 of Little Falls
--Elaine A. Schumer, age 81 of Upsala
--Jewell C. Grell, age 88 of Little Falls.
--Brother Albert Becker OSC, age 69 of Crosier Community, Onamia
--Josephine Larson, age 95 of St. Joseph formerly of Sobieski.
--Greg K. Linnerud, age 61 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and warmer, high 81, clear night, low near 60.
TUESDAY= cloudy, storms before noon, then PM sun, high 81, low 58
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, cooler, high 73, low around 50.
SPORTS
TWINS= Kepler and Schoop homer to give Twins a 4-3 win over Rangers on Friday. Cron and Sano homer Saturday as Twins hold on for a 12-7 win over Texas. Twins rally in 8th to beat Texas 6-3 on Sunday and sweep the four game series. Twins return home tonight to face the Chicago White Sox, pregame at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
CLASS C= Buckman rallies to beat Stewartville-Racine 14-6 on Saturday night. Avon won Sunday 3-1 over Lake Henry to move on. Lake City beat Ft. Ripley 7-5 on Sunday. Nisswa plays Saturday at 11, Avon Sunday at 11 and Buckman Sunday at 1:30 all in Maple Lake this weekend as the Class C State Tournament continues on KLTF.
VIKINGS= Vikings rally in the second half to beat Seattle 25-19 last night in preseason football. Vikings host Arizona on Saturday.