NEWS
--A 41-year-old from Little Falls was injured Friday around 4:45pm on Highway 10 at 113th Street in Little Falls Township. 22-year-old Haley Weyer of St. Cloud was west on 113th Street crossed Highway 10 and struck a vehicle driven by Jessica Waddell. Waddell sustained injuries and was treated at the scene. Weyer reportedly was not injured.
--Two people were injured Saturday around 7:45pm on Highway 210 at County Road 1 in Sylvan Township of Cass County. 53-year-old Joseph and 50-year-old Heather Eischeid of Motley were on a motorcycle and struck a deer that ran across the roadway. Both had to be treated at the Staples hospital for their injuries.
--Maintenance employees will be working on the following activities next week, installing centerline culverts on CSAH 47 and CSAH 48. Expect daytime road closures for the week of August 28-31. Please follow detours. Crews will also be mowing roadside ditches and patching potholes on various roads around the county. Please use caution and slow down around work crews and flashing lights. Be aware that loose material may be present in driving lanes during some of the maintenance activities. Construction update, CR 234/North Hawthorne in Royalton continued closure for road reconstruction, CSAH 6 closed at CSAH 12 for bridge construction, CSAH 1 from Randall to CSAH 5/Bear Rd is under construction, expect delays. Motorists are reminded to use caution in construction zones and obey construction signing and flaggers.
--A Royalton man has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of producing child pornography. The U.S. Attorney's office says 35-year-old Andrew Groen contacted a minor victim using a texting app and coerced the child into sending sexually explicit photos. Court records show Groen posed as a 19-year-old man named Tyler and sent the victim obscene images, links to pornography, and encouraged the minor to have sex with an adult man identified in messages. The case is a result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Willmar Police Department. Groen has pleaded guilty to production and attempted production of child pornography. A sentencing date has not been set.
--A man charged in a big fentanyl bust in Waite Park last winter has been sentenced for his role in the crime. Twenty-nine-year-old Allen Pickett Jr. was given a prison term of eight years and nine months after pleading guilty to 1st-degree drug sales. He gets credit for having already served 204 days in the county jail. Another man charged in the case, 28-year-old Gregory Thorn, was extradited back to Illinois on an active armed robbery warrant. An underage boy was also arrested on an active warrant. In January, officers from the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force intercepted a mailed package containing over 2,300 fentanyl pills headed for an address on the 800 block of 7th Street South in Waite Park. Using a search warrant, officers searched the home and arrested the three. Pressed fentanyl pills, commonly called M-Box 30 Pills, have been linked to 19 overdose deaths in St. Cloud in 2022.
--A 45-year-old Isle man died Thursday after he became trapped in machinery at the Cemstone Products plant, 1515 410th St. in Mille Lacs County. Deputies located Chad Minenko trapped in a portion of the wash plant. Isle Fire and Rescue arrived on the scene and, with the help of Cemstone employees, were able to free Minenko and start lifesaving efforts. Minenko was transported to Mille Lacs Health System in Onamia, where he was pronounced dead.
--The Minnesota Department of Revenue announced the one-time tax rebate payments started rolling out earlier this past week, and all eligible taxpayers should receive their payment by the end of September. The Department of Revenue expects that nearly $2.1 million in rebate payments will be initiated by the end of September.
--A 35-year-old Pine River man faces a felony criminal charge after allegedly trying to light a house on fire with children inside during a domestic dispute. 35-year-old, Steven Douglas Anderson was charged Wednesday, Aug. 23, in Crow Wing County District Court with one count of felony first-degree attempted arson of a dwelling. A woman told authorities they had gotten into an argument, then Anderson returned, grabbed a 5 gallon container full of diesel fuel and began spreading diesel fuel all over the front of the house, the woman told deputies, he grabbed a black lighter from his car and tried to light the siding of the house on fire. When that didn't work, he poured diesel fuel on the front steps and attempted to light them on fire. There were five children inside the house, ages 14, 9, 5, 5 and 4 watching Anderson attempt to light the house on fire, Anderson then left the property and deputies were unable to find him. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and Anderson turned himself in Thursday at the Crow Wing County Jail. His next court appearance is September 7th.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
--Longtime Game Show Host Bob Barker has died at age 99. Barker hosted Truth or Consequences and Price is Right from 1956-2007, spanning a 50+ year career on television.
WWE NEWS
--The Wrestling World lost two performers last week when Hall of Famer Terry Funk died at age 79 besides wrestling was in Road House with Patrick Swayze and Over the Top with Sylvester Stallone and current performer Bray Wyatt died on Thursday of a heart attack at age 36. Wyatt, had many personas in the wrestling world in a career that started about 15 years ago.
DEATH NOTICES
--Stephen Pfeffer, age 70 of Little Falls.
--Caroline Zak, age 86 of Little Falls.
--Sister Anne Furnstahl, age 95 of St. Francis Convent in LF.
--Kenneth “KC” Reinhart, age 69 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high near 80.
TONIGHT= clear skies, low around 53.
TUESDAY= sunny skies, high 81, slight chance of t-storms low 58.
WEDNESDAY= cloudy skies, high 78, low around 62.
SPORTS
CLASS C= Buckman needed extra innings Saturday to beat Kimball as Noah Boser ties it in the 10th and wins in the 11th 5-4 to move on. Buckman will play Hutchinson on Saturday at 4:30pm. Nisswa blasted past Cannon Falls 8-3 Sunday to move to Saturday also at 4:30pm. Avon wins 2-1 on Sunday and plays St. Martin Friday night at 7:30pm. Hear the action of the games on AM960 KLTF.
VIKINGS= Arizona wins 18-17 over Vikings Saturday, who finish the preseason at 0-3. Vikings host Tampa Bay September 10th in opener.
TWINS= Twins go long ball on Texas Friday winning 12-2. Texas beats the Twins Saturday 6-2. Twins take the series after a long affair to win with a walk off 7-6 in 13 innings Sunday. Twins host Washington Nationals tonight at 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.