NEWS --A 28-year old of Florida was injured early Friday on Highway 115 north of Little Falls when his vehicle left the roadway and hit some trees. Around 2:22am, Ralph Jamerson was in Green Prairie Township when the truck crashed. Jamerson was taken to hospital with reported non-life threatening injuries. Alcohol was ruled a factor.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office responded to two fire calls recently. First on November 30th a vehicle fire on the 17000 block of 133rd Street in Little Falls and the second was a large grass fire on November 30th in the early morning near Pierz. In both cases, no injuries were reported. Deputies also arrested a 38-year old man on December 1st for disorderly conduct by Dr. S.G Knight School.
--Students from the Little Falls Community High School are conducting a food drive this week to help the food shelves and the needy in the area. Food is being collected at the high school and will be distributed to the food shelves before Christmas. Also members from the Little Falls DECA are preparing for Opiod Abuse Awareness Month in January. The group with other organizations, law enforcement and other students will be putting up red ribbons to show support of stopping opiod abuse. There will be open mic events and others throughout the month and a large speaking event at the High School Auditorium on Friday, February 2nd. More details to come.
--Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty stated Thursday that he is considering a run for the U.S. Senate following the resignation of Senator Al Franken last week. Pawlenty feels that a shift is needed to help improve the state of the nation. Pawlenty served as Governor of Minnesota from 2002-2010. Current Governor Mark Dayton is excepted to name Franken's replacement until November of next year when a special election would be done where Pawlenty stated he will make an announcement in the next few weeks if he will officially run.
--A Pelican Rapids man was hurt in a two vehicle crash in Stearns County. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened just before 9:00pm Thursday on Highway 23, at Interstate 94. 63-year old Kenneth Cossette of Pelican Rapids was going eastbound on I-94 and exited onto Highway 23. He pulled out in front of another vehicle causing the crash. Cossette had non-life threatening injuries. His passenger was not hurt. The driver of the second car, 21-year old Alec Deschepper of New London, was not hurt.
--A Stearns County judge has sentenced a Paynesville man to 12 years in prison for sexually abusing a young boy. 24-year old Cody Kelso pleaded guilty to first degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13-years old. Kelso pleaded guilty in February to forcing a young boy to perform a sex act on him. According to the criminal complaint, Kelso also admitted to investigators he sexually abused the six-year old boy at a Paynesville home. As part of his sentence, Kelso must also register as a predatory offender.
--The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, locked its last tow of the season Thursday to end the navigation season on the Upper Mississippi River. The locks officially closed Sunday and there are no additional tows within the St. Paul District. The closure completes another year of navigation on the Upper Mississippi River from St. Paul to the district’s most southern facility, Lock and Dam 10. --A reminder that Wreaths for the Fallen.org will be placing wreaths on the graves at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls and in Preston Saturday at 11am. If you wish to help, be there by 10:00am. Parking is limited so carpooling in encouraged.
--Waite Park police are investigating a homicide. Just after 2:00pm on Saturday an unconscious male was brought to St. Cloud Hospital by some friends with a gunshot wound to his upper body. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Investigators determined the shooting happened in an apartment at 460 Park Meadows Drive in Waite Park. Waite Park police have released more information about the investigation of the murder. The suspect has been identified as 20-year old Desmond Barzey. Police say he's been living in St. Cloud, but his most recent permanent address is Coon Rapids. The murder victim was a 19-year old St. Cloud man. His name has not been released. Police arrested Barzey at about 1:00am Sunday in Bismarck, North Dakota. During the course of the investigation, police learned Barzey was possibly traveling west on Interstate 94. Bismarck police found a vehicle heading west with no license plates. Barzey then led police on a short chase before crashing his vehicle. It appears the vehicle Barzey was driving was stolen, but Waite Park police are still trying to confirm from which jurisdiction the vehicle would have been stolen from. Barzey is being held in the Burleigh County North Dakota jail awaiting extradition back to Minnesota on murder charges. He also has charges pending in North Dakota including possessing a stolen vehicle, fleeing a police officer, and reckless endangerment. The investigation into the murder is still ongoing but police believe this was not a random act.
--Three people are hurt after a spinout lead to a crash in Wright County. The Minnesota State Patrol says the crash happened just after 5:00pm Friday, a few miles south of Clearwater in Silver Creek Township on I-94. A car driven by 57-year old Susan Goodstar of Minneapolis, was on the I-94 entrance ramp from County Road 8 when she drifted into the shoulder. Goodstar over corrected and spun out into I-94 where she hit a van driven by 15-year old Emma Thorp of Albertville. Goodstar and her passengers, 37-year old James Bobick of Minneapolis and 37-year old Anthony Stamper of Minneapolis, were taken to Mercy Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Thorp and her passenger, 43-year old James Thorp of Albertville, were not hurt in the crash.
--Upsala Area schools will have parent teacher conferences for grades 5-12 today from 3:30-7:30pm at the Upsala High School.
--Little Falls Community High School and Community Middle School will host parent-teacher conferences later today.
DEATH NOTICES --Herbert “Herb” Richard Johnson, age 97 of Little Falls --Andrew Edward Dambowy, age 86 of Pierz. --James H. Harrison, age 70 of Rice formerly of Little Falls.
WEATHER TODAY= light snow early, partly sunny late, temps drop, windy. TONIGHT= blustery and cold, low 6 above, wind chills -10 to -20. TUESDAY= partly sunny, high near 20, clear night, low 5 above. WEDNESDAY= increasing clouds, snow late in day, high near 30.
SPORTS NFL= Cam Newton had a 62 yard run with time running out in the 4th quarter to help Carolina beat the Vikings Sunday 31-24. The Vikings drop to 10-3. Green Bay, Detroit and Chicago all win on Sunday. The Vikings host Cincinnati this Sunday at noon.