NEWS
--The Morrison and Cass County Sheriff's Office wants to thank the public in helping locate two young girls who went missing late Friday into Saturday. Cass County said the 12 and 8 year olds left their residence in Sylvan Township near Pillager late Friday or early Saturday before their parents woke up and noticed they were missing. An alert was sent out around 1pm that afternoon by Cass County and Morrison County posted on their facebook page the pictures of the two girls, who were found a short time later by a neighbor and returned home to their family. Thanks for all the help.
--On Tuesday Pierz Police executed a search warrant in reference to the distribution of marijuana in the Pierz area. Within the past several days, officers with the Pierz Police Department learned that marijuana was being distributed from a residence located at 225 Park Ave SE. A search warrant was executed, and entry was made into the residence. Officers located 379.77 grams of marijuana, 8 grams or marijuana wax, and other items associated with the distribution of marijuana. 31-year old Gabriel Rosekrans and 30-year old Kaci Rosekrans were taken to the Morrison County Jail, where they are awaiting charges in this case. More arrests are expected in this case. The Pierz Police Department reminds the public to call their local Police Department or Sheriff’s Office, if they suspect someone is selling or using a controlled substance.
--Little Falls Township provided an update on the roadways within Little Falls Township that remain closed due to the June 30th rainfall event. 123rd Street East from Hillton Road to 140th Avenue, and, 140th Avenue South to 113th Street. Roadways are anticipated to be repaired starting Tuesday but until then the roads will remains closed in the Township. Repairs are depending on the weather and saturation level of the soil for repair.
--Pierz Police noted that a driver of a pickup backed into the front of Lloyd’s Liquor in Pierz Wednesday afternoon causing severe damage to the building front, as well as to products inside. Pierz Police reported that there were no injuries and the case remains under investigation into the cause of the truck going into the building.
--It's been nearly a year since the drawdown began on Little Rock Lake. The lake was lowered from early August through the middle of September in 2019. Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Manager Eric Altena says the early signs were encouraging with a five-foot clarity right after the drawdown ended last September and an eight-foot clarity on the north end of the lake in June. He says our hot dry summer has been tough on the lake, but the algae is still not as bad as it has been in previous years.
--Governor Tim Walz announced that he will convene a special legislative session today. The Governor continues to push for legislation on police reform and accountability and has asked the Legislature to join his effort to build a stronger, more equitable economy by passing a robust bonding bill along with the extending of his peacetime emergency into next month which was to expire last night at 11:59pm. Governor Walz wants it extended because of recent uptick in COVID-19 numbers though the mortality rates have gone down in the recent weeks with warmer temperatures.
--The Morrison County Commissioners meet Tuesday at 9am at the government center boardroom. Agenda items include an update from Osasis Central Minnesota, Hands of Hope report, and a number of county agency updates on recent items at Tuesday's meeting.
--The Minnesota Department of Health update on Sunday showed there were 715 new cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota with 3 new deaths. Morrison County had 1 new case on Friday, 2 new cases on Saturday and another 2 new cases on Sunday of COVID-19 making now 66 positive cases with still the 1 confirmed death.
--A motorcyclist from Zimmerman was injured Friday just before 5:30pm on Highway 6 in Crow Wing County. Nicholas Bratvold, age 34 rear-ended a vehicle that braked hard for a left turn. Bratvold was treated for injured at the Crosby hospital. The driver in the other vehicle was not injured, 35 year old Leah Johnson of Akeley.
--A St. Cloud man is charged with 1st-degree aggravated robbery after an incident in the Waite Park Menard's store parking lot Tuesday. 20-year-old Seth Wozniak and two others are accused of approaching a woman's car in the parking lot around 7:15pm Tuesday, assaulting the woman and robbing her of her money, cell phone and car keys. The woman told police she had just arrived at the store and saw a silver SUV pull up behind her car and an unknown man walk up to her window, showed her a gun and demanded her keys. The woman said Wozniak, who is the brother of her ex-boyfriend then got out of the SUV and told the victim to stop talking and that the other defendant would use the gun. The unidentified man then allegedly handed the gun to Wozniak, grabbed her by the neck and pulled her from the car. A woman identified as 26-year-old Jeraka Jenkins then was told to get out of the SUV and "beat up" the victim. Jenkins is accused of grabbing a wad of money that had fallen from the victim's pocket. The unknown suspect allegedly threw the victim to the ground, grabbed her phone, wallet and car keys. Wozniak was arrested the following day and then the day after Jenkins was arrested on 1st-degree aiding and abetting aggravated robbery and outstanding warrants. Police say they found a handgun matching the description of the one used in the robbery inside a backpack in the SUV. The third suspect has not been found.
--A blood drive will be held at New Life Church in Foley Monday, July 27th from 12:30-6:30pm. For an appointment or information, call (800) 733-2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: Foley. New Life Church is located at 931 Norman Ave. N., Foley.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
--Actress Kelly Preston died Sunday at age 57. She was in movies like Jerry Maguire and Twins and was married to actor John Travolta for 28 years. She had breast cancer for the past 2 years.
DEATH NOTICES
--Marie G. Atkinson, age 90 of Albany formerly of Upsala.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and breezy, high 85, storms develop late day.
TONIGHT= thunderstorms likely, some severe with locally heavy rainfall in areas, low around 64.
TUESDAY= storms likely, some severe, then clearing, high 75.
TUES NIGHT/WED= clear night, low near 52, sunny day, high of 80.
SPORTS
NFL= The National Football League announced they will meet today to make the rules and regulations that will be put in place for the upcoming season including if the preseason should be cancelled. The regular season still plans to begin on Thursday September 10th.