NEWS --One person has died after being struck by a train early Friday morning in Benton County. The Benton County Sheriff's Department reports that 54-year old Dale John Fries of Sauk Rapids was killed when he was struck by the train at around 5:30am at the Northeast River Road crossing in Sauk Rapids Township. Two witnesses aboard the train said it appeared Fries' car was stuck in the crossing on the west set of tracks. Those witnesses said they observed a lone male, later identified as Fries, standing outside the vehicle near the driver's door. The witnesses said the train applied it's brakes and sounded its horn in an attempt to warn him. The witnesses then said as the train approached the car, they saw Fries walk in front of the train where he was struck. Deputies have confirmed the crossing's barricade arms, flashing lights and bells were functioning at the time. The incident remains under investigation.
--A 25-year old man was injured Thursday night when a car collided with his bike on Divison Street West in St. Cloud. Robert Weber of St. Cloud, was attempting to cross Division Street West near Crossroads Center, when he was hit by a vehicle driven by 44-year old Gina Braswell of Sauk Rapids. Witnesses said Weber rode out in front of Braswell's vehicle and failed to yield when she had the right of way, causing the collision. Weber was transported to St. Cloud Hospital for injuries that are not believed to be life threatening. Braswell was not injured.
--The Little Falls School Board meets today at 5pm at the Morrison County Government Center Boardroom. Agenda items include the approval to rescind their participation in the Region 5 Solar Project; draft of 2017-2018 handbooks, vote on the joint powers agreement for special education facility; approval of the scoreboard project; make fees for activities and admission for the upcoming school year; first reading of policies and approve the superintendent's contract for the next school year (2018-2019).
--A Brainerd man faces criminal charges for allegedly hitting a victim in the back with a board causing visible physical injuries. 28-year old Torrey Nickolas Wagner had his first appearance Tuesday in Crow Wing County District Court. He was charged with felony domestic assault and gross misdemeanor of placing a fictitious emergency 911 call. The judge set bond at $30,000. Wagner's next court appearance is Friday at 9:00am.
--A 32-year old Crosby man faces two felony domestic charges following an incident a week ago. Anthony Eugene Christenson had his first appearance Tuesday in Crow Wing County District Court. He was charged with two felony domestic assault charges. Bail was set at $30,000 without conditions or $10,000 with conditions. Christenson posted bail and was released the same day. His next court appearance is Tuesday, July 25th at 1:30pm.
--Motorists who travel Highway 71 in Sauk Centre may encounter daytime delays as the road is reduced to a single lane at the Highway 71 bridge spanning Sauk Lake starting today. The lane closures will occur from sunrise to sunset, and will be complete by this Thursday. The schedule is weather dependent. Auto flaggers mounted on trailers will allow one way, alternating travel through the daily work zone. The closures are needed while crews repair the bridge approaches. For real-time travel information anywhere in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org.
--The Little Falls City Council meets tonight 7:30pm at the city hall council chambers. Agenda items include accepting recommendations from the planning commission on land use regulations zoning, approve for the Little Falls Police Department descriptions of hiring for two positions, and a resolution for an implementation grant for the wastewater facility. Council will also receive the 2016 audit.
--Camp Ripley is hosting the Best Warrior competition this week. It starts today and runs through the 20th. Many from around the nation are competing to be considered the Best Warrior as put on by the National Guard. Staff Sergeant Daniel Sebo is Minnesota's representative in the contest this year. The final event on July 20th will be a road march to Lake Itasca starting at Camp Ripley.
--A group of advocates in the St. Cloud/Sauk Rapids area are asking legislators to raise the age for buying tobacco products to 21. The group feels that younger smokers are still a problem and the younger you start smoking the more difficult it is to stop. They feel if you can't drink alcohol until 21, why not make the same age limit for smoking.
NATIONAL NEWS --President Donald J. Trump's travel ban has reached the Supreme Court. The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court Saturday to block a federal district judge's ruling Thursday allowing more immigrants and refugees into the country. The administration also asked the Supreme Court late Friday to clarify its June ruling by allowing the more stringent requirements on travelers that the government had imposed. The justices gave lawyers for Hawaii, which initiated the challenge, until Tuesday to respond. And while the administration decided only refugees already in contact with resettlement agencies could enter, Watson's ruling would allow for more. That led the Justice Department to ask Friday night for the Supreme Court's "immediate intervention" in the case, just 18 days after it blocked lower court rulings that put the travel ban on hold. That means the administration will stop accepting new refugees for the remainder of the fiscal year-September 30th. The only exceptions will be those with close family relationships as defined by the United States Supreme Court.
DEATH NOTICES --Richard “Dick” Hansmann, age 76 of Little Falls.
WEATHER TODAY= sunny and warm, high 91, storms develop late afternoon. TONIGHT= storms likely, some strong, muggy, low near 70. TUESDAY= storms likely early and late, high near 80, low around 60. WEDNESDAY= partly cloudy, chance of PM storms, high 82, low 63.
SPORTS TWINS= Houston rocks Twins Friday 10-5. Twins win 4-2 Saturday as Brian Dozier led off with a homerun for the 2nd straight game. Houston beat Twins 5-3 to win the series on Sunday. Twins (46-45) host the New York Yankees tonight 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ. LYNX= Lynx beat Phoenix Friday 88-71 as Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus both score 19 for the Lynx. Lynx then beat Phoenix again this time at home Sunday 81-66 to improve to 15-2 on the season. VL= get scores from first weekend of the Victory League playoffs by going to fallsradio.com then click on Victory League.