NEWS
--Around 11:30pm Saturday a Morrison County Sheriff's Deputy was seriously injured near the Pierz Freedom Fest event south of Pierz on Highway 25. A sheriff's deputy, 26-year-old Brady Pundsack of Flensburg was directing traffic when a Ford Edge traveling north on Highway 25 struck the deputy in the roadway. Some corrected information from Sunday as this did not involve a bus going to and leaving the Pierz Freedom Fest as first reported but delayed the buses picking up the fans after the show on Saturday night. Pundsack was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital with life threatening injuries from the accident. The State Patrol said that 17-year-old driver and 16-year-old passenger in the vehicle was not injured in the accident. Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen is asking for prayers be sent out to Pundsack from the accident on Saturday night.
--A Minnesota native has been identified as the officer killed during a shootout in Fargo, North Dakota on Friday. Jake Wallin grew up in St. Michael and attended Alexandria Technical and Community College. The 23-year-old advanced to American Military University and then served as part of the Minnesota National Guard. Wallin joined the Fargo Police Department just this past April. Two other officers were also shot and admitted to the hospital in critical condition. Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes are currently listed as stable. A woman was seriously injured by the gunman before Officer Zach Robinson finally shot and killed the man. The suspect has been identified as 37-year-old Mohamad Barakat of Fargo. In a Saturday press conference, Police Chief David Zibolski said that there are still a lot of questions about what happened. The police officers were responding to an accident when Barakat opened fire. It does not appear that Barakat was involved in the crash. The Morrison County Sheriff's Office expressed condolences to the officer and his family.
--The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports that on Thursday afternoon at 3:24pm, their office received a report of a two-vehicle accident on Nature Road east of 250th Avenue, approximately five miles southwest of Buckman, MN in Buckman Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 57-year-old Daniel Oldakowski of Royalton, MN was traveling east on Nature Road in a side-by-side Polaris Ranger, 46-year-old Clinton Bridewell of Pierz, MN was also traveling east on Nature Road behind the side-by-side in a Honda Pilot. Bridewell went to pass the side-by-side on the left as the side-by-side initiated a left turn into a driveway. Bridewell struck the side-by-side on the roadway. Oldakowski was transported to St. Cloud Hospital by Mayo Clinic Ambulance with unknown injuries.
--Morrison County Administrator Matt LeBlanc will give an update on items in the county today at 8:30am on KLTF Community Program. One item LeBlanc will discuss also is a body scanner that will soon be installed at the Morrison County Jail, which Sheriff Shawn Larsen stated that is move meant to ensure the safety of staff, inmates and visitors. This came from an incident with drugs in the jail that could may have been prevented if the county had a body scanner. The power of the machine is about 1% of a normal X-ray, so it doesn’t see completely through the human body, but it picks up the outline and highlights metals and foreign objects, plastics, anything that is not human tissue or bone. The bid announced was at $145,950, which would include a 27-inch monitor, a two-year warranty and two days of onsite training for the new body scanner.
--Also today Lieutenant Gordon Shank of the Minnesota State Patrol will give an update on items with the State Patrol at 10:05am today on KLTF Party Line. You can call Party Line at 320-632-2306.
--The Little Falls School Board will meet at 5pm today at the Middle School Media Center. They will receive a food service update, review a number of policies going into the handbooks for the next school year including dress code, protection of private files and active shooter policy. Approval of contracts, 10 year maintenance plan and the latest Strategic Plan priorities from their recent meeting. Next Monday, July 24th Superintendent of Schools Greg Johnson will be the guest on KLTF Community Program to discuss items for the next school year at 8:30am and online at fallsradio.com.
--On Thursday at 1:45pm, a motorcycle crash on County Road 12 in Irondale Township was reported to the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office. 54-year-old Jason Pierce of Aitkin was eastbound, lost control of his motorcycle and crashed. Pierce was not wearing a helmet and sustained various injuries including a head injury. Pierce was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale.
--St. Cloud Police are investigating an apparent murder-suicide. Police were called to the 900 block of Jeffrey Court just before 1pm on Wednesday. Officers arrived to find two people dead inside the home. Police say 65-year-old Timothy Geers was found with a handgun next to him and what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Also found in the home was 65-year-old Sandra Geers, also with a fatal gunshot wound. The bodies of the victims were taken to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office for autopsies.
--A 47-year-old Cass Lake man was sentenced to more than 19 years in prison for fatally shooting another man in 2021 in Cass Lake. William Joseph Headbird, who in May pleaded guilty to charges of ineligible possession of a firearm and second-degree murder, was sentenced Wednesday in Cass County District Court to 234 months in prison. The victim, in 2021 was later identified as 34-year-old Diego Gasca of Cass Lake. Evidence and forensics for nearly a year in the case led authorities to arrest and to convict Headbird in the case.
--The body of a 71-year-old Walker man who was found in Leech Lake was identified Thursday as Kenneth Sobczyk. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a missing fisherman at 5:49pm Monday. His body was found Tuesday night deceased. Autopsy results are pending.
--The Little Falls City Council meets tonight at 7:30pm at City Hall with a work session expected to precede the meeting.
DEATH NOTICES
--Sister Mary Jaunita Mauer, age 83 of the St. Francis Convent.
--Margaret Johnson, age 90 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly sunny, breezy, high 73.
TONIGHT= clear skies, cool night, low 46.
TUESDAY= sunny skies, less wind, high near 80, storms late, low 59.
WEDNESDAY= showers & storms possible, high 83, low near 55.
SPORTS
TWINS= Joey Gallo homers in the 9th as the Twins win 5-4 over Oakland Friday. Twins hold on to a 10-7 win on Saturday over Oakland. A 3 run 7th inning gives the Twins the sweep over the Athletics Sunday with a 5-4 win. The Twins (48-46) will now continue their West Coast trip tonight at Seattle against the Mariners, with pregame beginning at 8pm on Q92 WYRQ.