NEWS --The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information related to a burglary in Minden Township. Around 5:00am Thursday the Benton County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary at the Airway Storage and Business Center located at 3446 2nd Street SE, St. Cloud. Investigating deputies found that a tenant at this center had their storage garage forced open and a step van taken. The stolen vehicle is a 2001 Freightliner step van. The vehicle was yellow, red, and white with “MAC Tools” decals affixed to all sides. After forcing their way into the storage facility, they drove the van away from the scene of the burglary. The stolen step van was located in the parking lot of 1034 E. St. Germain shortly before noon on Thursday. Upon recovering the vehicle, investigators found that the step van was now missing a computer and several tools. It is believed that the suspect, after stealing the step van, drove the vehicle to an unknown location to unload the stolen items before dumping the vehicle in the St. Cloud parking lot. Anyone with information on this crime or anyone who may have seen this step van between 6:30pm on Wednesday and noon on Thursday is asked to contact the Benton County Sheriff’s Office or Tri-County Crime Stoppers.
--A Benton County judge has sentenced a St. Cloud man to 12 years in prison after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl in the summer of 2016. Jurors convicted 44-year old Christian Flah on one count of 1st degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct last April. Court records show the girl was 12-years old when the assault happened. She was staying at Flah's southeast St. Cloud apartment at the time. Flah began sexually assaulting her despite her pleas for him to stop.
--A Minneapolis woman has been sentenced to a stay of adjudication for sexually assaulting a 14-year old Foley girl last summer. A stay of adjudication is where a judge orders you to probation. Once you successfully complete that probation, the charges are dismissed, and your criminal record is clear of any convictions. 25-year old Alyson Baker pleaded guilty back in May to 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct. Court records show the first sexual encounter happened on July 4th, 2017 at the swimming quarries when the victim kissed Baker. In August, the two began sending explicit text messages and nude photos to one another. The girl then allegedly sneaked Baker into her bedroom and the two engaged in sex acts. Along with the 15 years of probation, Baker must serve 30 days in jail, follow a no-contact order with the victim and attend counseling.
--A 55-year old Wisconsin woman was arrested Tuesday following a crash in which the vehicle she was driving started on fire on Interlachen Road, near the Lake Shore City Hall. The Lake Shore Police Department and the Cass County Sheriff's Office were called at 4:51pm for a report of a vehicle that went off the road and was on fire. Upon arrival, the vehicle was fully engulfed and the driver was moved to safety. Lake Shore residents Todd and Darcy Peterson were at home when the crash happened. Darcy Peterson was on her deck when she heard a vehicle revving its engine. She retrieved her husband to help and when they arrived the vehicle was on fire. She called 911 and Todd Peterson assisted the driver out of the vehicle. Moments later the vehicle was fully engulfed. The driver was not injured, but was arrested for third-degree driving while intoxicated and is in the Cass County jail awaiting formal charges.
--Zach Janson, the son of Buckman native Kenny Janson and his wife Diana who are now from Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday made parts of a music video for Zach's new country song “Sweet Corn Baby” at Janson Sweet Corn Farm (Zach's uncle and cousins) in eastern Morrison County. They viewed a part of it at a business east of Little Rock later that morning for the video due out later this year. Zach hit number one on the independent circuit earlier this year with a song “More of That”. The Janson's yesterday appeared on stage at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Bazaar in Little Falls. Kenny told Little Falls Radio they are coming back to Little Falls in December for their Christmas Show to help the Catholic Schools.
--A police pursuit in Wadena sent a man to the hospital with serious injuries. Around 9:15pm Friday, a Wadena County Sheriff's Deputy attempted to stop a vehicle that was speeding. The driver first pulled over and then fled the scene as the deputy got out of his vehicle. The vehicle ran through a stop sign, lost control and flipped over into a field striking several trees. The driver, 37-year old Derek Dilly of Wadena was taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries.
INTERNET NEWS –A national alert from the Better Business Bureau stated that in past weeks there has been an uptick in reported Facebook scams. They are reminding those that use Facebook to not put on vulnerable or personal information that could lead to a scam.
DEATH NOTICES --Dennis C. Leikvoll, age 71 of Clear Lake. --Patricia Zins, age 75 of Buffalo formerly of Wahkon. --Dennis J. Christensen, age 77 of Little Falls. --Jonetta Rajkowski, age 65 of Royalton.
WEATHER TODAY= sunny skies and highs near 80, clear skies, fog late, low 56. TUESDAY= sunny skies, high 83, storms after 1am, low near 60. WEDNESDAY= storms before 10am, then partly sunny, high near 75.
SPORTS TWINS= The Twins have traded Eduardo Escobar to the Arizona Diamondbacks for three prospects Friday. Then later Friday traded pitcher Ryan Pressley to Houston. Betts homered in the bottom of the 10th to beat Twins 4-3 Friday as the Red Sox end the Twins 4 game winning streak. Red Sox beat Twins 10-4 on Saturday and Boston finished off with a shutout 3-0 win over the Twins on Sunday to take three of four in Boston. The Twins (48-56) are back home tonight to face first place Cleveland at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ. WNBA= Maya Moore 18 points leads Team Candice Parker over Team Delle Donne Saturday 119-112 in the WNBA All Star Game. 8C= Day 1 results, Sobieski beat St. Stephen 4-0. Upsala won 1-0 over Avon. Lastrup held off Ft. Ripley 3-2 in 14 innings. Buckman downed Nisswa 6-2. Day 2 results- Ft. Ripley wins 8-0 over St. Stephen, Sobieski beat Lastrup 11-1 in 7 innings. Buckman advanced over Upsala 8-5. Nisswa came from behind in the 9th inning to defeat Avon last night 6-5. The Tournament moves to Upsala on Saturday. LEGION= Wadena beat Pierz 4-1 in Legion District Baseball. Pierz defeated Esko Saturday to advance to the championship where Wadena won on a walk-off hit to eliminate Pierz on Saturday.