[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Newsletter: Monday, March 14th 2016[/title][fusion_text]
NEWS
–A 21-year-old Starbuck man was sentenced Thursday in Douglas County District Court to 1 year in prison for interfering with the body of 18-year-old Laura Schwendemann, who was found in a cornfield last October days after she was reported missing. Nickolas McArdell reported to authorities that he was messing around with Schwendemann after they had taken methamphetamine and marijuana. She began freaking out and stopped breathing. He pulled over found she had died and then drove 3-4 miles to a cornfield and dumped her body. He first informed police that he did not know of her whereabouts but later changed his story after her body was found by a farmer in a cornfield days later.
–The Pierz City Council will hold a public hearing at 6:00pm tonight at Pierz City Hall on improvements to Edward Street South and 3rd Avenue Southeast. This will be followed by their regular meeting at 7:00pm at the Pierz City Hall. Agenda items including Pierz Library Report, County Fair request, schedule a workshop, clean up grant agreement with public works, reminder of town hall meeting for Representative Kresha Saturday 1:15 at senior site, Pierz Freedom Fest request and a vote on the public hearing earlier that night.
–The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reported that on Tuesday they got a call from a person saying that a woman’s swimsuit and suspcious bones were found at Belle Prairie Park north of Little Falls. It appeared that both items had been there for a while. The sheriff’s office said there was a number on the swimsuit and that the bones in question were not human.
–An Onamia man accused of child sexual abuse was brought into custody Thursday after failing to appear in court on six felony charges. 37-year old Bradley Allen Weyaus was charged in February by the Crow Wing County Attorney’s Office for allegedly forcing himself on two juvenile females known to him. The alleged conduct, which occurred prior to March 2013, included penetration. Weyaus faces first-degree penetration of a victim under 16 years old-multiple acts, first-degree penetration of a victim under 16 years old-significant relationship, first-degree penetration or contact with a person under 13 years old when the actor is more than 36 months older, second-degree significant relationship with a person under 16 years old, second-degree multiple acts with a person under 16 years old and second-degree with a victim under 13 years old when the actor is more than 36 months older. Weyaus has no previous convictions for criminal sexual conduct.
–Minnesota Department of Health says the state has seen the first flu-related death of a child this flu season. An update issued Thursday by the Department of Health said the agency has recorded a pediatric flu related death. The department reported 10 pediatric flu-related deaths last year. Department epidemiologist Karen Martin says this year’s dominant strain tends to more frequently affect younger and older people. The department update said the flu is still considered “widespread,” which is a designation used when at least half of Minnesota’s reporting districts report outbreaks though the state as a whole has had a fairly mild flu season.
–The Little Falls School Board meets today at 5:00pm at the Morrison County Government Center Boardroom. Agenda items include a resolution to authorize Little Falls Schools Board of Education to partner with Region 5 of the Solar School Project.
–Crews from Sauk Centre, Melrose and Freeport were called to Church of St. Mary in Melrose around 5:00pm Friday for a fire on the west end of the building near the sacristy. According to church maintenance workers, the boiler room, electrical panels and kitchen area was where the fire was first located and spread up to the roof quickly. Fire crews worked for many hours dousing the blaze that did over 1-million dollars in damage to the interior of the church. Most of the belongings inside the church including the alter area and many artifacts were destroyed. Bishop Donald Kettler of the Diocese of St. Cloud said one of the toughest aspects of the fire is finding places to host Mass, especially with Easter and its extranormal number of services coming soon. The fire chief said anytime a large fire like this one happens, rumors are going to float around. But people need to remember the investigators must finish their work before an offical cause of the fire can be released. Insurance workers and contractors are on cleanup duty and investigators will visit Melrose on Monday. –One person was injured in a two-vehicle collision on Highway 55 on Friday night in Wright County. According to the State Patrol, 22-year old Zachary Kisner of Buffalo, was traveling east on Highway 55 before turning left to head north on 1st Street NE in Buffalo and broadsided another vehicle. The other driver was 19-year old John Schoder of Buffalo. Schoder suffered injuries the State Patrol did not consider life-threatening. Kisner had no apparent injury.
–A man in a wheelchair died Saturday after a truck struck him on Highway 25 in Wright County. 51 year old Robert L. Haire of Monticello was northbound on Minnesota Highway 25 in the wheelchair just after 9:15am in the right turn lane when he was struck by a northbound vehicle driven by 29-year old Maria L. Miller of Buffalo. Haire was dead at the scene. Miller was not hurt.
–Many cities broke weather records Saturday as temperatures soared to near or into the 70’s. St. Cloud, the Twin Cities and many others saw temps of 68-73 degrees. Little Falls had a high of 69. Changes coming this week as temps by Thursday and Friday only in the 30s and rain and snow returning with some shoveling amounts possible.
DEATH NOTICES
–Jessica “Jessie” Justin, age 25 of Royalton.
–Joseph A. Kroll, age 89 of Royalton.
WEATHER
TODAY= dense fog in morning, then mostly cloudy, high 57.
TONIGHT= rain likely after dark, low 45.
TUESDAY= showers, possible T-storm, high 53, rain at night low 34.
WEDNESDAY= rain/snow early then rain and windy, high 45.
SPORTS
NBA= Ricky Rubio hits a 3 with .3 seconds left Friday as Wolves win possibly their biggest game of year 99-96 over Oklahoma City.
BBB= Minneapolis North, Braham, DeLaSalle and Hopkins won state titles on Saturday at the Boys Basketball tournament.
GBB= Girls state basketball begins Tuesday for some quarterfinals.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1794= Eli Whitney patents cotton gin.
IN 1950= The FBI announces the first Top 10 Fugitives List.
IN 1953= Kaw-Liga hit #1 for Hank Williams- he died that January.
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