Newsletter: Monday, March 27th 2017
NEWS
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen reports that on 03-24- 2017 at approximately 3:17 am, their office received a report of a fire at the Darling Church located on Hwy 10, north of Little Falls in Darling Township. When deputies arrived the building was fully engulfed in flames. 25 Randall firefighters responded and were able to keep the fire from spreading into the wood line; however the church was a total loss. The nearby cemetery was not damaged. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the fire was believed to have been set intentionally and it is being investigated as arson. The State Fire Marshal’s office is assisting the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office with this active investigation. A plaque at the church stated it opened in 1893 but has not been fully used since 1967. The Minnesota Arson Reward Project is offering up to a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this incident. If you have any information related to the fire or the investigation, please contact the Arson Hotline at 1-800- 723-2020, or the Sheriff’s Office at 320-632- 9233.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office responded to theft reports last week on Highway 27 in Hillman, Haven Road in Little Falls and 40th Avenue in Randall. Deputies also stated arrests of a 31-year-old man in Motley with domestic assault, a 43-year-old man in Randall also on domestic assault and a DWI arrest on 255th Avenue in Pierz of a 27-year-old man. They also responded to a burglary report on Highway 25 in Pierz on the 11000 block. Anyone who notices suspicious activity of any means should call 632-9233.
--About 3:20pm on Thursday the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a school bus accident in Ironton on Hematite Street. Upon officers arrival it was discovered that the bus driver, 68 year old Gerald Fischer of Crosby, may have suffered from a medical condition which resulted in Fisher crashing the bus into a parked pickup and trailer which was parked in the driveway of Bud’s Small Engine Repair. The bus then continued a short distance west bound, striking another trailer which was then pushed into the building of Bud’s Small Engine Repair. The owner of the business, 70 year old, Bud Hanson, was inside the building and was struck by the wall as the trailer hit the building knocking Hanson to the floor. Hanson sustained unknown injuries and was transported to Crosby Hospital by ambulance. The bus driver, Gerald Fisher was also transported to the Crosby Hospital by ambulance with unknown injuries. At the time of the accident there were 27 children on the bus ranging in age from 6-15 years old. No children were injured during the accident.
--Governor Mark Dayton Friday issued an executive order lifting road and vehicle restrictions for Minnesota farmers helping ranchers in other parts of the country affected by wildfires. Wildfires across Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas have consumed more than 1.15 million acres. A significant portion of the land is grazing pastures for cattle and horses. Preliminary estimates show that more than 10,000 cattle have already been lost in the region. This Executive Order will ease restrictions for loads of hay ready to move out of Minnesota and allow for more aide in the days and weeks to come. Because of these wildfires, Minnesota farmers are eager to donate hay to ranchers in the four states to alleviate livestock losses. Currently, loads of donated hay are staged in areas throughout Minnesota, and are waiting to be moved out of state. Drivers can now begin transporting the hay with the Governor’s Order.
--Saturday night, four new Morrison County Dairy Princesses were crowned. The 2017 Dairy Princesses are Niclole Meyer, who is repeating as a Dairy Princess as she also won in 2016, Kristen Athmann who was named Miss Congeniality, Samantha Blonigen and Hannah Kahl. Those four will now represent the Morrison County Dairy Industry for the next year and will move on to the vie for a possible run for Princess Kay of the Milky Way in August.
--At Saturdays' Dairy Princess Coronation it was also announced that the 2017 Morrison County Breakfast on the Farm event will be held on June 10th from 7:30-11:30am at the Roerview Dairy LLC farmstead located near Upsala.
--Law enforcement officials are investigating remains of a body along Business Highway 371 south of Brainerd Sunday which could be that of missing Brainerd man Marc Welzant who went missing in October of 2014. Although the investigation is in the early stages, it was reported that the clothing found was similar to what Welzant was wearing at the time of his disappearance. The family stated late yesterday that this could be closure to what happened to Marc though the sheriff's office only stated that remains were found and that no proper identification has been made yet in the case.
--The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a 2 vehicle crash at County Roads 75 and 134 in St. Joseph Township Thursday afternoon. Around 1:30pm, 35-year-old Benjamin Schirmers of Sauk Centre was stopped at a red light when he was struck from behind by a westbound vehicle driven by 18-year-old Alisha Ritter of Albany. Both Schirmers and Ritter were transported to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment of injuries.
--The Pierz City Council meets tonight at 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
--Jose Cole Circus tonight at 7pm at the Little Falls Exchange Arena.
DEATH NOTICES
--Gerald D. Christianson, age 88 of Brainerd.
--Jerald “Jerry” Gross, age 82 of Motley.
--Patricia “Nina” Hoffman Pappas, lived in Little Falls, Pierz/Genola.
--Ross Bialka, age 25 of rural Holdingford.