NEWS
--The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports on Friday at 5:54am their office received a report of an attempted burglary at a property located on Dove Road, approximately four miles southwest of Randall in Parker Township. Between 4-5am, the suspect entered an outbuilding on the property which was open. They took a splitting maul from the building and used it to gain access into a second outbuilding. At this time nothing has been reported missing from the property, but the door was heavily damaged. The Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in case someone witnessed any suspicious activity during these time frames on Dove Road, north of Highway 27. If you have information regarding this incident, you are asked to call the sheriff's office at 320-632-9233.
--A 21-year-old Isle man has been charged along with his girlfriend after human remains were found last Tuesday along the shoreline of Mille Lacs Lake in Mille Lacs County. Bradley Allen Weyaus, was charged Thursday with second-degree murder, fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, interference with a dead body or scene of death-concealing a body and evidence. His girlfriend, 21-year-old Alexis Elling of Rochester was charged with felony aiding and abetting in the murder and tampering with evidence after the fact. On Friday afternoon Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton that the deceased was properly identified as 25-year-old Rodney Pendegayosh Jr. of Isle. According to court documents, law enforcement received information around March 20th about Pendegayosh being missing from the area. When talking with family members, officers learned Weyaus may have been involved with the disappearance and was seen several times in the area with a storage container bound with bungee cords and industrial tape. On Tuesday, Mille Lacs County highway maintenance workers were clearing an area on Twilight Road near Mille Lacs Lake. During this operation, the employees discovered a storage container abandoned off the side of Twilight Road. The storage container was plastic and bound with bungee cords as well as industrial tape. The employees attempted to move the storage container but encountered difficulties due to the weight and location. At that time, the employees opened the container and observed a severed human foot. A law enforcement officer was responding to the scene when a white Saturn traveling in the same direction refused to pull to the side and let the officer pass. Instead, the driver of the Saturn began accelerating at a high rate of speed. The officer recognized the vehicle as being associated with Weyaus. Law enforcement located the Saturn on a rural property near Southport Road in Mille Lacs County. A resident of the property indicated the individual driving the Saturn was Weyaus and he was hiding in one of the buildings on the property. Weyaus was eventually located and arrested on warrants and for fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle. Officers recovered two duffel bags with a number of items, including a hammer, a hacksaw and industrial tape. The industrial tape appeared to match that located on the storage container. In a search of the Saturn’s interior, a spent shotgun shell was found. Weyaus and Elling both remained jailed in Mille Lacs County awaiting their next court appearance.
--Morrison County Dairy Princesses crowned Saturday are Madison Westerman, Jazmin Virnig, Paige Gerads and Erin Borash. Also Paige Fellbaum crowned a Junior Dairy Princess for next year. Paige Gerads was Miss Congeniality and Madison won scholarship for best ad/post.
--District 10A Representative Ron Kresha of Little Falls introduced House File 1114 to fund a separation of the highway and rail grade in Little Falls. A grade separation typically means using a bridge, trestle or tunnel. Kresha reported this $3 million project will design and construct the infrastructure to separate these two routes and greatly improve safety compared to the current crossing. Grade separations have a number of other benefits including reduced noise, improved travel time, and less energy loss from idling vehicles, Kresha stated in a news release. The bill calls for the money to come from bond proceeds to fund preliminary engineering, environmental review, final engineering and design, and right-of-way acquisition of a highway-rail grade separation on Highway 27 at the BNSF Railway railroad crossing, and for associated improvements, in the city of Little Falls. This appropriation does not require a local match. “This corridor is important for both personal and commercial transit,” Kresha stated in an email on the infrastructure proposal. “I look forward to when everyone will be able to use this much-improved roadway to more quickly and safely go about their day.” District 10B Representative Isaac Schultz of Elmdale stated that "Prioritizing this rail grade separation is a top infrastructure need in our community." "As we prepare for the reconstruction of the Minnesota Hwy 27 bridge across the Mississippi River we must remember this is the primary connection between the east and the west in Morrison County and this project enhances safety."
--Saturday in Brainerd, a Minnesota National Guard leader presented a Congressional Gold Medal to the family of Army Lt. Col. Hortense McKay for her actions during World War II. Army Maj. Gen. Johanna Clyborne, the Minnesota National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General, gave the award to McKay's family at the Center for the Arts in Brainerd in honor of her nursing services during World War II and the Battle of Bataan. Four Congressional Gold Medal recipients have connections to the Brainerd Lakes area. McKay is the first woman service member, the first woman graduate, and the first woman from the Brainerd Lakes area to receive the award.
DEATH NOTICES
--LaVonne Anna Robinson, age 89 of Randall.
--Ruth Alice Van Keuren, age 100 of Pine Center/Onamia area.
--Alphonse Peter Pollock, age 95 of Little Falls formerly Bowlus.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 33.
TONIGHT= clearing and cooler night, low 9.
TUESDAY= sunny and cool, high 29, low around 5.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and cool, high 24, low around 4.
SPORTS
HS BBB= Albany wins the Class AA State Title in boys basketball on Saturday, Russell Tyler Ruthton in Class A, Totino Grace in AAA and Wayzata in 4A. Alexandria 4th in 3A, Pequot Lakes wins consolation championship in Class 2A at the boys tournament last weekend.
COL HK= Gophers beat St. Cloud State 4-1 to go to Frozen Four.
COL BB= Final Four for men and women basketball this weekend.
TWINS= the final Twins spring training game is at noon today then the regular season starts on Thursday at Kansas City. Pregame Coverage on Thursday at 2:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.