NEWS
--The detour in Little Falls has changed as of Friday afternoon. The Highway 27 bridge is open over the Mississippi River meaning the detour is now from Front Street on the east end of the bridge down to 1st Avenue Southeast and to 4th Street East. This means that Highway 27 is closed in the downtown area of Little Falls. Business access signs are posted around the detour as the businesses will maintain their regular hours during the road construction in Little Falls. Please slow down in work zones.
--Due to the Highway 27 road construction, there will be a new parade route for the Little Falls Dam Festival. The parade at 11:00am on Saturday, June 15th will start at the intersection of 13th Avenue NE and 6th Street NE, travel South on 6th Street, ending on the intersection of 6th Street SE & 5th Avenue SE.
--The School Year is winding down and graduation ceremonies begin next week for many schools. Pierz and Royalton will graduate on May 24th at 7pm, Swanville also graduates on the 24th but at 8pm, Upsala is on the 25th at 1:30pm, Little Falls is on Sunday the 26th at 2pm. There are others that graduate next week and some after Memorial Day. Some schools like Pierz and others moved up their end of school date due to summer construction taking place.
--A Brainerd student has been recognized as a winner of a nationwide Daughters of American Revolution National American History Essay Contest. Bridget Wells is a 6th grader of Forestview Middle School and will read an excerpt of her essay on June 20th in Washington DC at the DAR National Celebration. The school district has worked the past five years with Brainerd Captain Robert Orr Chapter of the DAR but this was the first year that a student in their district won the honor to come to Washington DC and speak. Congratulations Bridget Wells.
--A Brainerd movie theater was damaged when a Black GMC Yukon crashed into the building Wednesday morning. The vehicle was in the parking lot around 7:40am when it went into the front entrance of the Mann Lakes 12 Theater in Baxter. The vehicle was reported stolen and police are investigating this as an attempted burglary and that the vehicle intentionally went into the building. The movie theater did state that an undisclosed amount of cash was missing. The entrance was repaired by the next morning and the vehicle was returned to the auto dealership that it was stolen from. There were no suspects on scene and the investigation into who did this is still ongoing.
--Several law enforcement agencies responded to a report of gunshots being fired in St. Joseph Thursday night, however, they haven't found anything yet. At about 9:30pm officers were called to the area near the Holiday gas station when an employee at the convenience store reported they received a call second hand that they had just heard multiple shots and saw several people with handguns exchange shots. The incident allegedly happened in the area near the water tower at College Avenue and Date Street or Elm Street. Officers checked the area but were unable to find anything that corroborated the report. The St. Joseph police department is asking anyone that saw or heard anything suspicious around that time to call their office at 320-363-8250.
--Upcoming meetings this week, Pierz City Council tonight at 7pm, Royalton School Board meets tonight at 6pm, Motley City Council tonight at 6:30pm, Swanville School Board meets at 7pm Wednesday and Randall City Council at 7pm Wednesday at Randall fire hall.
--Wednesday night was Scholarship night for Little Falls Community High School. In total 177 scholarships were awarded for a total amount of $313,200. Numerous groups and private entities donated the scholarships this year. Included in the winners this year were 53 Gordon Larson Scholarships, each worth $4,000. Congratulations to the winners and a thank you to all the donors making it possible.
--Pillager, Staples-Motley and Pine River-Backus schools are 3 of 17 that will hold referendum or facility upgrade votes on Tuesday in their respected districts. Early voting is taking place through the school districts by contacting or stopping at the schools, Polling places are established on Tuesday in the school district. Contact your respected school district to see where to vote on Tuesday for the upgrades.
--Crow Wing County Sheriff Scott Goddard reports that his office, in conjunction with the FBI’s Minneapolis Division, apprehended 33-year old Nicholas Ronald Wynn of Pelican Township in Crow Wing County after an ongoing investigation involving drug and weapon-related offenses. Wynn was apprehended in Pequot Lakes on Thursday by law enforcement without incident. During the investigation, investigators located suspected methamphetamine, items consistent with the manufacturing of methamphetamine, firearms, and bullet resistant equipment. The site of the suspected methamphetamine lab has been processed in Pelican Township and the investigation continues with local and federal law enforcement. Wynn was arraigned in Crow Wing County District Court on Friday and is being held on bail. Sheriff Goddard states, “I am very pleased that Mr. Wynn has been apprehended and that no one, including law enforcement was harmed. The charges are serious in this investigation and I couldn’t be more appreciative to our deputies, local police departments and federal agencies involved. I want to reassure the public there is no current threat or danger stemming from this investigation.”
DEATH NOTICES
--Sylvester Simon Maciej, age 85 of Fridley
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 66.
TONIGHT= clouds increase, low 48.
TUESDAY= showers and T-storms possible, high 72, low 45.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and mild, high 73, low near 54.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins hit long ball again Friday and Jake Odirizzi shut down Tigers for a 6-0 win. Detroit scored 2 in the 9th to beat the Twins Saturday 4-3 in game 1 of a double-header then in the 2nd game Twins respond with 15 hits to beat the Tigers 8-3. Detroit splits the series winning 5-3 on Sunday. Twins continue their homestand by hosting the LA Angels of Anaheim tonight at 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.
VL= check out the Victory League scores and highlights from this past weekend at fallsradio.com then click on Victory League.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1918= first air mail stamps were issued, cost 24 cents.
IN 1950= Diner's Club issued first credit card.
IN 1981= Pope John Paul II was shot and seriously wounded at St. Peter's Square, the shot hit his hand and abdomen. He recovered.