NEWS
--Governor Tim Walz, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, and House Speaker Melissa Hortman today announced Sunday night there has been a bipartisan state budget agreement that allows for investments in education, health care, and community prosperity meaning no government shutdown and no special session. Senate Republicans held firm on their opposition to Governor Walz’s massive transportation tax increases and instead pushed for a permanent cut in the middle-income tax rate that will deliver tax relief for millions of taxpayers, the first permanent income tax cut in 18 years. The final budget deal also includes increased funding for K-12 schools, a top priority for both the governor and the senate. On Sunday, the Minnesota Senate passed monumental legislation that includes a series of protections for elderly and vulnerable Minnesotans and an extensive framework for the licensure of assisted living facilities. The Elder Care and Vulnerable Adult Protection Act of 2019, authored by Senator Karin Housley is the most significant reform to state law for elder care in decades. The bill passed with wide, bipartisan support.
--There will be an open house at 5pm today at the Pierz Senior Center, adjacent to City Hall. Residents can hear the plans for road and utility work along Third Avenue North and Kamnic Street. Although construction won’t begin until 2021, the design is already in the preliminary stage. Work planned includes street, storm sewer, sanitary sewer and water main reconstruction along Third Avenue North from approximately Centennial Drive to Kamnic Street. The project construction may require some relocation of private utilities in the right of way, such as electric, gas and communication lines. Although no formal presentation will be offered, representatives from SEH, Rich Prairie Sewer and Water District and the county will be present to explain the project scope, timeline and answer questions.
--The Sherburne County Sheriff's Office has released the name of the man killed in a collision with a train. 39-year old Brian Watson of St. Cloud was killed early Wednesday morning. Watson had turned west from Highway 10 onto a dirt road that is the driveway to a private home. There are no stop arms at the railroad crossing. As the vehicle passed over the tracks, one of the front tires went off the concrete slab and became stuck. The train was going about 50 miles per hour and was unable to stop before hitting the car.
--An inmate at the Kanabec County Jail is charged with running a prostitution ring from his cell. Thirty-eight-year-old Daniel Ellington is charged in Washington County District Court with two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of promotion of prostitution. The charges came out of an investigation conducted by the East Metro Sex Trafficking Task Force. Prosecutors say Ellington communicated with a prostitute by text and "promoted and profited" from her activities in Woodbury last month. Washington County Attorney Pete Orput says members of the EMSTTF initiated an undercover investigation into a commercial sex operation that was occurring at a hotel in Woodbury. After the victim of trafficking was safe in police custody, detectives began to examine cell phone data and discovered that that Ellington, while incarcerated in the Kanabec County Jail on unrelated charges, advised, organized, promoted and profited from the prostitution of the Woodbury victim. Investigators also discovered several other instances of sex trafficking that Ellington was allegedly involved in. Charges in those cases are pending.
--Attention to all boaters who boat near the Little Falls Dam as the safety buoys have not been installed due to the high water levels around the dam. All boaters as used to use caution upstream on the Mississippi River near the dam in Little Falls which has very high water for this time in May. A reminder from Minnesota Power.
--On Wednesday the Benton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a head on collision between a pickup truck and a car in Sauk Rapids Township. Evidence at the scene indicated that an eastbound pickup driven by 57-year old Lonnie Noponen of Sartell crossed over the center line on 35th Street NE and collided with the westbound car driven by a 16-year old female from Rice. There were no other passengers in either vehicle. Both drivers had to be extricated from their vehicles by the Sauk Rapids Fire Department. Both drivers suffered serious injuries and were transported by ambulance to the St. Cloud Hospital. Investigating deputies collected the cellular telephones of both drivers so that a forensic examination could be performed to help determine if distraction was a factor in this crash. Additionally, deputies investigating the possibility of driver impairment obtained a search warrant to conduct a blood draw on Noponen as several prescription medications were found in his vehicle. This accident remains under investigation.
--A fire has destroyed a garage in north St. Cloud. The fire started about 8:30pm Thursday on 8th Avenue North. The two-stall detached garage along with all of its contents are considered a total loss. The damage estimate is about $55,000.
--The Little Falls School Board meets at 5pm today at the community middle school media center. Agenda items include approval of the 2020 choir trip to New York, run down the list of donations from the Day of Caring, adjust some items to the school calendar and approve a number of contracts for the upcoming school years.
--The Morrison County Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday at 9am at the City Hall Council Chambers. those on the agenda include the Sheriff, Social Services, public health, extension, public works and the auditor/treasurer at the meeting Tuesday.
DEATH NOTICES
--Randy Doherty, age 21 of Little Falls.
--Paul “Jerry” Yanta, age 81 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high around 60.
TONIGHT= partly cloudy, low around 40.
TUESDAY= cloudy, showers afternoon, high 58, low 46.
WEDNESDAY= showers & t-storms possible, high 63, low 48.
THURSDAY= partly sunny, dry, high 67, low around 50.
SPORTS
TWINS= Martin' Perez shuts down Mariners Friday, Max Kepler drives in 3 as the Twins win 7-1. Byron Buxton hit a grand slam and Miguel Sano hit 1st homer of the season as the Twins destroyed Seattle Saturday 18-4. Seattle took the last game Sunday beating the Twins 7-4. The Twins (30-16) take on LA Angels of Anaheim tonight with pregame at 8:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
VL= rain washed out all the Victory League games on Sunday.
HS SB= Melrose at Pierz today at 4:30pm in the opening round of playoffs on FM94 KFML. Winner would then play on Tuesday.