NEWS
--After a sunny Saturday with highs in the 70s a much different Sunday as rain and windy and cooler temps moved in. Over 6 tenths of rain at the Little Falls Airport Sunday but the winds caused trees to come down and in a few cases on power lines. Minnesota Power announced the first outage reports started around 10 to 10:30am and by noon a number of crews had been called in to restore several large outages affecting an estimated 1500 customers in Little Falls, Buckman, and Pierz areas which lasted for hours on Sunday until power could be restored. The final report around 10:27pm last night stated that no outages were reported in those areas. Northeastern Minnesota is still dealing with hundreds of people without power this morning around Hibbing and east of there.
--An 18-year-old Brainerd woman died Saturday after her vehicle struck a tree. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash, reported at 4:42pm in Nokay Lake Township, east of Brainerd. According to the sheriff’s office, the vehicle hit a tree at the intersection of Northeast Thorson and Mill roads. No other vehicles were involved. The driver suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the driver was withheld Sunday.
--One person was hurt in a 2 vehicle accident Sunday at 12:35pm at the intersection of Highways 10 and 210 in Motley. 21-year-old Karli Schmitt of Shakopee was rear-ended by a vehicle driven by 79-yea-old Leah Rich of Browerville at the stop sign at 210 going on to 10. Schmitt had non serious injuries and treated in Staples. The other driver and passenger it that vehicle were not injured.
--Pierz Healy High School held their Awards and Scholarship Night on Wednesday in the Performing Arts Center. Among the Awards presented were: Pierz Athletes of the Year: Trevor Radunz and Katie Leidenfrost, Pierz Student Athletes of the Year: Kiara Olesch and Ben Virnig, Performers of the Year: Abby Skwira and Caleb Kuske 3 Sport Letter Winners: AJ Gerwing, Zach Jones, Trista Krych, Katie Leidenfrost, Kiara Olesch, Trevor Radunz, Ben Virnig and Andy Winscher. Congratulations to all the winners of awards this past week. The Little Falls Community High School honors/scholarship night is scheduled for this Wednesday night.
--The Minnesota National Guard has been activated for flood fighting. Friday morning, five members of St. Cloud-based B Company, 1-171 Aviation Regiment flew a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to provide heavy-lift support for the flood response in North Dakota. Their mission was to deliver two 10,000-pound pumps closer to a dam on the Red River near Pembina. Col. Gregory Fix, Minnesota National Guard’s State Army Aviation Officer, says the unit has plenty of previous experience. This aviation unit has many hours of experience moving equipment. They recently returned from a deployment to Iraq and Kuwait. While deployed, the unit provided the aerial movement of troops and supplies throughout the area. The soldiers took off Friday morning and are expected to return later Friday evening. According to the National Weather Service, the Red River in Pembina, ND is at 52.4 feet Friday afternoon, almost 13 feet over flood stage.
--A Pine River woman suffered non life threatening injuries when she went off the road and crashed into a tree. Shortly before 2:30pm Thursday 33-year old Andrea Swenson was heading northbound on Highway 371 when she left the roadway, crossed the median, then the southbound lanes and a bike trail and continued down a steep ditch and struck a birch tree.
--The Morrison County Commissioners meet Tuesday at 9am at the Government Center.
--An Avon teenager was airlifted to the hospital after rolling his vehicle Thursday night. Before 11:30pm on County Road 10 and 390th Street in Krain Township, near Albany, 19-year-old Caleb Albritton was heading north on County Road 10 when his vehicle left the roadway, hit an approach and rolled into a nearby field. Albrittion was thrown from the vehicle, but was able to flag down help. He was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital for his injuries.
--One person was arrested after allegedly stabbing another man in Rice Thursday. The incident happened around 4pm at 2nd Avenue Southeast. Officers arrived to find the victim with several stab wounds to their body. Authorities say the suspect had left the scene before officers arrived. A detailed description of the suspect and his vehicle were given to police. Officers later found the suspect in Watab Township and arrested him. He's currently being held in the Benton County Jail waiting formal charges. The victim was treated at the hospital and released.
--An Orono man was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for a high-speed, drunken-driving crash that killed two young men, including the son of the University of Minnesota men's hockey coach. James Blue had been driving nearly 100 mph on a curvy road around Lake Minnetonka when he plowed into a wooded area on July 24. The crash killed 20-year-old Mack Motzko, son of Gophers coach Bob Motzko, and 24-year-old Sam Schuneman. Authorities say Blue's blood-alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit for driving. Blue apologized in court Thursday to the family and friends of the Motzkos and Schunemans, who were not at the hearing.
--A new secretary, James Minten of Perham was elected for Minnesota Farmers Organization Saturday at New Munich. Locally, Steve Koering of Fort Ripley serves on the state board as 8th District President. Joe Neaton of Watertown was re-elected State President. The Vice President, and State Treasurer were also re-elected. This year's state convention is December 3rd in Olivia.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
--Country Music Singer Mickey Gilley has died at the age of 86.
DEATH NOTICES
--Shelley L. Williams, age 52 of Little Falls.
--Anthony “Tony” LeMieur, age 37 of Fargo, ND formerly Little Falls.
--Daniel John Theisen, age 31 of Rice.
WEATHER
TODAY= showers and thunderstorms at times, some could be strong with locally heavy rains and very gusty winds, then clearing, high 76.
TONIGHT= partly cloudy skies, breezy, cooler, low 47.
TUESDAY= sunny skies, pleasant day, high 70, low around 50.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high near 80, storms develop by afternoon with possible severe storms again on Wednesday night.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins win 2-1 Friday over A's. A Polanco homer was all they needed Saturday as Twins win 1-0. A 3 run third gives the Twins a 4-3 win Sunday and sweep the series. The Twins have today off.
WILD= Wild win Friday 5-1 over St. Louis Blues to take a 2-1 series lead in the playoffs. Blues counter with a 5-2 win Sunday to tied the series at 2 a piece. Game 5 will be Tuesday night in St. Paul.
DERBY= 80-1 long shot Rich Strike wins the Kentucky Derby Saturday while Zandon finished 3rd owned by a Clearwater Minnesota couple.