NEWS
--Congratulations to the Pierz Pioneer Football Team winning the Class AAA State Championship for the 2nd time in 3 years Saturday by defeated St. Croix Lutheran Academy 34-21 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Reese Kapsner scored three touchdowns and Jalen Jansen added 2 more as the Pioneers rushed for 328 yards for the AAA State Title.
--Three people were injured Saturday, including a 12-year old, in a two-vehicle accident around 10:15am Saturday on Highway 10 in Little Falls Township. 52-year old Lisa Pryzbilla of Rice was northbound on Highway 10 at 113th Street when an eastbound vehicle driven by 59-year old Shawn Flavin of Little Falls crossed the highway and the struck the side of the Pryzbilla vehicle. Both drivers were taken to the hospital and treated for injuries. A 12-year old passenger in the Flavin vehicle, Abraham Anez was also treated for injuries. A three and six year old in the Pryzbilla vehicle were not injured in the accident.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office in the past week responded to a fire on 223rd Street in Pierz where the caller used a garden hose to spray out a wood pile fire after a nearby outhouse had burned to the ground. Deputies also responded to a dump truck fire on the 18th in Cushing. They responded to a number of disturbance and suspicious activity calls and arrested a 29-year old in Pierz on disorderly conduct. A 47-year old was arrested for DWI after she was found to be driving the wrong on Highway 10.
--St. Cloud police are investigating a shooting after a 19-year old man showed up at the hospital with a gunshot wound. The incident happened just after 2:30pm Thursday. Officers were sent to St. Cloud Hospital when a man had shown up in the emergency room with a gunshot to his foot. Officers identified the victim as a 19-year old from St. Cloud. Officers learned that a male acquaintance of the victim had pulled out a handgun during an argument and shot the victim in the foot. The suspect then left the home after taking money from the victim. The victim was taken privately to the emergency room for treatment. The injuries were non-life threatening and the victim was treated and released from the hospital. Officers were still working to positively identify and find the suspect. Potential charges include assault and robbery.
--Rural residents in St. Cloud, Albany, and Benton County will benefit from $26 million in grants to expand high-speed internet access in Greater Minnesota. They include $110,661 for 20 homes and 10 businesses near the St. Cloud airport on Sherburne County Road 3. $616,743 for 121 houses near Two Rivers Lake County Park northeast of Albany. In Benton County, $765,015 will connect 250 homes and 73 businesses in Langola, Graham and Mayhew Lake Townships northeast of Rice. $162,814 will go to increasing internet speeds for 60 homes and 21 businesses in Duelm. In all, the grants will provide around $1.6 million in funding for 451 homes and 104 businesses in the Greater St. Cloud area. The latest 2017 Border-to-Border Broadband Grants go to 39 infrastructure projects across Minnesota aimed at providing access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet. Statewide, the grants will bring enhanced broadband to 9,900 households, 2,100 businesses and 60 communities. Gov. Mark Dayton secured $20 million to expand high-speed internet access during the last legislative session.
--The Pierz City Council meets tonight at 7:00pm at Pierz City Hall.
--Another Coffee with the Cop event is scheduled for Thursday, December 7th at 8:30am at the Little Falls Senior Center. All are encouraged to bring questions and concerns to the event.
--A 23-year old Swatara man died in a snowmobile accident Thursday morning just after 6:00am in Cass County. Jeremy Gindele was found unresponsive at his home and later pronounced dead by authorities. It is believed that Gindele was snowmobiling in a field when he struck a rut or approach and it threw him from the machine.
--A Waite Park woman was brought to the hospital after rolling her car. Just before 2:00pm Wednesday on Highway 23, west of Interstate 94 in St. Joseph Township. 89-year old Mary Lou Reinert was driving west when she experienced a medical emergency. Reinert was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
--The Sartell Police Department says they have received several reports of packages being stolen after they were delivered to homes. The thefts started in the beginning of November. The packages were left on doorsteps and stolen before the homeowners got home. Police say package thefts are a crime of opportunity and usually increase during the holidays. Police remind everyone to take extra care when having packages delivered. If you notice anyone suspicious picking up packages report it immediately to police.
--Police say a man pointed a gun at a motorist in a road rage incident in Waite Park. The police department says two vehicles were driving on Division Street a little after 5:00am Tuesday morning when one driving recklessly almost hit the other. The victim says both parties rolled down their window at a red light, and the suspect started yelling and then pointed a gun at the victim. Police later located the suspect, 24-year old Jorge Felix Cazalvilla Torres, at a home on 7th Avenue North in Waite Park and arrested him. He was taken to the Stearns County Jail where he's facing a charge of 2nd degree assault. Police say the firearm the suspect allegedly used was recovered.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Dexter and Amanda Landowski of Hillman, a girl born Nov. 23rd.
DEATH NOTICES
--Marianne Karen Doble, age 63 of Little Falls
--Sheila Haack-Berg, age 63 of Wahkon.
--Jerome Billig, age 87 of Royalton.
--Calvin W. Crosby, age 88 of Cushing and Browerville.
--Dallas James Anderson Sr., age 43 of Onamia.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and breezy, high 52, clear night, some fog, low 30
TUESDAY= partly sunny, very windy, high 42, low 25.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and cooler, high near 40 then falling temps.
SPORTS
COL FB= Wisconsin beat Gophers 31-0 Saturday. Gophers finish the season at 5-7. Earlier in the week U of M gave PJ Fleck a contract extension through the 2023 season.
NFL= Case Keenum tossed two touchdown passes to Kyle Rudolph and also ran for one more as the Vikings hold off Detroit 30-23 on Thanksgiving Day to stay on top of the NFC North with 9-2 record.
PREP= Prep Bowl champs in Football are Spring Grove, Minneota, Caledonia, Pierz, Holy Angels, Owatonna and Eden Prairie.