NEWS
--A Little Falls woman was badly injured in a three-vehicle accident on Thanksgiving at 5:13pm on Highway 10 and 55th Avenue in Benton County of Langola Township near Royalton. 20-year-old Kaden Kurr of Little Falls was westbound on Highway 10 making a left turn onto 55th Avenue when a vehicle driven by 15-year-old Calton Thibodeau of Breezy Point collided with the first vehicle causing that vehicle the spin into a parked vehicle at the stop sign. The third driver William Pestello of Deer River was not hurt. There were no injuries in the Thibodeau vehicle which had two passengers, a 50 year old male and a 13-year-old female. Kurr was also not hurt but his passenger 47-year-old Melissa Kurr suffered serious life threatening injuries and was taken to North Memorial in the Twin Cities.
--A two vehicle accident in Douglas County around 4:30pm Thanksgiving sent a number of people to the hospital. 40-year-old Ali Moin of Bloomington was on Highway 29 and collided with 80-year-old Marilyn Grover of Alexandria at the intersection of County Road 5 near Carlos. Moin and all of the passengers, ages 40, 10 and 9 were treated for non life threatening injuries at an area hospital. Grover and her passenger 91-year-old William Grover of Alexandria both sustained serious life threatening injuries and were Lifelinked to St. Cloud Hospital for their injuries. All involved were wearing seat belts and the state patrol stated that alcohol was not a factor in the crash.
--The Minnesota Department of Transportation is touting a robust 2022 construction season that saw nearly 260 projects help improve our network of highways. Among the projects is the four-year effort to improve I-94 between Maple Grove and Clearwater, I-94/35E near downtown St. Paul, Highway 23 between Foley and Milaca, Highway 169 in Elk River, and Highway 52 from Zumbrota to Cannon Falls. The projects are designed to improve safety, accessibility, and mobility. For a complete list of both current and future projects, check out the website link to MnDOT's construction webpage.
--A St. Cloud man has been charged for reportedly punching a woman in the face on Friday, according to a criminal complaint filed in Benton County court. Thomas Richard Stuntebeck, 38, is charged with two counts of felony domestic assault. According to police records, St. Cloud police officers were dispatched to a report of a domestic assault occurring at the 100 block of Columbia Avenue NE around 6:30pm. A woman at the scene told police Stuntebeck rolled on top of her, grabbed her face, pushed her face into the bed and punched her twice in the face with a closed fist. The woman said she feared Stuntebeck and showed police a message where Stuntebeck apologized for hitting her. Stuntebeck returned to the residence and was arrested. He was booked in the Benton County Jail and had a first appearance Monday. His next court date is December 22nd.
--A Sauk Rapids man has been charged with felony domestic assault for reportedly pushing a woman into a glass table and dragging her around an apartment on November 20th. Michael Andre Brown, 23, is charged with two counts of felony domestic assault. Sauk Rapids police officers were dispatched to an apartment on 13th Street North in Sauk Rapids around 7am. A woman at the scene told police Brown charged her and pushed her down, causing her to fall over a glass table then dragged her around the apartment, injuring her knee. The woman told police she felt threatened by Brown and thought if she didn't get out of the apartment the assault would become worse. Another witness corroborated her story and police observed the woman's injuries and took Brown into custody.
--Morrison County Chaplain Gregg Valentine spoke on KLTF Friday morning. Valentine wanted to thank the community for their support over the past 20 years as Chaplain in Morrison County. On an average year Valentine is called to around 100 incidents from deaths, accidents, fires, mental health issues or others. This year has been extremely busy prior to other years and suicides, overdoses, mental health, disturbances have made for a very busy 2022. Yesterday was their fundraiser pizza party and a special thank you to all who donated food, coats and money to various items locally and nationally that they wanted to help out with. Valentine also said there is a group of chaplains that help out around the area not just Morrison County but wherever there is a need for their help. Valentine said if you need assistance or have questions to the chaplaincy program contact his personally at 320-630-7876, he will be glad to help.
--Minnesota hospitals and clinics are feeling the pinch from a large number of serious cases of respiratory illness, including RSV, influenza and lingering cases of COVID. They consider urge all to stay home when you're sick. Keeping your kids home from school when they're sick, and keeping them out of sports when they're sick. Hospitals also encourage getting flu shots and booster shots.
--Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and the Friends of Crane Meadows invite residents to build a bird feeder to take home with them. All are invited to the Backyard Bird Feeder Event Saturday, December 3rd from 9am-12pm. All materials and instructions to build the bird feeders are provided for free, though participants can make a donation to the Friends of Crane Meadows to continue to support this type of programming. The Backyard Bird Feeder Event is held at the Sedge Meadow Classroom at Crane Meadows NWR, located at 19502 Iris Road in Little Falls. Due to a limited number of kits, there will be a limit of one fly-through bird feeder per family. For more information, visit the refuge website at fws.gov/refuge/crane-meadows, call the refuge at (320) 632-1575.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
--Singer and actress Irene Cara has died. Cara is remember for her role and song in Fame in 1980 and also the title song of Flashdance “What a Feeling” in 1983. Cara died Saturday at age 63.
DEATH NOTICES
--Mary E. Geise, age 69 of rural Freeport.
--Sandra Workman, age 84 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= cloudy and windy, few snow showers, high 36.
TONIGHT= mostly cloudy skies, low 23.
TUESDAY= snow showers likely, 1-2 inches, high 28, low 17.
WEDNESDAY= partly cloudy and colder, windy, high 18, low 7.
SPORTS
COL FB= Gophers retain Paul Bunyan's Axe by beating Wisconsin Saturday in Madison for first time since 1995, 23-16 was final. The Gophers finish at 8-4 and look ahead to an upcoming Bowl game.
HS BHK= Carter Oothoudt scores in overtime Friday to give the Little Falls Flyers a 2-1 OT win over Monticello. Mahtomedi blew out the Flyers on Saturday winning 5-0 at Tria Rink in St. Paul.
SOC= another tie for team USA in the World Cup as Friday they went to a scoreless tie with England. The USA has Iran at World Cup today.
NFL= Eagles beat Packers last night 40-33, Aaron Rodgers got hurt.