NEWS
--The Morrison Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has teamed with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to provide free nitrate testing of well water to the residents of Morrison County and surrounding areas. A week-long clinic will be offered starting today and lasting until Friday at the Belle Prairie Room in the Morrison County Government Center 9am-4pm. It is suggested people park in the south lot and use the south entrance. This service is free. The SWCD encourages all landowners with wells to mark their calendars and take advantage of this service.
--A man has settled his criminal case after leading police on a chase in a stolen vehicle that resulted in the death of another motorist. Twenty-nine-year-old Samuel Butler has pleaded guilty in Stearns County District Court to an amended charge of fleeing police resulting in death. Six other charges have been dismissed as part of his plea. The December 12th chase started in St. Wendel Township when a caller reported someone driving erratically, and at times, on the wrong side of the road. Officers gave chase before Butler allegedly abandoned his SUV and stole a pickup and construction trailer. Court records show a trail of damage left behind as Butler drove at high speeds to evade officers. According to the criminal complaint, the chase ended when Butler drove through a stop sign and collided with a car at the intersection of 36th Avenue North and 10th Street North in St. Cloud. The driver of the car suffered severe injuries and died 10 days later. Butler was pinned inside the pickup and had to be extricated after crashing into a large tree. Records show police found a glass pipe, a torch, and burned aluminum foil inside the abandoned vehicle. Butler will be sentenced at a later date.
--A St. Cloud woman accused of causing the fatal drug overdose of her 2-year-old child has pleaded guilty. Twenty-five-year-old Jamacy Johnson pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree manslaughter with culpable negligence. St. Cloud Police were called to St. Cloud Hospital in April 2022 for a child who had suffered cardiac arrest, brain damage and was unresponsive. Court records show Johnson and 28-year-old Malik Carter brought the toddler to the hospital the night before and told a nurse the child had eaten a Benadryl tablet. Court records show initial tests did not show any traces of Benadryl. Johnson and Carter left the following morning saying they would return but never did. Police used a search warrant at the couple's apartment and found two pills containing fentanyl in the desk where a child would have access to them. There was also what appeared to be drug residue on top of the desk and items commonly used to ingest fentanyl pills. Phone records showed internet searches for child overdose articles, conversations about buying fentanyl pills, and photos and videos allegedly showing Johnson smoking something off of a piece of tin foil in the hospital bathroom. The toddler died two days after being admitted to the hospital. An autopsy of the child showed they died of fentanyl toxicity. Johnson will be sentenced on December 14th.
--Kinship’s annual “Soup and Chili Cook-off” fundraiser will be held next Monday October 23rd from 5-7pm at the Falls Ballroom in Little Falls. It was a few years ago that Kinship decided to move their Soup and Chili Cookoff from the spring to the fall months. Everyone is invited to support kinship’s youth mentoring program as they sample a variety of soups and chili made by local groups, individuals and restaurants. Kinship is also hosting a raffle the night of the cook-off. Call Kinship for tickets and info on mentoring today 320-632-8806.
--A Benton County man is charged with six felony counts of 1st-degree attempted murder of a peace officer and six felony counts of 1st-degree assault using deadly force against a peace officer. Sixty-four-year-old Karl Holmberg continues to be hospitalized for treatment of a gunshot wound to his foot. According to the criminal complaint, several police officers were serving a narcotics search warrant at the home west of Princeton just after 7am Thursday. Court records show Holmberg's wife told police that she awoke to her husband telling her that "they" were here and it was his day to die. She said they heard police officers outside their bedroom door and Holmberg starting shooting blindly through the door with a .223 caliber rifle. Police returned fire as they retreated out of the house. Six officers were inside the house and five were struck by gunfire. One officer was shot in the arm and remains hospitalized. A second officer was hit in the chest and hip and remains hospitalized. The third officer was shot in the hand and was treated and released from the hospital. A fourth and fifth officer were also shot and were treated and released from St. Cloud Hospital. A sixth officer was inside the house but was not hit. In an interview with Holmberg at the hospital, he allegedly said he didn't think the police had a right to be there and told them to leave. Court records allege Holmberg started shooting after that. After hours of negotiating, Holmberg was taken into custody without further incident.
--A 65 year old from Osakis was injured Friday in Bruce Township of Todd County at 8:13am. Timothy Ollom was traveling eastbound on Highway 27 when he left the roadway and struck a tree. Ollom was taken to Long Prairie Hospital for treatment of injuries.
--A dump truck collided with a school bus Friday around 11:20am in Aitkin County. Both vehicles were northbound on Highway 169 when the dump truck turned into a residence and the bus collided with it from behind. The bus driver, 49-year-old Tammy Hagen of Aitkin was treated for non life threatening injuries. The dump truck driver was not hurt. There were a 3-year and 4-year old on the bus at the time of the accident but neither of the kids were hurt.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
--Three's Company actress and 80s fitness icon Suzanne Somers has died from breast cancer. Somers was 76 years old.
DEATH NOTICES
--Claudette Y. Scepaniak, age 89 of Little Falls.
--Jacqueline “Jackie” M. Wolfe, age 59 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 56.
TONIGHT= clear skies, low 34.
TUESDAY= increasing clouds, showers overnight, high 58, low 35.
WEDNESDAY= rain likely, high 56, rain at night, low 40.
SPORTS
NFL= Vikings hold of Chicago 19-13 on Sunday, Vikings 2-4.
HS FB= Little Falls, Pierz, Royalton lost on Friday, Holdingford won and USA won on Thursday. This week the High School Football games are mostly played on Wednesday due to the MEA week so listen in for games are Wednesday night on LF Radio. Then some of the teams start their playoffs next Tuesday on LF Radio.