NEWS
--A 65-year-old rural Brainerd man died Wednesday following a rollover crash on Oak Street. The Brainerd Police Department responded to the one-vehicle crash just before 3:15pm on the 2900 block of Oak Street in Brainerd. 65-year-old Anthony Joseph Gilles of rural Brainerd was driving his vehicle as it ran off the roadway on the north side of the street. Gilles' vehicle was westbound on Oak Street when it left the roadway, traveling into the north ditch. The vehicle then struck a driveway approach, slid sideways and rolled over one time, ending back up on it wheels. Gilles died at the scene. A passenger, 59-year-old Donnie O'Brian of Brainerd was taken by ambulance to Essentia Health-St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd with non-life threatening injuries. Based upon initial information, police believe Gilles suffered a medical condition prior to the crash.
--An Albertville man was struck by an SUV while walking along Highway 6 east of Crosby Friday night just after 9:00pm. The State Patrol said Richard Koller was on foot crossing Highway 6 at Oak Street and was struck by 50-year-old Lorrie Anderson of Crosslake. Koller was ambulanced to a hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries according to State Patrol. Anderson was not hurt.
--A 56-year-old Sauk Rapids man was injured Friday around 10:30pm on Highway 23 in Benton County. Dean Gerads was westbound on Highway 23 when a pickup driven by 52-year-old Kevin Schmidt of Becker turned in front of Gerads and they collided. Gerads was taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries. Schmidt not hurt.
--Five people were hurt including a 7-year old seriously injured Friday afternoon around 5:20pm on Highway 4 in Stearns County. 18-year-old Noah Polipnick of Sauk Centre was northbound on the Highway near Belgrade when he drifted off the highway, went down into a ditch, overcorrected hard and vaulted into a plowed field. The driver was not hurt. Five passengers, which included 7-year-old Anastasia Polipnick has serious injuries. The other four, 14-year-old Gabriel Polipnick, 13-year-old Domenic Ritter, 11-year-olds Christopher and James Polipnick all from Sauk Centre had non life threatenting injuries in the accident.
--Seven people were hurt in a crash in Big Lake Friday afternoon at the intersection of Eagle Lake Road and Highway 10 around 1:00pm. The state patrol says 32-year-old Tyler Labonne of St. Cloud was stopped in the eastbound lane of Highway 10. Stopped behind Labonne was 58-year-old Linda Strater of Big Lake. Another car driven by 55-year-old Cynthia Hanley of Big Lake rear-ended Strater and caused Strater’s car to roll over and land on Labonne’s car. Labonne and his four passengers, 32-year-old Jennifer Labonne, 4-year-old Emma Labonne, 2-year-old Josephine Labonne and infant Adeline Labonne suffered non-life threatening injuries. Strater and Hanley also suffered non-life threatening injuries.
--Motorists who travel both directions of Highway 10 at 137th Street in Becker Township, south of the city of Becker, may encounter delays while the road is intermittently reduced to a single lane beginning today. Lanes on Highway 10 at 137th Street will be closed as needed Mondays through Fridays from sunrise to sunset through Saturday, November 12th. The lane closures and detour are part of a project to reconstruct and realign the Highway 10/137th Street intersection. When complete, the project will improve safety and drainage in the area. For real-time travel information visit www.511mn.org.
--On Friday, the Morrison County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for 33-year-old Christopher Maclean of Onamia. Maclean has been charged with felony theft in Morrison County District Court as he is accused of stealing over $650 of items from a truck last month in Richardson Township. The next day, law enforcement and a Little Falls business owner reviewed security tapes and allegedly saw Maclean go into two parked vehicles and steal the stereo CD systems, valued at $100 each from the business parking lot. Authorities have been trying to contact Maclean but as of Friday he had not been found. Maclean’s family members said he is aware law enforcement is looking for him and left the area. Those with information as to the whereabouts of Maclean are asked to contact the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office at (320) 632-9233.
--Motorists should watch for deer in November, which is the peak time for deer-vehicle crashes in the state. The main reason for the increase in vehicle crashes is that the deer mating season occurs in November. Increased deer movement coupled with a reduction in daylight hours increase drivers’ chances of encountering deer on roadways. Deer are more likely to be encountered in areas where habitat is close to the roadway, such as a bridge crossing over waterways, and during the early morning and evening hours when deer are most active. From 2013 to 2015, there were 6,149 reported deer-vehicle crashes, according to the Department of Public Safety. There were 15 fatalities and 986 injury crashes. Crashes were reported in every county in the state.
--The American Red Cross stated that they are in urgent need of donors, especially type O blood. If you can give blood, there is a drive at Shepherd of the Pines Church in Rice today from 1:30-6:45pm and there is a blood drive Tuesday through Thursday at the St. Francis Convent in Little Falls. For information on the Rice blood drive call Lora at 393-2701, at the convent Sister Julien 632-0663.
--The Morrison County Commissioners meet Tuesday at 9am.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Joseph Woodstrup and Jennifer Hale of Little Falls, girl October 20th
DEATH NOTICE
--Karen Wirth, orginally of the Hillman area.
--Ann Witt, age 85 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly sunny, high 51, partly cloudy night, low 36.
TUESDAY= cloudy, afternoon showers, heavier at night, high 50.
WEDNESDAY= showers likely in morning, cooler, high 46.
SPORTS
NFL= Eagles defense sack Sam Bradford 6 times and caused three turnovers as Eagles beat Vikings 21-10 Sunday. Vikings are now 5-1 and will travel to Chicago next Monday night to face the Bears.
MLB= Cubs win 5-0 Saturday to eliminate Dodgers. Cubs advance to World Series first time since 1945. Game 1 Tuesday in Cleveland.
COL FB= Gophers get a late field goal with seconds left to defeat Rutgers in the Homecoming Game at TCF Bank Stadium. Gophers blow a 21-3 lead and come back to win 34-32 Saturday, now 5-2.
HS FB= Little Falls at ROCORI Tuesday 7pm on AM960 KLTF, Upsala/Swanville, Holdingford, Foley & Pillager open playoffs Tuesday.