NEWS
--The Highway 27 project in Little Falls enters its final phase during the day today as Highway 27 west from the railroad tracks on the west side of the river to just past 15th Street West will be closed for approximately one month. There will be open crossings at Lindbergh Drive, 3rd and 5th Street West to cross from north to south across Highway 27. The detour will remain from Paul Larson Memorial Drive to north of town to the railroad tracks that cross over to Highway 214 and comes out west of Little Falls. Road work will also continue on many city roads on the west side of Little Falls working on sanitary sewer and other underground projects that will connect to the new roadway of Highway 27 west when all is completed. Mn Dot reported the time line is to have the final phase completed by the middle of next month if weather abides. Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen stated that with the road closures, plan accordingly and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. Please be mindful of construction workers and drive with caution in these areas.
--At 9:38am Friday a two vehicle accident in Pierz injured two from Osakis. 22-year old Mackenzie Hasert of Pierz was traveling south on Centennial Drive and stopped at the intersection of Highway 27 as a vehicle driven by 80-year old Paul Johnson of Osakis was traveling east on Highway 27. Hasert proceeded through the intersection and collided with Johnson's vehicle. Both Paul Johnson and his passenger 79-year old Patricia Johnson of Osakis were treated at St. Gabriels Hospital for non life threatening injuries while Hasert and his passenger 19-year old Christian Moore of Pierz were not injured.
--Two semi-trucks one with a fuel tanker collided Friday just after 2pm on Highway 10 at 115 in Randall. 33-year-old Kenneth Miller of Thief River Falls was on Highway 10 was rear-ended by another semi as he was slowing onto 115. Miller was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The other semi-driver, 52-year-old Ronald Weniger of Wadena was not injured.
--At 12:50pm Friday two were injured in a two vehicle accident in Crow Wing County. 91-year old Joseph Dubbels of Cushing was traveling east on Highway 18 when he missed his left hand turn. Dubbels pulled over on the right shoulder and performed a U-turn in front of a vehicle driven by 88-year old Joyce Jorgenson of Baxter causing the collision. Both Jorgenson and her passenger 81-year old Edward Lohman of Yuma, AZ were taken to St. Josephs Hospital for treatment of non life threatening injuries. Dubbels was not injured.
--The Morrison County Department of Public Works will be conducting a culvert replacement that starts today on County State Aid Highway 34 (93rd Street) West of Buckman that will require a detour of traffic. CSAH 34 (93rd Street) will be closed between CSAH 53 (210th Avenue) and County Road 236 (260th Avenue) traffic will be detoured while the project is being conducted. The project is estimated to take two weeks. Please follow the detour and follow all traffic control devices through the construction area.
--The Morrison County Board of Commissioners recently directed the Department of Public Works to seek approval from State and Federal Agency’s to allow ATV’s to utilize the bridge to cross the river. This approval process is expected to take months and may not be granted at all. So even though much word has circulated about ATV use on the trail, until the approval is obtained and the ordinance is changed it remains illegal for ATV’s to utilize the Soo Line Trail Bridge to cross the Mississippi River. Questions call Public Works at 320-632-0121.
--Three from Little Falls were injured in an accident with a motorcycle on Saturday in Watab Township of Benton County just before midnight. 35-year-old Brandon Pantzke of Little Falls was on Highway 10 when a motorcycle was driving in the wrong lane and collided head-on with the car driven by Pantzke. Pantzke and his passengers, Cody Hegseth and Derrick Muller both age 30 and both from Little Falls were all taken to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment of their injuries. The motorcyclist 52-year-old Dale Maxson Sr. of Minneapolis sustained life threatening injuries and was listed in critical condition at St. Cloud Hospital early Sunday.
--Two semi-trucks collided south of Long Prairie injuring four people including children. Just after 12:30pm Saturday 25-year-old Avery Kuhnau of Clarissa was on Highway 71 when another semi- in the northbound lane crossed the center-line and struck the semi truck head on. Kuhnau and his passenger 19-year-old Sara Petrie of Long Prairie sustained serious life threatening injuries in the accident. A 3-year-old and an infant in the vehicle also sustained injuries deemed non-serious and were taken to Long Prairie then St. Cloud hospital for all to get treatment. The other driver, 36-year-old Andrew Gullickson of Morton and his 8-year-old passenger were not injured.
--Authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect involved in a homicide back in July. St. Cloud Police say the investigation into the death of 24-year old La'Darian Broadnax is ongoing but no arrests have been made. Police say there were several witnesses to the shooting, but no one has come forward to identify the suspect. Broadnax was shot inside a vehicle in an alley between 4th Avenue South and 5th Avenue South in the early morning hours on July 20th. He later died from his injuries. Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call St. Cloud police at (320) 251-1200.
--There will be a public information meeting on the Swanville School District Referendum this Wednesday night at 7pm at the Swanville School Auditorium. The referendum vote for the school district will be November 5th from 12-8pm at the Swanville Fire Hall. Anyone with questions on the referendum in Swanville are encouraged to attend Wednesday's meeting at 7pm at the Swanville school.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Timothy Plante and Carley McKusick of Little Falls, boy Sept. 18th
DEATH NOTICES
--Alice Stangl, age 87 of Pierz.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 73, clear night, low 48.
TUESDAY= increasing clouds, PM thunderstorms, high 74, low 52.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high 63, storms late, low near 50.
SPORTS TWINS= Sano and Polanco get big hits as the Twins hold off Kansas City Friday 4-3. Kansas City rocks Twins pitching for 7 runs in the 9th inning to win 12-5 on Saturday. Nelson Cruz hit homerun #40 of season and #400 of his career on Sunday for the Twins to hold on to beat Royals 12-8 Sunday. Twins have today off at Detroit tomorrow. NFL= Vikings beat Oakland 34-14 Sunday with an offensive strike of Cousins, Cook and Thielen leading the way. Vikings travel to Chicago to take on the Bears Sunday at 3:25pm on AM960 KLTF.