NEWS
--At 4:20am Saturday the Little Falls Fire Department was dispatched to 13945 Highway 238 in Pike Creek Township on a reported house on fire. When we arrived we found the house was vacant. There was heavy fire venting from the second story windows. Assistance was requested from Bowlus and Camp Ripley Fire Departments. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the second story. There was extensive fire damage to the second story along with water damage to the lower levels. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office. Firefighters were on the scene until 7:30am Saturday morning.
--The Upsala School District will hold a special election on Tuesday, November 2nd for its capital projects referendum. The election will take place at Upsala City Hall from 10am-8pm on that day. The capital projects referendum initiative is in place but wording is still being put together from the Minnesota Department of Education before widely publicizing the election and setting up informational meetings. The Board also adopted a resolution appointing six election judges and set the hours for the election to take place November 2nd.
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen reported that they have received one school bus stop arm violation since school started earlier this month, but the state has reported 113 violations as of last Friday and are reminding motorists to please follow the school bus laws that are in place for the state of Minnesota. The biggest violation has been speeding around or trying to pass the bus when they are slowing to a stop but already have their lights flashing.
--A busy Friday morning of accidents in Mille Lacs County, the first was at 7:09am on Highway 23 in Foreston when a vehicle struck a deer and then two other vehicles started a chain reaction the accidents. The first driver was treated at St. Cloud Hospital no one was injured. At 8:44am two vehicles collided at Highway 169 and 100th Avenue inHarbor Township when a vehicle collided with a backhoe loader doing road work. The backhoe operator from Milaca and driver from Onamia were treated for non life threatening injuries. A third accident happened at 9:59am four people were injured when two vehicles accident at Highway 169 and Virgo Road. All four were treated for their injuries at the Onamia hospital and released.
--More than a year after 8-year-old Autumn Hallow was starved and beaten to death in Elk River, her father and stepmother were sentenced on Thursday to 40 years in prison. Brett Hallow, Autumn's father, and Sarah Hallow, Autumn's stepmother, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter charges earlier this summer. The 40-year sentence is divided, with nearly 27 years of the sentence being served in prison, while the remaining 160 months will be served under supervised release Any disciplinable offenses committed between now and their release could result in more prison time. According to prosecutors, Autumn weighed 33 pounds at the time of her death, which they said was the same weight she was when she was 4years old. Sarah Hallow faced another charge related to alleged abuse in 2018. The prosecution argues that Hallow threatened violence against Autumn's brother, Noah Hallow pleaded guilty to this charge, too, admitting to telling Noah that she was threatening to hit him and put his head "through a wall. Judge Schommer delivered the guilty ruling on this charge, sentencing Sarah Hallow to an additional 12 months on that charge.
--The Pierz City Council meets tonight 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
--A suspect who fled police in Sauk Rapids Friday afternoon remains unfound. The Benton County Sheriff's Office says law enforcement agencies searching for this suspect have exhausted all available efforts to find him, but the suspect remains at large. Residents in the area who see this suspect is asked to call 911 immediately. The sheriff's office was searching for a suspect who was wanted for theft related crimes and fleeing police in the area of Garden Brook Drive Northeast and Strawberry Court Northeast in Sauk Rapids. The suspect last seen in the swampy area near the intersection. The 37-year-old suspect is described as a white man, about 6'0 tall, weighing 300 pounds, with short black hair and a short black beard. Authorities says he was last seen wearing a light grey sweatshirt that says "champion" on the front, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes. Due to the incident the Sauk Rapids-Rice school district says buses were delayed and had to be held at the high school. School officials says there is no danger to the students or staff.
--Authorities have released the name of the Waite Park man killed as a pedestrian who was struck by a semi-truck in Wheaton Thursday morning around 8:30am. He was Jesse Kapela of Waite Park.
--Homecoming candidates for Upsala were announced Friday. The girls are Katy Jensen, Kylie Roerick, Kaitlyn George, Rachel Ainali, and Abby Klein. Boys are Tyler Smieja, Micah Ripplinger, Peyton Soltis, Luke Harren and Levi Lampert. Coronation is scheduled for this Sunday afteroon at 4pm at Upsala High School. The Homecoming Game is on Friday, October 8th in Upsala.
DEATH NOTICES
--Aaron Mielke, age 39 of Little Falls.
--Margaret M. Klinker, age 94 of Little Falls.
--Dennis Seelen, age 77 of Pierz.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, pleasant day, high 76.
TONIGHT= clear skies, warmer night, low near 50.
TUESDAY= sunny and warm, high 83, low 56.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and warm, high 82, T-storms develop at night.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins beat Toronto 3-1 on Friday to take the first 2 games then lost 6-1 on Saturday and another loss 5-2 on Sunday to split the four game series with Blue Jays. The Twins (69-87) are off today.
VIKINGS= Kirk Cousins threw 3 touchdowns and the Viking defense shut down the Seahawks in the second half to 30-17. Vikings win their first game of the season 1-2 and host Cleveland on Sunday.
GOPHERS= Bowling Green upset the Gopher football team Saturday winning 14-10. The Gophers take on Purdue Saturday on KLTF.
LYNX= Chicago ousted the Minnesota Lynx 89-76 to win the second round playoff game. The Lynx season ends at 22-11 in the upset loss.
HS FB= Royalton wins 20-0 to win Homecoming Friday over Sauk Centre. Pierz loses to Rockford 20-12 in their homecoming game. USA wins on the road, Little Falls, Foley and Pillager lost Friday.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1787= The U.S. Constitution is sent to U.S. States for ratification.
IN 1905= W.C. Handy publishes Memphis Blues-1st Blues record.
IN 1919= Babe Ruth becomes 1st player to hit a homerun in all of the American League Stadiums and all in the same season of baseball.