NEWS
--At 2:39pm Wednesday the Little Falls Fire Department was dispatched to 3524 Sebie Lake Road in Fort Ripley Township on a reported hay baler on fire. MN DNR was also dispatched due to the likelihood of grass being involved. Camp Ripley Fire also assisted. Upon arrival firefighters found approximately an acre of grass burning. The baler was already mostly burned up. Firefighters were able to contain the spread of the grass fire. Little Falls Firefighters remained on scene to provide water for MN DNR while they extinguished hot spots. It is believed that the fire started due to a malfunction with a bearing in the baler. Authorities were on scene for about five hours. No injuries were reported.
--At 2:58pm Monday Emily Police Officers, Emily First Responders, Emily Fire and Rescue, North Ambulance, Air Care and Crow Wing County Deputies responded to a report of an unconscious 66-year old male who had been pulled from the water near the Ruth Lake Access, Emily. The male had been swimming from a nearby pontoon when he became distressed. Attempts were made to get flotation devices to the victim. The victim became unresponsive. Boaters at the nearby access responded to calls for help and aided in recovering the victim from the water. The victim was taken to the lake access where life saving measures were attempted. The victim, Edward Rando from Towanda, Kansas was pronounced deceased at the scene. He was transported to Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office. The apparent cause of death is listed as drowning.
--The Minnesota State Patrol, Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office and Brainerd and Baxter Police Department are reminding motorists to expect large delays this weekend with the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals returning to Brainerd International Raceway August 20th through 22nd. Large crowds will cause delays on Highway 371 around the raceway starting tonight with those camping in the area through the weekend along with thousands of more people coming into the area flocking to the events and local establishments. A reminder from law enforcement to expect delays. Another reminder to make sure that vehicles are locked at all times and don't leave any valuables in vehicles left unattended.
--Stearns County prosecutors have added additional charges against a Richmond man accused of intentionally crashing a vehicle into a Cold Spring family's home. According to the criminal complaint, 33-year old Benton Beyer was motivated by bias after learning his girlfriend had cheated on him with a black man. Court records show Beyer was paranoid that she was continuing to cheat on him and became angry toward black men and used racial slurs repeatedly. Beyer's girlfriend worked near the home of the biracial family whose home was damaged. He became increasingly paranoid that his girlfriend was sleeping with one of the family's sons. The criminal complaint outlines several incidents of Beyer allegedly vandalizing the family's property and stalking them. The family was granted a harassment restraining order which court records allege Beyer violated a number of times. On July 24th, Beyer is accused of stealing an SUV, pointing it at the family's home, using a large piece of granite to hold down the accelerator and fleeing the scene as it crashed into the house. He was arrested a short while later near Alexander Park.
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen will be the guest Friday on KLTF Community Program at 8:30am to give an update on the recent developments from the sheriff's office.
--Multiple fire departments responded Tuesday to the Kimber Creek Ford dealership in Pine River. Police and fire crews were called around 7:30pm that a building was engulfed in flames with black smoke throughout. A ladder truck was asked for by the Crosslake Fire Department. Black smoke flowing out the doors of the Kimber Creek Ford vehicle service department was seen from the fire inside. Fire crews worked through the night at the site stating only that extensive damage to the fire areas occurred and a full investigation is still underway on the cause of the fire. There was no reports of injuries.
--A man with a Burnsville address is charged with raping a woman at a Waite Park hotel. Police were called to the Coratel Inn & Suites in the 800 block of 1st Street South Sunday. Officers met with two women, one of whom was crying and cowering on the floor. The second woman was pacing, yelling, and threatening an unknown man. The victim told police she was celebrating her birthday with the other woman who she said is her fiancee'. Three Hispanic men then joined them in the hotel parking lot. Court records show the three men started groping one of the women and the fiancee' then got angry and left. The woman said she had nowhere to go at that point and went with one of the men who had rented a room. She also called her fiancee' to come and get her. According to the charges, the victim said she knew the man intended to have sex with her, but didn't resist because she was afraid. The suspect, 38-year-old Jose Gonzalez-Galvan, is accused of pushing the woman down on the bed, taking off her clothes, and raping her. The assault was interrupted when the other woman knocked on the door. Gonzalez-Galvan then ran from the scene.
NATIONAL NEWS
--President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced that his administration will require that nursing home staff be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition for those facilities to continue receiving federal Medicare and Medicaid funding. Biden unveiled the new policy Wednesday afternoon in a White House address as the administration continues to look for ways to use mandates to encourage vaccine holdouts to get shots. The new mandate, in the form of a forthcoming regulation to be issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, could take effect as soon as next month. Hundreds of thousands of nursing home workers are not vaccinated, according to federal data, despite those facilities bearing the brunt of the early COVID-19 outbreak and their workers being among the first in the country to be eligible for shots.
DEATH NOTICES
--Debra Jean (Smieja) Gerwing, age 55 of Little Falls
--Donald J. Maciej, age 87 of Elmdale.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and hot, high 92, muggy night, low 68.
FRIDAY= sunny, high 85, storms after 5pm some severe, low 59.
SATURDAY= showers/storms early, then partial sun, high 70, low 50.
SUNDAY= sunny and very pleasant, high 74, low around 56.
SPORTS
TWINS= Another Polanco walk off win for the Twins as they beat the Indians 8-7 in 11 innings Wednesday to win another series at home. Twins at New York Yankees tonight 5:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.