NEWS
--Pierz Schools Superintendent George Weber wanted to thank the over 1-thousand surveys sent back to Pierz school by Tuesday of this week. The reentry revisions and plan has been put on their website. Weber stated that right now still all students will be in school September 8th (according to COVID-19 numbers that they get updated weekly with the 14 day period of cases). Weber said that most of the surveys they received-parents can find a to get their student to schools to help ease the busing issue with safety factors. He is asking all students 5th grade and up to walk to school if they live in the city limits of Pierz (or be picked up or dropped off at school). Students 4th grade and under if you live west of Highway 25 in Pierz will be bused to school, but though east of 25 closer to school are asked to be picked up, dropped off or walk to school. Weber stated that the plan for open houses will be different, on Monday August 31st grades 1, 3 and 5 that evening will be allowed to come in to meet teachers and see the school rooms. Then on Wednesday grades 2, 4 and 6 will do the same on September 2nd, Kindergarten and preschool will do this the first week of school to have parents join in that first week in school starting September 8th. Grade 7 will have a virtual open house and web activities on the school website leading up to the first day of school. For more information or if you have questions contact Pierz Schools at 468-6458.
--According to the latest report from the Minnesota Department of Health there have been 567 new positive tests of COVID-19 and 17 new deaths linked to the virus. There was one new case of COVID-19 in Morrison County and a cumulative total of 103. Over the past 14 days of data Morrison County has had 21 cases since August 6th. Worth noting, there were over 34,000 tests completed in yesterday's data. That is over 15,000 more than the previous single day high for amount of tests completed in a day. Over 1.3 million COVID-19 tests in Minnesota have been done cumulatively.
--The Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 4-month-old baby. According to authorities, family members called 911 at approximately 3am on Wednesday after realizing the baby was unconscious and not breathing. The family attempted to perform CPR before first responders arrived, but the baby was pronounced deceased at the scene. An autopsy will be completed, but the death is believed to be an accident at this time.
--Highway 10 will close Tuesday and detour between Bluffton and Wadena, as crews begin to reconstruct the final two-lane stretch between Highway 71 and Birch Avenue Northwest in Wadena. Watch for changes, as crews open and close segments throughout the day. The Minnesota Department of Transportation will monitor pedestrian and motorist traffic and adjust signal timings and directional signs as needed. The public is asked to be patient and add some extra time to the commute, while everyone adjusts to the detour.
--St. Francis of Assisi Church south of Upsala near Freeport announced they will have a church raffle this Sunday but due to restrictions no festival of food and events will be held. They will have an outdoor Mass (social distancing advised) at 2pm, music by the Slewfoot Family Band before and after Mass and then their grand raffle for top prize of $1,000, tickets are $5. The church is about 4 miles south of Upsala and 10 miles north of Albany on Highway 238.
--Holy Trinity in Pierz will have their Early Education Orientation night on Wednesday, August 26th more info by calling 468-6446.
--The Little Falls Police Department reported in the past few weeks numerous theft reports in the city including cases of bikes being stolen. An alarm at the library that was an electrical problem in the elevator, scams continue to be an issue and called in to the police department and they responded to a number of non-injury accidents since the early part of August. Little Falls Police also responded to a couple areas with trees down on area roads after last Friday nights storm. A reminder from the police department to slow down, watch for pedestrians and to please stay off the phone while driving which has been a cause of close calls and accidents recently in the city.
--The Sartell HealthPartners medical clinic will close permanently this month, but its dental services will continue. The HealthPartners Dental Clinic will stay in the same building at 2251 Connecticut Ave. S, which senior communications consultant Scott Beedy said is leased. HealthPartners declined an interview request, but Beedy provided information by email. Beedy said HealthPartners is working with the landlord to find a tenant to replace HealthPartners in the remaining space not used by the dental clinic. In its July plant closings, mass layoffs and WARN report, the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development reported 132 layoffs at the Sartell HealthPartners starting August 29th. However, Beedy said in an email that between the medical and dental, HealthPartners Central Minnesota Clinics employ about 130 people and the closure will result in about 100 layoffs.
--The Minnesota Renaissance Festival announced that the shortened 2020 festival season, their 50th, has been canceled. The festival had already been shortened to start next weekend through October but now the entire event has been cancelled this year. Organizers said some signature festival events can be staged under the current state infection-control guidelines and will take place over the next seven weekends, including the Feast of Fantasy. A Phantom's Feast series is planned for October.
--The Heartland Symphony Orchestra announced that their fall concerts will be October 10th in Little Falls and October 11th in Brainerd, full details at fallsradio.com community calendar.
DEATH NOTICES
--Betty Vechek, age 88 of Albany formerly of Little Falls.
--Beverly “Bev” Messinger, age 65 of Little Falls.
--Kevin R. Kneeland, age 60 of Royalton formerly of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and warm, high 85.
TONIGHT= clear night, low around 63.
FRIDAY= sunny and warm, high 88, storms overnight, low 62.
SATURDAY= storms in morning, then sunny, high 84, low near 60.
SUNDAY= sunny skies, high near 80, low around 60.
SPORTS
TWINS= Brewers belt out 4 homeruns to beat up the Twins Wednesday night 9-3. Twins and Brewers wrap up the series, pregame an hour earlier tonight 5:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
LYNX= a shorthanded Minnesota Lynx scores 30 in the 4th quarter to come back and beat Dallas 91-84 last night. Lynx are 8-3 on season.
RACE= The Riverrat Races are this Saturday at 8am at Belle Prairie Park, register online at riverratraces.com before the Friday deadline. There will be a packet pickup at 4pm Friday at Maple Island Park.