NEWS
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office responded Wednesday morning just before 6:00am to a one vehicle accident on 55th Avenue, north of 50th Street and northeast of Upsala, in Elmdale Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, a Ford truck was traveling north on 55th Avenue when it went into the ditch on the east side of the road. The truck rolled and the lone occupant was ejected. 21-year old Cody Babineau of Bowlus was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash is under investigation by the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota State Patrol.
--The 31-year old Brainerd woman who plunged down the Mississippi River bank Tuesday in now in custody. Rescue crews responded about 6:00pm Tuesday night to the Mississippi River near the Laurel Street Bridge where a vehicle had plunged down a steep embankment into the river in Brainerd. Firefighters and other emergecy personnel in about 15 feet from the bank of the river checked the river for a possible victim who may have been in the water. A rescue boat was needed to get the one female victim and a service dog from the partially submerged vehicle. She was stabilized on the shore and taken to the hospital. 31-year old Laura Fautsch had no serious injuries but was found to have a blood alcohol level over the legal limit. After being checked out for injuries she was arrested.
--Camp Ripley announced that Randal Dietrich has stepped into the role of executive director at the Camp Ripley based Minnesota Military Museum. Dietrich has been involved with the museum in the past. Prior to becoming executive director, he spent 12 years with the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul, collaborating with the museum on projects like the Civil War Sesquicentennial (150th year anniversary), the “Greatest Generation” project and most recently, the World War One centennial (100th anniversary). For more information about the Minnesota Military Museum, visit www.mnmilitarymuseum.org.
--The Stearns County Board approved on a 4-1 vote to use $200,000 from the county's capital improvement program to cover the remaining funding cap for the long awaited connection of the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail into the St. Cloud metro area. Bringing the popular recreational trail into the St. Cloud metro area has been a longtime goal for trail advocates and the Stearns County parks department. It will provide bicyclists and pedestrians a continuous paved route stretching from east of Sauk Centre to St. Cloud. The county amassed more than $4 million in state grants for the extension, which is estimated to cost $4.9 million. The latest, a $980,000 Legacy grant, was awarded in December. The three cities that the trail will cross, St. Cloud, Waite Park and St. Joseph voted Monday to contribute $200,000 each. The trail will go from its current end point in St. Joseph to west of the Sauk River near River's Edge Park in Waite Park. From there, trail users can get on the Harold P. Nelson Trail along Third Street North in Waite Park, then onto a pedestrian trail that leads to Apollo High School. The county has completed engineering plans for the trail extension, and park officials expect to build and complete it this fall.
--There will be a blood drive Friday from 12-6pm at Fellowship Bible Church on Highway 25 in Genola. Please bring photo ID or Donor card, for information or to schedule appointments call 360-3204 or you can register online at American Red Cross website.
--The Minnesota State Fair gets underway today east of St. Paul in Falcon Heights. The fair has been at their current site dating back to 1885. Today is thrifty Thursday with many items at a cheaper price. The new Princess Kay crowned last night is 19-year old Emily Annexstad, who is a college student from St. Peter representing Nicollet County. Annexstad will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for more than 3,000 Minnesota dairy farm families. She will have her likeness carved in butter today at the fairgrounds. More details on the fair can be found at mnstatefair.org.
--The public access on Grand Lake near Rockville in Stearns County is closed this week while crews work to remove Starry Stonewart. Divers and other workers will be in the water trying to remove the invasive weed by hand. Starry Stonewart was discovered near the boat landing earlier this summer. Left untreated, it can cause large weed mats and make the lake difficult to use and also choke off native weed species. The Grand Lake boat launch through today and Friday with hopes to reopen by Friday night for weekend use.
--Pierz Oktoberfest is this weekend, Wacky Hacker Golf Tournament Friday at Pierz Golf Course to help Horizon Health; 5K for Hospice is Saturday 8:30am with a change in venue starting at Horizon Health; Sunday is the parade at 11am; then events 12:30-5pm at the Pierz Park. Also the muscial at the high school continues Friday and Saturday at 7:00pm and there is a free unicycle show at the high school Sunday night at 7pm. Get details on all the events in Pierz this weekend at fallsradio.com when you click on the community calendar.
--Another large event in central Minnesota starting today and going through Sunday is the Staples Railroad Days. Tonight there is a variety show, Friday night fireworks, tours of event sites, school fundraiser garage sale Thursday through Saturday, 5K run Saturday, parade at 5:00pm then a free corn feed, music Friday through Sunday and much more at the Railroad Days in Staples.
DEATH NOTICES
--Bernadine Perez-Bullchild, age 45 of Minneapolis.
--David W. Olson, age 78 of Swanville.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly sunny, high near 70.
TONIGHT= clear skies, low 53.
FRIDAY= increasing clouds, PM showers & storms, high 67, low 52.
SATURDAY= showers and storms likely, some heavy, high 66, low 51.
SUNDAY= showers and storms early, cloudy, high near 70.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins lose in walk off fashion last night 4-3 to White Sox. Both teams have won 2 games this week and the rubber game is tonight between them. Pregame at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
CLASS C= Sobieski vs. Plato Saturday 11am from Green Isle hear the game on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com. Also Saturday at 11am it is Buckman vs. Raymond from Hamburg on FM94 KFML and streamed online at fallsradio.com. Winners advance to Sept. 2nd.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1853= potato chips are introduced at New York's State Fair.
IN 1932= Amelia Earhardt is the first woman to travel non-stop in a solo transcontinental airplane flight across the United States.