NEWS --Today is Military Day at the Morrison County Fair. Present a military ID for free parking for veterans and their families. Events today include the White Tiger Exhibit, Historical Society exhibit in the Santa House, Ag Learning Center, Big Round Bale Decorating Contest, horse show, poultry show, rabbit show, barn dance, live music, balloon variety show at 3:30pm, bingo at 6:00pm and Tuff Truck Competition at 7:00pm at the grandstand. Food, games, midway, exhibits and much more to view at the Morrison County Fair today through Saturday including KLTF Party Line will be live at the fair today and tomorrow starting at 10am and streamed online at fallsradio.com.
--A federal judge has granted Byron Smith of Little Falls the opportunity to appeal his conviction to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Smith is serving two life sentences for killing two teenagers who broke into his home Thanksgiving weekend of 2012. Byron Smith argued that his constitutional rights were violated when part of his trial was closed to the public. The Minnesota Supreme Court had rejected that argument and others on appeal. A federal judge denied to overturn the state's Supreme Court's decision but issued a certificate of appealability. In his ruling, the judge said Minnesota has a "disturbing trend" of restricting public access to criminal trials. The judge's ruling added, "(Smith) also has shown that reasonable jurists would find the issues raised in habeas petition debatable, that some other court could resolve the issues differently, and that the issues deserve further proceedings." Smith has 30 days to file his appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
--Deer hunters can apply through August 17th for the regular archery deer hunts at Camp Ripley north of Little Falls. Hunters may pick from only one of two hunting seasons- October 18th-19th or October 27th-28th. A total of 4,000 permits, with 2,000 per two-day hunt, will be made available. The bag limit for this year’s hunt is two, and bonus permits may be used to take antlerless deer. Visit mndnr.gov/hunting/deer to find additional rules and instructions for this year’s hunt to sign up before the deadline.
--A 30-year old Foley man is facing charges on suspicion of choking a woman over the weekend, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in Benton County District Court. Corey Peterick was charged with one count of felony domestic assault by strangulation and two misdemeanor counts of domestic assault. An adult woman who is a family or household member of Peterick's told authorities Peterick assaulted her and choked her early Sunday after the two began arguing. Peterick was released on a $3,000 conditional bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 28th.
--An Annandale man was killed in a crash in Corinna Township Tuesday afternoon. 74-year old Roland Cornelius Johnson of Annandale died after veering into the northbound lane while traveling south on Minnesota Highway 24 near Wright County Road 39 West. Johnson struck a dump truck driven 36-year old by Corey Paulson of Annandale shortly after 1:30pm. Paulson sustained injuries believed to be non life-threatening. Neither vehicle had passengers inside.
--The Pierz Community Summer Theater group presents “Oklahoma” Friday and Saturday night at 7pm and Sunday afternoon at 4pm at the Pierz Healy High School PAC. Tickets are at the door for each performance. Tickets are $6 for adults; $3 for students and seniors.
--Around 11:00am Wednesday the Little Falls Police Department received a call from a business on the 300 block of Lindbergh Drive South regarding a suspicious item located on their property. Upon arrival officers located what appeared to be a suspicious device that Officers were not immediately able to identify. As a precaution the Crow Wing County Bomb squad was contacted and consulted. A determination was made to secure the item at the scene. The item recovered was found to be safe and removed without incident. --Crews are cleaning up a diesel spill on the Mississippi River that happened when two Union Pacific locomotives derailed on a bridge in St. Paul. The derailment around 2:00am Wednesday punctured a fuel tank and spilled around 3,200 gallons of diesel fuel into the river. Union Pacific spokeswoman Kristen South says crews have placed absorbent booms in the water to try to soak up the spill, including one eight miles downstream. She says boats are also vacuuming up floating fuel. Teams from the Environmental Protection Agency and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency are on the scene. MPCA spokesman Walker Smith says they don't expect the cleanup to take long and don't expect any long-term impact on the river. The cause of the derailment hasn't been determined. No injuries were reported.
--A Waite Park man was taken to the hospital Saturday night after a car hit his motorcycle at an intersection on Minnesota Highway 23. The accident happened Saturday night just before 8:30pm. 54-year old Mark Kiess of Waite Park was stopped on his motorcycle at Division Street and 33rd Avenue North in St. Cloud. He was in the westbound lane of Division Street when 40-year old Katie Rose Kissner of St. Cloud rear ended him. Kiess was taken to the hospital for non life threatening injuries. Kissner was given a citation for "driving without due care" and without proof of insurance.
--Two St. Cloud residents are suspected of assaulting a man, holding him to the ground, threatening to run over him with a truck and yelling racial slurs at him Monday. 58-year old Aaron Charles Stevens is charged with two felony counts of second-degree assault and one felony count of aiding and abetting second degree assault. 41-year old Myrna Angelica Alanis, identified as Stevens' girlfriend, is charged with one felony count of aiding and abetting second degree assault.
--Riverside Union Church will have an ice cream and pie social today from 5-8pm with crafts, baked goods and more. The church is located on County Road 45 about 8.5 miles south of the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds and about 3.5 north of the Crow Wing/Morrison County Line.
WEATHER TODAY= sunshine with a high of 84 TONIGHT= mainly clear skies, low of 59 FRIDAY= sunny with a high of 85, clear at night low of 61 SATURDAY= clear skies and sunny, high of 86 and a low of 63 SUNDAY= ample sunshine, high of 85, low expected of 64 MONDAY= sunny again, high 82 and a low of 60
SPORTS TWINS= Twins wrap up series with Cleveland today at 11:30am then travel to Detroit Friday at 5:30pm on Q92 WYRQ. LYNX= Lynx (16-13) are in Las Vegas tonight. After tonight they will have four games left in the regular season as they fight for one of the final playoff spots this year in the WNBA.