NEWS
--At the Pierz City Council Meeting Tuesday, citing a recent health event, Pierz Mayor Toby Egan announced he is resigning as Mayor of Pierz. Egan was sworn in January 3rd after winning election last November. The very apologetic Egan stated that after consulting with doctors and his family he said that he needs to focus on family and health and could not do justice to the position as Mayor of Pierz. Before Egan made his announcement, the Council approved a list of appointees and committees, including a mayor pro-tem. The mayor pro-tem is newly-elected Councilman John Perleberg. Perleberg took the meeting over after Egan's announcement. The Council will decide its next steps at its next meeting which is next Monday, January 23rd at 7pm at the Dining Center inside City Hall. In addition to deciding what the next steps are to fill the vacant mayor seat, the Council must also decide its next steps in filling the city's treasurer seat.
--One person is dead after a shooting in southeast St. Cloud Tuesday night. According to St. Cloud police, they were called to a possible shooting at an apartment building in the 300 block of 14th Avenue Southeast at 11:51pm Tuesday night. First responders performed life-saving measures, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. No one is in custody, but police say this was not a random incident. The investigation is ongoing. Another incident of gunfire was also reported to St. Cloud Police on the 800 block of 34th Avenue North on Wednesday morning. Police stated a suspect is in custody in this case and there were no injuries and no danger to the public.
--A Minnesota Court of Appeals has 90 days to issue a decision after an attorney for Derek Chauvin asked the court to throw out the conviction of the former Minneapolis Police Officer conviction of the murder of George Floyd in 2020. The attorney argued that there were numerous legal and procedural errors during the trial and also that Chauvin in many ways was deprived a fair trial. Questions also surfaced about one juror and the truthful answers to be on the jury.
--A St. Cloud woman wanted for the fatal drug overdose of her 2-year-old child has been arrested and booked into the Stearns County Jail. 24-year-old Jamacy Johnson is charged with 2nd degree manslaughter, culpable negligence. St. Cloud Police were called to St. Cloud Hospital last April for a child who had suffered cardiac arrest, brain damage and was unresponsive. Court records show Johnson and 27-year-old Malik Carter brought the toddler to the hospital the night before and told a nurse the child had eaten a Benadryl tablet. Johnson and Carter left the following morning saying they would return but never did. Police went to Johnson's apartment for a welfare check on a 5-year-old child and found Johnson and Carter there. They were arrested on outstanding warrants. The child was under the care of another family member and was not there. Police used a search warrant at the apartment and court records allege two pills containing fentanyl were found in the desk where a child would have access to them. There was also what appeared to be drug residue on top of the desk and items commonly used to ingest fentanyl pills. Phone records showed internet searches for child overdose articles, conversations about buying fentanyl pills, and photos and videos allegedly showing Johnson smoking something off of a piece of tin foil in the hospital bathroom. The toddler died two days after being admitted to the hospital. An autopsy of the child showed they died of fentanyl toxicity. Johnson was charged in September. An arrest warrant was issued for her when she failed to appear for an October 31st hearing. She was booked yesterday.
--Law enforcement is warning teens to be on the lookout for scams targeting them. Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck says many people think of senior citizens as the victims of online scams because they aren’t as familiar with the technology. Teens are so accustomed to being online and having their interactions online, banking online, and buying things online. That comfort creates a situation where they’re a little bit too comfortable with doing that. Experts say that makes teens vulnerable to phishing scams. These scams are often sophisticated attacks designed to appear like they are coming from real businesses or organizations. The attacks might contain a text message with a link that looks like it’s from a bank or an email containing a link. The link leads to a website disguised as a message from the victim’s school or online gaming account. Sheriff Heck says to talk with kids about being safe from internet fraud, this will be doing a favor if they just take a few moments and tell them, be suspicious when you get stuff sent to about credentials and passwords and that type of thing. And take a moment to verify for yourself before going forward and possibly getting scammed”.
--Five people were taken to the hospital after a two-vehicle crash in Sherburne County Tuesday. It happened at around 1:40pm in Palmer Township. The Minnesota State Patrol says a minivan was traveling south on Highway 25 and a car was traveling west on County Road 3 when the two vehicles collided at the intersection. The driver of the minivan, 31-year-old Tyler Janson of Foley, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other vehicle, a 16-year-old girl, and her passengers, a 16-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl, and a 10-year-old girl were also taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
--A home was severely damaged Friday after it caught fire on County Highway 7 in Wadena County. The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office responded to the fire, reported at 7:26am in Bullard Township, north of Staples. Deputies found no vehicle at the home and learned the home was unoccupied at the time of the fire. Fire departments from Staples, Verndale and Sebeka were able to extinguish the fire prior to it destroying the entire home. No injuries were reported. The fire and its cause are under investigation.
--Senate Agriculture Chair Aric Putnam will host a listening session and town hall forum beginning at 2pm Friday at Smude Sunflower Oil in Pierz alongside House Chair Samantha Vang. The goal of this event is to hear directly from farmers about their concerns and ambitions and to explore how the work of the Legislature can support them, help expand markets, promote rural development, and create opportunities for new farmers.
DEATH NOTICES
--Susan Kuchinski, age 79 of Swanville.
--Joseph G. Cimenski, age 97 of Royalton.
WEATHER
TODAY= light snow, freezing mix possible, high 26.
TONIGHT= cloudy skies, cooler night, low 13.
FRIDAY= partial sun, more clouds, high near 20, low near 10.
SATURDAY= cloudy skies, high 28, low around 17.
SUNDAY= sun and clouds, breezy and cooler, high 22, low 8.
SPORTS
HS GBB= St. Cloud Cathedral at Little Falls tonight 7:15 on Q92.
HS BBB= Upsala at Pierz tonight 7:15pm on 94ROCKS.