NEWS --The Morrison County Sheriff's Office will be conducting a coordinated search efforts today with units from the Civil Air Patrol and trained ground search teams looking for 51-year-old Glenn Hoppe of Elk River. Hoppe left a camper around 1:00am Monday near Lake Crookneck and has not been seen since. The sheriff's office is notifying the public that West Shamineau Drive will be blocked today from 330th Street to Pine View Boulevard and you are asked to use alternate routes today while the search is going on. The search will include aerial personnel flying over the area. The sheriff's office said they have received calls for volunteers and as of now are not requesting volunteers to help search. Sheriff Shawn Larson is asking still though if anyone knows the whereabouts of Glenn Hoppe to contact their office at 320-632-9233 or go to their Facebook page.
--Little Falls Police responded to numerous types of incidents in the past week. Yesterday before noon they arrested 34-year old Jacob Linnerud for 5th degree possession of a controlled substance and numerous other violations after a traffic stop just outside the radio station on Haven Road. Officers also responded to a large number of alarms and suspicious activity. In one instance police reported an unattended bonfire. The resident was informed that she had to put out the fire or have someone watching it. She decided to put it out.
--A 39-year-old man was killed Sunday after his personal watercraft crashed on Ponto Lake near Backus. Cass County said the accident happened around 2:25pm and the operator of the watercraft Jonathon Kub of Merrifield died at the scene. Kub was wearing a lifejacket when he fell off the jet ski.
--Storm damage estimates from the month of July (which still has a few days left) are near the million dollars mark from central Minnesota counties. Crow Wing County reported Tuesday that storm damage estimates from the storms since July 11th have totaled over $400,000, Mille Lacs County estimated over $500,000 in damage already, while Morrison and Aitkin County have already declared state of emergencies with damage estimates ranging in the thousands of dollars from some certain areas alone from storm damage. By declaring state of emergencies the hopes are that some counties will receive federal and state funding to help with the cleanup efforts.
--First alligators and now a bear. Police received word in Baxter Monday of a bear running around near Costco and motorists were honking and trying to avoid it on the roadway. Police were unable to locate the bear around the same time on Garrison Road in Baxter of a bear in a wooded area.
--The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Minnesota Farm Service Agency reminds farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers that they have until Monday to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees. To be eligible to hold office as a county committee member, individuals must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and live in the local administrative area where they are running. All nomination forms for the 2016 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on August 1st. Ballots will be mailed before November 7th.
--Halfway Jam starts today. The gates open at 4:00pm. Motorists should expect traffic delays south of Royatlon due to the campers heading to Halfway Jam.
--A St. Cloud man faces federal firearm and drug charges after being found with a stolen firearm and over 30 grams of methamphetamine. 34-year old Billy Ashmore faces three charges including being a felon in possession of a stolen firearm, second-degree sales of a controlled substance and first-degree possession of a controlled substance. Officers with the task force had taken Ashmore into custody on July 1st during a traffic stop where officers located 30 grams of methamphetamine and a handgun. It was later discovered the handgun had been stolen from Grant County. The press release from the Central Minnesota Violent Offenders Task Force stated Ashmore is a convicted felon and is unable to possess a handgun. The case was sent to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Twin Cities and a federal arrest warrant was issued. Ashmore was taken into custody again on July 18th. Ashmore made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court this past week. He is being held in the Sherburne County Jail.
--A Litchfield woman was hurt when she was pinned between a truck and a forklift Monday. The Meeker County Sheriff’s Office says it happened at about 4:30pm at a business in the 300 block of U.S. Highway 12 in Darwin. An employee reached inside and turned the ignition on a dump truck. The truck then started going in reverse. 53-year-old Michele Fjelstad was standing behind the truck and got pinned between the truck box and a parked forklift. Fjelstad was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital. A hospital spokeswoman says she’s listed in fair condition.
--St. Cloud and Sartell motorists should be aware of an upcoming road closure next week at a busy intersection. County Road 1 near Heritage Drive will close next Wednesday as crews work on expanding County Road 1 to four lanes.
--St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, St. Peter's Lutheran Church and the Swanville Bible Church invite all to join Sunday night at 7:00pm at the Swanville Park Pavillion as the Knudtson Family concert will be held. The concert is free. Refreshements provided for the country bluegrass music event put on by the churches.
DEATH NOTICES --Charles Wunderlich, age 82 of Grey Eagle.
WEATHER TODAY= partly cloudy, less humid, high 75. TONIGHT= clear and cool, low around 50. FRIDAY= sunny skies, high 76, partly cloudy night, low 54. SATURDAY= sunny skies, high 78, clear night low around 58. SUNDAY= sunny and warmer, high 83, clear night low 61.
SPORTS TWINS= after Atlanta came out with a 7-0 lead Wednesday Twins did battle back but not enough and lose 9-7 to Atlanta. Twins have a make up game with Baltimore tonight at 5:30pm on Q92 WYRQ. LEGION= Good luck to the Pierz and Little Falls American Legion Baseball Teams competing this weekend in state touranament action. Little Falls is in Division 1 Tournament in Loretto Friday morning, while Pierz is in the D2 tournament Friday in Leseur-Henderson. Listen to Little Falls Radio for play by play times with Al Windsperger covering Pierz and Corey Fink covering Little Falls. The games will be heard on Little Falls Radio as far as the two teams go at state. OLYMPICS= The summer Olympics kick off in Rio on August 5th.