NEWS
--Road work continues in southeast Little Falls as part of the 4th Street Southeast project which will continue in phases and expect delays, detours and slow downs in some areas during the road work in Little Falls. Benton County also announced that Highway 10 has been shortened to one lane in each direction this week as bridge work began on Tuesday. Motorists who travel on Highway 10 through Benton County will encounter reduced speeds and one-lane traffic in each direction until the project is completed. MnDOT will replace a box bridge under both directions of Highway 10 at a stream located three miles northwest of Sauk Rapids between the Benton County Road 33 interchange and 66th Street NE. The sheriffs office is reminding motorists to expect periodic lane closures, lane shifts, reduced speeds and shoulder closures. Minnesota Department of Transportation stated last week that a number of projects continue this month on roadways and more have started or will start in the days and weeks ahead. Some projects have been delayed a bit longer due to supply shortages getting to the workers to complete projects. For the latest road work information go to 511mn.org website.
--On Tuesday at 1:49pm the Stearns County Emergency Communications Center received a call reporting a medical at 32684 Oakland Road in Oak township. The caller was reporting a 34-year-old male, found inside a grain bin, and that he was unresponsive. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Melrose Police Department, Freeport Fire Department, Melrose Fire Department, and the Melrose Ambulance Service responded to the scene. Thomas Holdvogt had been located unconscious in the grain bin by a family member. When first responders arrived on scene Holdvogt was removed from the grain bin by fire personnel and lifesaving efforts were started. Medical intervention efforts continued and Holdvogt was transported to Centra Care Hospital in Melrose. Those efforts were ultimately unsuccessful and Holdvogt was later pronounced deceased. An autopsy from the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office will be performed as part of the investigation regarding this matter.
--Waite Park Police is reporting a stolen Glock 17 Gen 5 hand gun from Park Meadows Drive. The gun was taken from an apartment over the holiday weekend and the serial number has been put in as a stolen gun for pawn dealers to help in locating it. St. Cloud Police is reporting a stolen vehicle on the 800 block of Washington Memorial Drive. It is a 2015 brown Buick Encore with Minnesota License plate ETN 544. Another stolen vehicle in St. Cloud on the 100 block of Lincoln Ave Southeast. It is a white enclosed van trailer with Minnesota License CCJ 228. Yet another stolen vehicle in St. Cloud on the 10 block of 3rd Avenue Northeast. The vehicle is a gray Ford Fiesta with a red "ST" emblem on the front and back and red mud flaps with Minnesota License FXW 724. St. Cloud Police is reporting on the 3500 block of St. Germain Street West there was some items taken from inside a vehicle. Another burglary on the 900 block of 8th Avenue South where an electric guitar was taken from an apartment. Yet another burglary on the 3000 block of Dunbar Road where windows were broken on a residence. Over the past two weeks with the warmer weather more theft reports and suspicious activity reports continue to come in to St. Cloud and Waite Park Area.
--The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reported nearly 280 (276) accidents this past holiday weekend on state roadways. Most cases speed was the major factor. More patrols will be out through the month of July watching for speeding on Minnesota roadways.
--Stearns County continues to search the Mississippi River in northeastern Stearns County for 6 year old Elle Ragin of Northfield. A 3 day search has not turned up the girl though belongings of her were found near and around the river bed at the Mississippi River Park. Authorities are asking anyone who lives around the shoreline to the Sartell dam to monitor the area for anyone fitting the 6 year old girl's description which is on the sheriff's facebook page. Mississippi River Park is now open to the public. If you have any information call the sheriff's office at (320) 251-4240.
--The Frontline Pay for Minnesota workers application period remains open. The deadline to register for Minnesotans who qualify is by 5:00pm Friday, July 22nd. Sign up or learn more details on the website frontlinepay.mn.gov.
--A smoldering cigarette caused a deck fire Sunday afternoon, July 3, on the 900 block of Fifth Avenue Northeast in Brainerd. The Brainerd Fire Department responded to the fire, reported at 4:32pm. by neighbors. According to the fire department, the neighbors doused the fire with water before firefighters arrived on scene. Firefighters said the fire was out when they arrived at the residence and it burned a 4-by-4-foot section of the deck. Beside pull out some deck boards to see if fire spread, there was no other damage reported.
--Jeff Barth of the Swanville Lions spoke on KLTF yesterday and stated the 59th Swanville Mid-Summer Carnival is this weekend. This is the biggest money maker of the year for the Swanville Lions that gives back to local communities and of course to Swanville for projects like recently they gave to the Randall Flood Relief Fund. Events begin Friday at 5pm with chicken barbecue, midway starts at 6pm with bingo and music that night. Saturday midway and items start at 3pm with food, music and lots of fun to enjoy. Sunday the parade begins north of town and works through the city at 11:30am then midway opens at noon with food and music through the afternoon and into the night. They will also be doing for the second year a Swan River Swan Race with inflatable swans that can be bought with a number to see if you are winner. You can also purchase presale carnival tickets at a number of businesses in Swanville with also locations in Randall, Burtrum, Long Prairie, Upsala and west side of Little Falls. It is this weekend in Swanville.
--Brainerd Public Schools will host a job fair on Thursday, July 14th from 10:00am to 6:00pm at Brainerd High School (BHS).
--Zion Lutheran Church of Little Falls will be hosting a Chicks for Brick dinner on Thursday, July 14th from 5-7pm to help with the fellowship hall debt reduction. The ask for a $10 suggested donation for dinner.
DEATH NOTICES
--Betty Kobilka, age 91 formerly of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= AM sunshine, PM showers and storms, high 83.
TONIGHT= evening shower, then clearing, low 58.
FRIDAY= AM sunshine, PM showers develop, high 78, low 61.
SATURDAY= sunny and warm, high 85, low around 68.
SUNDAY= AM storms, humid, PM severe storms, high 87, low 62.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins blow the lead late and White Sox win 9-8 in 10 innings yesterday in Chicago. The Twins have today off.
NHL= Wild GM Bill Guerin says Karil Kaprizov is fine and with family in Russia after reports surfaced he fled the country to avoid arrest.