NEWS
--An accident on Highway 10 in Randall injured one of two drivers. Around 9:25am Thursday 60-year old Mary Ellen Olson of Randall was heading east on Dove Road crossing Highway 10 and collided with a pickup heading north on Highway 10. The pickup was driven by 76-year old Richard Boser of Pierz. Mary Olson was taken to CHI St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls for treatment of non life threatening injuries. According to the report from the Minnesota State Patrol, the other driver Richard Boser was not injured.
--Former St. Cloud school district employee Bryan Brown was convicted of misdemeanor theft after entering an Alford plea, in which he didn't admit guilt but acknowledged there was enough evidence that a jury could convict him at a trial. Brown, former district buildings and grounds supervisor, was charged in September with felony theft and pleaded not guilty to the charge in January. A jury trial was scheduled for May 8th and then rescheduled for June 19th, but was canceled when Brown submitted the Alford plea May 22nd. The charge was amended to a misdemeanor. A criminal complaint states Brown reported to his supervisor that he had used Menards gift card rebates for personal use. The school district practice typically was to put the rebate cards in Brown's name, and he would distribute the cards to engineers in the school district to purchase items for the district. According to the complaint, Brown purchased gift cards to "make it appear as if he was reimbursing the school district. However, (the investigator) discovered that (Brown) did not purchase three of these gift cards for the school district until March 24th, 2017, a day after the defendant was confronted with the concerns about the missing Menards rebate cards."
--A New London woman was seriously hurt in a crash involving a semi-tractor trailer. The Minnesota State Patrol says the crash happened just before 2:00pm Tuesday at the intersection of Highway 23 and Highway 9 near New London. The patrol says 85-year-old Duane Nelson and his wife, 84-year-old Rosella Nelson were headed south on Highway 9 when Duaine Nelson went to turn onto northbound Highway 23. Their pickup was then hit by a northbound semi. Rosella Nelson was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with what are considered life-threatening injuries. The driver of the semi, 37-year-old Christopher Reiman of New Munich was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries and the driver of the pickup, Duane Nelson was not hurt.
--Two farm buildings were heavily damaged in a fire late Tuesday night. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says fire departments were called to a shop fire in Spring Hill Township, about a mile east of Spring Hill, at 11:00pm. A workshop was fully engulfed in flames when first responders arrived. The fire spread to a smaller shop owned by 49-year old Diane Welle of Paynesville. Nobody was in the shop at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown.
--Two people were injured in a rear end crash Monday around 11:00am on Highway 371 and Glory Road in Baxter. The Baxter Police Department reported a construction truck driven by 20-year old Michael D. Rasinski of Nisswa was rear-ended by a car driven by 68-year old Kathleen M. Emerton of Lakeville. Emerton and her passenger, 70-year old Robert B. Emerton of Lakeville were taken to a hospital and treated for injuries. Rasinski was not hurt.
--Get Dam Festival info at fallsradio.com click on the logo.
--A bridge replacement project at the Swan River bridge on Cable Road between Swanville and Sobieski has been delayed because of the recent rainfall. The steady rain over the past weekend along with isolated heavy rainfall in the Swan River Watershed has resulted in a substantial jump in the river elevation of the Swan River. As a result the Morrison County Public Works Department has determined that the bridge replacement scheduled to begin on Monday will be delayed. Water elevations will be monitored so that site conditions are more favorable to begin the project before the contractor will be allowed to proceed.
--A ceremony honoring Vietnam Veterans is planned on July 4th at noon at the Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds in Princeton. The purpose of the ceremony is to publicly thank and honor Vietnam Veterans and their families. All Veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the Vietnam War period, from November 1st, 1955 to May 15th, 1975, regardless of duty location, are invited to participate. No distinction is made between Veterans who served in-country, in-theater, or who were stationed elsewhere during the Vietnam War period. The Vietnam Veteran recognition ceremony is part of the opening ceremony for the three day exhibit of “The Wall that Heals” exhibit.
--A Benton County grand jury indicted three men Friday in the February shooting death of a man in Sauk Rapids. 20-year old William Demont White Jr.; 37-year old Vance Diwayne Laster; 26-year old and Nokomis Lee Jefferson were each indicted on 15 counts. Included in the various charges they face are first-degree and second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree arson, and numerous related charges committed for the benefit of a gang. The charges stem from the February 16th shootings in Sauk Rapids that left one man dead and another injured. If convicted of killing 25-year old Joe Ditthideth of St. Cloud, all three men could be sentenced to life in prison without parole. Nathan Phrachomphonh of Sauk Rapids was also shot and survived surgery.
--Agram Township is hosting its Second Annual Picnic to be held on Thursday, June 21st at the Agram Town Hall. An opportunity for residents to get together for an evening of food and conversation. Starts at 5:00pm, eat at 6pm, Hotdogs and lemonade provided. Bring a dish to share. Questions contact a board member.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
--The United States, Canada and Mexico will host the 2026 WorldCup. The FIFA Congress voted Wednesday in Moscow, choosing the joint North American bid over a rival bid from Morocco.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny, breezy in PM, high near 80.
TONIGHT= storms develop, heavy rains overnight, low 66.
FRIDAY= storms early, hazy & hot, high 87, storms late night, low 70.
SATURDAY= storms likely early and late day, high 87, low around 66.
SUNDAY= storms likely, some severe late day, high 85, low near 60.
SPORTS
TWINS= Tigers score 4 in the 8th to beat Twins 5-2 last night. Twins and Tigers wrap series today, pregame at 11:30am on Q92 WYRQ.
VL= Randall at Flensburg Sunday at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF.