NEWS
–Tate Schubert, a seventh-grade student at Pierz, has earned a position on the state/provincial National Junior High Rodeo Team and will travel with teammates to Lebanon, Tennessee, June 18th-24th to compete in the 13th annual National Junior High Finals Rodeo in the chute dogging competition. NJHFR is the world’s largest junior high rodeo featuring about 1,000 contestants from 43 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia.
–This weekend Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Little Falls will have a 100th Anniversary celebration. Events include open house with tours from 5:30-7:00pm Saturday, wine, beer, cheese, root beer floats will be served and then an organ concert at 7:00pm. Sunday Masses with Bishop Kettler 8:30 and 10:30am. Between masses enjoy a filled Polish pastry, coffee and juice at Middle School Gym on west side. During 10:30am mass they will have recognition for priests, sisters, deacons and other invited guests. A meal is served from 11-1:30 and then at 2:00pm a special ceremony where a time capsule from the 1920’s will be opened, historical displays, history book orders and tours will take place. There will also be music during the day provided by Gene Retka and the Jambolaires. That is this weekend.
–A Big Lake woman was hurt in a two vehicle crash on Highway 10. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened before 5:30pm Tuesday in Big Lake. A vehicle driven by 22-year old Boden Lorette of St. Cloud was going west on Highway 10, and a car driven by 17-year old Raina Marsolek of Big Lake was going north on Eagle Lake Road, when the two collided. A passenger in Marsolek’s vehicle, 44-year old Bridget Marsolek of Big Lake, was taken to Monticello Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. No one else was hurt.
–A Long Prairie woman was hurt in a crash north of Melrose. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says it happened just after 6:00pm Tuesday on County Road 13 in Melrose Township. 40-year old Maria De Aranda was going south when her vehicle went off the road into the ditch, then crossing back over the road and went into the opposite ditch. De Aranda was treated for non-serious injuries.
–A fire early Wednesday at a south St. Cloud house caused about $70,000 damage, and investigators are searching for a cause of the fire. St. Cloud firefighters were called to 1021 10½ Avenue South just after 2:00am. Fire was coming out of a basement window when firefighters arrived. Nobody was injured. The cause of the fire has not been determined and an investigation is ongoing.
–Residents, visitors and motorists in the Brainerd Lakes area are invited to an outdoor open house to get the latest updates and details about the Highway 371 four lane expansion project in Nisswa, Pequot Lakes and Jenkins. The open house is today from 10:00am-4:00pm at Trailside Park in downtown Pequot Lakes. Those attending the outdoor open house will be able to meet MnDOT staff working on the Highway 371 project, view the latest overhead drone video of the project, take a tour of the new “Batwing Plow” that will be used to remove snow from the new Highway 371 beginning this winter.
–A Midsummer Swedish Festival at Bethel Lutheran church will be held on Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30pm. There will be Scandinavian folk music by Paul Wilson and Mary Abendroth from Brainerd. There will also be sampling of Swedish traditional food, displays of Swedish memorabilia and memories of Bethel as they journey toward the church’s upcoming 125th anniversary.
–Good Luck to Pierz Baseball at state from Little Falls Radio.
–The State Fire Marshal continues to investigate the fire that burned down Herbie’s Bar in Sobieski Monday night. The proprietors sent out this message on Wednesday morning: “First of all we would like to thank everyone for their support, it is overwhelming and much needed during this difficult and horrible time. We lost all of our records in the fire. So if you had an event with the bar please call 320-360-6277 as we are going to try to fulfill all the events”.
–For the third year in a row, seat belt tickets decreased during the Minnesota summer Click It or Ticket campaign’s two week extra enforcement wave. In the campaign this year officers, deputies and troopers reported 6,771 seat belt citations and 184 child seat violations. In 2016, there were 7,233 seat belt citations and 213 child seat violations. In 2015, there were 7,393 seat belt citations and 175 child seat violations. In 2014, there were 10,874 seat belt citations and 279 child seat violations. More than 300 law enforcement agencies statewide participated in campaign. For the Minnesota State Patrol, the Duluth district covers most of our area. That State Patrol District issued 345 citations.
–Minnesota Congressmen Erik Paulsen and Tim Walz were supposed to be at yesterdays baseball practice in Virginia but were called away on other business with constituents. A gunman opened fire on a Republican congressional baseball team practicing on a suburban Virginia field Wednesday, wounding Louisiana Represenative Steve Scalise, who was a roommate of Paulsen’s when they started in Congress, and four other people as horrified legislators and staffers scrambled for cover amid a barrage of bullets. Capitol Police, who provided security for the practice, engaged the shooter, identified by a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity as 66-year old James Hodgkinson from Belleville, Illinois. President Trump later said the suspect was killed in the ensuing shootout. Two wounded officers, Krystal Griner and David Bailey, were hailed as heroes. Congressman Tom Emmer stated that we should pray for the injured and thank those that intervened so that no more were hurt.
DEATH NOTICES
–James “Jim” Benusa, age 64 of Royalton.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, turning windy, high near 80.
TONIGHT= clear skies, low around 50.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, high 81, storms after midnight, low 57.
SATURDAY= storms early, some sun, storms late, high 76, low 58.
SUNDAY= storms early, some heavy, partial sun, windy, high 67.
SPORTS
BAB= The State Baseball Tournament begins today at 4 different sites for the four different classes. Class A is in Jordan which includes teams like Pillager, 3A in Minneapolis at the Uof M including teams like Alexandria, 4A is in St. Paul and 2A is in St. Cloud where Pierz will face New London Spicer today at 5:30pm on FM94 KFML. Whatever happens today, all teams will play again on Friday.
VIKINGS= The Vikings announced that wide receivers Ahmad Rashad and Randy Moss will be added to the Vikings Ring of Honor at U.S. Bank Stadium later this year during the regular season.
TWINS= Seattle beat Twins 6-4 last night. Twins wrap up series with Seattle today at Target Field, pregame at 11:30am on Q92 WYRQ.