NEWS
–Rock the Park 8 is tonight at Maple Island Park in Little Falls. The event will blend live music with art, food and community. The event kicks off with Kids Art in the Park from 4:00-6:00pm. Food and treat trucks will open their windows at 4:00pm. The live music begins at 6:00pm with LaVerne and the Starlites. Brothers Tone and the Big Groove perform at 7:00pm and will play until 10:00pm. The band, complete with a five-piece horn section and backup singers, plays high-energy dance music, everything from rock to country rock. Attendees are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the free night in the park tonight at Maple Island Park in Little Falls.
–A major road project is planned for Trunk (State) Highway 27 in Little Falls. The 2019 road improvement project from west of 15th Street West to 9th Street East will address the need for upgrades and repairs to the road and infrastructure. The project will reconstruct Trunk Highway 27 from 6th Street West to 2nd Street East, which includes work on underground utilities, sidewalks and other infrastructure. The road pavement will also be resurfaced on both the west and east end segments of Trunk Highway 27. While construction is scheduled for 2019, the project is nearing final design, and now is the time for you to understand the impacts, review the current design, meet project staff, get your questions answered, take home information, provide feedback, and learn about the project and how it could affect you and your property near Trunk Highway 27. A public open house with project staff and local officials is tonight from 6:00-7:30pm at the Little Falls City Hall.
–A 30-year-old Brainerd man faces felony charges for allegedly punching a woman six times and choking her during a physical domestic at a Brainerd home. David D. Tieman was charged Friday in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd with three felonies of first and third degree assault to cause bodily harm and domestic assault by strangulation; gross misdemeanor of neglect/ endangerment of a child; and petty misdemeanor of possessing drug paraphernalia. Bail for Tieman was set at $50,000 with conditions or $150,000 without conditions.
–A Becker police officer was hurt while trying to arrest a man. The incident started at about 7:30pm Tuesday when police were called to a medical emergency at a home in the 11000 block of 25th Avenue Southeast. Officers assisted medical personnel in helping a man who ultimately started yelling at them. While an officer tried to place the man under arrest he fought with police, swinging at him and pushing him to the ground. The officer was eventually able to get the man under control and arrest him. He has been identified as 33-year old Jason Balowski of Becker. Balowski was taken to the Sherburne County Jail. The officer received minor injuries and was taken to Monticello Hospital where he was treated and released.
–A wind gust blew a semi off the interstate early Wednesday morning. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened just after 4:00am near Monticello in Wright County. A 69-year old semi driver, Alvin Schneider, from Kimball was heading east when wind pushed the truck off the road. It struck a street light and jackknifed down in the ditch. Schneider was taken to Monticello Hospital with non life threatening injuries.
–The Little Falls School Board meets at 5:00pm this evening. The board will approve the 2017-18 budget among other agenda items.
–An appliance, electronics, tire and bulk garbage collection for one and two family residential units within the city of Little Falls will be held on Saturday, July 8th. This is a rain or shine event. As in the past, you must preregister for this collection. The forms should have been in your utility bill and must be returned by July 5th. Registered and paid items must be out at the curbside no later than 6:00am. The first item is paid for by the SCORE Grant the City received; with the second and subsequent items paid by resident at the costs indicated on the registration form.
–This Sunday is the first Sunday that liquor at stores can be sold in Minnesota. There was a Sunday liquor ban since Minnesota became a state that was lifted by legislation earlier this year. Liquor stores may still choose to be closed, but this is the first Sunday they will have the option to be open. Most businesses agree that the timing is good. With the upcoming 4th of July weekend, sales are expected to be higher than an average summer weekend. Little Falls Radio reminds all motorists to plan ahead and never drink and drive. The Minnesota State Patrol and over 300 law enforcement agencies have an enhanced enforcement effort underway through next week Wednesday focused on cracking down on speeding, distracted driving and impaired driving.
–A 27-year-old North Dakota man was arrested Friday after he crashed a Polaris all-terrain vehicle at Lakes Jam at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash around 1:20am that injured the driver and two passengers. The passengers were 38-year old Kelly Jo Hanson and 40-year old Christopher D. Hanson, both of West Fargo, North Dakota. All three had minor injuries, cuts to head and a possible broken hand. The passengers were taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries. The driver was arrested for gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation and misdemeanor driving under the influence. The sheriff’s office reported the driver attempted to turn sharply, causing it to roll.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
–Jason and Kristal Brown of Hillman, boy on June 23rd
DEATH NOTICES
–Velma Clay, age 96 of Tenino, WA formerly of Burtrum.
–Mary Galbreath, age 71 of Brainerd.
–Hilda Philipsek Karnes, age 86 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly cloudy to partly cloudy, high near 80.
TONIGHT= storms late, some heavy rain toward morning, low 60.
FRIDAY= thunderstorms in morning, then again evening, high 73.
FRIDAY NIGHT= storms ending, partly cloudy late, low 53.
SATURDAY= sunny and breezy, high 73, low around 52.
SUNDAY= sunny skies, high 77, low around 56.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins hold off Boston 4-1 last night, Max Kepler helped his team with 3 RBIS. The Twins are at Boston for one more game tonight, pregame at 5:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
VL= Sobieski at Upsala Sunday at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF.