NEWS --Two 17-year-olds are awaiting charges after reportedly smashing mailboxes along Highway 27 east of Little Falls early Tuesday morning. Morrison County deputies responded to the area and observed several mailboxes that were damaged just before 3:00am. The Little Falls Police Department assisted and located a vehicle on the side of the road occupied by two juvenile males. Both 17-year old male occupants admitted to damaging the mailboxes with a baseball bat. In total, there were over 60 mailboxes damaged throughout the townships of Little Falls, Agram, Pierz and Buckman. Sheriff Shawn Larsen wants to remind residents to continue reporting suspicious activity to their office at (320) 632-9233.
--Around 1:15pm on Monday afternoon the Little Falls Fire Department responded to a fire at apartment #304 at the Sunburst Apartments located at 1401 5th Avenue SE in Little Falls. 21 firefighters battled the blaze for around two hours. According to Little Falls Fire Chief Mike Nieman there was extensive damage to that apartment but the damage was contained to that apartment unit. The resident Tina Oldakowski was not home at the time of the fire. The apartment unit is not livable at this time. The cause of this fire is still under investigation. The Little Falls fire department also assisted someone who was trapped in an elevator due to a power outage at 18795 Riverwood. There were no injuries in either incident.
--The federal child pornography trial of the man state and federal authorities have named a “person of interest” in the Jacob Wetterling abduction has been postponed. On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge John Tunheim ordered the trial of Danny Heinrich to be held on October 11th and not in July, as originally scheduled. Tunheim also granted an extension to Heinrich’s attorneys to file an appeal on last week’s recommendation to deny requests to change the venue of the trial and suppress statements and evidence in the case. Those objections are now due on July 15th. Heinrich has pleaded not guilty to 25 federal counts of receiving and possessing child pornography.
--Two young boys have died after they were found submerged in a lake in south central Minnesota. Law enforcement agencies launched an intensive ground and water search about 6:00pm Tuesday after the 10 and 11-year-old boys were reported missing in Willmar. One of the parents told police a shoe belonging to one child was found floating in Foot Lake near the dock at the entrance to the Kandiyohi County Fairgrounds. Authorities searched on land and used sonar and drag lines in the lake. Police used social media to alert local residents to search near their homes for the boys identified as Idris Hussein and Ahmed Sahane Hashi. Search crews found the two boys about 10:00pm submerged in shallow water. The children were taken to Rice Hospital where they were pronounced dead.
--A Buffalo woman was hurt Tuesday afternoon in a two vehicle crash up in Todd County near Staples. The State Patrol said that 37-year-old Sara Bender was on Highway 10 at the crossover at County Road 83 waiting next to another vehicle when she pulled out she was struck by an oncoming vehicle. Bender of Buffalo suffered non life-threatening injuries. The other two people involved were not hurt.
--Due to the July 4th holiday, the Little Falls City Council will have their next regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday at 7:30pm at city hall in the council chambers. City offices are closed on Monday, July 4th.
--The Brainerd Police Department on their facebook page is asking for the public's assistance in locating a juvenile female named Ayla Madsen. Ayla was reported missing on Saturday after competing in the Miss Brainerd Lakes Pagent at Tornstrom Auditorium. Just to clarify, authorities do not have reason to believe she is in any danger, but we still need to locate her and make sure she is safe. Please contact the Brainerd Police Department at 218-829-2805 if you have any information on Ayla.
--Around 4:15pm Tuesday the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office arrested 34-year old Ryan Earl Ritter of St Joseph, on 1st Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct charges. Ritter was arrested after a juvenile disclosed to Sheriff’s Investigators that Ritter had touched the child inappropriately at a residence in Collegeville Township in Stearns County. Ritter is in the Stearns County Jail awaiting formal charges.
--The Benton County Sheriff's Office recently completed a round of Congratulate and Educate Tobacco Compliance checks on the tobacco outlets licensed by the county. These compliance checks were funded through a state grant and are intended to identify any problem establishments and work with the owners to bring about better compliance. Seventeen checks were completed by underage volunteers under the direction of deputies. Only one business sold to the underage buyer. Additional compliance checks will be conducted in 2016 on these businesses. Any failures in these subsequent compliance checks will subject the businesses and clerks to administrative and criminal penalties. Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck stated in a press release he is very grateful to the businesses that do their part to keep tobacco out of the hands of our youth and hope to see 100% compliance in the next round of checks.
--Tonight is the 7th Annual Rock the Park event at Maple Island Park. It starts with Kids arts and the park at 4pm with many arts and crafts for the kids to enjoy, music begins at 6pm, food vendors and more on site. Free admission though donations will be accepted for Great River Arts to continue with the projects and items they provide. Questions can be directed to GRA at 632-0960.
DEATH NOTICES --Gloria Ann Barthel, age 71 of Swanville.
WEATHER TODAY= morning showers, then partly cloudy, breezy, high 72. TONIGHT= clear skies, cool night, low 46. FRIDAY= sunny skies high 73, clear night low 50. SATURDAY= sunny skies, high 77, partly cloudy night, low 55. SUNDAY= sunny, high 80, low 60- around the same for 4th of July.
SPORTS TWINS= White Sox score 5 in the 6th and hold on to beat the Twins who score 5 in the 9th inning but lose 9-6 to White Sox Wednesday. The Twins wrap up with White Sox today 12:30pm on WYRQ. LYNX=Lynx lose 3rd in a row falling 95-92 in overtime last night to the New York Liberty. Lynx home Saturday against San Antonio.
TODAY IN HISTORY IN 1936= Margaret Mitchell has Gone with the Wind published. IN 1953= first Corvette is manufactured by Chevrolet. IN 1977= the rock group Kiss gets their own comic book published.