Newsletter: Thursday, March 23rd, 2023
NEWS
--A Pine River couple died in a house fire early Tuesday morning. According to Pine River firefighters there was nothing they could do when they arrived to the home of Barbara and Charles Norman. When they arrived just after 2:20am the home and occupants were already gone. The house had almost completely burned down house already. The Backus Fire Department and Cass County Sheriff's Department were also on scene. Over 20 firefighters responded. The fire department stated that the bodies were taken for autopsies and they were waiting on the fire marshal to come in help in investigating the cause of the deadly fire.
--Officials are investigating after highway maintenance workers found what are believed to be human remains Tuesday afternoon inside a tote along the shoreline of Mille Lacs Lake. In a press release, Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton said the department was contacted after county highway maintenance employees found the tote in the ditch while working near the 14200 block of Twilight Road. Workers discovered the remains inside the tote, and contacted law enforcement just before 1:50pm. Burton says a person of interest is in custody in connection to the case, adding that investigators have reason to believe the person they're holding knew the victim. The Minnesota BCA is also assisting in the investigation.
--A young man was seriously hurt in a crash with a semi early Wednesday morning on Interstate 94. The Minnesota State Patrol says a car and a semi were both heading west when the driver of the car lost control and the two vehicles collided. The incident happened just after midnight in Collegeville. Twenty-one-year-old Mattinen Goergen of Eden Prairie was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with life-threatening injuries. The semi driver, 59-year-old Thomas Duetschman of Detroit Lakes, was not hurt.
–The Crow Wing County Dairy Princess banquet will be at 7pm on April 1st at Pierz Ballroom. Tickets are available for $18 for adults and $12 for children under 12 until March 25, or $20 at the door and may be purchased from any of the following candidates or by calling 218-831-3376. Junior Dairy Princess candidates are Kaylee Woitalla and Allison Woitalla. Kaylee Woitalla is 16 and the daughter of Russell and Amber Woitalla. She is a sophomore at Pierz Healy High and a 4-H and FFA member. Kaylee works at S & M Dairy and her favorite dairy product is chocolate milk. Allison Woitalla is 16 and the daughter of LeRoy and Melissa Woitalla. She is a junior at Brainerd High School and enjoys her agriculture classes, along with her post secondary classes at Central Lakes College. She is an active member of the FFA, 4-H and her church community. Allison's favorite dairy product is chocolate milk. The Crow Wing County Dairy Ambassadors candidates are Amber Fleischhacker, Ellie Hoffman and Shelby Mulroy. The Morrison County Dairy Princess Banquet and Coronation is this Saturday, March 25th at 8pm, social at 7:30pm at the Falls Ballroom in Little Falls with five dairy princess candidates vying for the crowns.
--A large fire at a farm implement dealer in western Minnesota on Tuesday night forced people from their homes and closed a state highway for hours. Lac qui Parle County authorities said the fire at the Midwest Machinery John Deere dealer in Madison even ruptured a local gas line, complicating efforts to bring the flames under control. The fire destroyed the dealership’s offices and shop. No injuries were reported. The fire was first reported when someone nearby spotted smoke and called 911 at about 7pm. The fire is under investigation.
--Today is WYRQ Ladies Night Out Pierz Style. Stop into participating businesses in Pierz and Genola from 12-7pm and get your card stamped then head to the Red Rooster Bar in Genola for drawings starting at 7:30pm. Top prize is $500 Pierz Foods/Pierz Floral gift card, there is also a prize for best dressed for the theme of Best Sports Team. Join in the fun today and tonight in Pierz. Full details and sponsor list available at fallsradio.com on the homepage or search and like Little Falls Radio on Facebook.
--Tony Housey of Camp Ripley spoke on KLTF yesterday. Housey said they are doing double duty of training with soldiers from the United States and Canada using the facility now and expected to into mid to late April. They will be starting control burning and renovations to some the buildings at Camp when the snow finally melts. Housey also mentioned that the Camp Ripley base is already working on a 100th Anniversary of the Base book. The base opened in 1931 and they are starting to get the word out for memories, pictures, items from the military base over the past 90+ years to put in their 100th birthday book when it is released years from now. If you have items for the military base to put in the book please call Tony at 320-616-3122 or you can send items via the Camp Ripley Facebook page.
--The Benton County Sheriff's Office will experience a brief outage on their non-emergency phone lines on March 28th. On Tuesday from 6:00am to 6:30am the main non-emergency number for the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, 320-968-7201, will be affected by required routine maintenance of the county telephone system. During this period, callers will be unable to reach their office on the non-emergency numbers. This routine maintenance will not affect 911 calls to their office. Those requiring service or response from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office on March 28th between 6am-6:30am should dial 911 because of the outage expected at that time.
--The Franciscan sisters in Little Falls hosted a blood drive the past three days. In total, they received 167 donations of blood. They were 17 shy of their goal but appreciative of everyone who gave blood.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
--Ryan and Katie Schleper of Pierz, a baby boy born March 20th.
--Zachary and Kristina Nelson of Little Falls, boy born on March 20th.