NEWS
--The Minnesota State Patrol reported a fatal accident just after 8:00am Wednesday morning on Interstate 94 in Albany Township. A semi-truck driven by 59-year-old Brian Lemley of Sibley, North Dakota apparently veered off the highway and cross the median coming into the other lane of traffic and striking another tractor trailer head on and then another vehicle in that lane. It is believed that Lemley may have had a medical situation that led to the crash and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The other drivers 26-year-old Eric Bueckers of New Munich and 44-year-old Tricia Shoutz of Sauk Centre were treated at the scene but reportedly by the State Patrol not hospitalized for their non life threatening injuries. Traffic due to the accident was backed up for several hours on Interstate 94.
--A 38-year old from Freeport suffered life threatening injuries Wednesday morning at 9:17am when the vehicle they were driving rear ended a semi-truck who had stopped on Interstate 94 due to backed up traffic in Oak Township near Albany due to the fatal accident that happened earlier that morning on 94. Kelli Goebel of Freeport was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with serious life threatening injuries. The semi driver, 26-year-old Mert Gokce of Burnsville was treated at the scene for reported minor injuries from the accident.
--The Upsala Bond Referendum for $7.275 million proposed bonds that would have provided funds for the improvement of Upsala school sites and facilities failed on Tuesday 188 no votes to 117 yes votes. It was also reported that a bond referendum in the Becker school district has failed by just 11 votes. Residents in the district went to the polls Tuesday to vote on the $37.5 million referendum with 612 voting no and 601 voting yes. The district was asking for the money to upgrade security, address space needs including adding capacity to the middle school and larger transportation facilities.
--Three Minnesota men including two from Long Prairie were arrested this week at a marina in Florida. The Martin County Sheriff's Office says 27-year old Robert Abts and 20-year old Nikolas Davey, both of Long Prairie, were arrested after climbing a locked fence and entering a private boatyard. Authorities say the men claimed they entered the marina because they wanted to take pictures of yachts, and were caught on the boatyard's surveillance system. The sheriff's office says a third man, 18-year old Spencer Sands of Minnesota did not go into the boatyard but watched from a nearby bridge. Abts and Davey face charges of criminal trespassing, while Sands is charged with drug possession. The sheriff's office says this time of year they often see many incidents of stolen boats, boat motors, electronic equipment, and fishing gear and encourage all boat, marina, and storage facility owners to take theft prevention measures.
--A 15-year-old was seriously injured when his 3-wheeler he was driving was traveling on Highway 200 at a high rate of speed and struck a parked pickup truck causing the drive to leave his 3-wheeler and end up under the side of the pickup. The 15-year-old whose named was not released was airlifted to a Fargo Hospital with serious injuries. No one else was involved in the accident that happened just after 11pm Tuesday night on Highway 200 at the intersection of Highway 64 near the Hubbard/Cass County Line.
--The Lone Eagle Auto Club is planning a number of car shows this year. The cars will be out June, July, August and September with the plan to have their large event at the fairgrounds on September 12th. Get details on car show at fallsradio.com/community calendar or you can contact Wayne Hansmann at 632-6849.
--The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) on Wednesday announced a high visibility saturation on drivers who speed between May 12 and 19. The Minnesota State Patrol, county sheriff's deputies and local police departments will patrol on specific days in specifically targeted regions, in an attempt to stop fast and reckless drivers. DPS says 56 people have died in speed-related incidents on Minnesota roads so far in 2021, compared with 26 at the same time last year. Safety officials say those deaths are the main contributor to an overall traffic fatality rate that is significantly ahead of both last year's numbers and historical averages. Preliminary figures show 129 people have died in traffic crashes since January 1st compared to 94 at this time in 2020. Since March 1st the State Patrol has ticketed hundreds of Minnesotan of speeds between 90-110mph.
--The 27th annual Morrison County Sheriff's Office Sandbox Fill will be held on Thursday, May 20th. Anyone within a three mile radius of bank square in downtown Little Falls may have a sandbox filled. This will be limited to only 40 residences on a first come first serve basis. There will be a limit of three wheelbarrows per household and this is for sandboxes only. All that is required is a donation to the food shelf. Donations can be given at the time of the sandbox fill or left by the sandbox if you are not home. To place your name on the list call (320) 631-2880. The deadline to have your name put on the list is May 18th. If there is no answer leave your name, address, phone number and where the sandbox is located on the answering machine.
--The St. Cloud Regional Airport has been chosen for $3.7-million in additional discretionary funding to reconstruct two of its taxiways. Airport Director Bill Towle says they've been awarded the money in addition to their annual $1-million allotment from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the project. Towle says the project competed well because of the safety concerns it presented. One of the taxiways will be reconfigured to more recent safety standards, while the other taxiway will be resurfaced with concrete rather than the current asphalt surface. The $4.7-million project is being 100% funded by the Federal Aviation Administration with no local share required. Construction is expected to begin mid-summer.
--After years of failed attempts, recreational marijuana will go up for a vote in the Minnesota House today. It's the furthest a bill like this has ever gone in the Minnesota legislature.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Nicholas and Katie Hemminger of Little Falls, girl May 7th.
DEATH NOTICES
--Betty A. Zwilling Cichon, age 82 of Burtrum.
--Florence Ziwicki, age 98 of Sauk Rapids.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 72, partly cloudy night, low 44.
FRIDAY= increasing clouds, possible showers, high 66, low 45.
SATURDAY= partly sunny, PM shower possible, high 68, low 44.
SUNDAY= showers in morning and evening, cloudy, high 64, low 48.
SPORTS
TWINS= White Sox win a slug fest last night over Twins 13-8. The Twins wrap up series with White Sox 12:30pm today on Q92 WYRQ.
NFL= longtime coach for the Minnesota Vikings Jerry Burns has died. Burns was 94 and with the Vikings from 1968-1991 in many roles.
HS BAB= Albany at Little Falls today at 5pm on AM960 KLTF.