NEWS --Around 9:40am Wednesday the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a two vehicle accident with injuries on Azure Road near Fish Trap Lake Drive in Scandia Valley Township, south of Motley. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 55-year old Michael Altrichter of Cushing was driving a truck on Azure Road. Altrichter stopped on the roadway and backed into a Buick LeSabre driven by 72-year old Carol Smith of Cushing. Smith was transported by Gold Cross Ambulance to St. Gabriel’s Hospital with unknown injuries.
--The open house for Royalton Middle School and High School students has changed to tonight at the middle school/high school. It will be from 5:30-7:30pm. For families who are unable to make the open house on Thursday, the offices will be open Thursday and Friday for assistance. In addition, the Grand Re-Opening of the MS/HS has been moved to Wednesday, September 21st. School will begin for students in Royalton next Monday. The extra week was added so that construction can be completed for the school year.
--A driver who ran off Minnesota Highway 15 early Wednesday morning in a one-vehicle crash north of Kimball received non life threatening injuries. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, 56-year old Alan Paskewitz of Browerville was driving south at 5:18am when his vehicle ran off the road near 160th Street. The road was dry at the time. Paskewitz was taken to St. Cloud Hospital.
--A St. Cloud man suffered non life threatening injuries from a two vehicle accident Tuesday morning in Meeker County. Around 8:30am a vehicle driven by 66-year old Dale Kroells was traveling south on Highway 15 near 255th Street as it crossed the centerline and collided head on with a vehicle driven by 25-year old Jordan Zitzloff of St. Cloud. Zitzloff was transported by ambulance with non life threatening injuries. Kroells did not suffer any documented injuries.
--One person was injured on Tuesday in a rear-end collision in St. Cloud. According to a Minnesota State Patrol report the collision happened at 7:07pm on Division Street at U.S. Highway 15. A car driven by 21-year old Mai Yang of Brooklyn Center was traveling westbound and was about to turn on Highway 15 when it rear-ended a stopped vehicle driven by 54-year old Noriko Lanz of Sauk Rapids. Lanz suffered non life threatening injuries.
--The 2016 Minnesota State Fair was the best attended in state history. More than 1.9 million people attended the recently concluded State Fair during its 12-day run that ended Monday on Labor Day. That breaks the previous record of 1.8 million set in 2014. This year’s Great Minnesota Get-Together also had three record attendance days, including the best-attended day in State Fair history. That was Saturday, September 3rd when 260,374 people attended. The fair’s agricultural and creative competitions drew more than 30,000 entries this year. The 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction on August 27th set 12 record prices and raised more than $605,000 to benefit 4-H programs. The 2017 Minnesota State Fair will run August 24th through September 4th.
--Two area Wendy's locations were evacuated on Tuesday evening after receiving bomb threats. The Wendy's locations in the 1700 block of St. Germain Street and the 10 block of U.S. Highway 10 called the police shortly after 5:10pm saying the two locations received bomb threats. Managers decided to evacuate staff and patrons. Police and firefighters were unable to find any suspicious packages or devices. Anyone with information is urged to call the St. Cloud Police Department at (320) 251-1200.
--Governor Mark Dayton recently approved state funds for 10 counties hit by storms in July, including Morrison County. Out of the nearly $5.5 million the governor proposed Morrison County will receive just over $203,000. Morrison County Engineer Steven Backowski said the funds from the state will be good for projects already done and those they still have to do. The money Morrison County receives is also for townships and cities affected. State law says it will reimburse 75 percent of eligible costs for public infrastructure repair and local clean-up, while the localities are responsible for the other 25 percent. The Morrison County Sheriff’s Department said the damage was focused in the southeastern part of the county. The county itself had an estimated $172,041.59 in damages while the rest came from local communities. The city of Pierz, and Buckman, Granite, Lakin, Morrill, Richardson, Pierz, Pike Creek and Two Rivers townships also were included in the damage estimate. Backowski said a company is soon going to replace the box culvert on County Road 244 that was washed out by the July storm.
--Thursday is the deadline for gun deer and muzzleloader hunters who want to pursue antlerless deer in a permit area designated as lottery this season. To be considered, you must buy a license and apply for an antlerless permit by that date. This season, antlerless deer permits are issued by lottery in 67 of Minnesota's 128 deer permit areas. Find more information about the lottery and the upcoming hunting season by visiting the DNR's website.
--A reminder that an evening with Nobel Prize winner Brian Kobilka is September 19th at the Little Falls High School in the Charles D. Martin Auditorium at 7:00pm. Tickets can be purchased through the Morrison County Historical Society for $10 adults and $5 for students of any age. You can call for a group discount. For info call 632-4007.
DEATH NOTICE --Charles H. Mertens, age 75 of Staples
WEATHER TODAY= partly sunny, less humid, high 72. TONIGHT= clear early, storms toward daybreak, low 53. FRIDAY= storms during day, clearing at night, high 70, low 48. SATURDAY= sunny and cooler, high 66, low 49. SUNDAY= sunny, breezy and warmer, high 76, low 54.
SPORTS TWINS= Twins hold off Royals to take one of three games of the series with KC Wednesday night 6-5. Twins have today off. HS FB= Little Falls at Milaca Friday 7pm on AM960 KLTF HS FB= Maple Lake at Pierz Friday 7pm on FM94 KFML. NFL= The 2016 NFL Season officially kicks off tonight as Denver takes on Carolina in a Super Bowl rematch. Hear the coverage tonight starting at 6:45pm on AM960 KLTF.
TODAY IN HISTORY IN 1892= The Pledge of Allegiance is first seen in a publication. IN 1921= first Miss America Pageant held- Margaret Gorman winner. IN 1966= Star Trek debuted on NBC TV. The original series starred William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley. IN 1993= Major League Baseball decided to move to a 3 division format in each league, adding central divisions with east and west.