Newsletter: Tuesday, April 18th, 2023
NEWS
--At 1:55am Friday fire was reported at the address of 23652 153rd Street in Pierz. This was the Lloyd Hoffman Sr. residence. It was a machine shed fire that was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived on scene. The shed was a total loss but authorities did save a dairy barn and also grain bins that were close to the shed. There were numerous pieces of machinery in the shed that were lost. One person at the scene received minor injuries moving machinery before firefighters arrived. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Pierz Fire Department was assisted by Little Falls Fire Department and also the Camp Ripley Fire Department and Mayo Ambulance.
--A central Minnesota community is mourning the loss of a sheriff’s deputy who was shot to death Saturday night while responding to a domestic violence call. Deputy Josh Owen of the Pope County Sheriff’s Department died on his 44th birthday. Deputy Superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says Owen, along with another deputy and an officer from the Starbuck Police Department, were sent to an apartment in Cyrus at about 7:30pm. They went in and told a man there that he was under arrest. That’s when he drew a gun and started firing. Officers returned fire, and the man was also killed. The other two officers were hurt but were treated and released. A large procession of emergency vehicles escorted Deputy Owen’s body from Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office in Ramsey. Body cam footage captured what happened. That footage will be released at a later date. Owen leaves behind a wife and son. He had been with the department for 12 years, was an Army veteran and had a K9 partner named Karma. Condolences are pouring in from all over the law enforcement community including from Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen on Sunday asking for those to please pray for the families of the fallen officer and those injured from the incident on Saturday in Pope County.
--Names have been released in the shooting in Brainerd on Sunday. At 2:18pm Sunday Brainerd officers received a report of a shooting that occurred in the cul-de-sac on the 700 block of SW 8th Street in Brainerd. Officers arrived and contacted the victim, 29-year old Austin Matteson. Matteson reported he was driving his vehicle on 8th Street SW when another vehicle pulled up alongside Matteson's vehicle and fired numerous rounds from a firearm. Matteson received non life threatening injuries resulting from the shooting. He was treated at Essentia Hospital in Brainerd. 21-year old Ridge Kinney was identified as a suspect. Kinney left the area prior to the officer's arrival. Kinney along with the suspect vehicle were later located at a residence on the 6000 block. Kinney was arrested at 5:40pm Sunday and booked into the Crow Wing County for 1st degree assault, 2nd degree assault and felony possession of a firearm. This is an active investigation.
--A pole shed was destroyed by fire Saturday, April 15, in Unorganized Territory of Crow Wing County. The fire was reported as a shed engulfed in fire at 12:18pm on the 17000 block of Terratrac Road. Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said the shed was a total loss. There were no reports of injuries. Firefighters cleared in 2 hours.
--The LFCHS Spring Musical this year is Xanadu going to be performed May 4th-6th at the high school. Each night is at 7pm and tickets will only be sold online for the three shows. Questions can be directed to the activities office at the high school 616-2200.
--The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday upheld the most serious murder conviction against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd. Chauvin is serving a 22 year+ sentence on the second-degree murder count. His attorney had asked the appeals court to throw out the ex-officer’s convictions for several reasons, including the massive pretrial publicity. He also argued that legal and procedural errors deprived Chauvin of a fair trial. Prosecutors say Chauvin got a fair trial and just sentence. Other disputes in the appeal included whether it was legally permissible to convict Chauvin of third-degree murder, given a 2021 Minnesota Supreme Court decision clarifying the definition of that crime, and was justified in exceeding the recommended sentence under the state’s sentencing guidelines. The Court of Appeals agreed that the decisions of the court were justified in the sentence of Chauvin.
--There were many accidents this weekend from the wet weather Saturday and the snow on Sunday. One person was hurt around 10am Sunday in Kathio Township of Mille Lacs County, Gale Geske of Brooklyn Park was treated for injuries from the two vehicle accident. Two people were hurt Sunday just after 8:30am in Stearns County in Maine Prairie Township due to slippery roads. 18-year-old Thompson Marie of Watkins and 25-year-old Jonathon Noyes of South Haven were both taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries. Two people were hurt around 7:40am Sunday near the Stearns/Sherburne County Line south of St. Cloud on Highway 10. Mauro and Stephanie Rodriguez of Wilmar were both taken to the hospital with injuries.
--Falls Optical, Inc, in Little Falls was named the 2022 SBA Minnesota Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year. The U.S. Small Business Administration says the award recognizes Veterans' who give so much to their country and in their civilian endeavors. Owner, Dr. Kenneth Dodge currently serves as a Major in the 133rd Medical Group of the Minnesota Air National Guard. In 2011, Dodge and his wife Heike Dodge founded Falls Optical, Inc. and moved into their new Little Falls location in 2020. The business expanded in 2012 when they opened their second location, Pierz Eyecare.
--Social Media and Youth event is tonight at the Little Falls Community High School. The free event is tonight from 6-8pm at the Little Falls Community High School. Speakers will discuss social media and the events the youth of today and will take questions following the speakers. There will be door prizes and refreshments. Any questions for this can be directed to Logan at 320-632-0246.
DEATH NOTICES
--Carmen Lee Larson, age 78 of Cushing.
--James “Jim” Rudolph, age 91 of Rice.