NEWS --Authorities say a man's body was found inside a home that burned in Cass Lake. Cass County Sheriffs office was notified late Friday of the structure fire. The home was engulfed in flames when the Cass Lake Fire Department responded. The fire was extinguished early Saturday and the body of an adult male victim was located inside the residence. An autopsy is scheduled and the investigation continues with the help of the state fire marshal's office.
--A Park Rapids man has pleaded guilty to sending sexual messages to a 13-year old Sartell girl. 54-year old Calvin Bird Jr. has agreed to an amended plea agreement where he has been convicted on five felony counts of engaging in electronic communications describing sexual conduct with a child. According to the criminal complaint, Bird started talking to the girl in September 2017 after she posted a question on the social media site Whisper. Police say the two began sending text messages, with several conversations becoming sexual. Authorities began investigating the case and began to pose as the girl. While undercover, police say Bird started sending nude photos of himself and asking her if she would masturbate while they text. Police say Bird admitted to having sexual conversations with the girl and knew she was 13-years-old. He'll be sentenced May 21st.
--Last summer the Highway 24 bridge in Clearwater was replaced. This year, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will be improving Highway 24 between Clear Lake and Clearwater starting this spring. There is an informational open house scheduled for Wednesday at the Lions Park Pavilion in Clearwater from 4:00-7:00pm. There will be no formal presentation, but you will be able to see the project layout, learn traffic impacts and hear what the project entails. Weather permitting the project begins this month and will include resurfacing four miles of Highway 24, replacing sidewalks and upgrading signal systems.
--A Winona man is accused of leading police on a chase in a stolen semi that went on for 50 miles through at least seven Minnesota communities. A criminal complaint charging Michael Kronebush with assault with a dangerous weapon and fleeing from police says he rammed the semi into squad cars at least twice during the pursuit. Authorities say the 42-year old defendant was wearing a blue face mask and hat during the chase which reached speeds of nearly 70 miles per hour. Officers pursued the semi through Winona, Goodview and Minnesota City. Winona County sheriff's deputies and the Minnesota State Patrol joined the pursuit through Rollingstone, Elba, St. Charles and Lewiston. The complaint says officers used a stun gun on the man to eventually pull him out of the semi and arrest him. It's not immediately clear if Kronebush has an attorney to speak on his behalf.
--A Buffalo man was hurt in a two-vehicle crash. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 5:45pm Sunday on Highway 55 at Settlers Parkway. The Patrol says a car driven by 28-year-old Brady Wagner of Montrose was going west on Highway 55 when he tried to make a left turn on a flashing yellow light and struck another car. The driver of the second car was 70-year old Gregory Peterson of Buffalo. He was taken to North Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Wagner was not hurt.
--The National Weather Service stated that the March 31st snowfall smashed old records in 24 cities, including Little Falls and Brainerd.
--A missing Cass County teen has been found safe in Florida. Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch reported 15-year old Dylan Vorbeck from Motley was located on Friday and the process of getting him home to Minnesota has begun. The sheriff's office reported the teen missing on March 12th. He was believed to have left his home in rural Motley on his own. The sheriff's office is still investigating, with help from authorities in Florida, but no foul play is suspected in the case.
--The Little Falls Police department in the previous week responded to a number of theft complaints, a scam report of a person having their computer locked up by Microsoft stating they had to pay an amount to get it fixed. Both the computer company and the bank told the person to turn off and restart their computer as it was likely a scam. Police stated they took a fraud report from the New 2 U Thrift Store along with responding to numerous suspicious activity calls last week.
--The recent blast of winter weather in the state has pushed back the second Minnesota season, road repairs and construction. MN Dot on Monday stated that pothole repair has been put off for the time being because of snow last Friday into Saturday and again Monday into today. The hope is still to begin some of the scheduled road work around April 16th or 23rd as most weather forecasts are showing a warm up around the 13th or 14th. That could start the melting process but that is if Mother Nature abides.
DEATH NOTICES --Gerald Knopik, age 83 of Royalton --Vernon S. Drake, age 91 of Staples. --Jeanette Gerbi, age 92 of Little Falls.
WEATHER TODAY= snow likely 1-2 inches by 5pm, blowing snow, falling temps. TONIGHT= clearing and cold, low near 0, wind chills near -15. WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high 27, increasing clouds late, low 9. THURSDAY= snow showers by midday, high 32, low around 10.
SPORTS TWINS= Pittsburgh score 5 runs in 1st inning and hold on to beat the Twins 5-4 Monday. The Twins have a day off today, then finish their series with Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Twins then come home for the home opener on Thursday afternoon on Q92 WYRQ. NCAA= Villanova outpowered Michigan last night 79-62 to win the NCAA Mens' Basketball championship. The win gave Villanova coach Jay Wright his 136th win in the past 4 seasons.
TODAY IN HISTORY IN 1860= The Pony Express began bringing mail/delivery service on horseback from St. Louis MO to Sacramento, CA. IN 1908= Frank Gotch became the first World Wrestling Heavyweight Champion of the Nation after a 2 hour wrestling match. IN 1948= first U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held. Richard Button win for men, Gretchen Merrill win for women. IN 1953= first issue of TV Guide went on newsstands. IN 1965= Bob Dylan got his first Top 40 hit on the Billboard charts. IN 1978= The Larry King Radio Show goes national, as King moves from Miami to Washington DC for a bigger audience. IN 2013= Jay Leno announced he was retiring from the Tonight Show and that in one year, spring 2014, Jimmy Fallon would be new host.