NEWS
--Today is primary day in Minnesota. Voters will have a chance in Minnesota to select top candidates advancing to the general election November 6th. Minnesota is an open primary state, so voters can decide today if you want to vote on the Republican or Democratic races. To keep your ballot valid, you can't cross party lines on today's ballot (Vote only in the Republican or Democratic races). Races done by party vote include Governor, US House, US Senate, Attorney General, along with some State House and State Senate races. There are also local positions like the Morrison County Auditor Treasurer that is not impacted by party affiliation. In that race the top two of four candidates will advance to the general election. Under the election tab on the Minnesota Secretary of State's website you can preview your sample ballot. If you have any questions, ask your voting judges at the polls.
--On Monday, Laura R. Wright filed for Alderman-At Large for the City of Little Falls in the November general election. Incumbent Brad Hircock had filed for the seat already. The filing period for local elections ends at 5:00pm this evening.
--A pedestrian was killed after being hit by a car on West St. Germain Street in St. Cloud Saturday. Around 4:30pm police say they were called to the scene of a pedestrian versus car crash at the intersection of 18th Street South and West St. Germain. Officers found that a 59-year-old woman from St. Cloud was walking north, with traffic, on West St. Germain in the outside lane. At the same time, a car driven by 84-year old Joan Bestgen of Waite Park was heading north in the same lane. Bestgen struck the 59-year old from behind. The pedestrian, 59-year old Cindy Wiesner of St. Cloud was killed. The incident led to the closure of West St. Germain from 22nd Street South to Quarry Road. Bestgen stayed on scene and fully cooperated with authorities. The investigation is ongoing.
--A Clear Lake man faces several charges after fleeing police in Becker Friday night. Police say around 7:45pm they received a call of an allegedly drunk man getting into a vehicle at a local restaurant. An officer caught up to the man, 38-year-old Jason Rothmeyer, near Sherburne Avenue and Edgewood Street. When the officer attempted to make a traffic stop, Rothmeyer fled, leading police on a high-speed chase. Rothmeyer made his way north of Becker, eventually hitting a vehicle at Highway 25 and 82nd Street. He fled on foot from the crash and was arrested. The vehicle Rothmeyer hit had three people in it. One, 18-year old Kyle Foley of Dassel, was ejected in the crash and airlifted to North Memorial Hospital where he later died. The other two were taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Rothmeyer is in Sherburne County Jail on charges of fleeing in a motor vehicle, 4th degree DWI, criminal vehicular operation and criminal vehicular operation resulting in death.
--A pickup truck reportedly caught on fire for unknown reasons Saturday afternoon in St. Cloud. The 1991 Dodge Dakota caught fire at about 4:10 p.m. at Eighth Street North and 23rd Avenue North, according to a critical incidents report from St. Cloud Fire Department. "The fire damaged the engine compartment and spread to the interior of the vehicle," the report said. The cause of the fire is "undetermined," and the estimated loss was $2,200.
--Habitat for Humanity is hosting a 20th Anniversary Picnic Thursday from 4-7pm at the St. Francis Center on the West Lawn, a free event.
--The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force arrested a 27-year old from Royalton after executing a search warrant a Bellevue Township home in Morrison County on August 8th. Officers arrested Heidi Austin on charges of 1st Degree Possession of a Controlled Substance after she tossed a bag from a car window leaving the scene where the search warrant was issued. The bag contained methamphetamine. More meth was found inside the vehicle and stolen property was recovered from a shed.
--The Brainerd Police Department has been notified of a level three predatory offender who has relocated to another area in the Brainerd City Limits. 57-year old Terrance Lindmark moved from an area near Gillis Avenue to the 200 block of 4th Avenue NE in Brainerd on Saturday. Lindmark has a history of sexual contact (including penetration) with male and female victims between the ages of 4 and 10. Force was used to gain compliance and Lindmark was known to the victims. Since Lindmark is not new to the community and has resided in Brainerd in the past, no community notification meeting will be held. Lindmark is not wanted by the police at this time. This notification is not intended to increase fear in the community, but to keep the public informed.
--A blown tire led to a one vehicle accident with injuries on Sunday. Around 10:00am a jeep was heading south on Highway 10 at Benton Drive when the vehicle blew the tire, left the roadway and rolled. The driver 57-year old Kevin Kiess of Grand Rapids was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for non life threatening injuries. No one else was injured.
--A Sauk Rapids woman has pleaded guilty to assaulting a man with a knife back in 2017. 28-year old Samantha Roelike pleaded guilty to 2nd degree assault in Benton County District Court Monday morning. According to the criminal complaint, police were called to the 1800 block of Eastern Star Loop on November 14th, where they found a man who said Roelike came toward him with a knife. The victim says he believed Roelike would slash him in the face, so he raised his arm to block the knife, which cut him. Roelike later admitted to police she had cut the man. Roelike will be sentenced on October 24th.
DEATH NOTICES
--Alice M. Hoglund, age 96 of Little Falls.
--Todd Christianson, age 55 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= morning showers & storms, then partly sunny, high 77.
TONIGHT= clear skies, less humid, low 52.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and cooler, high 72, low around 50.
THURSDAY= sunny and a bit warmer, high 81, low around 58.
SPORTS
WNBA= Lindsey Whalen announced Monday she will be retiring form the WNBA at the end of the season. Whalen is the winningest player in the WNBA in her 15th season, a 4 Time WNBA Champion and 6 time All Star with Connecticut and the Minnesota Lynx. Whalen earlier this spring was announced as the new University of Minnesota's Head Women's Basketball Coach which starts this fall.
TWINS= Twins host Pittsburgh tonight 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
CLASS C= Buckman plays Saturday 11am, Ft. Ripley at 5pm Saturday and Lastrup at noon Sunday at the Class C State Tournament in New Prague and Shakopee this weekend on KLTF.