[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Newsletter: Tuesday, December 8th 2015[/title][fusion_text]Tuesday, December 8th 2015
NEWS
–Two people were injured Sunday around 5:20pm on Highway 238 east of Elmdale. 65-year-old Gery Arndt of Little Falls was on 238 when he rear-ended a skid loader driven by 16-year-old Sean Wensmann of Bowlus. Neither driver was hurt. Arndt had 3 passengers in his vehicle. 60-year-old Beverly Arndt and 69-year-old Bonnie Vaughan both of Little Falls were treated for their injuries at an area hospital. A 3rd passenger was not injured.
–Crow Wing County responded to a snowmobile accident around 1:30pm Friday on Moon Drive in Merrifield. 49 year old Richard Rathman of Merrifield was operating a snowmobile on his property when he lost control striking a tree. Rathman was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Rathman was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale where he later died from his injuries sustained in the crash.
–Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl would like to remind all those residing in, and visiting the Crow Wing County area, to be extremely cautious when around our area lakes and waterways. With the unseasonably warm temperatures, and the long range forecasted weather, all ice should be considered unsafe. Fishing from a watercraft continues to be the safest venture as many lakes still do not have ice. When doing so please use all safety precautions, and operate within required regulations when enjoying outdoor activities.
–A 60-year-old from Motley was injured Friday night around 10:15pm on Highway 210 between Baxter and Pillager in Cass County. Deborah Wonders left the roadway and rolled over after striking an approach. She was taken to the Brainerd hospital for her injuries.
–Stearns County deputies have located the vehicle and identified several suspects involved in multiple reports of vandalism in the Freeport and Albany areas Saturday night. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office received a license plate number of the suspected vehicle from the public. Deputies located the vehicle and were able to identify several suspects. Deputies reported several instances of damage to vehicles and homes mostly along Main Street in Freeport between 8 and 10:00pm Saturday. Windows were broken and vehicles were dented with pink paintballs and white marbles they believe were shot from the street. The suspects also admitted to other cases of vandalism in the area over the past several months. The case remains under investigation.
–An armed St. Cloud man broke into a Sauk Rapids home and stole bags full of clocks, jewelry and credit cards. A criminal complaint against 32-year old Derek Goodwin Stirn indicates he may be connected to several burglaries in the area earlier this month. Stirn was charged with first-degree burglary, felony possessing a gun after being convicted of a violent crime and misdemeanor harming a police dog. According to the complaint a resident in the 900 Block of Oak Crest Drive reported around 2:35am Friday that a bathroom light turned on and off several times in the house next door. The resident called the homeowner, who said he was not at home. Police arrived at the house and saw Stirn run through the yard. A police dog chased him, and Stirn resisted until officers handcuffed him. Stirn dropped two bags when encountered by police, and the bags contained several valuable items belonging to the homeowners. Officers also found a knife in a sheath on Stirn’s hip, and found a loaded handgun near where he had been laying. The gun was stolen in a Sauk Rapids burglary on December 2nd. Stirn’s shoes had a tread pattern that matched the pattern located at several burglary sites December 2nd.
–The Little Falls City Council met last night. At the meeting, the council approved the final levy for 2016 and set the levy at $3,435,500 or an increase of .91% over the 2015 levy. The council also set the Housing and Redevelopment Authority levy at $72,000, unchanged from 2015. The 2016 budget was set at $10,035,242. The 2016 garbage, water, wastewater, storm-water and recycling were also set. Their next meeting is on December 21st at 7:30pm.
–St. Cloud City Council on Monday unanimously approved bids for the aquatic center and authorized crews to begin construction. The total cost of construction, based on bids received, is approximately $23.3 million — about $1.6 million less than the projected cost of the aquatics center. The community and aquatics center is a joint project between the city of St. Cloud and St. Cloud Area Family YMCA.
–Police are investigating a pair of robberies in south St. Cloud late Sunday night and early Monday morning. Officers were first sent to a reported robbery around 8:00pm Sunday near Fourth Avenue South and 13th Street South. Two teenagers were walking on Fourth Avenue when they were approached by three men. The suspects asked if the teenagers had any money before one of them grabbed one of the victims’ phones and they all ran west. The victims did not see any weapons. Police said a second robbery was reported around 1:40am Monday in the 400 Block of First Avenue South. A 20-year-old man told police he was standing outside his apartment after 1:00am when three men encircled him. One of the suspects displayed a knife and told the man to hand over his property. The suspects took property from the victim, ran to a vehicle and drove away. The suspect with the knife was described as a 6-foot-1-inch black man in his mid-20s with a thick beard. Police say he was wearing a red hooded sweatshirt. A second suspect was described as a black man in his mid-20s, around 5-feet-10-inches with a heavier build and scruffy facial hair and a gray hooded sweatshirt. The third suspect was described as a black man shorter than the other two suspects and wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
–Comedian Jason Schommer is bringing a Christmas show back to Great River Arts. “The Naughty or Nice List!” will feature standup comedy, sketch comedy and holiday music. The shows are Friday and Saturday starting at 7:30 at Great River Arts. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased by calling 632-0960 or go to greatart.org for info.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
–Sam and Juliene Muhlbauer of Little Falls, a girl born December 4th
DEATH NOTICES
–Robert “Bob’ M. Will, age 59 of Sauk Rapids.
WEATHER
TODAY= clouds increase, afternoon rain, high near 40.
TONIGHT= mostly cloudy, freeze fog late, low 28.
WEDNESDAY= partly sunny, high 41, light freezing mix late, low 34.
THURSDAY= rain/snow early then all rain through day, high near 40.
SPORTS
BHK= Prarie Centre at Little Falls tonight 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ.
GBB= Little Falls at Pierz tonight 7:30pm on FM94 KFML.
NFL= Vikings at Arizona Thursday night at 7:25pm on KLTF.
NFL= Dallas gets late field goal to beat Washington 19-16 last night on Monday Night Football. 17 points scored in the final 1:57.
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