NEWS
--Cass County authorities are searching for a 10-year-old girl last seen Sunday afternoon with her father in the Cass Lake area. Jonathon Whitefeather was last seen driving a 1997 maroon Chevy Suburban plate 632-TJW. The girl, “Mika” Whitefeather is 10, brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a black zip sweatshirt and purple leggings. She also has a gren stocking cap and a red face mask with her. Anyone with information on either of their whereabouts you as asked to call the Cass County Sheriff's Office at 218-547-1424.
--Morrison County Public Works reported on Monday that as weather permits, maintenance employees will be working on the following activities this week: Maintenance crews will be doing bridge work on CSAH 21 west of Bowlus. Flaggers will be in place to direct traffic. Brush cutting along roadside ditches will continue. Crews will be doing ditch work along CSAH 3 in the northwest part of the county. Please use caution around work crews and flashing lights. Public Works employees continue to practice social distancing guidelines in their travels and on the various job sites as we continue to preserve and maintain Morrison County infrastructure.
--The Minnesota State Patrol stated nearly 100 accidents were reported between 4am-12pm Sunday morning due to some lightly snow covered roads causing slippery conditions. There was one fatal accident in southern Minnesota Sunday morning and many others with injuries, a reminder to please slow down for wintry conditions. A safe and sober and also as of Friday a speed enforcement campaign are currently underway by the State Patrol until the first of the year.
--The Stearns County Communications Center received a call reporting a farm accident at 18726 State Hwy. 22 in Eden Lake Twp around 6:39pm on Saturday. The caller provided information that Todd Sieben had been operating a skid steer loader, moving large hay bales, and was near a manure pit. While operating the skid steer Sieben got close to the edge and the skid steer rolled into the manure pit. Sieben was trapped in the skid steer and was unable to get out. Stearns County Sheriff’s Office deputies, along with Eden Valley Rescue, Watkins Ambulance and Life Link medical helicopter responded to the call. A large tow truck was also requested to assist at the scene. While the tow truck was in route, attempts were made to remove the skid steer with farm tractors, but those attempts were unsuccessful. The tow truck, was used to remove the skid steer from the manure pit. Sieben was located inside the machine and was deceased. The incident is under investigation.
--One person was injured on Highway 71 at Highway 28 in Stearns County Monday morning just after 7am. 27-year-old Katie Blume of Belgrade slid off the road on a slippery patch of road and struck the ditch. She was treated for non life threatening injuries.
--The Minnesota State Patrol reported a fatal accident in Wright County around 11:45pm Sunday. The only details were the driver was a 28-year-old from Montrose and there was an 8 year old female passenger in the vehicle. The vehicle was on Highway 55 when it left the roadway, vaulted over an apprach and caught fire.
--The State Patrol also released information from an accident back on Thursday around 5:30pm in Watab Township near Rice on Highway 10 at mile post 165. 85-year old Melvin Luethmers of St. Cloud struck the rear of another vehicle turning off the highway. He was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for his injuries. The other driver, 64-year old Paul Jude of Chaska was reportedly not injured in the accident.
--There is another free grocery giveaway today from 2-4 at Living Hope Church north of Little Falls. The church asks again to please follow the signs of entering from the north and leaving from the south end of the church to make the giveaway go a lot more smoothly with traffic flow and pickup of the groceries.
--The Initiative Foundation based in Little Falls is now accepting grant applications from groups or organizations aiming to support young children adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Little Falls nonprofit was awarded $416,000 in state funds back in August. Funds will be used to support programming for children ages birth to 8 who have experienced illness, economic hardship or interruptions in their educational or development support systems. This is the second of three grant cycles. Applications will be accepted until December 31 at 4pm. Grants will be awarded in early January. A third grant cycle will open in the spring of next year. For more information, visit the Initiative Foundation's website or call toll free (877) 632-9255.
--Morrison County website Monday showed 356 active cases of COVID-19 and 136 hospitalizations since testing began. Numbers keep going down in the area zip codes, Little Falls 141, Pierz 73 and Royalton 45 the rest of the zip codes were under 20. On the state website Monday 5,296 new cases, 21 new deaths. Morrison County had 29 new cases on Mondays report and another death (of a person in their 80s) on the report Monday.
--The Charles A. Lindbergh State Park, The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum, and the Charles A. Lindbergh House and Museum due to the recent pandemic has changed their their candlelight event this year. The 2021 event is called “A Candle-less Hike & Scavenger Hunt.” It will be held January 1st through 10th. Hikers, snowshoers, and skiers (as conditions allow) can follow the groomed trails between the three sites between 10:00am to 5pm each day of the event. To take part in the scavenger hunt, they can start by picking up a scavenger hunt form at the self-registration station on the exterior of the park office at Lindbergh State Park. When finished with the hike and scavenger hunt, they can drop off the completed form in the State Park permit drop box, which is the mail slot in the park office door. Those who answer all the questions correctly will be entered to win a prize. Hikers may park in the lots at the Lindbergh House & Museum, Weyerhaeuser Museum or Lindbergh State Park. A State Park permit is required for those parking at Lindbergh State Park. For more information, call the Weyerhaeuser Museum at 320-632-4007 or the Lindbergh House & Museum at 320-616-5421.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Michael Barnabo-Rose and Nicole Litzau of Little Falls, girl Dec. 5th
DEATH NOTICES
--Mary Louise Knaack, age 70 of Princeton formerly of Little Falls.
--Gerald “Jerry” J. Doschka, age 70 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= morning fog, gradual clearing later in day, high 44.
TONIGHT= clear skies, fog possible late, low 28.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and mild, high near 50, clear night, low 26.
THURSDAY= clouds increase, high near 42 then drop PM hours.
SPORTS
NFL= Dallas and Baltimore tonight 6:45pm on AM960 KLTF.