NEWS
--Today is the free grocery giveaway at Living Hope Church on Haven Road north of Little Falls from 3-5pm. No registration required and this is a free event. Pastor Keith Thompson stated that you can park in the parking lot but when that is full, please enter from the north into the church parking lot. This is a contactless pickup for the box of perishable food items containing meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables. You are asked to leave by going south of the church. They will be allowing 2 boxes per vehicle. They are awaiting approval to continue this every other week in March and April and more details will be released when all is approved. All are welcome today from 3-5pm.
--Little Falls police in the past week continue to help with suspicious activity calls, received a number of scam calls again and remind citizens to never give out personal or financial information over the phone or by email if you did not make the contact. If you feel uneasy at any time during a conversation or replies it is best to hang up the phone or delete the email. Police assisted in a fire call Tuesday where the small fire was extinguished by the officer on scene and also an alarm at an assisted living complex which the fire department checked out and cleared the scene.
--A Pipestone girl is dead after a crash in central Minnesota Monday morning. The crash happened around 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 15 and County Road 146 in Maine Prairie Township. The Minnesota State Patrol says a semi-truck was heading north on Highway 15 when the 17-year-old, who was westbound on County Road 146, failed to stop and collided with the semi. The patrol says the teen was killed in the crash. Her name will be released once family members can be notified. The driver of the big rig, 43-year-old Jeremiah Andreoff of Cosmos, suffered non-life threatening injuries.
--The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said one person was pronounced dead at the scene of a Sunday morning house fire. Investigators received two simultaneous 911 calls just before 6:00am about a structure fire at an address on 1st Street in Miltona. A caller "reported heavy smoke and visible flames" coming from the house. Numerous agencies responded. At the scene, crews said they were told the house might be occupied. The Miltona Fire Department went inside the home and found one person, whom they said showed no signs of life. After getting the victim out of the house, first responders attempted resuscitation but were unsuccessful. The person was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The state fire marshal is investigating.
--The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it's investigating a fatal shooting incident Sunday afternoon involving law enforcement in Isanti County. The incident began just before 1:00pm outside a department store in Blaine on reports of a theft. Police say the suspect fled the scene and there was a reported carjacking nearby with a possible gun. The suspects fled the scene in the stolen vehicle and a pursuit began north on Highway 65. In Isanti County, police say the suspect vehicle became disabled near Braham, and two male suspects fled the car and shots were fired. Police say an Anoka Police Department K-9 was shot and one of the suspects was shot and killed. Police say the second suspect was taken into custody with no injuries. At least one gun was recovered at the scene. One officer was hospitalized in Blaine, and preliminary reports say the officer suffered minor injuries. The K-9 that was shot was transported for emergency surgery but no condition was provided.
--This week is FFA Week, Congratulations to the following Pierz FFA students that qualified for state competition in FFA Horse Judging: Macy Hoffman, Jazmin Virnig, Kaylee Pulak, Andrew Morris and Kaylee Woitalla. The Pierz FFA this week is also giving bags to local farmers with water, candy bars, hitch pin, micro-fiber cloth and other items to say “Thank You” to the local farmers supporting FFA.
--An 18-year-old man died in a snowmobile crash up in Cass County over the weekend. The Sheriff's Office says they were called just before 11:30pm on Friday to Gull Lake in the area of Birch Island. The driver of the snowmobile, an 18-year-old man from Mendota, had crashed along the shoreline. The victim's name has not been released. CPR was initiated by a friend of the victim, and continued lifesaving efforts were made while he was being transported via helicopter to St. Cloud Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
--As weather permits, maintenance employees will be working on the following activities, Morrison County crews will be cutting trees on CSAH 43 and CSAH 39 in Pierz, crews will be clearing brush and trees around bridges and guardrails on 100th ave east of Elmdale and CSAH 21 in the southwest part of the county. Crews will be patching potholes in the northeast part of the county. Please use caution around work crews and flashing lights.
--A Foley man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing a 7-month-old boy in Rice. 31-year old James Joseph Robert Wood of Foley, was sentenced Friday for one felony count of second-degree murder without intent. One felony count of first-degree manslaughter and one felony count of second-degree murder were dismissed. The sentence is departure from guidelines based on an aggravated factor from the Benton County Attorney's Office. Wood was also sentenced to 18 years in prison for one felony count of second-degree unintentional murder in Sherburne County from a different case against him and the time will be served concurrently.
--A Monticello man was taken to the hospital after a rollover crash in St. Cloud. The crash happened Thursday around 10:30am near the intersection of Highway 15 and 2nd Street North. The Minnesota State Patrol says 70-year-old David Stromberg was southbound on Highway 15 when his Jeep hit a patch of ice, fishtailed and went into the right ditch, where it rolled. Stromberg was taken to St. Cloud
Hospital with injuries not considered to be life-threatening.
--Morrison County had 3 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday's report with low numbers continuing of 561 new cases, 1 new death in state.
DEATH NOTICES
--Joseph “Joe” L. Masog Jr., age 76 of Little Falls.
--Fredrick “Fred” J. Festler, age 84 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= rain and snow showers, high 37, up to 1 inch into the night.
TONIGHT= snow showers early, some freezy mix, low 20.
WEDNESDAY= becoming sunny, high near 30, low around 15 above.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, high 32, clear night, low 17.
SPORTS
HS BHK= Wadena at Little Falls Tuesday 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HS GBB= Zimmerman at Pierz Tuesday 7pm on FM94 KFML.
NBA= The Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday fired their head coach Ryan Saunders. Toronto assistant Coach Chris Finch will take over as head coach at this time. Saunders went 43-94 with the team.