NEWS --A scary moment last night at the State of the State Address in St. Paul as Governor Mark Dayton collapsed about 40 minutes into his speech. The Governor did get up and walk away with some help a few minutes later. A statement by his chief of staff later stated the governor suffered a fainting spell and was resting comfortably and will present his 2017 budget today at 11:15am as planned in St. Paul.
--Pierz firefighters responded to a structure fire Monday around 10:20am off Sycamore Road towards Hillman. The cabin on Long Lake was fully engulfed when authorities arrived and believed to be a total loss. 12-firefighters were on the scene for about an hour and a half. The cabin which does not have a heating source was unoccupied at the time of the fire as it was likely a summer getaway cabin. Area law enforcement and the fire department were still attempting to identify the owners. There were no injuries.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office announced that they still have not made an arrest in the Terry Brisk murder case and the reward is at $30,000 for information leading to an arrest. Brisk was found dead on November 7th in the woods on his parent's property near Morrison County roads 43 and 45. Sheriff Larsen stated that Brisk was hunting by himself and was found on the ground. Investigators believe the shooting happened between 2:26 and 4:20pm that day. Preliminary autopsy results from the Ramsey County medical examiner's office concluded Brisk died from blood loss. The sheriff's office is asking for public assistance in locating a Winchester Model AE 30-30 lever action rifle belonging to Brisk. The rifle is described as an older model, with a wooden stock and forearm, with no sling attached. Sheriff Larsen continues to ask for any information on the case to be directed to his office at (320) 632-9233.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office in the past week arrested a man following a rollover accident on Jewel Road on January 15th. The man was treated for injuries then arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was one of two arrested on the 15th for DWI in Little Falls. Deputies also arrested a 45-year-old man for domestic assault at residence on Highway 27 and a 47-year-old man following a domestic assualt on Second Street Southeast in Little Falls. There was also a report of a basement fire in Pierz on the 12th but no details.
--County Honor Rolls of WW l veterans are now available online after a joint project between The Minnesota Military Museum, St Cloud State University, and the Minnesota Digital Library. The joint project has made 35 Minnesota County Honor Rolls available to the public through the Minnesota Digital Library. This project is a great resource for anyone doing research on relatives involved in WW 1.
--Two people, including a 4 year girl, had to be rescued from a lake in Alexandria Saturday afternoon. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office got a 911 call about noon about a utility vehicle going through the ice on Lake Ida near a resort. A floatation device was used by law enforcement to reach 34-year-old Brian Wolf of Alexandria and the 4 year old girl. Both were taken to shore and checked out by authorities. Though the two were cold and wet they were uninjured.
--A Wayzata woman was injured Monday morning around 5:45am on Highway 71 in Todd County. 21-year-old Courtney Rae Miller was on 71 when she passed another vehicle, caught a slippery patch of road and left the roadway. Miller was treated for minor injuries.
--A St. Cloud man was in the Stearns County Jail Sunday suspected of burglarizing an acquaintance's residence on the city's south side. According to a St. Cloud Police Department news release, officers Saturday arrested 25-year old Sahal Said Ahmed of St. Cloud, after they were called to a residence in the 300 block of Third Avenue South about a burglary complaint. Police determined a suspect entered a residence through an unlocked window at 3:51am Saturday. The suspect took several items. Video surveillance showed the suspect leaving the building, and police determined he was an acquaintance of the victim, who police said did not detect the intruder's presence. At 11:00am Saturday, officers located the suspect at a traffic stop in the 1500 Block of East St. Germain. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. Police found several items taken in the burglary in the suspect's vehicle. The suspect was arrested without incident and transported to the Stearns County Jail, where he was held, awaiting a charge of first-degree burglary.
--A man charged with using a gun when robbing Knotty Pine Liquors in east St. Cloud has been charged with second armed robbery. 23-year old Lavonta Lofton has been charged in Stearns County with first-degree aggravated robbery, accused of robbing a SuperAmerica store December 11th in north St. Cloud. He made his first court appearance on the charge Friday and was ordered held in lieu of $200,000 unconditional bail or $100,000 bail with conditions. He was already charged in the robbery at Knotty Pines. There were no injuries in these robberies.
--A 20-year-old bouncer was arrested early Sunday after a man was found unconscious outside a downtown St. Cloud bar. St. Cloud police officers were flagged down by pedestrians at about 1:45am and found a 21-year-old man lying unconscious on the sidewalk outside the Press Bar. The man was bleeding and had visible head injuries. Officers spoke to witnesses and Press Bar employees and learned that a security employee of the bar was removing the man for being overly intoxicated and lighting a cigarette. The employee reportedly placed the man in a headlock as he was taking him out and threw him to the ground, causing the him to strike his head on the sidewalk. The security employee did not provide medical attention to the victim and returned to the bar. The victim was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for non life threatening injuries. The employee, Patrick James McNeely of St. Cloud, was arrested and taken to Stearns County Jail awaiting possible assault charges.
--Morrison County Commissioners meet this morning at 9:00am in the Morrison County Government Center Boardroom.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT --Derek and Amy Wettstein of Little Falls, girl on January 21st
WEATHER TODAY= mostly cloudy, high 34. TONIGHT= mostly cloudy, scattered snow showers, low 26. WEDNESDAY= snow early, then windy, high near 30, low 19. THURSDAY= mostly cloudy, colder, high 22, low 13.
SPORTS HS GBB= Little Falls at Alexandria tonight 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ. HS GBB= Maple Lake at Pierz tonight 7:15pm on FM94 KFML. LOCAL= get local scores and schedules at fallsradio.com.