NEWS
--Police are investigating a shooting that left two people hurt Sunday morning. Shortly after 5:30am, officers with the St. Cloud Police Department responded to reports of gunshots in the 100 block of 16th Avenue South. Authorities say when they arrived, they found two men who had been shot. Both victims were taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non life threatening injuries. Their names have not been released. Police say they believe the incident is connected to a gathering that was being held at a nearby home, and that the suspect fled in a vehicle following the shooting. The investigation is on-going and anyone with information should call the police.
--A St. Cloud man who took part in a St. Joseph armed robbery when he was 17-years old is accused of a similar crime again. Now 18-year-old Tanner Crane was sentenced last February for a 2019 hold-up of a man fishing at Millstream Park. He was given a stayed sentence of nearly five years in prison. Now, Crane is accused of pointing a gun at two men and robbing them of their belongings. Crane allegedly took the gun out of his pants and pointed it at the victims while telling them to empty their pockets. The men complied and left the apartment. Records show Crane told the men to "be careful out there" because someone may rob them. Crane is charged with 1st degree aggravated robbery. His next court date was today.
--The Crow Wing County Sheriff's office recently honored lakes area residents for lifesaving efforts. Two people stepped in to help emergency responders with a duck hunter stranded on Rice Lake in Garrison Township and another helped a suicidal person. Without their help, the two people in distress could have died, officials said. Crow Wing County Sheriff Scott Goddard along with his staff Wednesday recognized three citizens and honored them with public service awards at the sheriff’s office for helping authorities with two emergency calls.The three honored were Julie Nesseth and Bruce Holbrock for their help October 3rd with a duck hunter in distress on Rice Lake in Garrison Township, and Jennifer Sand-Schequen for helping June 11, 2020, by administering first aid to a suicidal person south of Brainerd. Nesseth and her husband Michael called 911 when they heard someone yelling for help October 3rd near the Hesitation Wildlife Management Area in the Garrison Township. The 911 call helped save the life of the man, who was duck hunting when his boat overturned. Goddard said the DNR responded with its flat bottom mud boat to use in the water rescue. The problem was, the public access was not navigable by the rescue boat. This is when the second person, Holbrook, jumped in. Holbrook grabbed his tracked skid steer off his property to help push the sheriff’s watercraft into the water. Later they learned the hunter was in the water for several hours. The third person to earn the award is Jennifer Sand-Schequen, who came to the sheriff’s office Tuesday to receive it. Sand-Schequen assisted deputies June 11 with a suicidal person in the Barrows area. Deputies located the person, who intentionally cut their throat and stabbed themselves in the chest multiple times. While the deputies were tending to the person, Sand-Schequen arrived at the scene and identified herself as a nurse and offered to render first aid. She assisted until North Memorial Health Ambulance arrived.
--This would be the big weekend coming up for the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Hole in the Day Bay in Baxter. This year no large event on the lake, virtual style event will be in place.
--Chuck Zwilling to give Ice Fest update today at 8:15 on KLTF.
--Commander Jay Salzer advised that on Thursday the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force (CMVOTF) conducted a search warrant at a residence in the 2000 block of 27th Street S.E. St. Cloud. The Task Force learned of an individual who was suspected of selling fake Percocet pills that were laced with fentanyl. CMVOTF was aware that there have been several overdoses in Central Minnesota and throughout the state where individuals have overdosed taking similar pills. Investigators from the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force were able to purchase several of these suspected fake Percocet pills from an individual, 27-year old Abdiaziz Abdi Ibrahim from St. Cloud. Investigators also learned that Ibrahim may also be in possession of a hand gun and was storing a large quantity of the pills where he was staying. With the assistance of the St. Cloud Police Department SWAT Team, a search warrant was executed on Thursday. Investigators from the CMVOTF located 740 pressed pills that look like similar to Percocet and are suspected pressed fentanyl pills. Investigators also located a 9mm hand gun with a scratched off serial number in proximity to the pills. Ibrahim was transported to the Sherburne County Jail where he was booked on 3rd degree sale of controlled substance, 1st degree possession of controlled substance,
and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
--Morrison County website showed 77 active cases Monday, 32 of those in Little Falls zip code. There were only 794 new cases on the state report yesterday, 3 new deaths linked to the virus and it was reported only 1 new case in Morrison County.
--Governor Tim Walz has declared this week Paraprofessional Recognition Week. Thank you to all of our paraprofessionals who help to make our schools run smoothly. The Morrison County schools have sent out thank yous to the paras in our central Minnesota area.
--Organizers of the Benton County Fair have started their initial committee work this month for some sort of event this summer, after last year's fair was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fair Board Vice President Al Stemper says it will most likely be a modified fair with attendance restrictions. He says they will need guidance from Benton County Health officials. The Benton County Fair are tentatively set for Tuesday, August 3rd through Sunday, August 8th located in Sauk Rapids but that could be either shortened or extended depending on the types of events they are allowed to have on the fairgrounds this summer.
DEATH NOTICES
--Juanita (Jane) P. Bondley, age 62 of Little Falls.
--Betsy (Mary Elizabeth) Doroff, age 56 of Little Falls.
--August Herman Scheper, age 84 of St. Cloud formerly of Staples.
--Dennis M. Koroll, age 69 of Plymouth, formerly of Bowlus.
--Theresa M. Purkat, age 41 of Burtrum.
WEATHER
TODAY= sun and clouds mix, temps steady around 12.
TONIGHT= clear skies early, clouds overnight, low -10 then rising.
WEDNESDAY= becoming sunny, cold, high 8 above, low around -7.
THURSDAY= partly sunny, high 16, low around 7 above.
SPORTS
HS WRE= Little Falls vs. Becker vs. Royalton/Upsala in a triangular of wrestling tonight starting at 5pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HS GBB= St. Cloud Cathedral at Pierz tonight on FM94 KFML.