NEWS
--The remains of a Holdingford seaman who was killed in the attack on the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor have been identified and are returning to Central Minnesota for burial. Navy Fireman 1st Class Elmer T. Kerestes was killed December 7th 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He was among 429 crew members killed and among a group who initially weren't able to be identified. Those unidentified remains were interred then moved to a laboratory where some were identified. Kerestes was among the group still unable to be identified and his remains were buried in a cemetery in Honolulu. In April 2015, the Deputy Secretary of Defense ordered the disinterment of unknowns associated with the USS Oklahoma. Two months later, the remains were exhumed and testing done to try to identify them. In March 2017, Kerestes' remains were identified with the help of DNA analysis and circumstantial evidence. His remains are scheduled to return to Minnesota in late July for burial.
--The City of Brainerd received a letter of resignation last week from their administrator 72-year old Jim Thoreen tending his resignation effective October 27th. Thoreen has been in public service for over 40 years and said it was time to choose another path in his life. He will be leaving Brainerd and heading back to Glenwood in the fall. The city will now begin the process of finding a new administrator.
--Nisswa city officials will meet with three candidates this week for their vacant city administrator position. Interviews began yesterday for the three finalists Dawn Hayes of Ontario, Canada, Jennifer Max of the Pequot Lakes School District and Lisa Sova of Crosby. They expect to decide on the new administrator by week's end.
--Four fatal accidents were reported this weekend by the Minnesota State Patrol, including one in which a driver was hit and killed by a car after exiting his crashed vehicle. Three accidents happened in less than three hours Saturday afternoon, killing three women, ranging in age from 19 to 77. The reports come the same weekend 300 law enforcement agencies across the state were cracking down on speeding. Experts say speeding is to blame for one in five motor vehicle deaths in Minnesota. 30-year-old Stephen Rabuse of Bloomington was killed after exiting a crashed vehicle about 12:30am Sunday in Ramsey County. In the first of three fatal crashes Saturday afternoon, 77-year-old Fern Marty of Woodbury was traveling the wrong way on U.S. Highway 52, died after colliding with an oncoming vehicle in Dakota County killing. About an hour later, a 19-year-old woman died in a rollover accident on Interstate 35 south of Hinckley. Salena Chhum of Inver Grove Heights was a passenger in a vehicle that went into the median. A little moore than an hour after that, two motorcycles crashed at an exit in East Bethel, killing one passenger and seriously injuring two others. The motorcycles were northbound on Minnesota Highway 65 about 3:00pm killing an Eden Prairie woman. 56-year old Gregory William Ettawagesheik of Minneapolis was driving the lead cycle. Ettawageshik's passenger, 50-year old Sara Cassell Gilbert of Eden Prairie was killed.
--Two teenagers were injured Wednesday night when their ATV crashed on Paradise Beach Road south of Brainerd. 16-year old Chloe Japs of Otsego and 17-year-old Maxwell Arrell of Rogers were taken to the Brainerd hospital. Japs had minor injuries. Arrell reportedly was treated for a head injury. No word on his condition.
--Pierz Freedom Fest is Saturday, get tickets at LF Radio 632-2992.
--Fourteen soldiers from 12 states, representing seven Army National Guard regions will compete July 17-20 at Camp Ripley in the Army National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition. The four-day competition will feature several events to test the soldiers both physically and mentally. The soldiers will demonstrate their proficiency with weapons, their physical strength and endurance, their ability to perform military tasks and their ability to put their knowledge to use under pressure. The competition will identify the top soldier (junior enlisted) and NCO (non-commissioned officer) to represent the National Guard in the All-Army Best Warrior Competition in October.
--The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a burglary in progress at a residence located on the 6100 block of Holiday Harbor Drive in Garrison Sunday around 10:30am. While a neighbor was checking the house, he discovered an unknown adult male walking around inside the house. While officers were responding, another call came to the Sheriff’s Office indicating that a male was attempting to steal a car from a neighboring house. Shortly after deputies’ arrival, they located the male who was taken into custody. He was identified as 34-year old Justin D. Stevenson, of Kenyon, MN. Through the investigation, it was determined that Stevenson had gained entry into the house through an unlocked garage window. While inside the house, Stevenson took items of clothing and food from the residence. Stevenson was unsuccessful in stealing the neighbor's car as he could not locate the keys.
--Brainerd Firefighters battled two vehicle fires last week, one Wednesday on Ninth Avenue NE where rags smoldering inside the vehicle with a paint can were the cause and quickly taken care off. The second fire Friday was in a grocery store parking lot. The fire was extinguished with any injuries.
--A teenage girl was injured Thursday in Aitkin County in a crash in a construction work zone near Isle. Around 9am, 37-year-old Cortney Hanson of Sandstone was driving a mack truck into a driveway when a teen driver struck the side of the truck which was also in a work zone. The teen was taken to the Onamia Hospital with injuries, the name was not released. Hanson was not injured.
--The St. Cloud Hydroelectric Facility announced that the Mississippi River around St. Cloud is going to have a two-foot drawdown, which started yesterday. The drawdown will continue through this Thursday.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Spencer Gruis and Careena Jacobs of Little Falls, a boy on July 7th
--Brad and Kimberly Hilmerson of Little Falls, a girl born July 7th.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 86.
TONIGHT= storms develop, some severe in overnight, low 66.
WEDNESDAY= early storms, hazy sun, PM storms possible, high 80.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, and cooler, high 77, low around 53.
SPORTS
ALL STAR= Yankees Aaron Judge beat Twins Miguel Sano in finals of the Home Run Derby last night in Miami. Tonight is the All Star Game for Major League Baseball which started back in 1933. The game is scheduled for a little after 7pm in Miami. The Twins will be represented by Miguel Sano, Ervin Santana and Brandon Kinzler.
VL= Lastrup at Pierz Brewers Saturday at noon on AM960 KLTF.