NEWS --Tomorrow is the 4th of July. Independence Day is a federal holiday so many offices will be closed Wednesday and return to their business hours on Thursday. No mail delivery on Wednesday. There are many festivities. Tonight in Randall enjoy a street dance, dunk tank and fireworks. Tomorrow in Randall a parade at 11am, duck races, bed races, food, dunk tank and Little Falls Radio Cash Cube after the parade. Brainerd has a parade at 4:00pm, followed by live music and fireworks at night. Pillsbury has their parade at 2:00pm. Hillman has a parade at 11:00am with events to follow. St. Joseph presents Joestown Rocks tonight with lots of bands starting at 5:00pm, then a parade at 10:00am Wednesday in St. Joseph. That festival is a fundraiser for the Catholic Church. Little Falls Fire Chief Mike Nieman reminded us all aerial fireworks are illegal for personal use. Enjoy the 4th of July events but remember if you use legal fireworks to play it safe and be responsible.
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen is asking area boaters to operate their watercraft at slow no wake speeds whenever possible on area lakes that have high water levels. According to Larsen, high water levels continue to be an issue on Shamineau Lake and Crookneck Lake in northwestern Morrison County. Boaters should be aware that causing excessive wakes can create significant erosion to shorelines as well as actual damage to docks and other structures along the shorelines. The Sheriff’s Office Water Patrol, along with local conservation officers will be asking boaters throughout the summer to operate at no wake speeds anytime they are within 300 feet of a shoreline. The Sheriff’s Office has posted No Wake Zone signs at the Shamineau Lake and Crookneck Lake public access. Sheriff Larsen stated, “We are asking boaters to use extra caution in adhering to this advisory until lake water levels return to normal.”
--Around 3:20pm on Friday the Morrison County Sheriffs Office received a report of a one vehicle accident with possible injuries on Hilton road approximately five miles south of Little Falls in Bellevue Township. 55-year old Michael Wander of Little Falls was traveling south on Hilton road as he went off the road near a curve and rolled, coming to rest on its wheels. Wander was taken via ambulance to a Little Falls hospital for treatment of unknown injuries.
--Little Falls Police had taken numerous bear complaints in Little Falls on Friday evening. One complaint was near the area of Lindbergh Drive North and 9th Avenue NW. The other complaint was near the area of 9th Street NE and 2nd Avenue NE. Authorities believe these are two separate bears. There has not been any reports of the bears being a threat or aggressive towards anyone. If you happen to spot a bear in town, please stay away from it and contact police. Most likely these bears are looking for food sources. A few tips to help prevent bears wandering into your yard include: Make trash cans inaccessible. Bring them inside at night. Enclose your compost pile. Keep your barbecue grill clean and as free of drippings as possible. If you locate a bear, contact your DNR conservation officer or local authorities.
--Vietnam Veterans will be honored during a ceremony at the Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds at noon Wednesday. This ceremony is part of a three-day exhibit called The Wall that Heals. Any veterans that were on active duty during the Vietnam war from November 1955 to May 15, 1975, are invited to attend.
--Around 10:05am Friday Foley Police Officers learned of a burglary that had taken place at 840 Highway 23 (Mr. Jim’s) in Foley. Benton County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted with the initial investigation of the incident. Officers and Deputies searched the building; however, no suspects were located on scene. Throughout the course of the investigation, Officers and Deputies learned that the suspect(s) had gained access to the building through a side aperture. Property inside the building was tampered with and an undisclosed amount of cash was taken. This incident remains under investigation by the Foley Police Department. Anyone with information should call the Foley Police Department or the Benton County Dispatch Center.
--The State Patrol released the names in a fatal accident involving alcohol Friday in Sherburne County that killed an Avon woman. Brittany Nicole Ranck was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 10 at about 11:30pm Friday when her car struck a truck just west of 100th Avenue Southeast in Clear Lake Township. The truck was driven by 27-year old Dustin James Gilyard of St. Cloud, who was transported to St. Cloud Hospital with injuries that are not considered to be life-threatening. Ranck died as a result of the crash. The State Patrol detected alcohol in both drivers.
--On Monday Stearns County released the Cold Spring Police Officer Tom Decker's murder investigation files. 31-year-old Eric Thomes had become the main point of interest in Decker's death. Officers had been trying to talk to Thomes throughout the day on January 2nd, 2013. Thomes ran into a pole shed on Great Northern Drive in Wakefield Township. Agents from the BCA kept watch on the shed for hours. When the property owner, Sarah Roberts, arrived home she provided a key for the shed. As officers unlocked the door they found Thomes had died by suicide. Thomes left two notes in the shed. One apologized and said he could not handle it anymore, and the other note said he loved someone and said the person should be good. Decker was shot and killed in the line of duty November 29th, 2012, after going to perform a welfare check in Cold Spring.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT --Josh and Lacey Burgardt of Little Falls, girl on June 29th
DEATH NOTICE --Betty Jane Fietek, age 83 of Swanville --Lorraine B. McKenzie (Redder), age 89 of Onamia
WEATHER TODAY= morning storms, partly sunny, high 84. TONIGHT= storms late, some severe, low 70. 4th of JULY= AM storms, cloudy, high 88, late night storms low 62. THURSDAY= becoming sunny and cooler, high 75, low near 57.
SPORTS TWINS= Robby Grossman hits a grand slam, but Brewers battle back to win 6-5 in 10 innings last night over Twins. Twins and Brewers have 2 days games today and tomorrow games at 2:30pm for the pregame on Q92 WYRQ. NBA= LeBron James signs a big deal to play for the LA Lakers.
A reminder that there will be no newsletter Wednesday and the offices of Little Falls Radio are closed for the 4th of July.