NEWS
--Morrison County Public Works and the City of Little Falls announced Friday that the 4th Street Southeast Reconstruction Project in Little Falls will begin today, July 5th starting with Phase One. Phase One of the project requires a complete closure from 5th Avenue Southeast to Broadway; allowing the contractor to install new water, sewer, storm sewer and road section throughout the phase. Both vehicular and pedestrian traffic will be detoured around the closed area. The entire project will be completed in five phases, with completion anticipated in the early summer of 2023. This project is a joint effort between Morrison County and the City of Little Falls. Maintenance Striping operations are taking place throughout a number of Morrison County Roadways through July. Please be cautious around painting operations and avoid driving over wet paint.
--Just like Morrison County did last week due to flooding and severe storms damage, Crow Wing County also for the second time this year declared a local emergency. To make such a declaration, the county must show it sustained at least $135,552.15 in damages to public infrastructure, which in turn makes the county and local jurisdictions eligible for 75% reimbursement from the state of Minnesota for eligible expenditures. This is the second time this year the county took the step of declaring an emergency because of severe weather impacts. Examples of areas especially hard-hit during the June 20 storm, when strong winds toppled trees throughout the cities of Brainerd and Baxter along with other pockets of destruction. The Greer Lake Campground, a primitive campground located within the Crow Wing State Forest was closed last weekend, and remains closed due to downed trees, and places like the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area also sustained storm damage. Morrison County last Tuesday also declared an emergency declaration from storms that occurred June 20th through the 25th to help in getting state and federal funding for damage to the area.
--A boat washed ashore June 21 on the small island of São Jorge, some 2,700 miles across the ocean from its launch in North Carolina seven months earlier. That boat belonged to 44-year-old Joseph Matthew Johnson, who grew up in the Brainerd lakes area and was reported missing November 27th of last year. That day, Johnson did not show up for a previously arranged fishing trip with a friend, said Mary Kay Anderson, Johnson’s mother. With Johnson’s boat being found, Anderson said she received an outpouring of support as she continues to search for her son, the second of four boys and the father of a 15-year-old. She is confident he will be found alive as he has the will and training to do just that. The Associated Press reported the U.S. Coast Guard searched nearly 7,500 square miles in November of 2021 for Johnson, but the search was called off when no new information was found. No more information about Johnson’s disappearance emerged, until the discovery of his boat last month.
--The Pierz City Council approved a contract with the Pierz School District regarding services for a school resource officer. This game because the Council was getting concerned with the amount of time a city police officer spends at the school. The three-year contract is for the district to pay the city $7,000 per year. It will be re-evaluated each year by the school board with discussion from city officials.
--Bethany Lutheran Church of Ramey will have their annual picnic on Sunday with chicken, dressing, potatoes, ham and all the fixings with homemade pies from 11am-1:30pm. There will also be a fancy work auction, quilts, embroidered dish towels, pillow cases and more.
--Thank you to all who came and donated Thursday at the Falls Ballroom, Will at the Ballroom stated they served around 800 and brought in over $12,000 for flood relief efforts in Randall. Boone's Market in Randall held a hot dog fundraiser on Friday with all of those proceeds also going to the flood relief efforts in the Randall area. The givenmn.org site reported over $7,000 was raised by last Saturday. You can still donate to the site to drop off checks to the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls or at the Randall State Bank.
--A late-night fight ended in multiple stabbings early Sunday morning. St Cloud Police say they observed a fight in a parking lot at 5th Avenue and 1st Street South just before 2am. During the fight, 44-year-old Maritza Mikado Lockett stabbed 35-year-old Tiesha Monique Moore and 19-year-old Maliyah Lashae Glenn. Moore was taken to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries, while Glenn was treated at the hospital and then taken to Stearns County Jail and cited for disorderly conduct. Another woman, 27-year-old Maria Shonell Price was also involved in the fight. Authorities say she was taken to the Stearns County Jail and cited for disorderly conduct. Police say Lockett ran from the scene and has not been found. Anyone with information is asked to call St. Cloud Police.
--More rain in the area Sunday and again Monday where nearly 2 inches of rain fell in a short time in areas Monday morning.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Robert Wilczek Jr. and Samantha Thelen of LF, a boy born July 1st.
DEATH NOTICES
--Gary Louis Ohnstad, age 75 of Springfield, Missouri.
--Lloyd C. Hayes, age 94 of Pierz formerly Belle Prairie Township.
--Alfred Loscheider, age 94 of the Pierz/Harding area.
--Marjory Van Nostrand, age 90 of Little Falls.
--Ervin Marshik, age 87 of Buckman.
--Helen Ross, age 95 of Pierz.
--Doreen J. Kapsner, age 89 of Little Falls.
--Michael V. Waytashek, age 55 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly cloudy skies, high 81, clear night, low near 58.
WEDNESDAY= partly sunny, high 78, shower/storm at night, low 63.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, more humid, high 83, low around 60.
SPORTS
TWINS= Byron Buxton has a walk-off homerun to beat the Orioles Friday night 3-2 for the Twins win. 4Th straight walk off makes history for an American League team Saturday as Polanco homers and Miranda brings in the winning run as Twins beat Orioles 4-3. Twins lose on Sunday 3-1 to Orioles but still take the series. Twins get a 4 run 10th inning to beat White Sox Monday 6-3. Twins continue their series in Chicago tonight at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
LYNX= Lynx get their biggest win of the season Sunday routing Las Vegas on Rebecca Brunson night at Target Center winning 102-71.
CLAY= Almost 8,000 students from 329 teams competed at the 2022 Minnesota State High School Clay Target League tournament in Alexandria. Local winners include: Division 6A- Royalton 2nd place, Division 7A Junior Varsity male- Jonah Olson of Little Falls tied for 3rd place. High Gun Varsity Female, Korin Kostreba of Holdingford was 1st, High Gun Varsity Male, Evan Lichy of Holdingford was 2nd, Team Totals-Novice Little Falls High School was 2nd and also 2nd for JV.