NEWS
--Highway 27 will close west of the Mississippi River bridge between Paul Larson Memorial Drive and 8th Street West on Thursday (June 13th) until late September. The detour uses Morrison County Road 214 and Paul Larson Memorial Drive. Highway 27 remains closed east of the Mississippi River bridge in downtown Little Falls between Front Street SE and 4th Street SE until August. That detour uses Front Street SE along the dam, 1st Avenue SE and 4th Street. The Highway 10 and Highway 27 bridges over the Mississippi River both remain open. Access to all businesses on Highway 27 are open during the duration of the project, although some stores have shifted to side and/ or back entrances.
--In an effort to raise awareness of elder abuse the Pierz Villa is hosting a free community event in conjunction with World Elderly Abuse Awareness Day, Wednesday from 10am-3pm at the Pierz Villa. At 11:00am, Morrison County Attorney Brian Middendorf will speak about elder abuse in relation to financial exploitation. Then at 1:00pm Martin Fleischhacker with the Minnesota Department of Commerce will discuss elder abuse in relation to scams. Visitors will have the opportunity to ask questions after each presentation. Several vendors, including representatives of home care and hospice providers, assisted living, the Morrison County Services Adult Protection team, the Central Minnesota Council on Aging and others will be on site to provide a variety of information and answer any questions visitors may have. This is a free event. For more information call 468-6405.
--Morrison County Public Works Maintenance crews will be shouldering on CSAH 34, 27, 36, 53 and County Road 236, 234, 233 this week. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers. Please use caution around work crews and flaggers. Crews will also be doing culvert work on CSAH 22, 43, and 1 as weather permits. A Public Works Contractor will be spray patching various roads around the county in the months of June and July. Please use caution around work crews as loose material may be present in driving lanes.
--Around 4:15pm Thursday a 16 year old driver walked away from a crash with minor injuries after falling asleep at the wheel. Alex Jacobson of Clearwater was driving southbound on County Road 75 when he went into the right side ditch as the road curved to the left. The vehicle hit a driveway approach and flew approximately 150 feet before hitting the ground. The vehicle then hit a tree before coming to a stop. Jacobson told deputies he was driving home from work and fell asleep. He sustained minor injuries and left the scene with family.
--Two people were hurt in a rear-end crash on Interstate 94 on Saturday. The incident happened just before 12:00 p.m. near Sauk Centre. The Minnesota State Patrol says a car driven by 33-year-old Jaclyn Rodman of Blaine, was going east on Interstate 94 when it was rear-ended by a second car driven by 31-year-old Travis Hott of Glenwood. Both drivers suffered non-life threatening injuries.
--A Long Prairie man was hurt when his motorcycle slid into a ditch on Saturday night. The incident happened shortly after 7:30pm on Highway 71 in Little Sauk Township, south of Long Prairie. The Minnesota State Patrol says 32-year old Jesse Zirbes was driving south on Highway 71 when he hit the brakes, laid down the bike, and went into the ditch. He was taken to Long Prairie Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
--The Stearns County Sheriff Steve Soyka has ordered an emergency NO WAKE zone placed on Big Fish Lake. The lake level was surveyed Friday morning and was less than 6” from the high-water mark. Levels on Big Fish Lake have not been this high since 2014. Minnesota Rules allow a Sheriff in times of an emergent situation to establish a NO WAKE zone for up to 30 days. Boaters or Personal Watercraft Operators that violate the restriction may be cited. NO WAKE speed means “operation of a watercraft at the slowest possible speed necessary to maintain steerage, but in no case greater than five miles per hour.” While this may be a temporary inconvenience to watercraft users, the restrictions are being enacted to prevent any further damage to the shoreline, submerged docks or lifts, and to prevent injury from docks or lifts that may be obscured due to the water level. When the water recedes to an acceptable level, the restriction will be removed. High-water levels continue to be an issue on Shamineau Lake and Crookneck Lake in northwestern Morrison County, as well as Pine Lake in southwestern Morrison County.
--A man was killed after a shooting at a residence in Maple Grove Township, about 20 miles northeast of Detroit Lakes, around 3:17am Sunday. The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of family. The investigation is ongoing, but the Becker County Sheriff’s Office said the incident does not appear to be random and authorities do not believe there is a threat to the public at this time. Anyone with information regarding the incident should call the Becker County Sheriff's Office or the White Earth Police Department.
--A 19-year old Deerwood man and a 40-year-old Aitkin woman received non life threatening injuries following a two-vehicle crash east of Deerwood at 1:20pm Saturday. Kaven Donald Blazek was entering Highway 210 from County Road 32 in his pickup when it collided with a vehicle driven by Misty Marie Swanson, who was westbound on Highway 210 in Rabbit Lake Township. Both drivers were wearing seat belts and their vehicles' air bags were deployed. Blazek was taken to Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby while Swanson was taken to Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin.
DEATH NOTICES
--Erich J. Westerman, age 83 of Randall
--Monica Ann VanHeel, age 89 of Swanville
--Betty J. Anderson, age 89 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= showers and T-storms afternoon, high near 70.
TONIGHT= showers & T-storms likely, some heavy rains, low 47.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and windy, high 64, cool night, low 40.
THURSDAY= sunny and not as windy, high 72, storms late, low 51.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins open series at home against Seattle tonight with a pregame at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
BUS= A reminder that today is the final day to sign up for the fan bus Thursday to the state tournament game for the Little Falls Flyers. For information stop in 8am-3pm or call 616-2206 at school today. There will also be a send off for the Flyer baseball team on Wednesday afternoon at 1:30pm from the high school.
NBA= Golden State avoids elimination 106-105 last night in NBA Finals over Toronto. Game 6 will be on Thursday night.