NEWS
–The Morrison County Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics is this morning. It starts in the Little Falls Fleet Supply parking lot at 7:30am, then participants will be taken to near Ft. Ripley at the Crow Wing/Morrison County Line and continue down Highway 371 into Little Falls and work down to Highway 10 and then onto to Royalton to finish their route of the run. There was no need to sign up early for this, just show up today at 7:30am and walk and or bike with law enforcement on the torch run for Special Olympics.
--Congratulations to each of the 2019 Little Falls Dam Festival raffle winners. The $10,000 grand prize went to Tomas and Laurie Ochoa, Caleb Ochoa and Carlos Ochoa. Three separate $1,000 prizes were won by Shannon Gwost, Greg Zylka, and Gerald Adamski. Three $500 prizes went to Trevor Smock, Katie and Kevin Plante, and Big Adventures Daycare. Congratulations to each.
--Foley area residents are celebrating Fun Days this week. Events started Monday and run through Wednesday. Tuesday has a hot rod show, a kiddie parade, a dance group from Mexico, and pinata party. On Wednesday you'll see a traditional Aztec performance group and the grand parade that is Wednesday night starting at 6:30pm. You can also ride the midway all three days in Foley.
--A downtown St. Cloud intersection is closed starting Tuesday while crews perform utility work in the area. The intersection of 1st street North and 5th Avenue North near the River's Edge Convention Center will be closed to traffic. The closure is expected to last until Thursday. Detours will be posted.
--The 62-year-old Deerwood man who died Friday, June 14, following a head-on fiery crash between a semitrailer and a pickup truck was identified as Scott Ronald Bundy. The Minnesota State Patrol responded to the crash at 7:15pm at the intersection of County Highway 12 and Hawks Road, southwest of Deerwood. The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office reported both vehicles caught fire following the collision and firefighters from the Deerwood Fire Department responded to extinguish the flames. Officials shut down County Highway 12, also known as the Deerwood shortcut, shortly after the crash occurred. Busy weekend traffic was diverted around the wreck, and the stretch remained closed until about midnight Friday. The semi driver 59-year old Curtis L. Blahosky of Brainerd was treated by Cuyuna Regional Medical Center ambulance personnel and released. The big rig was pulling a trailer but was not loaded.
--A man died Saturday evening while trying to save his 3-year old child, who had fallen from the bridge into the lake. The man has been identified as 31-year old Christopher Franklin Nicholas Schultz of Frazee. The child was brought to shore by bystanders, according to a news release from Becker County Sheriff Todd Glander. First responders rushed to Long Bridge after the sheriff's office received a report at 8:22pm of a possible drowning. When officers arrived, they were told the father had jumped into the water to rescue the child. He began to struggle while keeping the child above water. Bystanders went into the water and brought the child to shore, but the man never resurfaced. At 9:07pm with help from a fisherman and the Becker County Dive Rescue Team, he was located. Schultz was taken to Essentia St. Mary's-Detroit Lakes Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The child was treated for injuries that weren’t life-threatening. The incident remains under investigation.
--A teenager was hurt in an ATV accident over the weekend. The incident happened just after 1:15pm Saturday at 43519 115th Avenue in Brockway Township, northwest of St. Stephen. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says 13-year-old Blaise Hartung, of Holdingford, was riding an ATV on private property when he entered the roadway and was sideswiped by an SUV. 30-year old Mark Solarz of St. Joseph was driving northbound on 115th Avenue prior to the crash. Hartung suffered minor injuries. Solorz was not hurt.
--A New Munich woman was hurt after crashing her motorcycle Friday morning. The incident happened just before 9:00am on County Road 186 and 375th Avenue in Getty Township, Southeast of Sauk Centre. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says 40-year old Laura Kittleson was heading south on County Road 186 when she hit some loose gravel, lost control of her motorcycle and left the roadway. The crash caused her to be thrown from her motorcycle. Kittleson was taken to Sauk Centre Hospital before being air lifted to St. Cloud Hospital with moderate injuries. The crash remains under investigation.
--Four people were taken to the hospital after a two vehicle crash near Brooten. The incident happened Friday just after 10:00am at the intersection of County Road 26 and County Road 192 in Raymond Township. Stearns County Sheriff Steve Soyka says 33-year old Morgan Oehrlein of Sauk Centre was heading south on County Road 26 when she failed to stop for a stop sign and struck another vehicle in the intersection. The driver of the second vehicle was 68-year old James Barchenger of Glenwood. Oehrlien, Barchenger and his two passengers, 65-year old Karen Barchenger and 4-year old Camden Rowe were each taken to the hospital for their injuries.
--The Little Falls Health Services (formerly the Lutheran Home) in Little Falls will have their 5th Anniversary open house with tours, prizes and free food, today from 5-7pm. All are invited to attend.
--Phase two of the Morrison County Courthouse remodel has been completed and an open house is being held this morning from 8:00-9:15am. The Morrison County Commissioner meeting will follow the open house at 9:30am. They had previously been holding their county commissioner meetings at Little Falls City Hall during the remodel. The open house includes a light breakfast.
--Another event today is the 13th Annual Teacher's Tea event at the Little Falls Senior Center from 2-4pm. All former rural schoolhouse teachers and their friends and family members are invited to come and remember and enjoy time together at the event. For more information contact Dorothy at 632-6082.
DEATH NOTICES
--Derek A. Aleshire, age 30 of Little Falls.
--Brenda Smude, age 58 of Royalton.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny early, cloudy with showers late day, high 72.
TONIGHT= showers early, then clearing skies, low 48.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high 75, clouds increase at night, low 51.
THURSDAY= showers and storms likely, some heavy rains, high 68.
SPORTS
TWINS= Red Sox pitching blanks Twins to win 2-0 last night. The Twins and Red Sox game 2 tonight at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
NBA= The NBA Draft is Thursday, Timberwolves have 11th pick.