NEWS
--The Little Falls Rotary Club is helping homeless Veterans again this summer by asking you to donate hygiene products, white socks and other items to the homeless veterans around Minnesota. There are drop off sites around Little Falls at the American Legion, Humane Society, New 2 You Thrift Store near the Boys and Girls Club and other businesses. Financial donations can be accepted via mail at PO Box 414 in Little Falls or contact Phil Smith at (507) 230-1718.
--Maintenance crews will be graveling County Road 264 this week along with replacing culverts on CSAH 22 and County Road 225. Public works will also be mowing roadside ditches this week. Please use caution around mowers and work crews. 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.
--Authorities are asking for your help as they search for a missing Paynesville man. The Paynesville Police Department is looking for 50-year old Steven Row. He was last seen on May 23rd at his home. Neighbors say Row left his home in his work truck, a blue 2005 Chevrolet 2500HD, with Minnesota license plate number MAE592. Row is described as a white man, 5'5" tall, weighing 190 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. Prior to leaving his home Row appeared to have been searching for information on suicide. Row is currently entered as a missing person. He has a warrant for his arrest on 1st Degree Sexual Conduct charges. Anyone with any information on Row's whereabouts should contact police at (320) 243-3434.
--Morrison County Public Health and many participating sponsors and organizations are inviting all to the ribbon cutting of their new Fit Trail located in Pine Grove Park between the park and zoo on Tuesday, July 9th at 1:00pm. The trail will be made up of 10 stations of fitness from walking, running, jogging, biking, cardio and other exercises in the stations which is around a half-mile in length. Public Health decided on a fit trail to work for fitness and combating obesity. The trail will be open for all to use. It is located as the dirt trail between the zoo and park on the west side of Little Falls.
--A central Minnesota man who has been a spokesman for a group of armed civilians patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border has been charged with impersonating a U.S. officer or employee. Federal prosecutors in New Mexico say an indictment returned Wednesday by a grand jury in that state charged 44-year old James Christopher Benvie who is originally from Albany in Stearns County with two counts of false impersonation of a U.S. officer or employee. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted. Benvie made an initial appearance in federal court Friday in Guthrie, Oklahoma, after the FBI arrested him there. The indictment alleges Benvie committed the offenses in Dona Ana County on April 15th and April 17th. A detention hearing is set for Tuesday. He'll be transported to New Mexico for prosecution.
--The Minnesota State Patrol and local law enforcement were reminding motorists in the Brainerd lakes area to expect heavy flows of traffic in an out of Brainerd International Raceway this Thursday through Saturday due to the Lakes Jam Music Festival. Traffic delays are expected on Highway 371 near the entrance of the raceway later this week and motorists are expected to have slow-downs, stoppages and delays during this period. If need be, it is best to find an alternate route around the raceway if not attending the event.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office received information of a paddle boat that was found on an area lake. If you are missing a paddle boat, contact the sheriff's office with a description of the paddle boat and what lake it was on. Their number is (320) 632-9233.
--A stolen vehicle has been reported to the Morrison County Sheriffs Office. The vehicle a 1996 Ford Ranger pickup with a Minnesota license plate 107PMC was taken from the Harding area on Friday. The vehicle has some peeling on the back bumper, as well as scratches on the front of the hood. If you have any information please call the Morrison County Sheriff's Office at (320) 632-9233.
--Two people have been arrested for allegedly offering sex at a Waite Park massage business. The Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force arrested 48-year old Sufeng Jiang of St. Cloud and 49-year old Randy Wittner of St. Cloud on Friday. The arrests resulted after the Waite Park Police Department had received information and a number of complaints about possible illicit sex acts and other suspicious activity at Oriental Massage at 125 Waite Avenue North. Investigators stopped several people leaving the business who admitted to paying for various sex acts. The Task Force then conducted an inspection and found a female worker asking for help. The victim/worker said she was being held against her will, forced to work long hours, and perform sex acts. Search warrants were used for the business as well as a mobile home in River view Trailer Park in St. Cloud where the victim alleges she was forced to stay. The business owner Jiang, and Wittner were taken to the Stearns County Jail where they are facing charges related to Promotion of Prostitution. Other criminal charges are also possible. Last month a St. Cloud woman pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution at a different Waite Park massage business.
--A 9-year old girl was seriously injured in ATV rollover incident. 11-year old Ava Smith of Melrose was driving an ATV owned by Nicholas and Gwen Shaw of Freeport. Ava was driving the ATV on the property’s driveway when she attempted to maneuver a curve and lost control of the ATV. Her passenger, 9-year old Eve Shaw of Freeport, who was not wearing a seat belt, flew from the ATV landing on the ground. The ATV rolled and landed on its driver’s side. Ava was wearing her seat belt. Ava sustained minor injuries while Eve sustained life-threatening injuries. Eve was transported to the Melrose Hospital then airlifted to an unknown hospital in the Twin Cities. Speed is believed to be a factor in the crash which remains under investigation.
OLYMPICS
--Italy has been awarded as host of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
WEATHER
TODAY= fog early, then sunny and windy, high 80.
TONIGHT= clear skies, some fog late, low around 55.
WEDNESDAY= foggy start, then sunny, high 84, storms late, low 60.
THURSDAY= storms early, sunny and warm, high 85, storms late.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins (50-27) open a home series tonight with Tampa Bay at Target Field, pregame at 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
SOC= The U.S. Women's Soccer team beat Spain 2-1 in the round of 16 Monday and advances to the quarter-finals Friday against France.