NEWS
--Morrison County Administrator Deb Gruber announced that recently Morrison County Commissioners honored 55 employees for their number of years of service to the county. Thomas Daniels was the longest tenured employee honored during the short ceremony. A member of the Public Works Department, he has been with the county for 35 years. Employees were honored for their years of service in increments of five, starting with those who have been with the county for half of a decade. As a token of appreciation, those honored were able to order a piece of Morrison County clothing or Chamber Bucks. Those honored were: Five years: Matthew Messerschmidt, Caroline Grove, Charlotte Deadrick, Daniel Owens, William Vanden Avond, Collin Backowski, Trevor Killeaney, Douglas Rakow, Michael Whitlow, Sasha Forcier, Victoria MacKissock, Beth Brenny, Melanie Mick, Emily Loomis, Megan Holzheimer, Tina Wagner, Stephanie Robak, Chelsey Robinson, Eve Balfany, Shane Ganley and Breanna Germain. 10 years: Linda Sczublewski, Joseph Heying and Jeffrey Bowman. 15 years: Louise Jarvis, Elizabeth Hamlin, Debra Gruber, Linda Strand, Jacqueline Marx, Patricia Branchaud, James Paschelke and Gail Miller. 20 years: Rachel Barta, Amy Kowalzek, Sandra Lubbers, Deborah Symanietz, Robert Sanders, Frances Dosh, Amy Springer, Julie Shelstad, Jennifer Sanders, Jean Popp, Nancy Ruby, Mary Swenson and Jane Holman. 25 years: Joy Leidenfrost, John Shelonka, Trina Ebinger, Karen Athman and Hope Yoder. 30 years: Ricki Okerman, John Erdrich, Eileen Holtberg and Beth Brouns and as mentioned Daniels for 35 years of Morrison County service.
--Human remains located in rural Wright County in December have been identified as a missing man from last July. The remains were identified as Tony Conley Perry. The Wright County Sheriffs Office is asking anyone with information about Mr. Perry's disappearance or his movements during the month of May 2020 to contact the Wright County Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigations Division.
--On Friday Benton County deputies arrested a man for burglarizing a residence in Minden Township. About 6:15pm, Benton County deputies were sent to a residence in the 3600 block of Shadowwood Drive Northeast to investigate the report of a suspicious vehicle parked at the residence. Upon arriving, deputies found an unoccupied silver 2005 Ford Escape parked at the residence. Inside the vehicle, deputies noted a steel rack, several automobile windows, and miscellaneous scrap metal. While investigating this suspicious vehicle, deputies found the owner of the vehicle, 57-year old Theodore Guy Roemhildt of Sauk Rapids, near a garage on the property. Roemhildt told deputies that he was at this property with the permission of the owner to load up scrap metal and that the items in his vehicle had come from the property. Deputies contacted the property owner and learned the owner had not given Roemhildt permission to remove items from the property. Investigating deputies found evidence indicating Roemhildt had sold scrap metal to a local business earlier that day. Under questioning, Roemhildt admitted that he had taken items from this same residence on Wednesday and sold them on Friday. Investigating deputies placed Roemhildt under arrest and conducted a search of Roemhildt incident to arrest. In searching Roemhildt, deputies located 3 small bags containing a substance believed to be methamphetamine. Roemhildt was transported to the Benton County Jail and held on charges of 3rd Degree Burglary and 5th Degree Controlled Substance Crime.
--The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports that their office received multiple calls of residential burglaries this past weekend. The areas of the burglaries were northeast of Little Falls including Belle Prairie and Ripley Townships. All of the burglaries were within a 10-mile radius of Little Falls. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the suspect(s) pried open doors to enter out buildings. Several items were reported missing including long guns, pistol holsters, hunting equipment to include a Missions left-handed compound bow, chainsaws, battery charger and miscellaneous tools. Sheriff Larsen wants to remind residents to call the Sheriff’s Office immediately if they see any suspicious people and/or vehicles that seem out of place. These cases are still under investigation and any tips generated from the public would be greatly appreciated. Please contact the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office at 320-632-9233 if you have any information in these investigations.
--The Morrison County Sheriff's Office conducted a test on the warning sirens yesterday afternoon around Platte Lake again this was only a test of the warning sirens to be ready for any severe weather.
--Active cases are on the rise in Morrison County, 136 active cases on Monday's report with the largest total in the Pierz Zip Code at 57, Little Falls is at 29, Hillman 17 and Royalton at 12 cases Monday. Statewide numbers are down to 829 new cases yesterday, 1 new death linked to the virus. Morrison County had 11 new cases.
--Minnesota State Troopers continue to see an increase in drivers abusing the speed limit. The State Patrol troopers have cited 13,673 drivers for speeding through March 7th which is compared with 11,318 tickets written at this time last year. Troopers cited 142 motorists for going 100 mph or more compared with 80 this time last year. Troopers are committed to changing this behavior as extra speed enforcement is taking place across the state.
DEATH NOTICES
--Scott A. Langer, age 44 of Las Vegas NV formerly of Little Falls
--Irma Anna Hanneman, age 95 of Little Falls formerly of Swanville
--Antony “Tony” Leyendecker, age 48 of Burtrum.
--Verde Ann Mahling, age 92 of Little Falls.
--Ruth A. Bue, age 56 of St. Michael.
WEATHER
TODAY= morning drizzle/flurries, then cloudy, high 38.
TONIGHT= mostly cloudy, low around 25.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high 42, low around 28.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, warmer, high near 50, low near 32.
SPORTS
HS GBB= Rush City at Pierz in playoffs tonight at 7pm on FM94.
COL BB= The University of Minnesota has decided to part ways with Gopher Mens Basketball Richard Pitino after 8 seasons with the team. The Gophers started this past season at 10-2 only to finish at one game below 500 and lost in the 2nd round of Big 10 Tournament.
NFL= after 20 seasons in the NFL, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees via his children in a video this past weekend he is officially retiring from the National Football League.
COL HK= Gophers for the 2nd night in a row take a Michigan team to overtime and win as Gophers win 3-2 in overtime over Michigan in the Big 10 Semi-Finals last night. The Gophers will take on the #1 seed Wisconsin for championship tonight 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF.