NEWS
--Four people were hurt, one seriously, in a two-vehicle crash at the Interstate 94 and Highway 23 interchange near Rockville Saturday morning. The Minnesota State Patrol says around 7am an SUV was going south on Highway 23 and turning onto the Interstate 94 eastbound on-ramp when it hit a second SUV that was going north on 23. One passenger in the first SUV, 16-year-old Abdirehin Iman, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with life-threatening injuries, while a second passenger, 16-year-old Sakariye Isse, was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities say neither one of them was wearing a seatbelt during the crash. The driver of the first SUV, 18-year-old Sayidali Iman, and the driver of the second SUV, 49-year-old Peggy Dahl of Paynesville, both suffered non-life-threatening injuries, but did not go to the hospital. Three additional passengers in the first SUV, two ages 17 and one 18 were not hurt.
--A Twin Cities man accused of soliciting a child for sex has pleaded guilty to one of the charges. Thirty-six-year-old Matthew Sommers of Eagan was charged after allegedly chatting with an undercover officer from the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force. Sommers has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of distributing sexual material to a child. Two other similar charges will be dismissed at sentencing. According to the charges filed in Stearns County District Court, Sommers began chatting with the undercover officer, who was posing as a 15-year-old girl, in a chat room known for the solicitation of children. Court records allege Sommers turned the conversation toward a sexual nature and sent pictures of his genitals. A second undercover officer also set up a profile of a 15-year-old girl and says Sommers began soliciting them who he thought was a different 15-year-old girl. Records show he again sent nude photos of his genitals.
Investigators and members of the Eagan Police Department raided Sommers' house, seized electronic devices, and arrested him. Sommers will be sentenced on July 24th.
--The Morrison County Dive Team had training at the Little Falls Middle School back on Friday afternoon so you might have seen a number of law enforcement vehicles there. This again was training from the team which is made up of 8 trained divers from the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Little Falls Police Department. The dive team trains monthly in preparation for underwater searches and rescue. They wanted to thank the Little Falls School District for allowing our team to use their facility.
--A Minneapolis man was arrested over the weekend after leading police on a chase through multiple counties. The pursuit began in Howard Lake in Wright County and moved into Meeker County just after 12:30am Saturday. Meeker County authorities say a caller reported the driver was crossing over the lanes, passed them on the shoulder, and then passed another vehicle and almost hit a semi head on. The pursuit continued into Litchfield with speeds reaching over 100mph. Authorities were able to used a PIT maneuver, causing the vehicle to spin out and go into the ditch. The suspect, 27-year-old Khalid Jama was arrested and taken to the Meeker County Jail.
--Two students from Royalton competed at the Minnesota State High School League Speech State Tournament in Apple Valley this past weekend. Brooke Wenner took 3rd place in the Poetry Reading competition and Nate Noga took 8th place in Extemporaneous Reading. Congratulations to both students as they took part in the competition on Friday and Saturday at Eastview High School.
--Little Falls Community High School Principal Tim Bjorge stated yesterday on KLTF there are 182 residences that will take part in Day of Caring tomorrow from 8:15am-12pm. The homeowners must have someone as the residence to take part in the event. Bjorge said that along with the students there are 36 community volunteer groups helping out making it the largest number of yards and largest number of community/business and adult volunteer groups in the 12 years of the Day of Caring event. Thank you all who are part of the event tomorrow. If you have questions call Julie at the High School today at 632-2003 about the event tomorrow.
--Also yesterday Little Falls Community Schools Superintendent Greg Johnson was on KLTF and said they are not planning too many items for the summer months on work in the schools making it one of the quietest summers for that. However, already 200 students have signed up for the Kids Programs this summer for K-5, there will be summer school for students needing to finish or get ahead on their next year's school work in June and July and they are already getting ready for the next school year with upcoming items. They held their first Strategic Planning Session and will have their second one scheduled for May 9th. If you want to take the survey from the first meeting to day is the final day you can do that online at the school's website. May is very busy with concerts, plays, athletics, banquets all leading to graduation on May 28th at 2pm at the high school gym. Questions for Superintendent Johnson call the high school 616-2200.
--The DNR reported that burning restrictions have begun for a number of Minnesota counties some yesterday and more including Morrison County on Wednesday. This means that burning permits will not be issued for the counties at this time due to the critical danger of fire such as yesterday where fire crews battled a number of grass and wildfires around the state due to the strong winds and low humidity and most of the state is in a Red Flag Warning again today.
--Trent Iverson wanted to thank everyone who took part in the first Church Ladies Hotdish Cookoff Friday where over 4-thousand dollars was raised for Hospice groups around the area. The top vote getter for hotdish was Zion Lutheran Church of Little Falls for their tator-tot hotdish, 2nd place was St. Joseph's Church in Pierz and third place was Holy Trinity Catholic Church of Royalton. The plan is to have another cookoff fundraiser next year so stay tuned for those details and a big thank you again from Emblom Brenny Funeral Service.
--Congratulations to Paige Kraus and Ellis Meyer who finished 3rd place in Duo at the State Speech Competition last weekend. Kraus and Meyer are from Little Falls Community High School.
DEATH NOTICES
--Leslie P. Nash, age 65 of Little Falls formerly of Lastrup.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and breezy, wind gusts to 35mph, high near 60.
TONIGHT= clear skies, winds will die down, low 40.
WEDNESDAY= sunny, less windy and mild, high 68, low 48.
THURSDAY= sunny and very pleasant, high 70, low near 45.
SPORTS
TWINS= After a day off, the Twins open a series at Chicago tonight against the White Sox, pregame at 5:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HS SB= Zimmerman at Pierz in a double header of High School softball will be Thursday starting at 4pm on AM960 KLTF.