NEWS
--Little Falls Community High School Prinicpal Tim Bjorge and Becky Abbott of the high school announced that all is ready to go for tomorrow for the 10th Day of Caring. Becky stated they had 178 homeowners on the list but had a few cancelled and but still a large number of homes being helped with by the students and volunteers. There will be no kick off due to restrictions so the start time will be earlier around 8:15am to start and teams will be doing 3-4 homes so some homes may have students there before 8:30am while others may not have students there until 11am so please be patient. They have 57 student teams and another 20 adult teams helping out. Bjorge thanked the drivers helping out as with restrictions less numbers can be on vans and buses going to the sites around Little Falls, Randall and the villages of Sobieski and Flensburg. Homeowners must be home when they arrived and homeowners and students are asked to follow social distancing and mask wearing guidelines as need be. Bjorge stated if the homeowners wants to leave something for the students, they ask if you want to leave an item on the deck or stair that is fine but they cannot have interaction with them like in years past and will not be able to take pictures with the homeowners due to Department of Education COVID-19 guidelines. Bjorge thanks the sponsors for the event and posters were being placed Monday around the community for the event which is this Wednesday rain or shine in Little Falls School District.
--A man who broke the jaw of a Minnesota State Trooper before leading authorities on an hours-long manhunt and robbing a man on the St. John's campus back in November has been sentenced. A Stearns County judge has sentenced 29-year-old Devan Wilson to 10 years in prison. Wilson pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and third-degree assault in January. Five other charges were dismissed as part of his plea agreement. Last November a state trooper made contact with a stopped vehicle on Interstate 94 near Freeport. Records show the driver was asleep and the officer noticed bottles of open alcohol in the car. Police say the driver gave a false name to police as he was being given field sobriety tests. When a breathalyzer showed a preliminary blood-alcohol content of 0.147, the officer began to arrest Wilson. Wilson then roundhouse-punched the trooper in the jaw, knocking him off his feet and into the ditch. Wilson then got into the vehicle and fled eastbound. As another officer went to perform a pursuit interruption technique to spin the car out, Wilson allegedly held a black object out the window. The officer backed off, fearing it may be a gun. Wilson then fled by running into the St. John's woods. Authorities soon talked with a 23-year-old man on the St. John's University Prep School campus. The man said he was awakened in his dorm by someone matching Wilson's description who entered his room, said he had a gun and was going to kill him if he didn't comply with his demands. Wilson took the victim's clothes, cell phone, car keys, shoes, and jacket and left. Wilson was found hiding underneath the stairs in the residence hall hours later. He had the victim's belongings and a black wrench. No gun was found. According to the criminal complaint, Wilson admitted to all of the crimes, but at times blamed imaginary people for them. The trooper had three fractures in his jaw and underwent surgery.
--The Upsala Drama Club will present Xanadu at the Upsala High School May 14th and May 15th at 7:30pm and May 16th at 2pm. Tickets will be available at the door. Safety protocols and guidelines will be followed for each of the performances. Questions call Upsala schools.
--At 4:00pm Friday the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a one-vehicle accident with possible injuries at the intersection of Highway 27 and 335th Avenue, approximately five miles east of Lastrup. 34-year-old Heather Kingbird of Rice was traveling west on Highway 27 when her vehicle went off the road, struck a mailbox and hit a driveway approach. Kingbird’s vehicle then rolled and came to rest on its side in the ditch. Kingbird and three minor aged children were transported to St. Gabriel’s Hospital by Mayo Clinic Ambulance with unknown injuries.
--The Little Falls Fire Department battled two grass fires on Saturday afternoon. First at 2:23pm they were dipatched to Highway 27 and Davenport Road in Pike Creek Township on a report of a grass fire. When we arrived, MN DNR was already on scene as they were responding to several fires near Swanville. We assisted the DNR in extinguishing that fire. While at that scene they were then called to Highway 10 and Highway 371 split on another grass fire. A Morrison County Deputy arrived on Highway 10 a short time later and said that fire was getting close to pine trees. Camp Ripley was requested to assist with that fire. When we arrived on Highway 10, MN DNR was on scene as well. That fired was contained before reaching the trees.
--Authorities responded to a two vehicle crash in Brooten over the weekend. The incident happened around 10:30 Saturday morning at the intersection of 2nd Street and Central Avenue. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says 28-year-old Madeline Jensen, of Minneapolis, was heading west on 2nd Street when she was struck by another vehicle in the intersection. Jensen was not hurt however her passenger, 27-year-old Justice Walker of Willmar, was taken to Glenwood hospital. The driver of the second vehicle, 25-year-old Hunter Murdock of Brooten was not hurt. Authorities say the intersection is under construction and Jensen, who was traveling on 2nd street, had the right of way, while traffic flowing north and south on Central Avenue are controlled by stop signs.
--Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge will be hosting guided birds walks on Saturday at 8:00 am. This event is free and open to all ages. Pre-registration is required by this Friday so that they can expect those you are coming. Participants will meet at the headquarters unit of Crane Meadows, located at 19502 Iris Road in Little Falls. Questions can be directed to 632-1575, there will a limited number of binoculars to be borrowed for the event Saturday.
DEATH NOTICES
--Delona Smieja, age 87 of Cushing.
--David John (Tree Dave) Drong, age 52 of Little Falls.
--Dennis “Lewis” Steuck, age 68 of Long Prairie.
--Gregory Johnson, age 62 of Long Prairie.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, breezy, high 54.
TONIGHT= partly cloudy, frost overnight, low 30.
WEDNESDAY= cloudy, scattered showers, high 53, low 30.
THURSDAY= partial sun, PM shower or storm, high 58, low 37.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins hold on to beat Texas 6-5 last night after Rangers barely came back to win it in the 9th. The Twins (11-16) and Texas game 2 tonight 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.
NHL= Wild score 3 in the 3rd period to beat Las Vegas 6-5 last night.