NEWS --The Little Falls Fire Department responded to a grass fire Sunday afternoon around 2:45pm on at a residence at 2188 Grouse Road. Fire chief Mike Nieman stated that 22 firefighters were on scene for approximately four hours and that several buildings were in danger. Nieman believes that the suspected source of the fire involved tannerite. The Little Falls Fire Department was assisted by the Randall Fire Department and the Department of Natural Resources.
--Aircraft had to help put out a fire near Pillager Lake Monday afternoon. The fire burned for several hours and Fire Boss airplanes had to scoop water from Gull Lake to put it out. No injuries were reported and no reports of any structures damaged. The same aircraft was used to help with the Little Falls Fire Sunday reported above and a 50 acre fire near Beauty Lake northwest of Brainerd.
--Todd County reported a grass fire Sunday north east of Long Prairie near Lake Beauty in a swamp and wooded area. The Long Prairie and Browerville Fire Departments responded to the Fire. They were assisted at the scene by the MN DNR with ground crews and two helicopters. No injures were reported and no structures were damaged. The fire remains under investigation. Since April 26th, the DNR reported that nearly 70 wildfires have been reported in central Minnesota and the Lakes Area and that has burned around 1,000 acres of land, damaged a few buildings, but again no injuries.
--Pequot Lakes firefighters battled a fire at Pequot Tool and Manufacturing Monday around 3pm. The fire started in a dust collector that sparked the fire. Firefighters removed the machine from the building that was damaged. No injuries or structures damaged.
--An 18-year-old was seriously injured Friday just before noon in Aitkin County. Ayla Kulifaj was on Highway 18 left the road and struck a tree. She sustained life threatening injuries and taken to North Memorial in the Twin Cities for treatment.
--Two from Pillager were injured in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 210 in Pillager Saturday around 5:30pm. 44-year-old Trent Neumann collided with 35-year-old Jennifer Selvaag near County Road 1. Both drivers were wearing seat belts and taken to the Brainerd hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
--Todd County in the past week reported a hit and run accident in Staples on May 3rd. A black car struck another leaving a driveway and left the scene. The black car will likely have damage to the rear driver's side bumper. Anyone with information on the accident is asked to contact the Todd County Sheriff's Office. The Todd County Sheriff's Office responded to a one vehicle rollover accident with injuries on County 16 north of County 14 in Hartford Township. 83-year-old Frances Thomas of Long Prairie rolled after entering the ditch. Thomas was transported to the hospital for injuries. That same night, Todd County Sheriff's Office received a call of a two vehicle accident that occurred at the intersection of County 11 and County 38 in Reynolds Township. 39-year-old Kimberly Becker of rural Staples was southbound on County 11 when her 2018 Chevrolet Traverse SUV was struck in the driver's side by 41-year-old Jesse Buechel of Akaska, South Dakota. Becker and her passengers, 5-year-old Emily Becker and 2-year-old Jonah Becker, were transported to Centracare Hospital in Long Prairie where they were checked for minor injuries. Buechel was not injured.
--Listen to Q92, FM94 & AM960 online at fallsradio.com.
--On Wednesday, May 9th, Little Falls Community High School students and staff will hold its eighth Annual Day of Caring. The students, staff, and some community members/over 1,000 volunteers will provide hours of outdoor, spring clean-up service to seniors, disabled and homebound individuals within the cities of Little Falls and Randall, as well as the villages of Sobieski and Flensburg. More than 180 individual homeowners have signed up for assistance. In addition, the students will provide assistance with clean-up at city parks and community areas. The public is reminded to drive cautiously on Wednesday morning in these areas between 8:30am and noon, because teams of student and adult volunteers will be walking between work locations and crossing streets carrying rakes and other clean-up equipment. The event will be held rain or shine, unless there is very severe weather. Please listen to Little Falls Radio for any weather related announcements affecting the Day of Caring.
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen announced Monday that he will seek re-election for Sheriff this fall. Larsen was first elected in 2014. Larsen is proud and humbled to serve the residents of Morrison County and he is grateful for a dedicated and committed staff. Larsen has been with the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office for 18 years and has held multiple positions within the agency. Larsen is a lifelong resident of Morrison County and he is married to Heidi and they have 3 children; Abigail, Ellie and Isabelle.
--Now that it is garage sale season, police are advising you to be on the lookout for bogus money. St. Cloud police say counterfeit bills continue to circulate in the St. Cloud area and spring garage sales have been targeted in recent years. If you are hosting a garage sale, you should consider attending a work session on how to spot fake money. Attendees will learn how to determine that U.S. currency is authentic and how to detect, handle and report it. The session is tonight at 7:00pm at the St. Cloud Police Station. The training is free and should last about an hour and fifteen minutes.
--One person was killed and another injured when two motorcycles collided on Highway 210 in Irondale Township in Crow Wing County Friday just after 7:30pm. 55-year-old Frank Westerlund from Grand Rapids was killed. 63-year-old Steven True from Grand Rapids was injured and treated at an area hospital.
--Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools will hold their referendum vote today on their 93-million dollars in renovations to be done for the district. Polls open at 7am for the school district vote. Last year in May, voters voted down a similar vote in the Sauk Rapids-Rice District.
DEATH NOTICES --Lionel Stelck, age 92 of Motley
WEATHER TODAY= showers & t-storms possible, high 67. TONIGHT= showers likely, some heavy rain possible, low 48. WEDNESDAY= showers early, cloudy and breezy, high 64, low 40. THURSDAY= sunny and windy, cooler, high 55, low around 38.
SPORTS TWINS= Fernando Romero gets a shutout win, Eddie Rosario another big game, Twins win 4th in a row beating St. Louis 6-0 last night. Twins wrap up a 2 game series with St. Louis today. Pregame begins at 11:30am on Q92 WYRQ. Twins off tomorrow