NEWS
--A man was seriously hurt in a motorcycle crash in Delano Saturday night. The incident happened at Highway 12 and 5th Street South around 6:30pm. The Minnesota State Patrol says a motorcycle driven by 26-year old Ian Scheie of Montrose was going south on 5th Street South, turned onto eastbound Highway 12, lost control, and crashed. Scheie was taken to North Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Authorities believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.
--Minnesota's House speaker says Representative Diane Loeffler has died after battling cancer. Speaker Melissa Hortman says Loeffler died Saturday at age 66. Hortman calls Loeffler a “powerhouse'' whose absence will be a huge loss for the Legislature. Loeffler is a DFLer who was first elected to the House in 2004. She was a lifelong resident of northeast Minneapolis. Her colleagues remember her as a tireless advocate for immigrants, working people, the disabled, the homeless and the mentally ill. Governor Tim Walz tweeted that Loeffler “exemplified servant leadership throughout her 15 years'' of service in the House. Walz calls her a “fierce advocate for her community.” Funeral arrangements are pending. Survivors include her husband, Michael Vennewitz.
--An Atwater woman was hurt in a two vehicle crash over the weekend. The incident happened Saturday around 12:30pm at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and 4th Street in Dassel. Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze says 50-year old Marcy Kearns, of Dassel, went through a stop sign and struck another vehicle in the intersection. Kearns was not hurt. The driver of the second vehicle, 34-year old Erin Tollefsrud, was treated for minor injuries.
--The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will hit the tracks Thanksgiving week and come through Central Minnesota on December 12th and 13th. The U.S. train departs from Montreal on November 25th and passes through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa as well as Chicago, according to the route map on the CP Holiday Train website. There's a Canadian train route as well. The train offers free concerts from a traveling stage. It raises money and food for North American food banks. It has raised nearly 16 million Canadian dollars since 1999 and 4.5 million pounds of food, according to the CP website. "Everything raised in a community stays in that community. In addition, CP makes a donation at each stop." Here are this year's Central Minnesota stops: Buffalo at Fifth Street NE crossing, west side of tracks. The train arrives at 5:45pm December 12th Annandale on the west side of Downtown Park, over the Oak Avenue crossing. The train arrives at 7:15pm December 12th. Kimball at the Willow Park Lions Shelter, 230 South Main St. The train arrives at 8:55pm December 12th. Alexandria at the Eighth Avenue E railroad crossing by Hubbard Feed Mill at 8th and Nokomis. The train arrives at 11:30am December 13th. Performers at all four stops will be Meghan Patrick, Tanika Charles and Kelly Prescott. Each event will last a half hour. The Holiday Trains include 14 brightly decorated cars.
--Tonight is the Change the Outcome Community Event on Opiod abuse and addiction at Cabin Fever. Social starts at 6:30pm, with discussion and panel to start at 7:00pm. If you wish to attend please contact Erin Foss at 320-631-7244. Students will get their chance to hear the panel and discussion Thursday during the day at the high school. Also tonight is the second IMC Concert put on by the Little Falls Community High School Band tonight at 7:00pm at the High School Auditorium. Tickets are available at the door.
--Maintenance Workers from Morrison County will continue clearing brush from county right of ways this week in the central and southeast parts of Morrison County. Use caution around crews as they will be in and out of ditches. Public works also plans on having snowplows out controlling snow and ice on Wednesday and Thursday of this week as snow is predicted in the forecast. Please use caution when around flashing lights and snowplows.
--The Todd County Sheriff's Office reported on November 13th that at 2:06pm a hit and run accident that occurred at the St Joseph Cemetery at 20932 County 20, rural Clarissa. The report indicated that a 2006 to 2013 model Chevrolet Impala was westbound when it went off the roadway and hit the fence at the cemetery. There was damage to the fence and the suspect vehicle left the scene. The vehicle sustained damage to the drivers side front. The incident remains under investigation. If you have information regarding the incident, please call Todd County at (800) 794-5733.
--A Monticello man faces drug charges after authorities uncovered a meth manufacturing operation. The Wright County Sheriff's Office responded to a drug complaint Saturday in Monticello Township. Officers found items and chemicals used to make meth at the property. The evidence then led deputies to a home in the 6900 block of 91st Street Northeast where they say they found more items used to make meth. Officers arrested 39-year-old Jeremy Willer on suspicion of 1st-degree drug crimes and possessing counterfeit money. Deputies remained on scene through the weekend until hazmat teams from the BCA and DEA arrived Monday to clean up the scene and dispose of hazardous materials.
--The Minnesota Housing Department has announced $254 million in funding for available housing. State investments are projected to help finance over $572 million in housing development and will create or preserve 2,665 affordable homes across Minnesota. These developments will support more than 5,025 jobs and will leverage additional private and local resources that will result in more than $572 million in total development costs.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Jason and Sondra Vanscoik of Little Falls, boy on November 16th
DEATH NOTICES
--Earl Monchamp Jr. age 49 of Minneapolis.
--Ray Talberg, age 87 of Hillman.
--Royden “Roy” Belcher, age 93 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= cloudy skies, high around 40, cloudy night, low 28.
WEDNESDAY= cloudy, afternoon rain showers, high 41, rain will eventually change to wet snow late night, low 30.
THURSDAY= light snow early, falling temps and gusty winds.
SPORTS
COL FB= Gophers slip to #11 in the coaches poll after their loss at Iowa on Saturday. Gophers travel to Northwestern on Saturday with kickoff scheduled at 11am on AM960 KLTF.
TWINS= Minnesota Twins prospect Ryan Costello has been found dead in his Auckland hotel room days after joining the Auckland Tuatara in the Australian Baseball League. The 23-year old third baseman died in his sleep, apparently of natural causes.