NEWS
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen is pleased to announce the local award winner of the Minnesota Sheriff's Association Awards Scholarship Program for 2019 is Carlie Sobiech. The scholarships are awarded to individuals planning to become Minnesota Peace Officers.
--Authorities say a woman and her two adult sons were killed when their SUV went through a stop sign and collided with a pickup truck at an intersection near St. Cloud. The crash occurred about 4:45pm Saturday about 7 miles east of St. Cloud at the intersection of County roads 3 and 20 Southeast in Palmer Township. Authorities say 77-year old Lucille A. Hansen; 43-year old Jason J. Hansen; and 48-year old Jeffrey J. Hansen died at the scene. They were from South Haven. Authorities say the pickup's driver, 24-year old Logan C. Hary, of Sauk Rapids, suffered noncritical injuries. Authorities did not disclose who was driving the SUV.
--Three people were hurt in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 10 in Big Lake. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 1:30pm Sunday. A vehicle driven by 27-year old Martell Burson of St. Cloud was traveling west in the left lane of Highway 10. Meanwhile, a second vehicle driven by 30-year old Tyler Amberg of Buffalo was going east on Highway 10 and attempting to make a left turn onto Eagle Lake Road when the two vehicles collided. Amberg's vehicle then struck a third vehicle being driven by 47-year old Tami Howard of Big Lake, which was stopped on Eagle Lake Road waiting to make a turn. Burson was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Amberg and his passenger, 31-year old Daniel Winnen of St. Michael, suffered non-life threatening injuries and were not taken to the hospital. Howard was not hurt.
--The Minnesota State Patrol has released the name of the St. Cloud man killed just before 1:30am Saturday on Interstate 494 in Plymouth in Hennepin County. Troopers say 30-year old Michael Harvey was going northbound when his Toyota Corolla drifted to the shoulder and struck an unoccupied stalled vehicle. He was not wearing his seatbelt and pronounced dead at the scene.
--The Pierz Grad Bash 2020 is hosting Dueling Pianos Friday at the Pierz Ballroom. Profits from this event will help support the lock-in for the senior graduates after graduation in May. The goal of this year’s committee is to raise all funds without soliciting donations from businesses. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at The Clothesline, Buckman Hardware, Red Rooster and Lloyd’s Liquor. The show is intended for adults. For more information, email pierzgradbash@gmail.com.
--The Annual Turkey Trot will be held Thanksgiving Day at Pierz Healy High School. The goal this year to spend time with your family. Walk/run begins at 7:30am with registrations at 7am the Healy High School MAC. There is no charge this year to participate. Snacks and refreshments will be served after the race and a chance to win great door prizes including tickets to a Classic Christmas Elvis Tribute Show.
--Another Day after Thanksgiving tradition since 1990, over 65 units, parade of ice fishing houses on trailers, pick-ups and other modes of moving on their way to area lakes for the beginning of ice fishing season. Many unique, humorous, creative fish houses or winter related units. Pancake breakfast, riverboat stew, craft sales and Santa Claus go through downtown Aitkin for the annual Fishhouse Parade. This year the parade is at 1pm with a full day of festivities on Friday.
--The Santa Parade is Friday at 6pm in Little Falls.
--A Sauk Rapids man has pleaded guilty to a pair of felonies stemming from a bizarre chain of events last November. Forty-three-year-old Jesse Kent averted a jury trial Monday by pleading guilty to simple robbery and making threats of violence. Benton County sheriff's deputies had been called to an area in the 8500 block of Highway 95 in November of last year. The caller said Kent had been drinking heavily and was walking toward an address a half-mile away where there was a domestic abuse no-contact order against him. Shortly thereafter, another man called police and said he had been hunting nearby and while sitting in his truck, Kent climbed in without permission and starting punching the truck owner in the face 10-20 times. Kent also allegedly tried to take the man's rifle and truck keys during a struggle that lasted several minutes. Officers later located Kent on the front steps of a house and heard him make comments similar to "come and get me" before going inside. Records show Kent then came back out of in a shooting stance while pointing what looked like a gun toward officers. Deputies called in the SWAT team to enter the home and arrest Kent. Police say they found him in the bathtub with a smashed air pistol also in the home. Kent will be sentenced in January.
--A St. Cloud man has been arrested after police say he led them on a chase. The incident started at about 3:30pm Sunday when a St. Cloud police officer tried to stop the vehicle after it ran a red light. The driver continually ignored police and although driving the posted speed limit refused to pull over. At the intersection of Veterans Drive and Ridgewood Road St. Cloud and Waite Park police tried to block in the vehicle, but the suspect suddenly put his car in reverse and then went forward striking a squad car. He took off at a high rate of speed onto Corey Lane where the chase ended. The suspect identified as 36-year-old Daniel Kuechle of St. Cloud was tased by police. He was taken to St. Cloud Hospital where a warrant was obtained to collect a blood sample to determined why he was impaired. He was later taken to the Stearns County jail.
DEATH NOTICES
--Janean Kirgiss, age 80 of Little Falls.
--Patricia “Pat” Diane Langer, age 67 of St. Cloud.
WEATHER
WINTER STORM WARNING STARTS AT 9PM TONIGHT.
TODAY= cloudy skies, calm winds, high 33.
TONIGHT= snow likely 4-8 inches overnight, strong winds, low 27.
WEDNESDAY= snow early, gusty winds, temps steady around 27.
WED NITE= clearing skies, low around 12.
THANKSGIVING= cloudy skies, high 27, snow after midnight, low 21.
FRIDAY= snow likely, 1-3 inches, high near 30.
SPORTS
HS BHK= Alexandria at Little Falls tonight 7:15pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HS FB= The Prep Bowl is Friday and Saturday at U.S. Bank Stadium where seven High School Football championships will be decided. Rocori plays at 4pm Friday in the 4A championship against SMB Wolfpack while Pierz has Dassel-Cokato Saturday at 1pm for the Class AAA Championship, the Pierz game is live on FM94 KFML. There will be a sendoff at 8:15am Saturday where residents are encouraged to line the streets and cheer them on as the team is escorted out of town as the head down to U.S. Bank Stadium for the Prep Bowl.