NEWS --The Morrison County Sheriff's Office continues to receive a large amount of theft reports. In the past 10 days, the sheriff's office investigated theft of a purse in Randall, theft of a pickup truck on Badger Road in Swanville, theft of trail cameras on Nature Road, Royalton, theft on 103rd Street in Hillman, theft of a boat and gas tank in Cushing, theft on 205th Street in Randall and a burglary report of a garage on 160th Avenue in Little Falls. The Sheriff's Office continues to ask if you see suspicious activity of any kind in your area to call their office at 632-9233.
--The Minnesota Department of Agriculture confirmed a new Palmer amaranth infestation in a conservation planting—this time in Todd County. The MDA is investigating where the Palmer amaranth seed came from; however, officials believe the weed is limited to specific planting sites. Palmer amaranth was first confirmed in Minnesota in 2016 in Lyon and Yellow Medicine counties. Because of swift action there to control its spread, a small number of plants were found this year at the 2016 sites. With continued herbicide treatment next year, the MDA is optimistic it can completely eradicate the weed infestations in Lyon and Yellow Medicine counties, and is confident the same can happen in Todd County.
--Three people were hurt in a three vehicle crash in Sauk Rapids. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 8:45pm Saturday on Highway 15 at the intersection with 18th Street Northeast. The first vehicle ran the red light and struck an SUV that then hit a pickup that was stopped at the red light turning left from 18th Street onto southbound Highway 15. The driver of the first vehicle was 18-year-old Nicole Rausch of Randall. She was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the SUV was 53-year-old Joan Frerich of Rice. She and her passenger, 17-year-old Maria Frerich of Rice, were both taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the pickup was 60-year-old Charles Wildman of St. Cloud. He and his passenger, 60-year-old Judy Wildman of St. Cloud, were not hurt.
--Stearns County Deputies and area firefighters battled a structure fire Sunday just after 5:00pm in North Fork Township near Brooten. Upon arriving responding units found the structure to be fully engulfed. Deputies made contact with the resident, 80-year old Herman Imdieke of Brooten. Imdieke had significant burns to his hands and head. Imdieke told deputies that he smelled gas when he returned home and he began cooking supper. A short while later there was an explosion. He was the only one in the residence at the time. Imdieke was transported to the Glacier Ridge Hospital in Glenwood with non life threatening burns. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office.
--Another Little Falls Church is having a big anniversary this year. Bethel Lutheran Church is celebrating 125 years. The church was incorporated in 1892 and has stayed around the same area of the west side of Little Falls for most of the 125 years. The Bethel Congregation purchased the first building from the Swedish Mission and located on 11th Street Southwest. The current church on West Broadway across from the Zoo started services in 2003. A festival service, open house and refreshments will be held on October 29th with the service at 11:30am and open house going until 2pm.
--After severe storms July 17th damaged the large movie screen at the Long Prairie Drive In, the theater reopened last week.
--A 27-year-old man robbed an 18-year old at knife point in the Princeton Park and Ride lot before leading police on a chase that ended in Morrison County early Monday. The suspect Joshua Vossen. is in jail on potential robbery and assault charges. The robbery took place at the Park And Ride between Princeton and Zimmerman, around 2:00am Monday. The victim lost his cell phone, wallet and other personal property. He went to a friend's house and reported the robbery, telling police the suspect left in a brown Ford truck. Officials chased the truck from Mille Lacs County to Morrison County. Vossen is in the Sherburne County Jail and could face a first degree aggravated robbery charge.
--A St. Cloud man is recovering after getting hit in the head with a baseball bat. St. Cloud Police say the attack happened at about 3:00pm Sunday outside a home in the 400 block of 15th Avenue North. A 35-year old St. Cloud man was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The suspect was an acquaintance of the victim and the fight started over some personal property. The suspect had left the area before police arrived but later showed up at the St. Cloud police station to tell his side of the story. He was identified as 37-year old Charles Toy junior of St. Cloud. He is expected to be charged with 2nd Degree Assault.
--On Sunday morning around 5:20am, the Stearns County Sheriffs Office was notified of a motor vehicle crash with injuries in Wakefield Township near Cold Spring. The vehicle was being driven by 63-year old Joseph Spanier of Paynesville. The vehicle traveled in the ditch until it struck the approach at Island Lake Road causing it to vault into the air. The vehicle landed and rolled. Spanier was trapped in the vehicle for approximately six hours. Spanier was wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident. He was transported to the St Cloud Hospital for minor injuries.
--A blown transformer caused a substantial power outage for more than 1,300 households in the Cold Spring and St. Joseph area on Sunday. Emergency responders answered a call mid-morning about a transformer northwest of Cold Spring. There were a few flames at the time, but there was no ongoing fire. As of about 2:30pm, all but nine members had power. But a permanent fix may take some time. The incident was caused by a fault in the system, which caused a door to blow off the transformer box. Some people were without power for several hours, from mid-morning to mid-afternoon Sunday. The outage caused some traffic issues as stop lights were without power.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT --Anthony and Gail Miller of Bowlus, boy on October 13th
DEATH NOTICES --Tom Schumacher, age 76 of Little Falls. --Robert J. Olson of Monticello formerly of Little Falls.
WEATHER TODAY= sunny and mild, high 72. TONIGHT= clear skies, mild, low 47. WEDNESDAY= sunny, turning breezy, high 67, clear night, low 36. THURSDAY= sunny and mild, high near 70, low around 45.