NEWS
--Nearly 100 firefighters battled for over 5 hours Sunday morning a large fire at the Manhatten Beach Villas off Crow Wing County Road 66 in Crosslake. When firefighters from Brainerd, Nisswa, Pequot Lakes, Ideal, Mission, Fifity Lakes and Pine River arrived around 5:30am flames were shooting through the entire facility and well into the sky. In all 13 of the 17 individually owned units were destroyed or damaged extensively and the other 4 units had smoke and water damage. Only two families were staying at the Villas at the time of the fire and were not injured. The fire started in an attic and went through the entire structure, but the official cause of the fire has not been determined. The state fire marshal has been called in to aid.
--Residents around the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant should not be alarmed as the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Homeland Security, Emergency Management, Department of Energy, and the Federal Radiological Monitoring Assessment Center will conduct a radiological emergency preparedness exercise around the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant during this week. The Northern Lights exercise will involve helicopter flights between the areas of Monticello and Camp Ripley Military Base north of Little Falls. The helicopter may also fly over Morrison, Benton, Cass, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena and Wright counties. The helicopter will fly at 150 feet (or higher) above the ground in a grid pattern during daylight hours only. Residents should not be alarmed by the helicopter or other personnel during the excerise.
--Thrivent Financial will be presenting a free seminar designed to help with estate planning and other end of life strategies. The 90 minute seminar deals with wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, transfer on death and other wishes of family during that time. The seminar is at 3:00pm Wednesday at the Little Falls Senior Center. For more information you can call 632-1655.
–A five vehicle accident near Baxter resulted in three people being hospitalized. The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office reported around 1:00pm Wednesday, 34-year-old Benjamin Schmidt of Brainerd was west on Highway 210 and rear-ended a vehicle which started a chain reaction with three other vehicles. Schmidt, 56-year-old Paul Howes of Nevis and 85-year-old Michael Arrigoni of Staples were the three injured and all injuries were non-serious. The other three drivers, 54-year-old Kenneth Cleveland of Motley, 47-year-old Julie Wilson of Aitkin and 67-year-old Ronald Heins of Aitkin were not injured.
--The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says an owner reported his motorcycle stolen from his front yard in Fairhaven Township sometime in the early morning hours of Sunday. The motorcycle is described as a 2014 Orange Harley Davidson Street Glide. It has custom after market accessories. The license plate number for the cycle is 43820MN. Anyone with info should contact sheriff's office.
--A 6-year-old boy was killed last Thursday when a nearly 200 pound television fell on top of him. According to a news release from Willmar Police Chief Jim Felt, officers were dispatched to a home in the 800 block of Fourth Street Southeast and found that Julian Demarce had been severely injured when a large older-style television fell off a stand and struck him in the head. The child had been taken to a hospital by a private vehicle before officers arrived where the boy later died. Law enforcement said the investigation into the death is ongoing, but authorities believe it to be a tragic accident.
--Governor Mark Dayton yesterday issued a letter authorizing up to an estimated $91,663.50 in relief for Cass County and $190,044 for Crow Wing County from the State Disaster Assistance Contingency Account. The exact final reimbursements will be made from actual expense documentation. On August 4th Cass and Crow Wing Counties experienced severe thunderstorms and high winds, which resulted in significant debris removal costs. Aid from the contingency account will reimburse the counties for public infrastructure repairs and clean-up costs. Under Minnesota law, the state will reimburse 75 percent of eligible costs for public infrastructure repairs and clean-up, with localities responsible for covering the remaining 25 percent.
--A 25-year-old man was injured Saturday after an accidental firearm discharge in St. Cloud. Officers were called about 7:45pm to the 600 block of Wilson Avenue Southeast on a gunshot report. Officers arrived and found a St. Cloud man with a gunshot wound to the leg. The man told officers he had been shot by an unknown suspect while sitting in his vehicle. The man was taken to St. Cloud Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. During investigation officers were told that the gunshot wound was result of an accidental firearm discharge. The incident remains under investigation.
--The Brainerd Police Department received word Monday that the Level 3 Predatory Offender, Michael Swearingen will not be released to Brainerd as originally planned. So the community notificiation meeting scheduled for tonight has been cancelled.
--The 4th annual Morrison County Food Shelf Fundraiser has been set next year on April 22nd. It will feature a performance by Justin Ploof and the Throwbacks and a raffle for a Mule 610 4 x 4. A limited number of raffle tickets remain for sale. Each raffle ticket is $100 and you can purchase one by calling Bird at (320) 232-0747.
--A reminder that this Thursday and Friday is the 2 days originally used for MEA break. There is no school Thursday and Friday this week so remember to watch for students through the whole day.
DEATH NOTICES
--Henry H. Wehseler, age 95 of Little Falls
--Randy Cassens, age 56 of Little Falls.
--Florence Lange, age 93 of St. Francis.
--Melfred G. Venske, age 93 of Little Falls.
--Marvin Saarrela, age 72 of Bowlus.
--Betty Bigalke, age 87 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= mostly sunny, high 58.
TONIGHT= mostly clear, cooler, low 38.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high 54, frost at night, low 30.
THURSDAY= sunny and cooler, turning breezy, high 44.
SPORTS
MLB= Cleveland looks to sweep Toronto after 4-2 win last night to go up 3-0 in series. Game 4 today in Toronto. Cubs are in LA tonight for game 3 of NLCS with the series tied at 1 a piece.
HS FB= Foley at Little Falls Wednesday 7pm on AM960 KLTF
HS FB= Holdingford at Pierz Wednesday 7pm on FM94 KFML
HS FB= Parkers Prairie at Royalton Wednesday 7pm on Q92.
COL FB= Gophers host Rutgers at TCF Bank Saturday 10am KLTF
NFL= After bye week Vikings in Philadelphia this Sunday at noon.