NEWS
--On Wednesday, the House Capital Investment Committee will be visiting Little Falls as part of their tour of Northwest Minnesota to view projects for possible inclusion in the 2024 Capitol Investment Bill. They are scheduled at 4pm to arrive in Little Falls for a Highway 27/Mississippi River Bridge Rail Grade Separation Tour presentation on the Camp Ripley Veterans State Trail and then depart Little Falls around 4:30pm. This is one of many stops on the tour around the state which started on Monday to view items in Minnesota.
--Two people sustained life threatening injuries in an accident Monday morning at 1:52am in Otter Tail County. The Minnesota State Patrol said 35-year-old Joseph Auala of North Chesterfield, Virginia was northbound on Interstate 94 pulling a trailer and was struck by an unknown vehicle causing Auala's vehicle to roll in the ditch. The trailer became unhitched and this caused a freight truck to strike the trailer and then that vehicle also left the roadway and rolled in the ditch. Auala sustained serious injuries and reportedly was taken by private vehicle to a hospital. A passenger in the van was not seriously hurt. The semi driver was not responsive at the scene and airlifted to Sanford Hospital in Fargo. The driver was later identified as Yahye Ali of Wisconsin. No word was given on a third unknown vehicle.
--A horse and buggy was struck by a vehicle in Wadena County Sunday night. 26-year-old Brittany Burkholder of Wadena was westbound on Highway 10 when her vehicle made contact with the horse and buggy at Central Avenue South. Burkholder was treated for non life threatening injuries. The buggy was driven by 18-year-old Daniel Yoder of Verndale. Yoder and two other teenage passengers from Verndale on the buggy were reportedly not injured.
--A Perham woman was killed Friday just before 7pm in a two-vehicle accident in Otter Tail County. 67-year-old David Goble of Eden Prairie was westbound on Highway at Highway 228 in Gorman Township turning onto a county road when he collided with Dianne Tyge, age 64 of Perham who was in the eastbound lane of Highway 10. Goble was taken to the local hospital with non life threatening injuries. Tyge was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene.
--Crime was down overall in Minnesota last year. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Monday released its annual Uniform Crime Report. They say Minnesota saw an 8.6 percent decrease in violent crime in 2022. Violent crime in greater Minnesota decreased by 12.9 percent, and in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area it decreased 6.9 percent. There were 182 murders in 2022 in Minnesota, compared to 201 in 2021. Aggravated assaults were 5.7 percent lower. However, motor vehicle thefts rose 12.9 percent with nearly 17,000 vehicles stolen in 2022. The total is the highest since 2001. Carjacking incidents did go down though with 598 carjackings for the year. The number of police officers assaulted was 859 in 2022, a five percent decrease from 2021. Minnesota agencies reported 21 use-of-force incidents, down from 30 the year before. In those incidents, nine people died, 10 resulted in serious injury, and two had no injuries. In the cases where use of force was necessary, 15 were white, five were black, and 3 were Native American. One use of force incident involved three people so while the incidents were 21, there were 23 people total involved. One of the big reasons listed is the use of callers calling in suspicious activity of any situations, around the state and especially locally that calls to police and sheriff's office have lead to arrests in motor vehicle and drug cases so thank you.
--Some areas of the state could see some patchy frost tonight as a Frost Advisory goes into effect for Crow Wing County and areas north and east for a frosty start tomorrow.
--Lee Mortensen of Albany Pioneer Days invites everyone to their 49th Annual event on Thursday through Sunday in Albany. Gates open each day at 7am for $12 a day or a season pass for $25. Come and see the 400+ antique tractors, gas engines, parts, old time shoppes of the old west, Wild West Show Sunday, Garden Tractor Pull on Friday night, Log Sawing contest on Saturday, flea market, silent auction and a raffle drawing on Sunday afternoon. Plenty of music and lots of food at the 4 day event Thursday through Sunday in Albany for the Pioneer Days and tune on Friday morning at 10:05am as KLTF Party Line will be live from Albany for the festivities.
--Two people were injured Monday after their vehicles collided on Highway 371 in Crow Wing County. The Minnesota State Patrol responded to the crash, reported at 8:48am in Nisswa. According to the report, a 2021 Ram 1500 was southbound on the highway when an eastbound 2012 Honda Pilot pulled out in front of the Ram at the Roy Lake connection. The Ram swerved but struck the Honda. The driver of the Ram, Denton Lee Arthur Newman, 36, of Pequot Lakes, and Honda driver, Janet Irene Kramarsic, 73, of Ponte Verda, Florida, both suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd. The State Patrol reported the road was dry at the time of the crash.
--Bethel Lutheran Church will be hosting a Fall Festival on Wednesday at 901 West Broadway in Little Falls. The event is 4:30pm-6:30pm for a pasty dinner (beef pies) for adults $10, and a kids meal of hog dogs for $5. There will be live music and games also at the event. All are invited to Bethel Lutheran Church on Wednesday evening.
--The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls and First Lutheran Church, Little Falls, invite all animal lovers and their pets to a traditional Blessing of Animals on Sunday, October 8, at noon, in Washington Park, 113 NE 4th Street, Little Falls (across from Carnegie Library). Bring your furry, feathered or scaly friends, large or small, for an individual blessing during a simple service. Whether they have two, four, a hundred legs or none at all, every pet is welcome. This event is held each year in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and all creation. For more information, contact Franciscan Programs Ministry by emailing fpminfo@fslf.org or calling (320)632-0668.
DEATH NOTICES
--Karie Hickman, age 55 of Morris.
WEATHER
TODAY= partly sunny, few showers, high near 61.
TONIGHT= clear and cool, patchy frost possible, low 35.
WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high 68, low around 40.
THURSDAY= sunny and warmer, high 81, storms overnight, low 53.
SPORTS
TWINS= Rays get 5 runs in the middle innings to beat the Twins last night 7-4. Twins continue series tonight at home with the Tampa Bay Rays, pregame begins at 6pm on Q92 WYRQ.
NFL= Vikings are at Philadelphia Thursday night this week, hear the action live at 6:30pm on AM960 KLTF.
WNBA= Lynx open playoffs at Connecticut tomorrow night.