NEWS --The bridge work on Highway 27 east of Little Falls over the Rice Creek Bridge is scheduled to begin on September 19th. Expect delays and detours on Highway 27 between Little Falls and Pierz during the bridge work which is scheduled to last until mid-October.
--A Little Falls man was killed in a head-on crash Friday morning near Leader in Cass County. Around 7:00am, Cass County received a report of a two-vehicle accident on County Road 103. When they arrived they found 42-year-old Erik Mathison of Little Falls dead at the scene. A juvenile male was also found at the scene and was airlifted to North Memorial Medical Center and reported Saturday in critical condition. Authorities would not elaborate on how the accident occurred only that the Honda IEX that Mathison and the juvenile were on was found off the roadway in the ditch. The other vehicle was a pickup driven by 19-year-old Steven Longworth of Staples. Longworth along with his passenger 22-year-old Jessy Frie of Motley were treated for their injuries at the Staples Hospital and released. --One person was injured Sunday around 4:20pm in Albany Township when a motorcycle struck a tractor with a silage box. 47-year-old Ervin Hartung of Upsala was on county road 10 at St. Anna Drive when the motorcycle driven by 78-year-old Warren Krupke of Paynesville collided with the tractor after it was making a left turn and the cycle attempted to pass it. Krupke was transported to the St. Cloud Hospital with non life threating injuries. Hartung was not injured in the accident.
--Sunday just after 2:00pm, the Stearns Co Sheriff’s Office, Sartell Police Department, St Stephen Fire and Rescue and other emergency personnel were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash on 30th Avenue north of 1st Street in St Wendel Township. 27-year-old William Dean Papapetru of Redlands, California was northbound on 30th Avenue when he crossed over the center line and struck a silage box that was being pulled by a truck that was southbound driven by 22-year-old Jake Carter Uderman of Sartell. Papapetru had to be extracated from his truck by St Stephen Fire. Papapetru was transported to the St Cloud ER with serious injuries. Uderman was not injured.
--Crosby and Deerwood Police departments in Crow Wing County are investigating a possible kidnapping that was reported early Sunday. Authorities were called 4th Street in Ironton. Law enforcement would not state if a kidnapping had occurred or if they were looking for any person of interest only that they were called to the scene in Ironton and that it is an ongoing investigation. More information is expected to be released at a later time.
--A 20-year-old Wadena man who fled state troopers starting around noon Friday was injured when he crashed his cycle at speeds topping 115 miles per hour. The State Patrol said they tried to stop the man near Detroit Lakes on Highway 10 for failure to yield but he sped off where a pursuit ensued for around 15 minutes until the man crashed ner Vergas. 20-year-old Blaine Cooper was treated at the Detroit Lakes Hospital for his injuries then he was taken into custody.
--The 10th annual Tea for Teachers will be today from 2-4pm at the Little Falls Senior Center. This event is to honor all rural school teachers for their role in providing an excellent education for rural area children. For reservations call Dorothy at 632-6082.
--Registration for the 2016-2017 season of Winter Wonderland Figure Skating is tonight 6-7:30pm at the Little Falls Community High School commons. For more information call Kathy at 630-4236.
--St. Cloud police are searching for a man who burglarized a home and cut a woman in a struggle early Monday. The man entered a residence in the 1500 block of 12th Avenue Southeast through an open window around 5:30am where he was confronted by residents. The burglar displayed a knife and in a struggle with a man and a woman, the woman was cut. She did not require medical attention. The suspect fled on foot. Police tried to track him with several K-9 units including a bloodhound from Stearns County. Officers were unable to locate him. Police believe that the suspect was known to the residents of the home and had recently lived there.
--A former Waite Park man pleaded guilty Monday in Stearns County to sex trafficking. 21-year old Alex Trent Hazelrigg was charged after officers investigating a Waite Park shooting in 2014 found a 16-year-old runaway who told police she was being trafficked by Hazelrigg and another man. She told police that Hazelrigg had picked her up from her residence in Akeley after Thanksgiving 2014 and that she had been trafficked for two weeks. Hazelrigg had paid for her rooms at St. Cloud-area motels, while 21-year old Jonathon Duane Taylor Hanson had arranged meetings with men. Hanson pleaded guilty in late August to sex trafficking and attempted murder and is expected to receive more than 17 years in prison when he's sentenced November 1st. He was the shooter in the incident that led to the discovery of the trafficked girl. Hazelrigg is scheduled to be sentenced November 3rd.
--Parents, students and community members are invited to attend a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) kick-off meeting on September 28th from 6:30-8:00pm at the Brainerd High School cafeteria. The program engages community members, parents, students and school district staff in the communities of Brainerd and Baxter in an effort to encourage more kids walking and bicycling to school. For information contact: Staci Headley, Regional Planner, Region Five Development Commission at (218) 831-0137.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT --Chad and Amy Primus of Holdingford, boy on September 8th --Craig and Rachael Noska of Browerville, boy on September 9th --Joseph and Jacqueline Wilczek of Little Falls, boy on September 11th
DEATH NOTICES --Arthur Lanske, age 91 of Staples --Mary Pohl, age 89 of Staples --Jean L. Garry, age 89 of Little Falls
WEATHER TODAY= partly sunny, very cool, high 57. TONIGHT= clear skies, patchy frost overnight, low 36. WEDNESDAY= sunny skies, high 64, clear night 45. THURSDAY= showers & storms likely, high 68, low 50.
SPORTS TWINS= Brian Dozier joined the 40 homerun club last night but his homerun did not help the Twins as Tigers down late came back to win 4-2 over Twins. Twins at Detroit game 2 of series, 5:30pm Q92. WNBA= Lynx at Chicago tonight, they wrap up the regular season this weekend, currently hold the #1 spot in the upcoming playoffs. NFL= Vikings host Packers Sunday 7pm on AM960 KLTF