Newsletter: Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

Newsletter: Tuesday, September 19th, 2023

NEWS
--The Polk County Sheriff's Office reported Monday with the assistance of the Grand Forks UAS Team, a deceased female was located in a cornfield in the general area of where the 2014 Ford Focus was located. The vehicle is that of 60-year-old Beth Super of Flensburg who was reported missing Saturday night. The deceased was taken to the UND School of Medicine Forensic Pathology for autopsy and identification. There are no public safety concerns according to Polk County however, the investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released.

--A teenager was hurt when the pickup she was riding in struck a deer. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 11am Sunday near Cushing in Morrison County. Forty-five-year-old Allan Christie of Motley was driving east on Highway 10 when his pickup hit the deer. Seventeen-year-old Paige Christie of Staples was taken to St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver and another passenger were not hurt.

--The Little Falls Fire Department was called to a grass fire on Saturday near a power pole on the east side of Highway 371 located at the address of 17504 Heron Road. The power was interrupted for a short time in that area as the fire was put out. No one was hurt.

--Two teens were hurt in a rollover crash in Stearns County early Sunday morning. The incident happened just before 1am on Highway 22 near Richmond. The Minnesota State Patrol says a car was going south of Highway 22 when it lost control and rolled. The driver, a 17-year-old girl, and her passenger, a 16-year-old girl from Cold Spring, were taken to CentraCare Paynesville. The severity of the driver's injuries has not been released. The passenger's injuries are considered non-life-threatening. Neither were wearing seatbelts.

--The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports that at 1:27pm on Thursday the 14th a Morrison County Deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 371 north of Little Falls. The deputy observed an equipment violation, made the traffic stop and identified the occupants of the vehicle. The driver gave the deputy a false name but was later identified as Damien Wade, age 49, from Isle, who had an active 4th Degree Assault warrant for his arrest out of Mille Lacs County. The passenger, Ty’rell Stewart, age 21, from Richfield also had an active warrant out of Hennepin County for a traffic violation. A search of the vehicle took place and over 5 ½ ounces of suspected Fentanyl, a stolen handgun and $691 in US currency was located and seized. Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen states that this is a case where the deputy utilized his drug interdiction training and took hundreds of dollars’ worth of illegal narcotic drugs and a stolen handgun off the streets of Morrison County. Our deputy deterred future criminal activity that could have posed a threat to public safety. Both Damien Wade and Ty’rell Stewart are being held in the Morrison County Jail. Wade was charged with 1st Degree Possession of a controlled substance, Receiving Stolen Property and Giving a Peace Officer False Name and Stewart is being charged with 1st Degree Possession and Receiving Stolen Property.

--The Minnesota State Patrol has issued an appeal for witnesses as it investigates a fatal hit-and-run in northern Minnesota on Sunday. A pedestrian was killed in Itasca County on Sunday morning, and the State Patrol wants to hear from anyone who was traveling northbound between 3am and 5am on Highway 6 between Highway 2 and County Road 19 near Deer River Township. Fog was a factor.

--Morrison County Administrator Matt LeBlanc was on KLTF yesterday with a county update. He mentioned road work is going to be completed on time as forecast this comes as many projects were done earlier due to the dry conditions, bad for the farmers but did work out for the road work. LeBlanc thanks all who came Saturday to the Deputy Pundsack benefit, work was done on the county shop at the public works department this summer after a fire damaged the building some years back and the building was torn down and now rebuilt the outside is pretty much completed with now the inside to be worked on and hoped to be completed by this coming February. LeBlanc mentioned the interim auditor/treasurer is in place right now, other agencies are also working in the county and job openings are also available so check the county website. If you have questions for Matt LeBlanc contact the Government Center.

--Three Minnesota men are being charged for their roles in a social-media gun distribution ring. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 19-year-old Rafael Wesley of Brooklyn Center, 23-year-old Kyrees Johnson of Minneapolis, and 22-year-old Avont Drayton of Burnsville have each been charged with one count of unlawful possession of machine guns. Court records show that in March 2023, the use of traffick machine guns, firearms, and drugs in and around the Twin Cities. Authorities saved screenshots and videos of several members of the group selling, promoting, and using machinegun conversion devices. According to court documents, undercover law enforcement officers conducted six controlled buys with the group on a number of occasions between March and June 2023 and the two were eventually arrested after the buy went down on the third occasion with the undercover agent and the two suspects.

--Four people were involved in a two-vehicle crash along I-94 in Stearns County over the weekend. The Minnesota State Patrol says the crash took place on Sunday morning on eastbound I-94 in St. Wendel Township near Collegeville. A Buick Enclave, driven by a 22-year-old male from Des Moines, Iowa, and Dodge Caravan, driven by a 50-year-old female from Sauk Centre, were both traveling eastbound when the two vehicles collided. Two passengers in the Dodge, a 13-year-old and a 52-year-old from Sauk Centre, were also involved in the crash. No other details have been released.

--Congratulations to Max Barclay and Maddie Lochner who were crowned Homecoming King and Queen in Pierz yesterday.

DEATH NOTICES
--Jonelle M. Orth, age 79 of Waite Park, originally from Pierz.

WEATHER
TODAY= partly cloudy, warm, high 80.
TONIGHT= clear skies, mild night, low 56.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and warm, a bit humid, high 85, low 60.
THURSDAY= showers possible, hazy sun, high 78, low near 52.

SPORTS
TWINS= Reds beat the Twins 7-3 last night in Cincinnati. The Twins continue their series at Cincinnati tonight, pregame begins at 5pm. Listen to Twins baseball through the rest of the regular season and also if they make it the upcoming playoffs, on Q92 WYRQ.
HS FB= Albany at Pierz for homecoming Friday 7pm on 94ROCKS.
HS FB= Little Falls at Perham Friday 7pm on AM960 KLTF.