NEWS
--Authorities are searching for whoever fatally shot one person and wounded another near Long Prairie. The Todd County Sheriff's Office was called to the shooting just after 9pm Saturday. A deputy later stopped the victims' car near the intersection of U.S. 71 and Riverside Drive. Authorities say the driver had been shot and wounded and was taken to a Long Prairie hospital. The passenger suffered an apparent gunshot wound and was declared dead at the scene. Investigators say the victims had arranged to meet acquaintances in rural Long Prairie, and the meeting apparently related to a drug deal. Authorities believe the victims were known to whoever shot them, and that the shooting was an isolated incident.
--At 9:11pm Saturday the Morrison County Sheriff's Office received a report of an ATV crash with injuries at a residence on 83rd Street, approximately 10 miles south of Hillman in Lakin Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 38-year old Mark Burke of South St. Paul was driving an ATV at a residence in Lakin Township. Burke lost control of the ATV and it rolled ejecting two of his passengers. 56-year old Rick Doffing and 33-year old Crystal Doffing of Milaca were ejected during the crash. Rick Doffing was airlifted by North Memorial Air Care to North Memorial Hospital with serious injuries. Crystal Doffing was transported by North Memorial Ambulance to St. Cloud Hospital with serious injuries. Alcohol is believed to be a factor.
--The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank everyone who donated to the Fallen Officer Memorial. All 80 granite pavers have been sold and anyone else interested in the project can be added to a waiting list. Thank you to our local media for getting the word out and making this a successful project. The hope is to have the project completed on the southwest corner of the historic courthouse in Little Falls by October 15th.
--Little Falls Community Schools Superintendent Stephen Jones over the weekend sent out information on Facebook about face guards and masks that have to be worn by all entering any of the school buildings on September 8th (parents, students, faculty and anyone who needs to enter the school buildings). Jones said that on Tuesday, September 8th Kindergarten through 5th grade go back with 6th and 9th graders getting one day alone in the middle and high school with the rest of the students starting Wednesday, September 9th. Jones via facebook said that face guards, face coverings, masks or other face shield options can be worn. Disposable masks will be provided for students who forget theirs. Jones stated that the mandate must be followed and those who do not wear coverings could force the school to change models. Superintendant Jones asked that everyone please follow the mandate that is in place to keep all students in classrooms. The entire message is on the school facebook page.
--At 1:44am Saturday the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a single car rollover on CR #16 and Peoria Road in Pequot Lakes. Upon deputies arrival, the discovered that a female, who was the lone occupant of the vehicle, had been ejected from the vehicle and was pinned underneath the car. The female was pronounced dead at the scene. The vehicle was traveling eastbound on CR #16 and had left the roadway and rolled several times before coming to rest in the parking lot of a roofing business. The female was later identified as 30-year old Lorn Mercedes Lund of Pine River.
--The final Rock Roll and Stroll classic car show of the summer will be this Thursday from 5-8pm in Pierz, all invited, and please be safe.
--The Little Falls Area Chamber of Commerce announced their September Employee of the Month as Sandy Rudek. Rudek is an adminstrative assisant at the Little Falls Community Middle School. Rudek started working at the school around 25 years ago and can pretty much name each student by their first names. Congratulations to Sandy Rudek the September Chamber Employee of the Month.
--Minnesota Department of Health numbers Monday, showed 679 new cases of COVID-19 in the state with only 1 reported death from the virus. There were three new reported cases in Morrison County with the total cases now at 117. There have been 13 cases of COVID 19 in Morrison County in the past 14 days of data on the Minnesota Department of Health website.
--Weather permitting, Morrison County maintenance employees will be doing the following activities this week, installing entrance culvert on CSAH 26 east of Little Rock. Shoulder work on CSAH 6 east of Elmdale and on County Road 233 east of Royalton. Bridge work on various roads around the county. Please use extra caution in these work areas. Public Works employees continue to practice social distancing guidelines in their travels and on the various job sites as we continue to preserve and maintain Morrison County infrastructure.
--One person was hurt in a rollover crash near Spring Hill Sunday afternoon. The incident happened around 2:15pm on Highway 4 at 290th Street in Stearns County. The Minnesota State Patrol says a car was going south on Highway 4 when it went off the road to the right and rolled. The driver of the car, 39-year-old Nicole Dunn-Barfield of Anoka, was taken to Paynesville Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
--Two people were hurt in an accident in Mille Lacs County. Saturday around 5:30pm, Derek Buettner, 24 of South Haven was on Highway 27 near Wahkon and ATV failed to stop at the stop sign and collided with the Buettner vehicle. Buettner was treated at the Onamia hospital for his injuries. The ATV operator, 34-year-old Timothy Bendtsen of Ramsey was ambulanced to St. Cloud with serious but non life threatening injuries. A 25-year-old passenger on the ATV complained about some aches and pains but was not hospitalized.
--The Pierz Oktoberfest button winners were drawn yesterday. Congratulations to the winners claiming their prizes: $300 Pierz Bucks to Timothy Przybilla; $200 Pierz Bucks winner Atreya Seelen; and $100 Pierz Bucks winner was Shelley Solinger.
DEATH NOTICES
--Cecelia Mary Posch, age 87 of Little Falls.
--Donna Vonder Haar, age 85 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny and breezy, high 74, clear night low around 51.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and warmer, high 80, t-storms at night, low 53
THURSDAY= sunny, cooler and breezy, high 66, low around 46.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins blow an early 4-0 lead to watch White Sox come back and win it with 3 in the 9th to win 8-5. The Twins (20-16) and White Sox play game 2 tonight 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
LYNX= The Minnesota Lynx beat LA Sparks last night 96-78. The Lynx are now 11-5 on the season, Collier led with 25 points.
MIAC= The MIAC Conference where St. John's & St. Thomas play announced no sporting events of any kind until January 2021.