NEWS
--Congratulations to 2019 homecoming royalty from our area schools. Royalton's Homecoming King and Queen are Gavin Sowada and Macey Petron. In Upsala Homecoming King and Queen are Collin Prom and Laura Lange. Swanville crowned Jackson Thieschafer and Lucia Bryce as King and Queen. These all occurred Sunday at their respected schools. Upsala-Swanville and Royalton are hosting their homecoming games on Friday night.
--Pierz Healy High School will have homecoming coronation on Monday (September 30th) at 2:40pm at the MAC in Pierz. Candidates for Queen are Katie LeBlanc, Grace Marshik, Amaya Rocheleau, Corrine Schomer and Savannah Goebel. Candidates for King are Carter Moulzolf, Simon Gruber, Peter Schommer, Brandon Stuckmayer and Zach Traut. This year's homecoming slogan is Go back to the lake, we are taking the cake. Pierz will host Howard Lake Waverly for homecoming on October 4th at 7pm on FM94 KFML.
--Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen reported that charges are pending against 27-year old Justin Wilkinson of St. Cloud for his involvement in a burglary at a residence off Basswood Avenue in Upsala. At 5:07pm on Saturday the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible burglary at a residence. Deputies responded and noticed someone entered a garage on the property. When deputies checked the house, they could see flames coming from the kitchen stove. The Upsala Fire Department responded to the scene and the fire was put out. The State Fire Marshall also responded to investigate the possible arson. According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies learned that a 1964 Ford Thunderbird car was taken from the residence. Later that evening, Sauk Centre Police located the stolen vehicle and arrested the driver, Justin Wilkinson. Wilkinson was transported to the Morrison County Jail where he is awaiting formal charges. This case is still being investigated and the public is asked to contact the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office if they have seen any suspicious activity on Basswood Avenue, including suspicious vehicles or people in the area. If you have any information, you are asked to call the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office at (320) 632-9233 and speak with an investigator.
--At 5:26pm Sunday the Morrison County Sheriff's Office received a report of an ATV crash with injuries on 280th Street, approximately 1.5 miles east of Bear Road in Cushing Township. 29-year old Andrew Amstutz of Randall was driving an ATV heading west on 280th street. The ATV went off the roadway, into the south ditch and rolled. Amstutz was airlifted by Life Link III to St Cloud Hospital with unknown injuries. The passenger, a 5-year old female, was taken by ambulance to St. Gabriel’s Hospital with unknown injuries.
--The CRVST is inviting the public to join a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Bike Your Park Day ride on September 28th. Bike Your Park Day is a worldwide event that encourages people to explore parks and public lands by bicycle on the same day. All you have to do is ride your bicycle to Lindbergh State Park on Saturday and you are a part of a much larger group of cyclists around the world. Arrive at Lindbergh between the hours of 1 and 3:00pm. Over the past few years a group of dedicated individuals have continually worked and promoted the CRVST and now you can enjoy some of the first fruits of the trail and be a part of something that goes beyond Little Falls. For more information about Camp Ripley Veterans State trail or the event on Saturday contact any trail committee member or show up.
--The FBI has been called in to help into an investigation of hoax 911 calls in Princeton. Back on September 1st, police surrounded the Belle Haven Townhomes in Princeton. Police say they evacuated the town homes, because a 911 caller said he had just shot three people inside but there were no shooting victims, and there was no shooter. Police say it was a hoax known as "swatting," in which a 911 caller tries to create a large law enforcement response including SWAT teams. Another swatting hoax occurred on September 12th just blocks away from the first one, when a 911 caller said he shot a woman and was going to harm himself. Again no such thing occurred. Swatting incidents have happened all over the country in recent years. Police say tracing the calls is difficult, because the prankster is using the same tools that scammers use to call you from local numbers. The FBI will use their tools to help in the investigation and remind the public that making hoax calls to 911 is a felony and the caller can face jail time if convicted.
--Three people were hurt in a two-vehicle crash in Benton County south of Foley. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 1:30pm Sunday on Highway 95. An SUV driven by 38-year-old Christopher Morse of Sartell was going east on Highway 95. Another vehicle driven by 20-year-old Chelsey Nordstrom of Princeton was going south on 165th Avenue. Nordstrom stopped at the stop sign but then pulled out in front of the SUV causing it to roll. Morse and a passenger, 38-year-old Julie Morse of Sartell, were both taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A 10-year-old passenger was not hurt. Nordstrom was taken to Princeton hospital with injuries while a 17-year-old passenger was not hurt.
--Firefighters from Pillager Area Fire and Rescue battled a shop fire in East Gull Lake Saturday morning. Firefighters were paged at 7:40am where the owners of the nearby home on Poplar Drive, their daughter and their pets were inside their residence when firefighters responded to their shop fire. The shop was a total loss and not connected to the home it was reported by the residents that the shop had not been used as a business in some time. Firefighters cleared the scene about noon, there were no injuries involved with the fire, but he estimated the damages to be about $500,000. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal is investigating but no foul play is suspected.
--Former St. Paul and Minneapolis Diocese Archbishop Harry Flynn has passed away at the age of 86. Flynn died Sunday night, and his passing was announced Monday by the Archdiocese on its website.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Matt and Carolyne Poepping of Pierz, a boy born September 21st.
DEATH NOTICES
--William “Bill” Thoms, age 78 of Little Falls
--Eloise A. Richmond, age 77 of Harding.
--Diane M. Giese, age 68 of Brooklyn Center formerly Swanville.
WEATHER
TODAY= becoming cloudy, chance of late day showers, high 74.
TONIGHT= showers early, then clearing, low near 50.
WEDNESDAY= sunny and windy, high 63, cool night, low 43.
THURSDAY= increasing clouds, showers by late PM, high 64.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins (96-60) at Detroit at 5pm tonight on Q92 WYRQ.