NEWS --On Tuesday the Pierz School District bond referendum passed by a tally of 993 yes votes to 816 no votes. Out of 3,087 registered voters in the Pierz School District 1,809 total votes were cast for a voter turnout of 58.6%. Approximately 55% voted yes and 45% voted no. The Referendum question was to support $9,995,000 for school building bonds to provide funds for the construction of elementary classrooms, elementary physical education space; the construction of a band room and improvements to the high school kitchen and cafeteria; and elementary school parking lot. In an email sent from Pierz School Superintendent George Weber he stated, “On behalf of all school board members and the staff of our schools, we are very, very thankful for the support so many people in our community have shown for our children, our staff and our community. We pledge to continue our tradition of hard work and keeping children at the heart of all we do.”
--Also on Tuesday Greg Blaine won the race over Kenneth Primus for the vacant Morrison County Commissioner District 5 Seat. In that election Greg Blaine received 514 votes while Kenneth Primus received 449 votes (two write in votes for Charles Gunderson). Of the 3,987 registered voters in Morrison County District 5, a total of 965 votes were cast (voter turnout of 24.2%) Greg Blaine received around 53% and Kenneth Primus received around 47% of the votes.
--The Brainerd School District saw all three questions on their bonding referendum Tuesday pass. Question one for Elementary school expansion and work passed by over 2,000 votes, the other two questions for secondary improvements and a new art center also passed by smaller margins of victory.
--Stearns County has decided to close the criminal investigation into the 2012 murder of Cold Spring-Richmond Officer Thomas Decker. Decker was shot and killed in the line of duty November 29th, 2012, after he arrived to perform a welfare check at an apartment above Winners Sports Bar and Grill in Cold Spring. Ryan Larson was arrested in the hours after the shooting, but was released days later without any charges filed against him in the case. The case has remained open since. 31-year old Eric Joseph Thomes was later questioned and considered a person of interest in Decker's death, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, but he committed suicide in 2013 while under investigation. The shotgun linked to Decker's death was found on property to which Thomes had access. Authorities believe if investigators had been able to bring Thomes in for a formal interview they would have been able to confirm some aspects of the Decker murder case. Major work on the Decker case file stopped in the middle of 2015. The last report was filed in approximately 2016. Sheriff's and county attorney's office workers will review the file and redact information that is not public by law, after several weeks the redacted version should be for public view.
--Stearns County prosecutors requested a grand jury in the case against the Paynesville man suspected of murdering his grandparents during a hearing Monday afternoon. 33-year old Gregory Allen Scheel was charged with two counts of second degree murder in connection with the deaths of Gloria and Wilbert Scheel. Gloria and Wilbert Scheel were found dead in the back of their car on March 22nd in Kandiyohi County. Gregory Scheel was arrested a short time later.
--The Crow Wing County Land Services Department will temporarily close selected forest trails on county-managed lands to motorized vehicles due to vulnerable trail surfaces caused by the spring thaw. Closure signs will be installed at each trail to notify the public.
--The body of a 61-year old Nisswa man was recovered from an overturned vehicle found Tuesday morning in the Gull River in Cass County. Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch said authorities were notified of a single-vehicle crash at 6:41am near Gull Dam Road and Gull Lake Lane in East Gull Lake. Officers and other first responders located a 2012 Mercedes-Benz passenger car on its roof in the Gull River. The male driver was the only occupant and was located deceased inside the vehicle. Burch said the initial investigation indicates the vehicle was traveling west on Gull Lake Dam Road and went through the intersection of Gull Lake Lane into the river. The identity of the driver is being withheld pending notification of family members. An autopsy is scheduled with the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office and the crash remains under investigation.
--An 85-year old central Minnesota man was trampled to death by one of his cows as he was trying to tag a calf Sunday morning according to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were dispatched at 10:32am to 26998 County Highway 75 on the east edge of Otter Tail County after a report that Delbert Horn, of rural Hewitt, had been trampled by a cow. First responders from Hewitt and Tri-County EMS were dispatched, but were unable to revive Horn.
--Two people were hurt in a three vehicle crash on Highway 15 in St. Cloud. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 1:30pm Monday at the intersection with 3rd Street North. Troopers say a vehicle driven by 30-year old Gianna Sanders of St. Cloud was going south on Highway 15 when she entered the intersection against the red light. Meanwhile, an SUV driven by 60-year old Janice Cook of St. Cloud, and a car driven by 56-year old Colleen Lundholm of Coon Rapids, were both going north on Highway 15 and were making a left turn to go west onto 3rd Street North on a green arrow. Cook and Lundholm were both taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Sanders and her passenger were not hurt.
--A Spicer woman was hurt in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 71 in Kandiyohi County. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 1:30pm on Sunday. Fifty-year-old Michelle Prahl of Spicer was heading north while 38-year-old Heidi Duke-Wuertz of Belgrade was going south. Duke-Wuertz lost control of her vehicle on the snow and ice covered road and struck the side of Prahl's vehicle. Prahl was taken to the Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar with non-life threatening injuries. Duke-Wuertz was not hurt.
--Leah Phifer was endorsed by the DFL Environmental Caucus for the 8th Congressional District. The DFL party will endorse a candidate this Saturday in Duluth. Rick Nolan is not seeking reelection.
--Morrill Township will be having a cleanup day on Saturday at the Morrill Town Hall from 8-10:30am. For info call Butch at 355-2213.
WEATHER TODAY= increasing clouds, rain after 4pm, high 43. TONIGHT= rain early, wet snow late, ½ inch, low 31. THURSDAY= mostly cloudy, high 45. Rain/snow late night, low 33. FRIDAY= rain in afternoon, turning to heavy snow overnight, high 37.
SPORTS TWINS= Joe Mauer had a 2 RBI game as Twins beat Houston 4-1 last night. Twins and Astros wrap up series 11:30am on Q92 WYRQ WILD= Wild open playoffs tonight at the Winnipeg Jets at 6pm. NBA= Denver at T-Wolves tonight- winner gets last playoff spot.