Wednesday- April 17th, 2024
NEWS
--Minnesota Department of Transportation reminding motorists around Little Falls that the road resurfacing project on Highway 10 through Little Falls starts Monday. That will mean that resurfacing Highway 10 in both directions from west of the Mississippi River at Morrison County Road 52 to south of Little Falls at County Road 35. The 8-mile project includes the Highway 10/371 split. The work also includes guardrail work and reestablishing gravel shoulders. There will be one lane of traffic each way until the project is completed in early July. The lane shifts will be done during off-peak times from Monday mornings until Noon on Fridays. There will also be some ramp closures overnights from 9pm to around 6am. Periodic lane shifts will also take place at the southern end of the project to Halfway Crossing south of Royalton. Crews will be microsurfacing the roadway along that stretch of highway during weekdays.
--A man has died after he was found inside of a burning home in rural Staples. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, they received a report of a house fire in the 7300 block of 79th Ave. SW in Byron Township Tuesday around 11am. When fire crews arrived, the house was completely engulfed in flames, and they found a deceased, adult male inside. His name will not be released until family can be properly notified. Two other adult victims were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Police say a separate structure on the property has also been damaged from the fire. The cause is currently unknown, the State Fire Marshal has been called in to help with the Staples Fire Department to investigate the cause.
--A passenger was hurt when the pickup she was riding in left the highway and crashed into a building. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 11:30am Monday on Highway 23 at Sauk River Road in Cold Spring. Sixty-one-year-old Michael Shepersky of Two Harbors was traveling west when his pickup entered the ditch and collided with a car wash and a tree. Shepersky was not hurt but his passenger, 60-year-old Jodi Shepersky of Two Harbors, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Troopers say alcohol was not a factor in the crash.
--Two motorcyclists were injured Sunday, after one motorcycle sideswiped another on Highway 84 in Cass County. The Minnesota State Patrol responded to the crash, reported at 7:34pm in Pine River. According to the report, a 2022 and a 1980 Harley Davidson were eastbound on the highway when the 2022 Harley Davidson slowed to turn south on Kent Street, it was sideswiped by the 1980 Harley Davidson. The driver of the 1980 Harley Davidson, 63-year-old Gene Charles Walters of Pine River, suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to St. Cloud Hospital. The driver of the 2022 Harley Davidson, Brian Lee Ekstrand, 62, of Pine River, suffered non-life-threatening injuries but was not hospitalized. His passenger Tamera Lynn Smith age 59 of Pine River, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to St Cloud for treatment.
--One person was hurt in a crash in St. Cloud Monday morning. The St. Cloud Fire Department says a pickup crashed into the rear of a semi-trailer at the intersection of 8th Street North and McLeland Road at 10:40am and the driver of the pickup became trapped inside. The Fire Department says they used specialized extrication equipment to remove the door of the truck and lift the dash to release the driver. The driver was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.
MORE NEWS
--One person was assaulted with a firearm in St. Cloud on Saturday. The St. Cloud Police Department says they responded to a call of a possible domestic assault in progress just after 5am in the 500 block of 12th Street South. Once on the scene officers received information that a suspect had a firearm in his possession and that several family members, including children, were inside the home. Police say one adult was threatened and struck with the firearm and the victims were able to get out of the house with only minor injuries. After about one hour the suspect, 32-year-old Justin Loeschke, who lives at the home, surrendered to police without further incident. Loeschke was arrested for 2nd-degree assault, threats of violence, felony domestic assault, and malicious punishment of a child and taken to the Stearns County Jail. Police say several firearms were recovered from the house and ask that anyone with information regarding the assault contact them at 320-251-1200 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 800-255-1301 or at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org.
--The week has been proclaimed as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Morrison County is truly blessed with our 9-1-1 Dispatchers. Sheriff Shawn Larsen stated that this job is certainly not for everyone and the sheriff's office and this county are grateful for the staff that keeps us all safe every day.
--The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Farm Bureau have announced this year’s list of Century Farms. Each of the 97 farms on the list has been owned continuously by one family for at least 100 years, is still used for farming and covers at least 50 acres. In Benton County, the Pekarek Farm in Foley (1924), the Chapp Farm in Oak Park (1921) and the Jurek Farm in St. Cloud (1882) all made the list.
In Stearns County, the Gill Dairy Farm in Albany (1911), Von Wahlde Farm in Freeport (1923), Feia Family Farm in Holdingford (1924), and Bridgeside, LLC in Kimball (1924) were recognized. Though several farms dating back to the 1800s are on this year’s list, the oldest farm being recognized is the Berquam-Krogstad Family Farm in Houston County, purchased originally in 1855.
--Little Falls Community Schools are wishing Congratulations to Mason Ellingson, Emma Larson, John Ahlin, and Prescott Romaine on auditioning and being selected for the 9th and 10th grade Minnesota All-State Honor Band. Over 300 students auditioned across the state with only 65 students selected for this experience. Little Falls had the second most students selected out of all the schools representing this year's 9-10 All-State Band.
DEATH NOTICES
--Bernie Mettler, age 60 of Long Prairie.
WEATHER
TODAY= rain showers early, cloudy in afternoon, high 51.
TONIGHT= cloudy skies, breezy, low near 36.
THURSDAY= partly sunny, breezy and cool, high 48, low 28.
FRIDAY= sunny and chilly, windy, high 43, low near 25.
SPORTS
TWINS= Baltimore bomb the Twins 11-3 yesterday. The Twins wrap up series at Baltimore today against the Orioles, with an 11:30am pregame on Q92 WYRQ. The Twins are off on Thursday.
NFL= NFL Draft is next week April 25-27th, Vikings pick #11.