NEWS
--The Morrison County Sheriff ‘s Office reported Tuesday at 3:23am, their office received a report of an accident with injuries on 213th Street near 320th Avenue in Pulaski Township, south of Harding. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 28 year old Colby Hite of Pierz, was driving west on 213th Street when his vehicle experienced mechanical issues causing him to lose control. Hite’s vehicle went into the ditch and rolled. Hite was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Pierz First Response Team and Pierz Fire Department.
--Little Falls Community Schools is holding registration week August 16th-18th. All families of the district, both new and returning, are urged to come to the Little Falls Community High School Commons during the week to register students who will be attending school in the District. Representatives of all five buildings will be available to help make sure all necessary paperwork is completed before school begins. Registration week will be in the high school commons on Tuesday, August 16th from 9:00am-3:00pm; Wednesday, August 17th from 1:00-7:00pm; and on Thursday, August 18th from 9:00am-3:00pm. There is no need to set up an appointment. If you have any questions call the district office at 632-2002.
--At the Pierz City Council meeting Monday, the council formally announced the hiring of Nicole Nordlund as its new city administrator. Nordlund replaces Scott Saehr who resigned in June. Nordlund is currently with the Sauk Rapids Department of Building Safety.
--Two men were arrested Sunday night after they fled from police by vehicle and then foot, and were later apprehended in wooded swamp. Police were making a traffic stop around 7:00pm at the intersection of Crow Wing County Road 29 and West Twin Lake in Pequot Lakes, when the vehicle fled with two male suspects. Klang said the vehicle crashed into a tree shortly after the pursuit and then a 41-year-old man and a 38-year-old man fled on foot into a swampy, wooded area. Pequot Lakes police, with the help of the Brainerd Police K9 unit, both the Cass and Crow Wing County sheriff offices, Nisswa, Crosslake and Breezy Point police departments and the Minnesota State Patrol assisted in apprehending the two suspects. The men were located before 9:30pm bedded down in the swamp. A 38-year-old man and a 41-year-old man, who both had parole violations with the Minnesota Department of Corrections, were arrested for misdemeanor charges of fleeing a peace officer by foot and obstructing the legal process. The 38-year-old also was arrested for felony fleeing of a peace officer in a vehicle.
--The most recent Mille Lacs Lake walleye harvest estimate indicates that anglers have surpassed the state’s 2016 walleye quota. The state, however, will not close the catch-and-release walleye season at this time. According to DNR fisheries chief Don Pereira, analysis of summer creel survey data has shown that the catch-and-release-only regulations on Mille Lacs are successfully conserving the lake’s future spawning population of walleye. Despite the catch-and-release season, hooking mortality – an estimate of the number of fish that die after being released – is measured to estimate total harvest. This year’s walleye harvest allocation was established in January at 40,000 pounds – 28,600 for state-licensed anglers and 11,400 for tribal fishing. Additional information about Mille Lacs fisheries management can be found at www.mndnr.gov/millelacslake. This year’s fishing regulations are on the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/fishmn.
--Senior Day is Sunday at the Morrison County Fair. Nominees for this year's Morrison County outstanding senior citizen award include Betty Devriendt, Frank Rebnord, Al Weber and Duane Welle. There was one more female nominee but she preferred not to have her name released. The top male and female will have a chance to compete at the Minnesota State Fair for Minnesota Outstanding Senior Citizen of the year later this summer. The top male and female will be selected this Sunday at the Morrison County Fair. The Morrison County Fair offically kicks off tomorrow at the fairgrounds east of Little Falls. Thursday is Military Day where all with military ID can park for free. For others $3 a day to park or $5 for a four day parking pass. Join AM960 KLTF Party Line live at the Morrison County Fair Thursday at 10am. The first event is motocross tonight at the grandstands.
--On Monday, U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger said 68-year-old Sandra Lee Bart of Ohio was convicted of conspiring with others to commit fraud regarding illegal fees and kickbacks received from foreign workers employed at a Foley vegetable farm. According to the release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota, between 2008 and May of 2015 Bart and her co-defendant 43-year old Wilian Cabrera operated Labor Listo, an unregistered business. Labor Listo was used to recruit employers to hire seasonal workers from the Dominican Republic on temporary work visas. The court found in 2010 that Bart and Cabrera had recruited John Svihel of Svihel Vegetable Farm Inc. to hire workers from the Dominican Republic. The court found Cabrera had charged the workers a one-time recruitment fee between $420 and $2,385 in addition to an annual fee of $374 which was split with Bart. As part of the plea agreement Svihel agreed to pay back the workers affected by the kickbacks. He is also required to pay $374,668 in unpaid overtime wages for H-2A workers. Svihel also agreed to establish a nearly $773,000 escrow trust fund to cover restitution and other payments to former employees. Cabrera plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in foreign labor contraction on July 14th. Bart also was convicted of conspiracy to commit false swearing in an immigration matter and conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Jason and Bonnie Fyten of Pierz, boy on August 5th
DEATH NOTICE
--Thomas “Dick” Evans, age 83 of Little Falls
--Margie Backowski, age 89 of Little Falls.
--Lynn M. Warzecha, age 59 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= strong AM storms, then cloudy, humid, high 83.
TONIGHT= strong stroms likely, heavy rains, low 70.
THURSDAY= strong storms AM and PM hours, high 82, low 60.
FRIDAY= sunny and cooler, less humid, high 77, low 55.
SPORTS
TWINS= Houston beat Twins 7-5 last night. The Twins and Houston game 3 of 4 tonight 6:30 on WYRQ Q92.
OLY= Michael Phelps earned 20th and 21st gold medal of of his Olympic career Tuesday. U.S. Women's Gynastic Team win the Gold medal as a team Tuesday. U.S. leads medal count with 26 total.