NEWS --Charges are pending against 32-year-old Brandon Middendorf from Pierz for his involvement in a residential burglary on Highway 27 between Little Falls and Pierz. Around 11:25am Monday a homeowner called the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office and reported their residence was burglarized and several items were missing. Deputies responded to the scene and observed footprints in the snow leading to another residence. After making contact with Middendorf at that residence, deputies located evidence linking him to the burglary. Deputies also located several of the missing items at two different pawn shops in St Cloud. Middendorf was placed under arrest and during questioning admitted his involvement in the burglary. He is being held in the Morrison County Jail pending formal charges.
--Little Falls Fire Department battled a fire in bitterly cold conditions early Monday. Around 12:30am Monday the Little Falls Fire Department responded to a fire that was contained to two rooms in the basement of the address of 509 4th Street NE in Little Falls. Wayne Schmidt is the land lord and there are rental units on this property. Residents in the downstairs level were forced to stay elsewhere after the fire but renters in the upper story were allowed to return because damage was contained to the basement level. 18-firefighters were on scene for about two hours. There were no injuries. The cause is under investigation.
--Shortly after 8:00pm Monday the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a fatal structure on fire on Brandon Way located approximately 5 miles south of Brainerd, to the west of Minnesota State Highway 371. A neighbor had observed the fire and called 911. When firefighters arrived they located one person in the residence. Preliminary autopsy results indicate the victim, 60-year old Suzette Rhea Scheeler of Brainerd died from smoke inhalation. The state Fire Marshall’s office is still actively investigating this case to determine the cause of the fire.
--The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office is attempting to locate a missing person/juvenile runaway from Elgin, Texas. 17-year old Natalie Klehr was reported as a runaway from her home in Texas. The family is originally from the Stearns County area and Natalie has a significant number of family and friends in Stearns County and the central Minnesota area. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office did have contact with her in early November but she was not reported as a runaway or missing at that time. Attempts to locate her since that time have been unsuccessful. Klehr may change her hair color frequently and is pregnant. Anyone with information is asked to call the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office at (320) 251-4240.
--A 50-year-old Brainerd woman was hospitalized and a 30-year-old Brainerd man is in custody following a two-vehicle crash at 3:20pm Friday on Highway 210, east of Inglewood Drive in Baxter. The Brainerd Police Department reported the Brainerd man was traveling west on Highway 210 when he lost control of his vehicle, went through the median ditch and struck Jill L. Davis' eastbound vehicle. Both drivers were injured and transported by ambulance to a hospital in Brainerd. Davis was in serious condition Monday. The Brainerd man is in Crow Wing County Jail pending formal criminal charges for felony criminal vehicular operation and gross misdemeanor third-degree driving while intoxicated.
--After an extended leave from his job, Cold Spring Police Chief Chris Boucher has resigned. Boucher was granted part-time leave on September 24th, which converted to full time on September 29th. His leave was then extended twice. Boucher's leave qualified under the Family Medical Leave Act. Boucher joined the Cold Spring Police Department as a patrol officer in 1993, was appointed to interim police chief in 2013 and took over as chief in 2014. Because of privacy issues the city could not release more information of why Boucher resigned but city officials did state there have been no complaints against Boucher. Jason Blum will continue to serve as interim police chief in Boucher's absence.
--Drivers traveling on Minnesota Highway 24 near the Mississippi River in Clearwater should be prepared for intermittent delays. Crews will be closing the roadway up to four times each weekday as a total of 46 oversized concrete beams are delivered to the area for construction of the new Highway 24 bridge. Road closures will last up to 15 minutes while crews block both directions of traffic. Closures will happen only during the daylight hours and will not occur during bad weather. Work is expected to be complete in January.
--Winter truck load increases will begin Thursday on unrestricted highways in the central, metro, south and southeast frost zones. Winter load increases are already in effect for the north and north central frost zones. Vehicles will be allowed to operate up to 10 percent over the standard legal maximum loads on unrestricted highways during the winter load increase period. However, trucks must comply with current registration weight laws and not exceed registered gross weight tolerances.
--A 77-year-old man has been found dead in cold weather after going missing from an assisted-living facility near Stillwater. The body of Thomas LeCloux was found at 3:00am Monday on a walking path a half-mile north of Boutwells Landing Senior Living in Oak Park Heights. Staff at the center noticed LeCloux was missing from his apartment late Sunday when they went to help him into bed. Police were notified about two hours later. A State Patrol helicopter joined the search. The cause of LeCloux’s death is being investigated.
DEATH NOTICE --Fern Branchaud, age 89 of Staples
WEATHER TODAY= mostly cloudy, snow showers, less than 1 inch, high 33. TONIGHT= partly cloudy, breezy, low 17. THURSDAY= sunny and mild, high 30, increasing clouds late, low 19. FRIDAY= snow likely, 1-2 inches, high 31, low 15. SATURDAY= partly sunny, cooler, high 24, low 20 snow after midnight CHRISTMAS= snow, sleet, rain, gusty winds, high 34, low 22.
SPORTS NFL= four Vikings were selected to the Pro Bowl in Orlando on Janaury 29th. Everson Griffen, Harrison Smith, Xavier Rhodes for the NFC defense, and kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson. Oakland will have the most players in the Pro Bowl barring whoever makes it to the Super Bowl or late in the playoffs before and after the game. Atlanta and Dallas also have a number players selected to play. NFL= The Vikings (7-7) will travel to Green Bay (8-6) for a big NFC North showdown Saturday 11:30am on AM960 KLTF.