NEWS
--Stearns County Sheriff's officials say they're investigating a death in Stearns County. Deputies say a jogger reported finding a body in the ditch at the intersection of County Road 5 and 65th Avenue in Brockway Township around 3:45pm Monday. The jogger said he found the body of a woman on his property in St. Stephen. He wasn't told how the woman died, but that she was found dead in a ditch. No foul play is suspected, and the Sheriff’s Office does not believe there is any criminal activity associated with the death. The body was transported to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death.
--Three people were taken to the hospital after being hit by shotgun pellets. The incident happened around 2:45pm Saturday in the 36000 block of County Road 171 in Melrose Township. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says a family was clay pigeon shooting when the incident happened. Authorities say a child was finished shooting and was unloading a 20-gauge shotgun when the gun went off. The blast of the bird-shot shotgun shell hit the ground and ricocheted toward a group of people 20-30 feet away. The Sheriff's office says several pellets struck a 4-year-old, 9-year-old and 67-year-old. The adult victim was taken to Sauk Centre Hospital and released. The two kids were taken to St. Cloud Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
--A Sartell man suffered serious injuries in a crash on Highway 15 in Sauk Rapids. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened at about 10:15pm Monday at the intersection with County Road 29. An RV driven by 42-year-old Mark Meredith of South Haven was going north on the highway when troopers say he ran a red light and struck a car driven by 35-year-old Adam Pederson of Sartell, which was going west. Pederson was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Meredith, an adult passenger, and seven children in the RV were not hurt in the accident.
--A Rice man who was charged in a drunk driving crash that killed a Kimball man has pleaded guilty. A jury trial scheduled for next month has been canceled after 58-year-old Ricky Freitag pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide involving alcohol. According to the charges, Freitag had been drinking beer with dinner prior to the crash in February 2020. About an hour later, he was driving north on Highway 15 and lost control on the icy roadway. His pickup collided with a car driven by 67-year-old Donald Heid. Court records show Freitag told responding troopers that he met a friend for dinner in Forest City and had two or three bottles of beer. While driving home, Freitag said he was driving the speed limit when he hit a patch of ice and lost control. A crash reconstruction specialist with the Minnesota State Patrol determined Freitag's speed was excessive considering the blowing snow and ice-covered roadway and that he was driving under the influence. Freitag will be sentenced in October.
--A St. Cloud garage fire totaled two vehicles and damaged the neighboring garage on Sunday evening. The fire caused an estimated $90,000 in damages. No one was injured. The fire took place around 6pm Sunday in the 1400 block of Eighth Avenue North. The garage was detached and it was fully enflamed when the fire department responded. The cause is under investigation.
--After a year of virtual concerts the Heartland Symphony Orchestra is planning on returning to actual venues later this year the plan is to play in Little Falls and Brainerd on October 16th and 17th, December 4th and 5th and April 2 and 3rd of 2022. Actual venues, dates and times are still being worked out. Details at heartlandsymphony.com
--At 9:42am Monday the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a motorcycle accident with injuries on Highway 25, near 270th Avenue, approximately one mile north of Buckman in Pierz Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, a motorcycle driven by 78-year-old Robert Morley of Isanti was traveling north on Highway 25 while approaching 270th Avenue. Morley entered the curve and ended up in the ditch and rolled. Morley was transported to St. Gabriel’s Hospital by Mayo Clinic Ambulance with unknown injuries. Morley was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
--A Big Lake man is charged in Stearns County with trying to solicit a child to engage in sex acts. Twenty-seven-year-old Joshua Ramacher is charged with three felonies related to using electronic communications in the crimes. According to the criminal complaint, an undercover officer with the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force was working undercover Thursday, July 8 in an online chat room and posing as a 15-year-old St. Cloud girl. Records show Ramacher made contact and said he was a 27-year-old man from Big Lake named Josh. He also allegedly asked, whom he thought was the 15-year-old girl, if she liked older guys. After agreeing to meet at a St. Cloud address, Ramacher allegedly sent the undercover officer lewd photos of himself. On Friday, July 9, Ramacher was arrested at the date and location that had been agreed upon. He was booked into the Stearns County Jail awaiting his first court appearance.
--Events this week include the Todd County Fair in Long Prairie kicks off tomorrow through the 18th. Brainerd Ski Loons Show on Sunday at 5pm for their first show of the year in Brainerd. Upstage Players of Upsala perform Friday through Monday at Upsala school auditorium. Details on these and more events at fallsradio.com.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
--Jace and Elisabeth Ruby of Little Falls, a boy born July 12th.
WEATHER
TODAY= cloudy, showers & PM storms possible, high 78.
TONIGHT= shower or storm early, then clearing, low 58.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, high near 80, low around 60.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, high 84, low around 60.
SPORTS
ALL STAR= Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered and had 2 RBIS in the American League win 5-2 over the National League last night in the All Star Game in Denver. American League has now won 8 straight.
WILD= The Minnesota Wild have officially turned a page in franchise history, announcing Tuesday that the hockey club will buy out the final four years of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter's contracts. Wild General Manager Bill Guerin met with reporters at Xcel Energy Center to talk about the decision to cut ties with two of the most popular players in team history. He described the move as a process that took place over the past six to eight months between all parties involved.
VL= Buckman at Ft. Ripley Saturday at 1:30pm to wrap up the regular season in the Victory League, live on AM960 KLTF.
TODAY IN HISTORY
IN 1853= first World's Fair opens in New York.
IN 1864= gold is discovered in Helena, Montana.
IN 1934= Babe Ruth hits career homerun #700.
IN 1946= Dr. Benjamin Spock publishes his famous baby book.