NEWS
--The Morrison County Sheriffs Office responded to a fatal ATV crash Sunday night. At 8:43pm the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an accident on 203rd Street, approximately one mile north of Lastrup in Granite Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 55-year-old Michael Waytashek of Little Falls was driving a Can-Am side-by-side ATV west on 203rd Street. Waytashek appeared to have lost control on the gravel road and went into the ditch, rolling the side-by-side. Waytashek was partially ejected, and life-saving measures were immediately attempted. Waytashek was later pronounced dead at the scene. The crash is still under investigation.
--Two people were hurt at 8:57am Tuesday morning in Bellevue Township of Morrison County. 56-year-old Joseph Sturk of Aurora was eastbound on Highway 10 at Harness Road when he left the road and struck the center median going airborne in to the west ditch. The vehicle continued to cross back and ended in the east ditch. Sturk and his passenger 52-year-old Teresa Sturk of Aurora were both taken to the hospital in Little Falls and treated for their injuries.
--On Saturday at approximately 9pm, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office was requested to assist the Northfield Police Department with a missing persons case. On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Office and members of the Stearns-Benton Sheriff’s Office dive team assisted in the search for a missing juvenile at Mississippi River Park located in Northeastern Stearns County in relation to the Northfield Police Department case. Northfield Police Chief Mark Elliott says cell phone data tracked 6-year-old Elle Ragin to Mississippi River Park shortly after she went missing on June 19th. A Stearns County Deputy made contact with the girls mother, 39-year-old Lisa Wade in the park next to her vehicle. Wade told the deputy she lost her phone and car keys while hiking in the park and needed help. Authorities say she was alone at the time. Elliott says when they learned of the park location, multiple law enforcement agencies were called in with police dogs, drones, dive teams, and boats to search the park and the Mississippi River. During the search, authorities say they found Ragin's cell phone in the park and Wade's cell phone and purse (with her license and keys) in the river. Elliott says they have been able to find video of Wade at multiple locations between June 23rd and July 2nd, but Ragin was not seen with her at any time. Ragin's whereabouts are still unknown. The case remains active and Mississippi River Park remains closed to the public until further notice Authorities began searching for Ragin after Wade's body was found inside their Northfield apartment on Saturday. She died of an apparent suicide. It's believe Wade was involved in Ragin's disappearance before taking her own life.
--A number of accidents over the long holiday weekend. Two people, were injured in a two vehicle accident in Crow Wing County Monday around 1pm. 37-year-old Jenny Efta of Lester Prairie and her 12 year old passenger Cayden Efta were injured when their vehicle was west on Highway 18 and struck a vehicle stopped due to slowed traffic from behind. They were both taken to the Brainerd hospital for their non serious injuries. No others injuries. A fatal accident was reported in Stevens County of western Minnesota where 18-year-old Payton Larson of Herman was killed when the vehicle went of the roadway and rolled several times Sunday around 4:30pm. Three people were hurt in an accident in Otter Tail County, another 5 people including 3 children were hurt in an accident in Cass County. There as two more accidents in Cass County and two fatal accidents near the Twin Cities.
--The Little Falls Community School District announced there will be a farewell party for outgoing Superintendent Steven Jones on Friday evening July 22nd from 7-9pm at Great River Arts in Little Falls. Come share your fun stories from Steve's 10 year tenure in Little Falls as Superintendent. Also it will be a welcome event too for the new Little Falls Superintendent Greg Johnson with a meet and greet opportunity. All are welcome to come and wish Steve Jones well and welcome Greg Johnson to the Little Falls Community Schools District.
--Governor Tim Walz has ordered all Minnesota and U.S. Flags on state buildings to be flown at half-staff for the victims of the shooting on July 4th in Highland Park, Illinois. He encourages all others to fly their flags at half-staff until Saturday to remember the victims.
--An illegal firework that failed to properly launch was responsible for the fire engulfing a pontoon Sunday night in the waters of White Sand Lake in Baxter. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office reported a 47-year-old man and an unidentified person were on the boat at the time of the fire. The Brainerd Fire Department had to extinguish the floating blaze around 10:15pm along the southern lakeshore next to the 5400 block of Fairview Road North. The 911 caller reported the burning boat was floating about 50 feet from shore and fireworks were still exploding. The fire started when a mortar shell failed to launch from the tube and exploded, igniting other fireworks on the boat. The people on the boat made it safely to shore, after which said the unidentified person fled the scene and the 47-year-old man was less than cooperative but was transported by a private vehicle to the hospital and was treated for a laceration to his ankle.
--A federal judge this week will sentence former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for federal civil rights violations in the killing of George Floyd. Judge Paul Magnuson on Tuesday set Chauvin's sentencing for 2pm Thursday in St. Paul. Chauvin's plea agreement calls for a sentence of 20 to 25 years. Federal prosecutors last month asked for 25, saying his actions were cold-blooded and needless. Chauvin pleaded guilty in December, admitting for the first time that he knelt on Floyd's neck resulting in his death. He has already been sentenced to 22.5 years on state murder and manslaughter charges.
--The next Rock Roll and Stroll in Pierz is tomorrow night from 5-8pm all are invited to come and see the classic cars and anything cool right down the main street of Pierz, take in the poker walk and check out the local businesses all taking part in the event.
DEATH NOTICES
--Leslie W. Hastings, age 80 of Little Falls.
--Anna Mae Tiemann, age 92 of Sauk Rapids.
WEATHER
TODAY= some AM fog, then partly sunny, high 77.
TONIGHT= cloudy skies, few showers in evening, low 59.
THURSDAY= sunny skies, high 80, clear night low near 60.
FRIDAY= sunny and warmer, high 84, partly cloudy late, low 63.
SPORTS
TWINS= Twins go deep a lot last night with homers from Kepler, Miranda, Polanco and two homers from Kirilloff as the Twins win 8-2 over White Sox. Twins wrap up the series with the White Sox today, pregame at 12:30pm on Q92 WYRQ. Twins are off on Thursday.
Get details on the Morrison County Fair July 21-23 by logging on to fallsradio.com and click on the Fair link.