NEWS
--U.S. Senator Tina Smith announced federal funding to be awarded to two projects in Northern Minnesota. $305,000 will be provided to the Aitkin County Sheriff’s office to upgrade equipment, and $14,000 will be given to Morrison County United Way to support their “Imagination Library” childhood literacy program which gives children one book a month for the first five years of their lives, the program is in conjunction with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office will use the $305,000 awarded to the sheriff’s office to replace aging public safety communications equipment, which will include portable and mobile radios. And the Morrison County United Way Imagination Library $14,000 will give participating children 1 book per month until they graduate out of the program and move on to kindergarten. This project is in partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and serves all of Morrison County and three zip codes in Todd County: Staples, Grey Eagle and Burtrum. Executive Director Meghann Boser stated “We currently have 913 children age 0-5 enrolled in the Imagination Library program in our service area and have graduated 4,373 children from the program. Based on community input, the board has decided that this program is our top priority and we do not want to have to limit the number of children that we can serve. This funding is making that all possible. We are so grateful for the work that Senator Tina Smith did on our behalf. This funding will have a huge impact in our area – it’s definitely a game changer for us and we can’t express how excited and thankful we are!”. Senator Smith has been an active advocate in pushing for these projects to be funded as part of the federal spending bill, which President Biden signed into law on March 15th. Allocating funds to specific state projects like this has not been provided by Congress for the last decade, making this investment in Northern Minnesota critical for supporting these communities.
--A 34-year-old Nimrod woman and a juvenile were seriously injured Sunday after their utility terrain vehicle rolled on its side on County Road 139 in Wadena County. The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash reported at 5:44pm. Four people, including three children, were riding a UTV when it rolled near the 24000 block of County Road 139 when the driver lost control and the UTV began to fishtail, causing it to roll into the ditch. Two volunteer firefighters who were in the area coyote hunting came across the 2020 Polaris Ranger, which was resting on its passenger side in a ditch, and called for an ambulance. The driver, Shawna Holmquist, and a front-seat passenger were seriously injured. The child in the front seat was airlifted to Hennepin Healthcare. The driver was transported to a hospital and later taken to another hospital with serious injuries.
--Two Pequot Lakes sisters died Saturday after a pickup truck struck the utility terrain vehicle they were riding in Tazewell County, Illinois. The Tazewell County Sheriff's Office responded to the crash reported about 4:50pm south of Tremont in central Illinois. According to the Peoria Journal Star, Sheriff Jeff Lower said two people died and six people suffered injuries in the crash at Townline and Locust roads, about 4 miles south of Tremont. A truck was headed west on Townline and the UTV was southbound on Locust when they collided. On Monday evening, the Tazewell County Coroner's Office identified the two victims as 22-year-old Ashley Embree and 16-year-old Sarae Embree, both of Pequot Lakes. Both died of multiple blunt force injuries due to the collision. The woman and girl were passengers in the UTV. The Embree family was in town visiting relatives.
--At 10am Tuesday the Little Falls Police Department responded to a motor vehicle accident on 1st Street and 2nd Avenue SE in Little Falls. 59-year old Joseph Poll of Belgrade was the driver of a semi with a load of lumber traveling southbound on 1st Street SE when an SUV driven by 39-year old John Ginter of Little Falls pulled out in front of Poll. Poll stuck Ginter’s SUV. During the accident Poll’s load of lumber slid forward causing damage to the rear of the semi. Neither driver reported any injuries in the accident.
--Waite Park Police is reporting theft from vehicle on 15th avenue north where four credit/debit cards were taken and an iphone 8 were stolen out of the vehicle. On Park Meadows Drive a 2009 gray Hyundai Accent was stolen. The license plate number is 798 URC. In this incident the keys were in the ignition and the car was running. The description of the suspect is a "buff white male". The Stearns County Sheriff's Department is reporting that various tools were taken from a job site on 1st street southeast in Avon. There were locks on the location where the tools were stored. The locks were cut with a bolt cutter. The St. Cloud Police Department is reporting a couple of stolen vehicles. On the 700 block of 2nd avenue northeast a 2018 red Dodge Charger GT was taken. License plate is GSY 983. That vehicle has a cracked windshield and a decal on the gas cap. On the 3600 block of Division Street a 2012 White Chevy Impala was stolen. License plate ENC 861. St. Cloud Police is reporting a burglary on the 1100 block of St. Germain Street East where someone entered an apartment and removed some property from there. If you have information on crimes in Stearns, Benton or Sherburne County area please report information by calling Crimestoppers at 1-800-255-1301, online tricountycrimestoppers.org and click on submit a tip.
--A statement from the Pierz Choir Department to the public “On behalf of the Pierz Choir Department and the Pierz Theatre Department: We are pleased to announce that we have raised $1,364.06 to be donated to UNHCR which the UN Refugee Agency to support Ukrainian refugees. This money was raised through a free-will concert donation, bake sale, and a generous parent who matched our totals. We thank the Pierz community and parent donor for their support. We recognize there is a lot happening in the world AND in our own backyards right now that can feel heavy. We hope this show of empathy and support for others lifts a little of that weight and heaviness, so we can all keep doing the important work to make the world a better place for everyone."
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
--Jon and Melanie Mick of Royalton, a baby boy born March 18th.
--Zachary and Brittany Kummet, had a baby boy born March 21st.
DEATH NOTICES
--Corinne C. (Fischer) Bahe, age 84 of Belgrade.
WEATHER
TODAY= chance of rain or snow at times, cloudy, windy, high 40.
TONIGHT= cloudy, light snow early, low around 27.
THURSDAY= sunny and warmer, high 48, rain/snow late, low 30.
FRIDAY= chance of rain or snow at times, cloudy, high 41, low 16.
SPORTS
NFL= The Vikings have agreed to terms with former Packer defensive end Za'Darius Smith. Smith, cut by Packers, reportedly signed a 3-year deal worth a base salary of $42 million for Vikings.