NEWS --The Pierz Public Schools will be holding another public referendum meeting on Wednesday, May 17th at 7:30pm at Pioneer Elementary. The district has a referendum asking voters to approve an $18.45 million bond authority on May 22nd. Absentee voting is ongoing at the Pierz School District Office weekdays from 7:30am-4:00pm.
--The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds residents in central Minnesota of the elevated fire risk with the warmer than average temperatures. There is another string of dry days forecast through the upcoming weekend that can start and spread fires quickly. Firefighters used ATV's and other vehicles to reach a fire Monday on Country Lake north of Brainerd which scorched a number of wooded acres. No structures were threatened.
--A St. Cloud man has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for his role in a robbery in which the victims said a stun gun was used. 19-year old Blake Andrew Dearmond previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting first degree aggravated robbery. A man and a woman told police that they were robbed by two men in March 2016 while the victims were walking in south St. Cloud. The victims were approached by two men they didn't know. One man showed a gun and demanded they turn over their personal property. During a short struggle, one suspect pulled a stun gun and used it on the male victim, according to police. The suspects fled on foot. Dearmond and 29-year old Brandon Deshawn Wilkes were charged after being arrested blocks from the crime scene. Officers found the stun gun and what turned out to be a replica handgun on the two men. Both pleaded guilty. Dearmond was sentenced Friday to 71 months in prison. Wilkes previously was sentenced to 95 months in prison.
--A 35-year old woman was injured when the vehicle she was driving Sunday went off the road at 4th Street SW and College Drive in Brainerd. Around 4:40pm Rebecca Oppelt of Brainerd reportedly had a medical issue and left the roadway. She was taken to the Brainerd hospital for treatment of her medical condition.
--Three St. Cloud residents were injured in a collision Monday afternoon on U.S. Highway 10 near Becker in Sherburne County. 29-Danielle Eileen Guderian of Ogilvie was southbound about 3:00pm where she stopped at a stop sign. Guderian then pulled into the intersection and struck a vehicle driven 24-year old Aden Ali Elmi of St. Cloud. Elmi and his passengers, 51-year old Luul Hassan Abdullahi of St. Cloud and 20-year old Habon Ali Elmi of St. Cloud, were transported to St. Cloud Hospital with injuries not believed to be life threatening. Guderian and her passenger, 11-year old Navaeh Guderian of Ogilvie, were not injured.
--Local musician Justin Ploof has signed with a Miami record label and will drop an EP next month. Ploof has signed with Miami based label Essential Media Group under his solo performance name Justin McGuinn. His first EP with the label, "Love Songs & Other Strangers," will be released on June 9th. Ploof said it was the label's sense of collaboration that ultimately made them the right choice. While Ploof is known regionally for his performances with the Throwbacks, which focus on retro tunes from bygone eras, "Love Songs & Other Strangers" will have a somewhat more contemporary feel, according to Ploof. Ploof said he is grateful for local support during this time of transition and possibilities. Ploof just played in Little Falls last month for a fundraiser for the Little Falls Food Shelf.
--Interim Sheriff Bruce Bechtold, former Dakota County Sheriff Don Gudmundson and Waite Park Police Chief Dave Bentrud are the finalists for the Stearns County sheriff's job. The Stearns County board Tuesday approved interviewing those three to pick the person who will serve the remainder of John Sanner's term. Sanner retired in April; a new sheriff will be elected in November 2018. The county board will interview Bechtold, Gudmundson and Bentrud May 16th, with the next sheriff to be selected by the board on May 23rd.
--Two people were hurt Tuesday morning after 8:00am on Highway 210 at Wood Land Road near Ironton. 68-year old Sharon Nelson was making a left turn when the she rear ended 20-year old Riley Jacobs of Crosby which then caused the Nelson vehicle to strike a third vehicle driven by 47-year old Suzanne Kossila of Brainerd. Nelson and Kossila were treated at a hospital for their injuries. Jacobs not hurt.
--A 26-year old Brainerd man faces charges for allegedly holding a woman against her will in a vehicle with plans to crash it in an attempt to kill them both. Garrett Collier was charged Monday in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd with felony false imprisonment where he intentionally restrained a victim and misdemeanor domestic assault to cause fear of immediate bodily harm. The woman provided a statement to a Baxter officer where she said Collier grabbed her face aggressively and made her look at him. She also said Collier threatened to kill himself and also threatened to bash her head against the window. The woman said Collier never physically assaulted her and she denied needing any medical attention from the incident after Collier was arrested.
--A Princeton man fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed his vehicle. The Minnesota State Patrol says it happened just after 6:00am Monday on Highway 169 in Sherburne County. Twenty-year-old Tristan Phipps was heading north in Baldwin Township when he went through the center median, crossed the southbound lanes of traffic, and went into the ditch. He was taken to Northland Medical Center in Princeton with non life threatening injuries.
--Come hear the finest ensembles of instrumental wind music students in Little Falls perform their final concert of the year. The Little Falls Community High School Bands host their spring band concert next Monday at 7:30pm at Charles D. Martin Auditorium. General admission tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for children.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS --Brandon Beto and Monica Ducharme of Rice, girl on May 5th. --Joe and Kaley Kahl had a baby girl, born on May 8th.
WEATHER TODAY= clouds decrease, then sunny, high 71. TONIGHT= partly cloudy, cooler, low 38. THURSDAY= sunny skies, high 61, clear night low 37. FRIDAY= sunny skies, slight chance of PM showers, high 65.
SPORTS TWINS= Joe Mauer hit leadoff and Kennys Vargas homered as the Twins beat White Sox 7-2 last night to get back on winning track. The Twins back on Monday night traded utility man Danny Santana to the Atlanta Braves for pitcher Kevin Chapman. Chapman began his career with Houston in 2013; will work with the Twins bullpen. The Twins continue series in Chicago tonight 6:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.