NEWS
--A Foley woman was arrested in east St. Cloud in connection to an overdose death. The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, along with the Foley Police Department, used a knock-and-announce search warrant Monday in the 400 block of East St. Germain Street. The warrant was regarding an investigation into an overdose death of a woman that happened in Foley back in March. Arrested was 26-year-old Christine Grove of Foley.
--A father and son were safely rescued from the Mississippi River over the weekend. Saturday afternoon at about 3:30, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office was sent to the 300 block of Montrose Road in St. Cloud. A caller said there was a man on an island in the Mississippi River calling for help because his boat had gotten away and floated downriver. A short time later, the man’s son called to report his father had gone into the water to try and get the boat, went too far downriver, and wasn’t in sight anymore. St. Cloud Fire Department boats were used to locate the man on another island and moved both men and the boat back to the boat landing. No one was injured.
--Two people were hurt in a two vehicle crash in Wright County Monday afternoon. The incident happened just after 2:30pm on Highway 25 in Buffalo. The Minnesota State Patrol says a vehicle driven by 47-year-old Maryann Efondo, of Buffalo, was heading north on Highway 25 attempting to turn left. The patrol says another vehicle was heading south, when the two vehicles collided in the intersection. Efondo received non-life threatening injuries.
--Westbound traffic on Interstate 94 near Albany was stopped due to a vehicle fire Monday. Witnesses say the closure was due to a burning semi-truck at Exit 147, just blocks from downtown Albany. The road was closed for hours and alternate routes were set up for traffic which was slowed until the debris and items were cleared. There was no reports of any injuries.
--The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says there have been over 200 wildfires across the state since the beginning of May. The agency says it is tempting to use fire to clean up yard waste but dry grass or brush can quickly become a blaze that spreads quickly into something dangerous. If the worst happens, the DNR says to call 911 as soon as you are in a safe place. Trained firefighters are best equipped to put the flames out quickly. Wildfire Section Manager Paul Lundgren says people are hospitalized or die from injuries sustained while trying to contain a fire. This is typically one of the most dangerous times of the year as snow disappears. What’s left is dead wood and vegetation which goes up easily, surrounded by plants that are still dormant. The DNR says the threat of wildfires remains into the summertime. It reminds people that a burn pit larger than three feet in diameter or three feet in height requires a burning permit. When conditions are not favorable, like on red flag warning days, permits can be rescinded to promote safety.
--The Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery announced they are planning to have their Memorial Day Observance Program on Sunday, May 28th at 1:30pm music, program at 2pm north of Little Falls. All are welcome to attend, you as asked to bring your own lawn chair, those there will be limited seating. Also if you can carpool to the event that will help ease in the parking inside but there will be helpers getting those to the seating from the parking areas. The cemetery will be open through the weekend for those who wish to come and remember those you gave the ultimate sacrifice.
--The City of Little Falls reported a water main break that had to be repaired yesterday afternoon which caused a water shutoff for a time where the repair was on 4th Street Southwest in the immediate vicinity. The repairs were completed by late yesterday evening.
--A teenage boy woke a family of eight by pounding on their door late Sunday night alerting them to a house fire. They escaped unharmed, but lost everything else, including their pets. The Brainerd Fire Department responded to the fire, reported at 11:34pm on the 200 block of North Fifth Street. Fire crews responded to a report of a possible house fire at Kingwood and North Fifth streets. At the time no smoke or flames could be seen in the home, though flames could be seen at the back of the home. Two adults and six children made it out of the home safely. A dog and two cats died in the fire, however.
Upon arrival, firefighters found the porch in the back of the home in flames. With the fire moving up the outside wall and into an attic space, it quickly spread into the upper floor and east side of the house. With mutual aid called in from the Deerwood Fire Department, it took 30 firefighters around 4.5 hours to extinguish the fire. Holmes said the home appears to be a total loss as there was extensive damage to all floors. The family was receiving assistance from the American Red Cross. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office.
--The Brainerd Fire Department responded to a storage shed fire at 10:57am Sunday on the 3100 block of County Highway 45. Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said a person finished cutting their lawn and put the piece of equipment back in the shed. A short time later they noticed the fire and called the fire department. Fire crews extinguished the fire, though the 8-foot by 40-foot shed and its contents were lost in the fire.
--Fire crews responded to a grass fire Monday. The St. Cloud Fire Department was called to 2525 County Road 74 just before 1pm. Authorities arrived to find multiple small grass fires burning in the ditch along a 1/2 mile stretch of the roadway. The fires were contained to the ditch and quickly extinguished. No one was hurt and a cause of the fires are unknown at this time.
DEATH NOTICES
--Anita “Nita” Tykwinski, age 71 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high 75.
TONIGHT= storms after midnight, low 57.
THURSDAY= showers & t-storms likely, breezy, high 67, low 53.
FRIDAY= AM shower, then partly sunny, cool and breezy, high 61.
SPORTS
TWINS= Kyle Farmer and Byron Buxton come through for the Twins last night in a 5-1 win over the Dodgers. The Twins wrap up series against the Dodgers today, pregame at 1:30pm on Q92 WYRQ.
BAB= Pierz beat Little Falls in baseball yesterday on KLTF 4-2. Softball playoffs begin next week while Baseball playoffs will begin on May 30th for area teams, listen for broadcasts on Little Falls Radio.
LF= Little Falls Community High School announced that Senior Beau Thoma has committed to compete in basketball at the University of Minnesota-Morris. His parents are Jeffrey & Kerie Thoma of Swanville.
NBA= The San Antonio Spurs secured the first overall pick in the NBA Draft last night with the draft lottery selection.