NEWS --A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until noon today with snow this morning coming to an end after 4-8 inches of snow between last night and today. Gusty winds of over 35mph causing blowing and drifting. Schools such as Little Falls, Pierz and Swanville are 2 hours late as of 6am, Upsala and Foley are closed and others were already off for the day. You will need to give yourself plenty of extra time getting around today with snow plows out in force this morning. Listen to Little Falls Radio for are any delays or closures this morning. --Morrison County Shawn Larsen wants everyone to be safe this Thanksgiving weekend. Travelers should have a fully charged cell phone for emergencies but remember to not use your cell phone while driving or texting and driving which is against the law. Stay alert of your surroundings at all times, buckle up and don't drive and drive, plan ahead and have a designated driver. Also if you are leaving the area for the weekend, have your house locked up and tell your neighbors or a family matter to check your house regularly and to report any suspicious activity to the sheriff's office to investigate. Again have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving from the Morrison County Sheriff's Office and area law enforcement.
--On Monday at approximately 7:38am the Morrison County Sheriff's Office received a report of a one vehicle crash on 153rd Street, east of 275th Avenue, approximately one mile east of Pierz in Pierz Township. According to the Sheriff’s Office, a 16-year old male from Pierz was traveling west on 153rd Street. The driver lost control of the vehicle, went off the road and hit a tree. The driver’s 13-year old male passenger was transported to St. Gabriel’s Hospital with unknown injuries. The driver was not injured. Names were not released.
--On Monday at approximately 7:51 am, the Morrison County Sheriff's office received a report of a one vehicle rollover on Great River Road, near 170th Avenue, approximately six miles southeast of Bowlus in Two Rivers Township. 21-year old Addison March from Motley was traveling west on Great River Road. March lost control of the vehicle, went off the road, hit a road approach and the vehicle rolled. March was transported to St. Cloud Hospital with unknown injuries.
--The Stearns County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a man who had his hand caught in a hay baler at the address of 31329 Upton Lane in Melrose Township Monday afternoon around 1:15pm. 56-year-old Glenn Hinnenkamp of Melrose, was working on his round hay baler. The baler was running at the time. His hand and arm got pinned between two rollers and he became trapped. His wife turned the tractor and baler off. Melrose Fire responded and was able to extricate Hinnenkamp from the baler. He was transported to the Melrose hospital by Melrose ambulance service with serious injuries to his hand and arm.
--Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. A reminder that the Annual Community Thanksgiving meal is 11am-1pm Thursday at Little Falls Community High School. All are welcome. Tim Sumner asked recently if there those driving from Pierz to and from the event if possible to pick up and bring a couple of Pierz residents who are unable to drive to it. Also there are drivers set up for the Little Falls to bring residents to the event if they cannot drive to it. If you can help in driving to the event tomorrow please call Tim at 632-2540. Other events Thursday including the Turkey Trot at Pierz Healy High School at 7:30am with a run/walk at the MAC in Pierz and a community Thanksgiving dinner is planned for 11:30am tomorrow at the Word of Life Church in Upsala.
--With Thursday being Thanksgiving Day, a reminder that many businesses will have special hours or be closed Thursday. Government offices are closed, banks and post offices are closed on Thursday. Make sure what might be open before you head out. Some stores start their Black Friday sales on Thursday also.
--Back on Sunday morning around 11:15am the Benton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a hunting accident in Glendorado Township that left two people injured. Deputies responded to the 19000 block of Highway 95 NE southeast of Foley to a report of two people with gunshot wounds. Upon arrival, deputies learned that 33-year old Heidi Haskamp and 39-year old Camille Carlin both of Isanti, sustained injuries caused by a shotgun. Investigating deputies learned that Haskamp and Carlin had been members of a group of approximately 20 people who were hunting pheasants together in the area. A pheasant was flushed from the grass amongst the hunters and as the pheasant flew in the area of Haskamp and Carlin, several members of the hunting party fired at the pheasant. Pellets from one or more of these shotgun rounds struck Haskamp and Carlin. Haskamp sustained a single pellet wound to her cheek while Carlin sustained multiple pellet wounds to her back. Both Haskamp and Carlin were transported to a medical center in Princeton with serious, but non-life threatening injuries. Authorities have ruled that the injuries caused to Haskamp and Carlin were accidental in nature.
--A St. Cloud priest pleaded guilty Tuesday to engaging in a sexual relationship with a parishioner. 53-year old Reverend Anthony Oelrich was charged in February 2018 and pleaded guilty Tuesday to one felony count of third degree criminal sexual conduct. Minnesota law bars clergy members from engaging in sexual relationships with anyone they are counseling spiritually or religiously; consent is not a defense. Oelrich engaged in a sexual relationship with a woman who went to him for spiritual guidance and had disclosed a past relationship that included sexual abuse. In early 2014 the woman said intercourse occurred on multiple days. She was seeing Oelrich for confession during the same time. Oelrich is scheduled to be sentenced February 12th.
DEATH NOTICES --Josephine A. Heurung, age 95 of Little Falls. --Steve A. Pantzke, age 69 of Little Falls.
WEATHER WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 12PM TODAY. TODAY= snow ending, gusty winds, temps near 28 and dropping. TONIGHT= clearing skies, winds die down, low around 12. THANKSGIVING= cloudy skies, scattered flurries, high 26, low 18. FRIDAY= snow, mixed with freezing rain, high 32, low around 28. SATURDAY= snow, mixed with freezing rain, high 35, gusty winds. SUNDAY= snow in morning, then cloudy and colder, high 25.
SPORTS NFL= Three NFL games on Thanksgiving Day starting with the Bears at Detroit at 11:30am, hear the action of all the games on KLTF.
Little Falls Radio will be closed for Thanksgiving tomorrow but will reopen at 8am Friday. There will be no newsletter delivered Thursday but there will be one on Friday. Happy Thanksgiving from Little Falls Radio.