NEWS
--Minnesota officials say more than 300 people have died in traffic crashes so far this year. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety said Monday the 302 deaths were 17 more than the 285 reported at this time last year. In 2017, Minnesota did not record it's 300th death until October 31st. The most recent death came Friday night when a 66-year old Big Lake man was struck and killed while crossing Highway 10 in Becker. He was the 29th pedestrian to die in a crash in 2018. The year's fatalities include 195 people in motor vehicles, 58 motorcyclists, six bicyclists and 14 classified as other, such as farm machinery or ATVs. Drunken driving was a factor in 93 fatal crashes, making it the leading cause of death in traffic crashes in Minnesota so far in 2018.
--There will be a prescription drug take back event at Coborns in Little Falls this Saturday from 10:00am-2:00pm. During that time you may drop off any unused or expired prescription drugs for safe disposal. There are also permanent drop off sites in Morrison County at the Little Falls Police Department, Morrison County Sheriffs Office, Pierz City Hall, Randall City Hall and Motley City Hall.
--The reminder from the Minnesota Secretary's of States office that absentee and early voting does continue through November 5th if need be for those unable to vote in the general election on Tuesday, November 6th at their polling place. For more information on early voting there is information on the Secretary of State's website or by contacting your local city hall, county offices or local township board members. Listen to live elections results on Little Falls Radio on November 6th after the polls close at 8pm that night for results on the races and streamed online at fallsradio.com.
--A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to assaulting a St. Cloud woman which left her with broken bones in her face. 37-year-old Derrick Lambert recently pleaded guilty in Benton County District Court to one felony count of 3rd-degree assault. According to charges, Lambert punched the woman with a closed fist multiple times where a neighbor called St. Cloud Police when they heard sounds like someone or something being thrown around the apartment and a woman screaming. Police arrested Lambert at the scene. A hospital exam on the woman showed she suffered eight broken bones in her orbital socket surrounding her eye. Lambert will be sentenced in December.
--A 28-year-old Brainerd man who led authorities on a pursuit at high speeds through road construction zones in Brainerd October 11th, nearly striking work crews was formerly charged in Crow Wing County District Court. Devon Michael Majersky was charged with felony first-degree driving while intoxicated, felony fleeing a police officer in a vehicle, gross misdemeanor driving after cancellation and misdemeanor of fleeing a police officer by means other than a vehicle. The police pursuit began on South 6th Street at 3:15pm on October 11th and ended at the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds.
--St. Cloud Technical and Community College is once again ranked as one of the best colleges for veterans in the country. The Military Times has released its "Best for Vets: Colleges 2019 Career and Technical Colleges" rankings. SCTCC comes in at number seven on the list. The institution has been ranked in the top ten for the past four years. The list to help Veterans find the schools best for their needs. SCTCC has around 180 Veterans attending this year.
--Little Falls City Hall announced that they will be closed from 10:30am-1:30pm this Friday to allow staff to attend a funeral.
--The driver of a semi hauling sugar beets died Monday evening after a collision with a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train near Raymond which is southwest of Willmar. Daniel Roy Schmidt, 79, was pulling a trailer with the sugar beets traveling south on the Kandi-Chippewa Line near U.S. Highway 23, according to a news release from the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office. The truck was struck by the train shortly after 6pm. Witnesses said the semi landed in the ditch between Highway 23 and the railroad tracks, and the trailer appeared to be wrapped around the train’s lead locomotive. No others hurt.
--Authorities report an outbreak of a mild form of bird flu in turkeys in Kandiyohi County of west-central Minnesota. The World Organization for Animal Health says routine surveillance testing confirmed on Monday the presence of a low pathogenic N5N2 virus in a flock of 40,000 turkeys in Minnesota's top turkey-producing county. The virus originated in wild birds. The affected flock has been quarantined but has shown no signs of illness. The farm will be allowed to market the birds. The virus is different from the highly pathogenic H5N2 virus that caused a massive outbreak in U.S. turkeys and chickens in 2015, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 50 million birds. Iowa and Minnesota were the hardest hit states. The outbreak led to tighter biosecurity on poultry farms.
NATIONAL NEWS
--U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development State Director Brad Finstad announced funding is available for very low- and low-income individuals and families seeking to purchase or repair a home in a rural area. Data shows Rural Development's home loan programs increase economic development and job creation in rural communities. The maximum loan amount for repair is $20,000 at a 1 percent interest rate, repayable for a 20-year term and can be used to improve or modernize homes and do essential repairs. Grants of up to $7,500 are available to homeowners 62 and older and must be used to remove health or safety hazards, such as fixing a leaking roof, installing indoor plumbing or replacing a furnace. Time is limited to receive these funds. Qualified applicants have until the end of September 2019 to apply. Contact a USDA Rural Development housing specialist to learn about qualifications.
DEATH NOTICES
--Mildred Rebischke, age 89 of Little Falls.
--Regina “Aunt Jean” B. Stoltman, age 94 of Little Falls.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny start, increasing clouds in PM, high near 50.
TONIGHT= rain after midnight, low near 40.
THURSDAY= rain likely, high 48, more rain at night, low 38.
FRIDAY= rain likely, high 47, rain mixes with snow late, low 34.
SPORTS
WS= Boston beat Dodgers 8-4 last night, Game 2 of Series tonight.
HS FB= Royalton rolls 56-8 over Eveleth-Gilbert plays on Saturday against Aitkin. Kimball ousts Upsala/Swanville 27-20, St. Cloud Apollo beat Little Falls 51-21 in first round playoff action, Holdingford and Foley lost, Pillager won. Pierz plays Melrose on Saturday.