NEWS --Upsala Area Schools will be holding a special election for the purpose of renewing their current referendum on November 7th. There will be an information meeting tonight at 6:30pm in the Upsala High School Media Center regarding the referendum and how it will affect the school and area property taxes. If you are unable to attend an informational meeting like the one tonight, presentation slides and meeting notes are posted on the Upsala school website.
--Shortly before 3:30pm Monday the Morrison County Sheriff's Office received a report of a two vehicle accident with injuries at the intersection of Jewel Road and 233rd Street, three miles north of Freedhem in Ripley Township. 16-year old Simon Kroll of Royalton was traveling west on 233rd Street in a pickup as 39-year old Jason Pugh of Little Falls was traveling north on Jewel Road in a suburban. Kroll went through the stop sign at the intersection of Jewel Road and Pugh then struck Kroll's vehicle. Both vehicles ended up in the ditch. An electrical box and a ground cable were damaged. Pugh was taken by ambulance to CHI St. Gabriel's Hospital with unknown injuries. Kroll was not injured.
--The St. Cloud City Council passed a resolution Monday night on refugees resettling in the city, but it’s not the resolution proposed last week by council member Jeff Johnson. Instead council member Jeff Goerger, during the open discussion portion of the meeting, offered up an alternative. Goerger’s resolution is in support of a “Just and Welcoming Community”. Meanwhile, Johnson also read his resolution during the discussion, which called for a temporary moratorium on refugee resettlement in St. Cloud. Goerger’s resolution in support of the refugees in St. Cloud passed on a 5-1 vote while Johnson was the lone opposing vote. With a few hundred people in attendance, five people talked about refugees in St. Cloud during the open forum portion of the meeting. Three St. Cloud police officers were also at the meeting as a precaution.
--The Minnesota Department of Health has found the Heritage House of Pequot Lakes negligent in leading to the death of a client living there back in February. The report stated that the care was ruled improper, the environment was unclean, an improper catheter was used which led to an infection which led to the death of 86-year old Ralph Ford. Legal action is already underway from Ford's family against the facility for the faulty care. Several other violations are being investigated by the department of health. The Pequot Lakes Police Department is investigating an arson fire in June that evacuated the residents from the facility. Pequot Lakes police stated lack of evidence in the case was unable to lead them to an arrest.
--The Pequot Lakes Police Department arrested a 34-year old man who has been wanted since August. Raymond Flategraff was ruled a U.S. Fugitive from Minneapolis on criminal charges for criminal sexual conduct with a victim under 16. He also had felony warrants out for check forgery in Crow Wing County. Flategraff was arrested in Pequot Lakes and was taken to the Crow Wing County Jail to face charges.
--A 77-year old Brainerd man was airlifted to the hospital after suffering a medical issue which led to a crash Friday night on Crow Wing County Road 45 at County Highway 2 south of Brainerd. Around 9:30pm Charles Buxton was driving the vehicle and left the roadway striking the ditch. No word was given on his medical condition.
--Join Trick or Treating next Tuesday in Little Falls and Pierz businesses.
--Today marks the 15th anniversary of the death of Senator Paul Wellstone, his wife, daughter and four others in a plane crash near Eveleth in northern Minnesota. Wellstone was a U.S. Senator for Minnesota from 1990-2002 and was running for a third term when the plane crashed occurred.
--Police say a man has been arrested for placing an explosive near a fire station in Ramsey. A citizen who saw the man placing a pipe bomb in some woods behind the station called police Monday afternoon. The Minneapolis Bomb Squad was called to the scene and determined it contained explosive material. The bomb squad deactivated the device. Authorities executed a search warrant at a nearby residence and arrested a man. He’s being held in the Anoka County Jail. A woman at the residence was also arrested for possessing a controlled substance.
--Two teenagers were injured in a vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon around 3:15 on Highway 65 in Knife Lake Township of Kanabec County. 20-year old Devin Vizecky of Mora was turning onto a township road when he was rear ended by a vehicle driven by 17-year old Kianna Williams of Mora. Williams and her passenger 13-year old Grace Williams of Mora both sustained non life threatening injuries. Vizecky was not injured. A semi driver was traveling on Highway 65 at the time of the accident and swerved to avoid the accident causing the semi and trailer to leave the highway and strike the ditch. The semi driver was not hurt.
--Five people were involved in a three vehicle accident with injuries Monday around 3:45pm in Mille Lacs County. 77-year old Judith Fischer of Andover was on Highway 169 at 330th Street in Onamia Township when she slowed for a stopped school bus with lights flashing when her vehicle was struck from behind by 22-year old Jonathon Kangas of Mora causing his vehicle to go into the opposite lane and strike a pickup truck driven by 38-year old Nicholas Robinson of Coon Rapids. Robinson and his passenger were not hurt. Fischer was not hurt either. Kangas and a 9-year old passenger Josiah Hagan of Mora sustained injuries and were treated at the Onamia Hospital. The school bus was not impacted by the accident.
WEATHER TODAY= mostly sunny, less windy, high 53. TONIGHT= increasing clouds, low around 40. THURSDAY= cloudy, showers in afternoon, turning breezy, high 51. THURS NITE= rain showers likely, changing to wet snow late, low 29. FRIDAY= rain/snow mix, gusty winds and cold, high 36, low near 20.
SPORTS HS FB= St. Cloud Apollo beat Little Falls 33-8 in the playoffs, while Upsala/Swanville won over Parkers Prairie 22-16 to move on to Saturday. Holdingford and Pillager won first round games, Foley and Staples-Motley lost. Royalton and Pierz had byes into Saturday. NHL= Minnesota Wild's Zach Parise reportedly had back surgery on Tuesday and will be out of action 8-10 weeks for recovery. ROX= 1987 and 1991 World Series Champion member of the Minnesota Twins, Al Newman has been named the new manager of the St. Cloud Rox for next season. Newman was an assistant for the team last year. The 2017 manager Augie Rodriguez moved up to becoming the Director of Baseball Operations for the Rox in 2018. MLB= Kershaw aces Astros as LA wins game 1 of World Series 3-1.