NEWS
--A Randall man charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide has entered a guilty plea in Morrison County District Court.
34-year-old, Logan Klooster of Randall, was charged with one count of operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner, and the other count is for doing the same, but also under the influence of a controlled substance. The charges stem from a July 12 motor vehicle accident that resulted in the death of 79-year old Shirley Friebe of Eagle Bend. Klooster entered a guilty plea to count two, criminal vehicular homicide, operating with negligence under the influence of a controlled substance. By entering the guilty plea, Klooster is waiving his right to a trial by jury. As part of the plea agreement, the prosecutor will ask Judge Antoinette C. Wetzel for a sentence of 51 months in prison, along with a $50 fine and restitution charges. The maximum penalty that can be imposed by the Court is 10 years imprisonment, with a minimum sentence of 48 months. Klooster will remain in custody at the Morrison County Jail until he is sentenced. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for 3:45pm December 15th.
--With this week being Minnesota Manufacturers Week a reminder there are open houses for those to come and view Wabash (which is now located in the former Larson Boats building on Paul Larson Drive from 10am-12pm and LakeShirts located in the former Crestliner Building on the north end of Little Falls from 10am-12pm and also in the afternoon from 1-3pm. Please wear closed toed shoes when attending. This is an opportunity to see what our local manufacturers are doing in the area which brings and industry around Little Falls.
--Yesterday marked the 20th Anniversary of the plane crash that killed then Senator Paul Wellstone happened near Eveleth also killing his wife Sheila, daughter Marcia, three aids and two pilots. The fatal crash occurred 11 days before the election which Wellstone had been running for a third term. He was replaced by former Vice President Walter Mondale to finish his term. Mondale lost the election days later to Republican Norm Coleman. Since then the late Senator's family has launched a virtual walkthrough of the Wellstone Memorial and Historic Site in Eveleth on the Wellstone Legacy website.
--An outbuilding burned in a fire Saturday in Section 25 of Wing River Township in Wadena County. The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office reported upon arrival, emergency personnel learned the structure on fire was an outbuilding. The Verndale and Wadena fire departments were able to put the fire out before it spread to a nearby home. The outbuilding and contents inside were lost. The sheriff’s office reported the cause of the fire is unknown and the case is pending investigation. Assisting at the scene was the Tri-County Ambulance.
--A garage fire in Marty Township resulted in a total loss of a church shed. Saturday afternoon, Stearns County Sheriff’s Deputies were sent to a fire at Holy Cross Church on County Road 8. Witnesses had reported smoke coming from the roof of a nearby storage shed. The fire departments put the fire out and believe the fire started near a lawn tractor that was started or moved.
--The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating an incident that killed a 10-year-old in northern Minnesota last week. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responded to a medical call at a home on Midway Circle in rural Walker around 4pm on Thursday. Deputies arrived to find a boy who had fallen from a tree and was hurt. Authorities say life-saving measures were started and the boy was taken to a medical helicopter landing zone, but he died before the helicopter arrived on the scene.
--Authorities are investigating a burglary at a bar near Randall earlier this week. The Morrison County Sheriff's Office said they received a call of a burglary at the Stone Hill Bar & Grill, located four miles west of Randall. Authorities say the suspect(s) broke into the business through a door on the back side of the bar late Sunday night or early Monday morning. The sheriff's office says a safe with cash, cash from the pull tab machine and a small toolbox with miscellaneous tools were taken. Anyone with information on the burglary is asked to call the Morrison County Sheriff's Office at 320-632-9233. Authorities say in the past week, they've seen an increase in thefts around the Upsala and Royalton areas. You're reminded to lock up your vehicles, keep valuables out of plain site, and report any suspicious activity.
--On Monday, Kayla Gruber the new Community Services Coordinator spoke on KLTF Party Line. Gruber mentioned there will be an open house on November 10th at the High School in their new office by entering door #17 where you can enjoy a Senior Center donut if you come early that day They have a number of classes from babysitting, mushrooms, winter sports items like wrestling and basketball and adult sports like volleyball and they were working on open gym times at the schools and continue to work on open swim times at middle school is the days that there is no school they just recently had open swim during the MEA break. This is not just for kids but adults too. If you want to reach out to Kayla Gruber at Community Services on events including the mushroom one that is this Saturday 10am-12pm at the school call her today at 320-632-7901 or go to their website through Little Falls Community Schools or follow them on Facebook.
--The Brainerd Fire Department turns 150 years old this year. The department was organized in 1872. Last year, the city celebrated its sesquicentennial, so the department’s creation soon followed the city’s founding. To help it put out fires, the Brainerd City Council ordered four public wells be built following the year the Brainerd Fire Department was created, but the construction of the wells failed to save the city's electric light plant, which was destroyed by fire on April 23, 1910. Today, two battalion chiefs and five captains are amongst the ranks of 38 firefighters serving the Brainerd Fire Department, according to the city’s website, and firefighters respond to an average of 500 calls per year and serve 35,000 residents in a coverage area of nearly 300 square miles. Fire Chief Tim Holmes said an effort is underway to identify the fire chiefs and firefighters that were part of the department’s 150-year history.
WEATHER
TODAY= sunny skies, high near 50.
TONIGHT= increasing clouds overnight, low 34.
THURSDAY= rain showers into early afternoon, high 52, low 37.
FRIDAY= sunny skies, high 52, partly cloudy night, low 35.
SPORTS
HS FB= Upsala/Swanville beat Benson 50-28 to advance to Saturday and will play at BBE at 2pm on Q92 WYRQ.
HS FB= Little Falls with two 4th quarter touchdowns had a come from behind win 13-12 over St. Cloud Apollo. Little Falls will now take on Rocori Saturday at 1pm on AM960 KLTF.
HS FB= Pierz defeats Melrose 27-14 to advance. Pierz will be at New London Spicer Saturday at 2pm on 94.1FM 94ROCKS.
HS FB= other games Paynesville 40-22 eliminates Holdingford, Kimball beat ACGC 40-0 to advance to take on Royalton Saturday, West Central beat Pillager and Wadena eliminated Staples-Motley.