News

The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports that on Wednesday at approximately 9:07 pm, their office received a report of a large grass fire possibly endangering buildings located in Hillman Township between Partridge Road and 355th Avenue. Early this morning, at 3:20am, an Everbridge alert was issued by the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office to area residents warning of the "running swamp fire." The alert urged residents to exercise caution and remain aware of a fire traveling northwest from 123rd Street and Partridge Road. At the time of the message, Pierz Fire Department, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) were on scene working to contain the blaze. Residents were advised to contact dispatch immediately if any buildings or lives were in danger. As of 11:17am Thursday the DNR reported that the fire had burned approximately 800 acres and was about 70% contained. Firefighting efforts, as well as the investigation into this case continue. The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the MN DNR and the Pierz Fire Department. The Sheriff’s Office expressed appreciation for the support of the Minnesota DNR and the Pierz Fire Department in their ongoing response to the fire.

Two people were taken to the hospital after a car struck the back of a MNDOT truck. The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened just after 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday on westbound Interstate 94 east of the Hasty exit near Clearwater. MNDOT trucks were doing traffic control for a vehicle fire when a car traveling west on the interstate struck the back of the MNDOT vehicle. Fifty-five-year-old Tina Nohrenberg of Otsego was in the truck.  She was taken to Monticello Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Twenty-six-year-old Marco Vasquez of Albertville was driving the car.  He was also taken to Monticello Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A Milaca teenager involved in a serious crash in Clear Lake involving a wrong way driver and a Minnesota State Trooper on April 9th remains hospitalized with a severe brain injury In a post on GoFundMe, the sister of Blayke Mostad wrote that he has already endured multiple surgeries and continues to have a long road ahead of him for recovery. She says his spinal cord was damaged and he has many broken bones. Blayke’s brother Braxton was also in the pickup. He allegedly suffered a ruptured eye, cuts to his face, and a torn ACL. Both Blayke and Braxton are being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center. On April 9th, the two were in a truck with another 19-year-old passenger. They were headed east on Highway 10 just after 9:00 p.m. when they crashed into a Ford Flex being driven by a 70-year-old St. Cloud man. The Flex had been going the wrong way on Highway 10 and used 70th Avenue Southeast to get into the eastbound lanes. A Minnesota State Patrol car had been called out for the wrong-way driver and the trooper collided with the other vehicles in a second accident as he tried to intercept it.

Two Riverside Elementary fourth graders earned recognition during the last Brainerd School Board meeting for their quick actions in March when their bus driver suffered a medical emergency. Kabe Storey and Lucy Marshall realized something was wrong when their bus driver missed stops, and they got on the bus radio to call for help. For those efforts, they received congratulatory gift baskets from Reichert Bus Service, along with a kudos from Crow Wing County Sheriff Eric Klang. “I had an opportunity to review that bus video, and I tell you, it was pretty heartwarming to see you guys step up to the plate right away and take control,” Klang said. “... That is just incredible. Hats off to you guys. I can’t tell you how proud we are that you guys are Warriors.” For Kabe and Lucy, the situation was anything but ordinary. “It was stressful because everybody was crying,” Lucy said, while Kabe added all he heard on the bus was crying, and it didn’t feel normal. When asked how they knew what to do, Lucy said they learned about bus safety through school. While they didn’t review a situation like this specifically, that helped them figure out what to do and radio for help. Riverside Principal Jill Bjorge said she is unbelievably proud of her students. They were celebrated recently at Riverside as students of the month and had hundreds of people pack the gym in their honor. “These two are natural-born leaders,” Bjorge said. “Their action in a crisis? It’s absolutely unbelievable."

Today is Good Friday. Though not a government holiday, many offices may be closing early today around noon for staff to attend services if they wish too. There is regular mail delivery today and Saturday. Also with Easter Sunday, some stores and items that would be open on Sunday are likely closed for Easter. Check ahead to see if any banks, offices, or others are closing early today. Most schools are off today. There are many services today to remember Good Friday the day that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. You can listen to the Good Friday Service from Fellowship Bible Church of Pierz today at noon sponsored by Schommer Insurance of Pierz live on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com. The noon news will be at 11:30am.

Weather- Friday cloudy skies, AM fog and rain the windy conditions, high 48, clearing tonight, low near 28. Saturday sunny skies, high 51, cloudy night, low 32. Sunday cloudy skies, high near 60, low around 35. Monday chance of rain in the morning then clearing late, high 56, low around 40. More rain Tuesday.

Sports- Twins after a day off, start a series with Atlanta tonight, pregame at 5:30pm, Saturday will also have a pregame at 5:30pm then 11:30am Sunday Inside Twins before the game, all live on Q92 WYRQ. The Timberwolves start NBA playoffs Saturday against LA Lakers and the Wild open the playoffs in the NHL on Sunday night at the Las Vegas Golden Knights. 

Some parts of Minnesota could see severe weather this afternoon and evening. The strongest chance will be in southern Minnesota around I-90 where large hail, damaging winds and heavy rains...

Little Falls Community Schools Superintendent Greg Johnson spoke on KLTF. The Community Survey is ready to begin with 500 residents in the school district to be called by the survey company to...

The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office reports that on Saturday at 9:56pm, their office received a report of an ATV crash on Badger Creek Road just north of Swanville in Culdrum Township. According to...

A 17-year-old from Little Falls was injured last night around 6:18pm in a two-vehicle accident near Princeton in Mille Lacs County. Colton Piekarski was attempting to pass a vehicle and...