Friday, October 10, 2025
The Royalton Police Department released full information from the story yesterday. It was made aware that a subject living in Royalton had several warrants issued for their arrest on Wednesday October 8th. The warrants included Felony Fleeing a Peace Officer, Misdemeanor Obstructing Legal Process-Interfere with a Peace Officer, Felony 5th Degree Drugs, Misdemeanor 4th Degree DWI -2 Counts, and Misdemeanor Theft of Fuel. Royalton Police contacted the suspect outside of his residence. The suspect was in a fenced in yard and fled from the officer before the officer could enter the fenced area. The suspect then climbed onto the roof of his residence and refused to come down. Assistance was requested from the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Little Falls Police Department. Due to the proximity of the Royalton Elementary School, Police Chief McDonald requested the Elementary School go into a lockout. School classes were allowed to go on as normal apart from no one being allowed to exit or enter the school. Arrangements were made with the school to allow safe release of students at the end of the day. Officers attempted to negotiate with the suspect without success. The Morrison County SWAT team was requested to the scene as well as a negotiation team from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Over the course of several hours negotiators attempted to get the suspect to come down from the roof without success. The Royalton Police Department and the Morrison County SWAT team deployed multiple chemical and organic irritants to the roof to try and coax the suspect down. The suspect continued to refuse to come down. Due to the length of the incident Stearns/Benton SWAT was also requested to respond to the scene. At approximately 9:00PM the suspect tried to jump from the roof to a shed and flee, as the SWAT team closed in on the suspect, he again got onto the roof and injured his arm in the process. The suspect then complied with orders and climbed down a ladder to team members and was taken into custody without further incident. The suspect was transported to St. Gabriels Hospital by Mayo Ambulance for a medical evaluation, prior to being taken to the Morrison County Jail. The Royalton Police Department was assisted on scene by the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, Little Falls Police Department, Morrison County SWAT, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Royalton Fire Department, Royalton Public Works, Minnesota State Patrol, Stearns/Benton SWAT and Mayo Ambulance.
Authorities have identified the man who died Tuesday during a fishing trip on the Mississippi River near the Xcel Energy Monticello Nuclear Generating Power Plant as 28-year-old Tyler Tasche of Monticello. According to the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, a 911 caller reported around 10:30 a.m. that a fishing boat had capsized, throwing three men into the water. Xcel staff pulled Tasche from the river, and first responders performed CPR and other life-saving measures, but he did not survive. Two other anglers, Tasche’s grandfather, 66-year-old Mark Tasche, and his brother, 18-year-old Tristan Tasche, both of Monticello, were able to reach shore safely. Tyler leaves behind his wife, Gaby, and four children, Sophia, Sebastian, Ariel, and Amelia. An online fundraiser has been set up to help the family cover funeral and related expenses.
Two people were hurt in a Stearns County crash on Thursday. The incident happened on Highway 23 in Richmond at around 12:45 p.m. The Minnesota State Patrol says a car driven by 18-year-old Brynn Penaz of Paynesville was eastbound on the highway while 21-year-old Ryan Thomes of Eden Valley was westbound, turning onto Big Lake Road. The vehicles collided at the intersection. Penaz suffered minor injuries and did not go to the hospital. Thomes suffered non-life-threatening injuries and went to Paynesville Hospital for treatment.
Monday is Columbus Day, still a federal holiday in the United States, though some states have changed the name and meaning of the holiday. Former President Joe Biden in 2021 announced the name change to indigenous peoples day however President Donald J. Trump has announced it will be called Columbus Day on Monday October 13th. Banks and some financial institutions are closed, post offices are closed there is no regular mail delivery however high priority and first class mail is running and most parcel delivery services are running Monday. Most City Halls and Government Centers are open Columbus Day including Little Falls City Hall and Morrison County Government Center are open Monday as the day is used as a floating holiday later this year around Thanksgiving or Christmas. Still best to call ahead on Monday to see what is open or closed for Columbus Day.
The Minnesota pheasant hunting season starts at 9am Saturday October 11 and runs thru January 4. The reason for the 9am start is because pheasants don't like to be wet so if it is really dewy they will come to roads and are susceptible to being hunted along roads before 9am. Waterfowl hunting is back on in the central zone in Minnesota starting on Saturday October 11 after a short 5 day break. The season will continue though November 30. The DNR said that duck numbers are down in Central Minnesota because there just isn't great nesting opportunities here.
Morrison County Toys for Tots has announced a new location for its 2025 Christmas distribution. The organization expressed its gratitude to Ray Doudin and Doudin Investments LLC for donating the use of their building, formerly the Wall to Wall building on the west side of Little Falls for this year’s toy distribution. The new site will also host Helping Hands 365’s annual “Gingerbread Contest” and “Kids Day with Santa” programs, bringing several holiday traditions together under one roof for the community. Questions on Toys for Tots for Morrison County contact Rose at 320-733-3341.
Events this weekend include Darling Cemetery Cleanup 9am Saturday, 50th Annual Meatball Supper at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Grey Eagle on Saturday free will offering, Heartland Symphony Orchestra 7:30pm Saturday at the high school in Little Falls and Sunday 2:30pm at Center for the Arts in Brainerd, free concerts. Live piano recital with Donna Stoering 2pm Sunday free admission, donations will be expected for Listen4Life Foundation, the concert at the St. Francis Convent. Spudfest on Sunday at the Gethsemane Lutheran Church of Upsala starting at 4:30pm. Chicken and ham dinner for Knights of Columbus of Holdingford Sunday at 3:30pm at the Ballroom in St. Anna. More details on events can be found on fallsradio.com and on the community calendar.
Weather: partly cloudy skies today, a bit cooler, high 63, clear night tonight low around 35 some frost toward daybreak. Saturday sunny high 65, rain after midnight Saturday night low 52. Rain likely Sunday could be heavy downpours at times, high near 67, rain ending Sunday night low 46. Sunny and cooler on Monday, high 57, clear Monday night low near 40. Tuesday sunny and high near 60, low around 42.
Sports: Pine City beat Pierz 4-3 yesterday in the section championship in Girls Tennis to advance to State Pierz was section runner up. Little Falls beat Detroit Lakes in a shootout yesterday in girls soccer 4-3 to advance to the section semi-finals Saturday at 3pm at #1 seed Sartell. Good luck to Little Falls's Brooke and Olivia Litke in the individual section semi-finals of girls tennis Saturday in Sartell. High School football tonight Little Falls at Melrose on AM960 KLTF. Pierz at Rockford 7pm on 94ROCKS. Ashby/Brandon Evansville at Swanville vs USA Patriots, Holdingford at St. Cloud Apollo, Paynesville Area at Royalton all games start at 7pm Friday night in High School Football. Get results Saturday on LF Radio and on the Sports Wrap tomorrow at 9:05am on AM960 KLTF. Gopher football hosts Purdue Saturday at 6:30pm, Wild win 5-0 in their open last night vs. St. Louis and have their home opener when the Wild host Columbus Saturday at 7pm hear that game live on Q92 WYRQ. Las Vegas could wrap up WNBA Finals tonight at Phoenix, as Aces lead 3-0 in the best of 7 series. MLB playoffs continue as Cubs/Milwaukee have a game 5, Seattle and Detroit have a game 5 to see who move on, Dodgers and Toronto await the winners starting Sunday the Championship series. Vikings have there bye week this weekend back in action on the 19th against the Philadelphia Eagles at noon live on AM960 KLTF.
Also Friday is the night that T-Mobile will present Royalton High School their $25,000 Friday Night 5G Lights check at halftime of their home football game tomorrow night. There will also be a pregame tailgate party with music, games and giveaways including beanies, foam fingers, bam bam sticks and scarves. Additionally, there will also be a special additional check presentation from the Royalton Fire Department, who previously announced they would match our donation. As of today, Royalton is in 8th place in the voting, and there are still two weeks left for them to rally! https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/friday-night-5g-lights. All are encouraged to continue to vote for Royalton at the link above and Go Royals tonight.