Friday, October 2, 2026

On Wednesday September 30, 2026, at approximately 9:44pm, the Little Falls Police Department responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a train near 9th Avenue and Lindbergh Drive Northwest. Emergency personnel responded to the scene, where the individual was pronounced deceased. The deceased was identified as Thomas Balaski, 45, of Little Falls. Balaski was transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office for examination. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation. The Little Falls Police Department was assisted at the scene by the Minnesota State Patrol, Morrison County Sheriff's Office and Little Falls Fire Department.

The Little Falls School Board is hold a special meeting Wednesday October 7th at 5pm at the District Office. The items are the consideration of an offer to purchase district property. Also approval of additional October 2026 Lane Changes. The regular school board work session will then follow at 5:15pm again on October 7th. 

Little Falls Community Schools, the Little Falls Police Department, and the Morrison County Sheriff's Office will join together on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, for a comprehensive emergency management training exercise at Little Falls Community Middle School. The exercise will simulate a school lockdown in response to an active-threat situation, followed by a controlled evacuation and relocation of students to Camp Ripley. This is a planned training exercise. There is no actual emergency or threat to Little Falls Community Middle School or the surrounding community. The exercise is designed to test the ability of school personnel and emergency responders to work together through a complex emergency—from the initial response and building clearance through student accountability, evacuation, transportation, and relocation. The Little Falls Police Department and Morrison County Sheriff's Office will play key roles in the exercise, including responding to the simulated threat, establishing security, coordinating the evacuation route, and providing a law enforcement escort for the student transportation convoy. The Morrison County Sheriff's Office will assist with perimeter security, evacuation route security, transportation coordination, and the marked law enforcement escort to Camp Ripley. Exercise Will Test Complete Emergency Response The exercise will begin with a simulated active threat near the school's gymnasium. School administration will initiate the District's emergency alert and lockdown procedures. Following the simulated neutralization of the threat, law enforcement will conduct a systematic building clearance. Students will be released from classrooms in an organized manner, while school staff use the District's CrisisGo emergency management system to maintain real-time accountability. Students will then move in structured groups to the Exchange Arena. Once there, class rosters will be verified before students are transported to Camp Ripley by Palmer Bus Service and Strack Bus Service under a marked law enforcement escort. At Camp Ripley, students will enter a secure reception facility where final student accountability will be completed. The exercise will also involve the Little Falls Fire Department, Pierz Police Department, Royalton Police Department, Morrison County Health and Human Services, Palmer Bus Service, Strack Bus Service, and Camp Ripley National Guard Training Facility. The information gathered during the exercise will be used to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement in emergency procedures, communication, accountability, transportation, and interagency coordination.

The Initiative Foundation has awarded nine grants totaling over $58,000 to central Minnesota nonprofits to strengthen their organizations and respond to urgent community needs. Among the organizations receiving funding is the District 742 Local Education & Activities Foundation. Additional grant recipients are Eagle's Healing Nest in Sauk Centre, Ellison Center in St. Cloud, and Sherburne County Area United Way in Elk River. Initiative Foundation grants are designed to meet long-term development goals and immediate community needs. More information can be found at 320-632-9255 or https://ifound.org/.