Monday, February 2, 2026

Snow covered roads led to many accidents on Sunday around Minnesota as 2-3 inches of snow fell in parts of central Minnesota with more south of St. Cloud toward the Twin Cities. Five accidents with injuries alone were reported in Cass County yesterday including one near Motley, another by Walker, two around Cass Lake and one in Ponto Lake Township. The one near Motley sent an 84 year old Staples woman to the hospital where two teenagers and a 50 year old were not injured in the accident. Douglas, Otter Tail, Aitkin, Benton, Wright, a number of accidents in Carleton and St. Louis happened Sunday and there were two fatal accidents reported in Olmstead and Mower counties. Minnesota Department of Transportation reported snow and slush covered roadways through the day on Sunday. Today drier conditions with a chance of freezing mix in the state by Wednesday night into Thursday morning. 

A Richmond man is okay after his pickup fell through thin ice on Thursday. The Stearns County Sheriff's office received a 911 call just after 5:00 p.m. regarding a pickup that had gone through the ice on Horseshoe Lake near Eastway Court in Munson Township. The caller reported that the driver, 30-year-old Joshua Blommer, was out of the water and was safe. When deputies arrived, they saw the front end of the truck submerged in the water. The sheriff's office says Blommer was driving approximately 50 to 75 feet from shore when the front end broke through. Blommer was able to quickly exit the truck and get to safety. The sheriff's office says the ice thickness in the area was about five inches, while the ice thickness on the rest of the lake is believed to be approximately 19 inches. Authorities say it's a reminder that ice is unpredictable and has the potential to differ significantly, even a short distance away.

A Stearns County jury has found a St. Cloud man guilty of sexually abusing a young girl. The jury found 43-year-old Scott Erickson guilty on 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct against a child under the age of 14 while more than 36 months older than the victim and 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim under 14-years-old involving multiple acts. According to the criminal complaint, a nurse with the Midwest Children's Resource Center reported in 2024 that a girl shared that she had been sexually abused by Erickson starting when she was six-years-old. The abuse allegedly took place at homes in St. Cloud and St. Joseph between 2021 and 2024. The victim said the abuse stopped when she was seven or eight years old. Erickson was accused of raping the girl and forcing her to perform sex acts multiple times over that time period. He'll be sentenced on April 24th.

Two runaway girls who were believed to be in St. Cloud have been found safe elsewhere. The St. Cloud Police Department says an outside agency has notified them that 16-year-old Chloe Merrow and 15-year-old Maci Covey have been found safe.  St. Cloud Police were notified on January 20th by the Olmstead County Sheriff's Office about two teenage girls who had run away together from a non-secure juvenile facility. Police said at the time that one of the two were likely in the St. Cloud area, although neither appeared to have any connections to the St. Cloud area. Again both girls reported found and safe. 

A heating lamp is believed to be responsible for a building fire in Avon that killed several chickens and puppies on Wednesday. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call at around 11:30 a.m. regarding black smoke coming from a property in the 36000 block of 160th Avenue in Avon. Sheriff's deputies and Avon fire crews responded to the property, which is owned by 64-year-old Jerome Eichers of Avon. The Avon Fire Department called in several other area fire departments to help battle the blaze. The barn held goats, chickens, and several dogs. Authorities say all of the goats were able to escape the building, but the chickens and several young puppies did not survive. Despite assistance from fire departments in Albany, Melrose, Holdingford, and St. Stephen, the building is considered a total loss.

Thomas Johnson of Brainerd got the largest walleye Saturday to win the Brainerd Jaycee's Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Hole in the Day Bay of Gull Lake. Johnson got a 5.63 walleye in about 48 feet of water. Johnson gets a new truck for winning the event. 

The Little Falls City Council meets Monday night 7:30pm at City Hall council chambers.

The Little Falls Area Chamber and Tourism's February Employee of the Month is Josh Zarns with Thielen Meats of Little Falls. Josh Zarns: " I am truly humbled by this recognition. I always try to give each customer I encounter great guest service. I truly enjoy what I do and did not realize that it was noticed by the people I serve. I am glad that I have made a difference in some of their lives. I am grateful for the opportunity that Brad and Mandi have given me and will continue to do my best to serve this wonderful community! Brad and Mandi MacKissock: " Congratulations Josh! Store Manager Josh Zarns is a vital part of our daily operations at Thielen Meats of Little Falls. His outstanding customer service and strong team leadership never goes unnoticed; not only by us, but by everyone else as well. Josh takes pride in building genuine relationships with our customers and supporting our team each day. That personal connection is what sets Thielen Meats apart and reflects the family values we stand behind. We could not do it without him. We are so proud to have Josh as part of the Thielen Meats family.

Death Notices: Elizabeth "Betty" Schomer, age 91 of Pierz. Katie Rose Knutson, age 46 of Little Falls.