Wednesday, April 29, 2026
The 32nd Annual Morrison County Sheriff's Office Sandbox Fill will be held on Tuesday May 19th. Anyone in a three mile radius from Bank Square in Little Falls may have their sandbox filled and all that is required is a donation to the food shelf. There will be limit of three wheelbarrows per household and this is for sandboxes only. Donations can be given during the time of the sandbox fill or left by the sandbox if you are not at home. This will be on May 19th from 8am-4pm. To place your name on the list call 320-631-2880 by May 18th. You are asked to please leave name, address, phone number and where the sandbox is located on the answering machine.
Authorities continue to search for Jamie Lucas of Brainerd, who has been missing for nearly 6 years. Lucas is described as a 6-foot-tall white male, approximately 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. Search teams will include deputies, trained personnel and coordinated resources working methodically to cover the area based on information developed during the investigation. This search effort coincides with Lucas’ birthday. Lucas was born May 6, 1982, and was last seen at approximately 8:30 p.m. July 3, 2020, running into a wooded area off Eastburn Road Northeast. Despite the passage of time, the sheriff’s office continues to actively pursue all leads in seeking answers for his family. The sheriff’s office reported it recognizes the difficulty and uncertainty families face in missing person cases and remains committed to transparency, diligence and compassion throughout this investigation. This search effort reflects that ongoing commitment to the Lucas family and the broader community. The Cass County Sheriff's Office is also asking for assistance for the public. Anyone who was in the Eastburn Road area on or around July 3, 2020, and recalls seeing anything unusual is encouraged to come forward. Anyone with information, no matter how small, is asked to report it to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. Property owners in the area should be aware of increased law enforcement presence and report any suspicious activity. Tips can be reported anonymously by calling the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at 218-547-1424. Community members interested in assisting with the search effort can contact Detective Seth Robison at seth.robison@casscountymn.gov by May 1 for details on how to participate.
A simulated crash at St. Cloud Apollo High School on Wednesday morning will teach students the dangers of distracted and impaired driving. The mock crash will also act as a training exercise for first responders. Members of the community will see multiple emergency vehicles at Apollo from approximately 8am until 10am. There is no cause for alarm despite what will appear as a large-scale emergency. The St. Cloud Police Department will be joined by St. Cloud Fire, the Minnesota State Patrol, CentraCare Ambulance, Life Link Air Ambulance, St. Cloud Public Works, Daniel Funeral Home, and Collin Bros. Towing.
Benton County crime numbers are relatively flat from 2024 to 2025. In his annual report to the county board, Sheriff Troy Heck says there was no statistical change from year to year. The 2025 data shows the number of reported crimes remains virtually unchanged from 2024, with a total of 13,614 critical incident reports. It's a decrease of 110 ICRs compared to 2024. The top five reported crimes last year were harassment, followed by theft, domestic assault, fraud, and illegal dumping. The Benton County Jail saw a small increase in the average daily population in 2025 of nearly three more inmates per day, compared to the year before, at just under 40 inmates per day. The sheriff says managing individuals with mental illness in a jail setting continues to prove challenging for the safety of both the inmate and staff. In 2025, Benton County saw a 15% increase in the number of permits to carry compared to 2024.
Demolition of a commercial building damaged by fire last year is causing a lane shift on a busy St. Cloud road. According to the St. Cloud Public Works Department, Wilson Avenue Southeast was closed Tuesday from East St. Germain Street to Highway 23 for the planned demolition work. Traffic will move in both directions through narrowed lanes. Drivers are asked to reduce speed and use caution when traveling through the work area. On January 30th, 2025, the St. Cloud Fire Department was called to the building at 424 East St. Germain Street. Crews arrived to find heavy flames on the second floor and coming out of multiple windows. They searched the building and did not find anyone inside. The building was declared a total loss.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) in Todd County for the first time. There are now 60 counties in the state, including Todd, with EAB. MDA staff confirmed EAB infested trees along State Hwy 28 near Burtrum, MN. EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae, and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer. Also, EAB tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing characteristic S-shaped galleries underneath. Because this is the first time EAB has been identified in Todd County, the MDA is enacting an emergency quarantine of the entire county. The quarantine limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area. The MDA issues quarantines for all areas known to have EAB to reduce the risk of further spreading the tree-killing insect. A virtual informational meeting for residents and tree care professionals in Todd County will be held with experts from the MDA. Staff will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. The meeting is May 14th at 11am and streamed on the MDA website.
National News: King Charles III acknowledged “times of great uncertainty” as he expressed gratitude to the American people and marked the 250th anniversary of independence from Britain in a speech to the U.S. Congress that highlighted the bonds between the two countries at a time of political turmoil. “For all that time,” Charles said, “our destinies have been interlinked.” Charles is only the second British monarch to address a joint session of Congress. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, delivered a similar speech in 1991 highlighting the historic ties between both countries and the importance of their democratic values. The king picked up on those themes during his remarks on Tuesday, which were delivered in a far different environment than when his mother spoke to the same chamber in the U.S. Capitol. President Donald Trump is in open conflict with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the war in Iran. Many of the lawmakers in the room were at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, which was disrupted by a shooting that authorities have described as an attempted assassination against Trump. “Let me say with unshakeable resolve,” Charles said. “Such acts of violence will never succeed.” Even as the king focused on common interests, there were subtle nods at issues that have divided the U.S. and the U.K., particularly when it comes to global affairs. He said the countries “cannot rest on past achievements” as the Iran war tests their relationship. And he urged “unyielding resolve” in backing Ukraine against Russia, while heralding the NATO alliance.
Entertainment News: Wednesday April 29th is the 93rd Birthday of Country Singer Willie Nelson.
Weather: Wednesday sunny skies, isolated rain showers after 5pm, high 52, clear and frost possible Wednesday night low 29. Thursday sunny skies, high near 54, frost likely Thursday night low 27. Friday partly sunny and breezy, high 54, mostly cloudy Friday night low 39. Saturday sunny skies, high 62, clouds increase Saturday night low near 40. Sunday partly sunny, breezy, scattered showers in the afternoon and evening, high 64, low around 42. Monday showers likely and breezy, high 64, low around 45.
Sports: Twins wrap up series with Seattle at home Wednesday at 12:40pm then open a series with Toronto Blue Jays at Target Field on Thursday at 6:40pm. Timberwolves host Denver in game 6 of the NBA playoffs Thursday night as Wolves lead 3-2. The Minnesota Wild host Dallas in Game 6 of the NHL playoffs Thursday night in St. Paul with the game live on Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com. Listen to local sports scores on Little Falls Radio each morning and online at fallsradio.com.