Wednesday, April 30, 2025
In the Tuesday, April 29, special election for Minnesota District 6 Senate Seat, GOP candidate Keri Heintzeman received 12,751 votes, or 60.27%, besting DFLer Denise Slipy, who received 8,376 voters, or 39.59%. Senate District 6 includes areas within Cass, Crow Wing and Itasca counties. The seat was vacated in March by Justin Eichorn, a Republican from Grand Rapids, who resigned last month after he was charged with attempting to solicit a minor. Heintzeman is the owner of a recreational rental business in Nisswa and is married to State Representative Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, who represents District 6B in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
A Grand Rapids man who worked as an attorney in Brainerd is facing multiple felony charges for stalking and threats of violence. 33-year-old Allen J. Peterson was charged in Crow Wing County Court today. According to the criminal complaint in the case, Peterson worked at Ed Shaw Law and threatened two co-workers in the office with physical violence and choked both of them several times. Court documents also say Peterson threatened numerous times to kill a female attorney at another office and that he sent videos showing him shooting at a clothed target and asked for donations of long dark hair to make pigtails for it. Witnesses said Peterson talked everyday about killing her. The criminal complaint says Peterson also threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. Everyone who was threatened expressed concern for their safety. Peterson was arrested at his office in Brainerd. Search warrants were executed, and law enforcement seized more than 25 firearms, including a loaded AK-47 rifle with 160 rounds all in magazines, a tactical 12-gauge shotgun with 36 rounds, two pistols with hundreds of rounds for them, and body armor. They also found books regarding the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and the Columbine High School murders, along with a computer printout of an ad for a steel utility cart capable of hauling 1,200 pounds. Officers petitioned for an extreme risk protection order, which was granted. Peterson is charged with two felony counts of stalking and two felony counts of threats of violence. He is being held on one million dollars bond without conditions in the Crow Wing County Jail.
The Minnesota State Patrol says one person was killed in a two vehicle accident Monday around 8pm on Interstate 94 in Otter Tail County near Fergus Falls. Both vehicles were traveling west when they collided. A thirty-two-year-old woman from Saint Francis died in the crash. Her name has not been released. The semi driver, 26-year-old Yasin Ali of St. Cloud, was not hurt.
One person was hurt in a crash near Willmar late Monday morning. The Minnesota State Patrol says at about 11:34am, an SUV driven by 19-year-old Isaiah Foster of Wahoo, NE, was going south on County Road 5, and an SUV driven by 65-year-old Laurie Gault of Alexandria was going east on 120th Avenue when they collided in the intersection. Gault was taken to Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar with non-life-threatening injuries. Two passengers from St. Cloud in Gault's vehicle, 14-year-old Acacia Pennertz and 16-year-old Madalene Pennertz, were not hurt. The other driver, Foster was not hurt in the crash.
2nd District U.S. Congresswoman Angie Craig on Tuesday became the latest Minnesota Democrat to enter the increasingly competitive race for a U.S. Senate seat currently held by the retiring Senator Tina Smith. In her video: Craig vows to “break through the chaos” and fight back against “a president trampling our rights and freedoms as he profits for personal gain, and a cowardly Republican Party rolling over and letting it all happen.” The 53-year-old entered the Senate race after holding town hall meetings last week in all four congressional districts. Smith, a Democrat, announced that she would not run again, setting off many vying for her open seat in 2026. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan was first out of the gate and has been actively campaigning across the state. She has already piled up a long list of endorsements, including from Attorney General Keith Ellison, former U.S. Sen. Al Franken and several legislators. She raised over $450,000 in the first quarter. Former state Sen Melisa López Franzen joined the race in March and is also making appearances statewide. López Franzen has endorsements from several current and former legislators and local officials. She raised more than $260,000 in her first three weeks. But Craig is in the strongest financial position. Her House campaign raised over $1.2 million in the first quarter, and she can now spend that on the Senate race. Republicans actively raising money in the Senate race include Royce White who ran for U.S. Senate in 2024, and former congressional candidate Adam Schwarze an Iraq War Veterans who served in the U.S. Marine Corps who also ran for the U.S. House in 2024.
The Little Falls Community High School is hosting their listening session tonight to discuss the financial questions brought up recently by the School Board and Superintendent Greg Johnson. A survey was sent out to the school district on the matter and tonight is a chance for those to come and ask questions and concerns to the board members and the superintendent. The listening session is at 7pm tonight at the Little Falls Community High School Auditorium. All are welcome to come, listen and express their concerns.
The Little Falls Community High School Spring Musical "A Year with Frog and Toad" is Thursday and Friday night at 7pm and Saturday afternoon at 3pm at the high school in Little Falls. Tickets available online to purchase through the school Facebook page or cash only tickets are available at the door for $10.
Death Notices- Mary Blake, age 78 of Little Falls. Allan "Al" J. Kastanek, age 77 of Coon Rapids formerly of Pierz. Dennis Kollman, age 69 of Little Falls.
Weather- Wednesday- lots of sunshine, high 67, rain develops in the overnight, low around 45. Thursday showers likely, then breezy and cloudy high near 60, low near 40. Friday sunny and breezy high 58, low around 37. Saturday sunny high near 70, Sunday very warm, high 78, low around 50 at night and dry.
Sports- Cleveland walks off Twins last night 2-1 in the 9th after a weather delay to start the the game. The Twins and Cleveland play game 3 of 4 today at 4:30pm on Q92 WYRQ. The Minnesota Timberwolves can wrap up their playoff series tonight at Los Angeles Lakers as the Wolves lead 3-1 in the series. Game time is at 9pm. If there is a game 6 it will be Friday in Minneapolis. Las Vegas wins in overtime for the 2nd time in a row beating the Wild 3-2 last night in Las Vegas. Golden Knights now lead the series 3-2 with game 6 scheduled for Thursday night in St. Paul with a 6:30pm faceoff time. If a game 7 is necessary that would be played on Saturday night in Las Vegas.