Wednesday, May 20, 2026
There is a Frost Advisory 1am-8am Wednesday morning for the area, temperatures will drop overnight around 32 degrees, with light winds overnight causing scattered frost in areas.
It’s that time of year when we begin seeing more ATV activity throughout the county. If you own or operate an ATV, please be mindful and respectful of other people’s property and our roadways. Just this past weekend, we received several complaints regarding ATV operators tearing up township roads in different areas of the county. Damage to roadways create safety concerns and costly repairs for local townships. If you witness illegal or unsafe ATV activity, please contact our office immediately. Our deputies document every complaint and follow up on reported incidents. Deputies will contact the reporting party after their investigation is completed to provide an update. If you make a report and do not receive a follow-up, please contact the deputy or supervisor, as every report is documented along with any action taken. Please take a moment to review the ATV laws and regulations below, and do your part to respect our roadways, property owners, and neighbors. Most common contributing factors involving the ATV accidents include: Speed, No helmets (required for anyone under the age of 18), Alcohol involvement, No seatbelt use when provided, No following basic traffic rules/laws It’s important to note that anyone operating an ATV needs to have the required safety training. The training is required for anyone born after July 1, 1987. Just a reminder that you need a valid driver’s license to operate an ATV on any road right-of-way. There are requirements for parents/guardians when youth are operating in a public area, please click on the DNR regulation link provided for more information regarding this. Also, dirt bikes to include minibikes, are only to be operated on private property or the designated Soo-Line Trail, east of Hwy 10. Lastly, concerning state highways to include the road right-of-way, ATV operational use is only allowed if you have an agriculture license while actively doing agriculture related work. The only exception to this is if you are going to and from a place of business or connecting to a trailhead. For more information or questions concerning the ATV regulations, please contact the DNR information line at (651) 296-6157, or the Sheriff’s Office at (320) 632-9233, or the police department that has jurisdiction of the area that you are inquiring about.
A Sauk Rapids woman died in a motorcycle crash over the weekend. The Benton County Sheriff's Office says first responders were dispatched to the intersection of Mayhew Lake Road and 10th Street NE in Sauk Rapids Township just after 12:30pm on Saturday. Deputies arrived at the scene to find first responders treating 27-year-old Meghan Moran for life-threatening injuries. She was taken to St. Cloud Hospital, where she later died. The sheriff's office says Moran was riding her motorcycle southbound on Mayhew Lake Road. Meanwhile, a van driven by 60-year-old Keith Gerding of St. Cloud was westbound on 10th Street. Gerding told authorities he stopped at the stop sign before entering the intersection, believing it was clear for him to proceed. Gerding's van struck the left side of Moran's bike, resulting in the crash. Gerding was not hurt in the collision. There were no signs of impairment, and the investigation is ongoing.
Several students suffered minor injuries after their school bus crashed south of Richmond on Monday afternoon. Stearns County Sheriff's deputies responded to the area of Jay Avenue at around 3:20 p.m. The location is just south of Highway 23 in Munson Township. The sheriff's office says the driver, 72-year-old Thomas Hedburg of Sartell, was southbound on Jay Avenue when the bus left the roadway near a curve, entered the west ditch, struck a tree, and came to rest against a driveway. The sheriff's office says about 30 students of various ages were on the bus at the time of the crash. Several of the students had minor injuries. The sheriff says the injuries were mostly small cuts from the broken front window. Mayo ambulance responded to the scene and confirmed the injuries were minor. The children were then released to their parents. The sheriff's office says impairment was not a factor in the crash.
The Friends of Linden Hill has their plant sale, Wednesday 3-7pm at the Linden Hill mansions. This is a fundraiser for the upkeep at the Mansions in Little Falls.
Holy Trinity School in Pierz is inviting all to the retirement party Wednesday for Joyce Weiss 3:30-5pm at the school cafeteria. Joyce has worked 40 years at the school and Father Pierz School of Religion. All come and thank Joyce for years of service Wednesday 3:30-5pm.
The 2028 NFL Draft is officially coming to downtown Minneapolis. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that Minnesota would be awarded the draft, and on Tuesday, the NFL made the formal announcement at the league's spring meetings in Orlando. The NFL also announced that Super Bowl LXIV will be held in Nashville in 2030. MNSE provided some additional details about the logistics of the draft, saying it will be held in downtown Minneapolis and be anchored around U.S. Bank Stadium. The event will span several days and include an NFL Draft Theater, fan festival, an "NFL Draft Experience," and other community events, according to the press release. The draft brings in hundreds of thousands of spectators annually. The most recent draft, which was held in Pittsburgh, attracted more than 800,000 people.
Death Notices: Donna J. Kalis, age 71 of Sobieski
Weather: AM Frost Wednesday, then sunny skies, high 63. Clear skies Wednesday night low 39. Thursday sunny skies, high 67, increasing clouds Thursday night rain showers after midnight, low 42. Partly sunny skies Friday, scattered rain showers possible, high 64, low around 44. Saturday cloudy skies, scattered showers and T-storms, high 68, low around 48. Sunday sunny and warm, high 77 late day thunderstorms are possible, showers and storms Sunday night, low 51. Memorial Day sunny and warmer, high 83.
Sports: Twins wrap up series with Houston at 12:40pm Wednesday at Target Field. Twins are off Thursday and at Boston on Friday night. High School softball playoffs will continue on Thursday for Little Falls, Swanville, Pierz and other teams, plus baseball playoffs begin for teams like Pierz, Holdingford, Royalton, Foley, Pillager and Staples-Motley, listen to sports each day with Alex on Little Falls Radio.