Monday, July 13, 2026
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning for central Minnesota through 9pm Thursday night including Morrison, Todd, Stearns and Benton Counties. Air temperatures of 90-98 degrees today through Thursday and heat index values of 98 to 107 is expected the next 3 to 4 days. Please remember to check on the elderly, kids, pets and others who have major issues when the heat and humidity are this high as this heat wave is expected to last through the week with highs in the 90s until at least Saturday. Very minimal chances of rain starting Friday and lasting through Sunday with temps in the upper 80s Saturday and middle 80s by Sunday.
A message from Burlington Northern that the tracks around Highway 27 were opened Friday afternoon to through traffic for the weekend. However, work is scheduled to continue mainly some clean up procedures on Monday which again could cause some delays and a possible closure to finish it.
1st Avenue Southeast work in Little Falls will begin today July 13th. Some lane shifts, closures and delays are expected from Wood Street near the Dam to 4th Street while work is being completed in Little Falls. You may need to find alternate routes around the construction zone.
A motorcyclist was injured Saturday afternoon on Highway 25 north of Pierz near the Morrison/Crow Wing County Line. Dennis Hines was found in the north ditch around 12:25pm by Pierz Fire Department and Morrison County Deputies and taken to St. Gabriel's Hospital with injuries. Also four people were hurt in a two-vehicle accident Saturday around 11am on Highway 71 in Bertha of Todd County. 84-year-old Donna Thiel of Bertha collided in an intersection with a vehicle driven by a 43 year old of Bertha who had two passenger, one a 12 year old. The 43-year-old and passengers were treated at the scene while Thiel was taken to the area hospital and treated for injuries. Two drivers including a 16-year-old were both injured Friday just before noon in Villard Township of Todd County when both vehicles collided at Highway 10 and County Road 83. Both drivers the other a 63-year-old from Motley were both taken to a local hospital and treated for their injuries.
The Minnesota State Patrol responded to three crashes in Sherburne County. The first crash happened on Friday at about 3:30 p.m. on Highway 169 in Livonia Township. One vehicle was going north on the highway while a second vehicle was turning to go north on the highway, and they collided. Forty-four-year-old Shaun Reilly of Isanti was taken to Princeton Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The other driver was not hurt. The second crash happened on Friday at about 5:10 p.m. on Highway 169 in Livonia Township. One vehicle was going north on Highway 169 when it collided with two other vehicles. Sixty-one-year-old Gabrielle Dukatz of St. Paul was taken to Princeton Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No one else was hurt in the crash. The third crash happened on Saturday at about 1:30 a.m. on Highway 25 in Big Lake. A pickup was on Highway 25 near Pleasant Avenue when it collided with a pole and some unoccupied vehicles. The driver, a 17-year-old boy, was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with unspecified injuries. His name has not been released.
A St. Cloud man has been convicted of murder for stabbing his pregnant girlfriend to death. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office announced the conviction of 26-year-old Saleebaan Mohamed Abdirisaaq on charges of second-degree intentional murder and second-degree felony murder of an unborn child. Sentencing is scheduled for November 25th, 2026. During Friday’s plea hearing, Abdirisaaq admitted he got into an argument with the victim, Falus Ali, at a St. Cloud residence, then grabbed a knife from the dishwasher and stabbed her multiple times, including in the neck, chest and arm. Officers responding to the East Germain Court apartments at about 11:55 p.m. on September 23rd, 2025, found Abdirisaaq waiting outside with his hands up, saying, “It’s me. I’m right here.” He had called dispatch minutes earlier to report a person dead inside the apartment and said he wanted to turn himself in. Inside, police found Ali’s body near the living room couch. She had been stabbed 34 times. First responders were unable to save her, and she was pronounced dead after being rushed to CentraCare-St. Cloud Hospital. Hospital staff told investigators Ali was 17 weeks pregnant; the baby did not survive the attack. The stabbing was witnessed by Ali and Abdirisaaq’s three-year-old child. While police were still at the scene, Abdirisaaq’s brother contacted authorities in Minneapolis to say Abdirisaaq had called him and admitted what he’d done. Investigators learned Ali had been granted a domestic abuse no-contact order against Abdirisaaq out of Sherburne County for prior violence, and that a separate restraining order had been filed against him in Hennepin County the previous September over threats made against Ali. Abdirisaaq was initially charged in Benton County with four counts of second-degree murder, including counts tied to violating a restraining order and the death of an unborn child. Benton County Attorney Kathleen Reuter referred the case to the Attorney General’s office, which allows the attorney general to appear in criminal cases at a county attorney’s request. Ellison thanked the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the St. Cloud Police Department for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution.
Two St. Cloud teenagers have been charged involving a fight and the stabbing of another man. Stearns County prosecutors have charged 19-year-old Idiris Abdisalan Muse with 1st-degree assault causing great bodily harm and 2nd-degree riot with a dangerous weapon. Also charged is 19-year-old Nasrudin Hussein Sirad, who faces one count of 2nd-degree riot with a dangerous weapon. According to the criminal complaint, St. Cloud Police responded to a report of a stabbing just after 10:00 p.m. on July 2nd. Arriving officers found a man with a one-inch cut under his left armpit, who was having a hard time breathing. The victim and another male said they had gone to the area for a fight when a group of four males dressed in black came out of hiding and ambushed the second victim. The first victim said he went to try to pull people off of the second victim when he felt a sharp pain in his left side and fell to the ground. The two victims said they knew the group by monikers that police then identified through previous contacts. The other suspects are believed to be juveniles. Court records show the stabbing victim told police that it was Muse who had stabbed him before fleeing on foot. One of the victims had to be hospitalized. The victim suffered a punctured lung in the incident. The complaint alleges the incident was a follow-up from a fight. The Hastings Police Department is asking for the public’s help locating a missing 17-year-old girl. Grace is described as a white female, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 140 to 150 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. She has her ears and nose pierced. She was last seen leaving her residence in Hastings on July 9th, wearing a light blue top, gray sweatpants, black DC shoes and clear green glasses, and carrying a pink backpack. Grace was spotted again on the morning of July 10th at Sturges Park in Buffalo, according to police. Officers say she does not have any personal belongings with her, and there is concern for her well-being. Anyone who has seen Grace or knows her whereabouts is asked to contact the Hastings Police Department at 651-322-2323, or email PDRecords@hastingsmn.gov. The case is being handled by Investigator Ryan Haedt.
The Pierz City Council meets tonight at 7pm at Pierz City Hall.
National News: The Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia released preliminary findings Sunday regarding the death of Senator Lindsey Graham. According to the medical examiner, the preliminary examination found Graham suffered an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The ME said the death certificate will remain pending until toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized. Senator Graham died over the weekend at the age of 71 from what was called a "sudden illness".
Entertainment News: TV Actor Randolph Mantooth has died at age 80. Mantooth is best remember as firefighter/paramedic Johnny Gage on TV's Emergency in the 1970s. He also appeared in around a half dozen soap operas after that in 1980s and 1990s.
Death Notices: Joseph Paul Dubbels, age 98 of Little Falls
Weather: Extreme Heat Warning in effect today, hot and humid, high 95, heat index values over 100, humid night clear skies, low 73. Hot and humid Tuesday, high 94, heat index again over 100, humid Tuesday night low around 68. Wednesday hot and humid, high 91, low around 70. Hot and humid Thursday, high near 90, storms possible Thursday night low 67. Friday and Saturday still hot and humid, highs in the low 90s, lows in the low 70s. Storms Saturday night and then Sunday, a little bit cooler, high 86, low around 66.
Sports: Angels beat Twins 4-3 Friday, Royce Lewis homered for the Twins to win 5-3 on Saturday. Twins get a big homer from Trevor Larnach and good pitching from Taj Bradley to win 4-2 on Sunday and take another series. The Twins finish the first half of the season at 48-49 and are still considered a contender for the playoffs into the All Star Break. Home Run Derby and other events are tonight with the All Star Game Tuesday in Philadelphia, Joe Ryan on the team, Byron Buxton will be in attendance but not playing from injury. Lynx get 25 from McBride and 23 from returning Miles to beat New York 90-85 on Saturday at Target Center. The Lynx have Phoenix tonight. World Cup Soccer down to the Final Four teams as England, Argentina, France and Spain remain for semi-final play beginning on Tuesday. Little Falls VFW Baseball open playoffs Wednesday at 11am at home again St. Cloud Blue best 2 of 3 where the first two are Wednesday in Little Falls then if a game 3 it would be on Thursday in St. Cloud. Victory League from Friday Nisswa 8-1 over Ft. Ripley, Randall 11-4 over Upsala, Saturday Freeport 6-3 over Aitkin, also Freeport won a game back on July 6th 14-1 over Flensburg. Yesterday a wild back and forth Game of the Week when it was done Nisswa beat the Pierz Lakers 12-8. Listen to sports on Little Falls Radio to get the results from the Victory League Sunday on AM960 KLTF, 94ROCKS KFML and Q92 WYRQ and fallsradio.com.