Thursday, January 15, 2026
More information released on an SUV vs. pedestrian accident Tuesday in Pierz. Around 2:25pm it was reported that 64 year old Diane Reuck of Royalton was exiting the Post Office in Pierz and 85-year-old Janet Brixius of Pierz was walking across Highway 25 eastbound and was struck by the vehicle. Brixius sustained life threatening injuries and was taken to St. Cloud Hospital. Reuck was not injured in the accident.
A fire Saturday damaged Corral Auto Repair in Brainerd. The Brainerd Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire at 3:14pm at the business located at 303 W Washington St. in west Brainerd. Fire Chief Tim Holmes said the vehicle on fire was inside the business. When firefighting crews arrived, they extinguished the fire and ventilated the building. Holmes said there was extensive heat and heavy smoke damage to the garage and waiting area. Holmes said a mechanic was working on a van in the shop when it backfired and the engine compartment caught fire and quickly spread through the dashboard of the vehicle. Fire crews were on scene for about an hour with no reported injuries.
Federal law enforcement was on scene at North Lyndale Avenue and 25th Avenue Wednesday night after a man was shot in the leg by a federal agent. In a social media post, the City of Minneapolis said, "This evening, one adult male was shot by federal immigration enforcement agents in the 600 block of 24th Avenue North. He was transferred to a local hospital with apparent non-life-threatening injuries. We understand there is anger. We ask the public to remain calm. The City of Minneapolis again demands that ICE leave the city and state immediately. We stand by our immigrant and refugee communities – know that you have our full support." In a statement, Department of Homeland Security officials said the incident began at 6:50 p.m. Wednesday when federal law enforcement conducted a "targeted traffic stop" of a person from Venezuela. According to DHS, the person fled the scene in his vehicle, crashed, then ran away. When federal agents caught up to the man, "the subject and law enforcement were in a struggle on the ground, two subjects came out of a nearby apartment and also attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle." Protesters and others flocked the area last night into early this morning. DHS said the officer and the subject are both in the hospital, and two other people are in custody.
A judge made no immediate decision Wednesday on Minnesota’s request to suspend the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state, where federal agents have yanked people from cars and confronted angry bystanders demanding they pack up and leave. Plumes of tear gas, the deployment of chemical irritants and the screech of protest whistles have become common on the streets of Minneapolis, especially since an immigration agent fatally shot Renee Good in the head on Jan. 7 as she drove away. “What we need most of all right now is a pause. The temperature needs to be lowered,” state Assistant Attorney General Brian Carter said during the first hearing in a lawsuit filed by Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez promised to keep the case “on the front burner” and gave the U.S. Justice Department until Monday to file a response to the request for a restraining order. Local leaders say the government is violating free speech and other constitutional rights with the surge of law enforcement. Menendez said the state and cities will have a few more days to respond. “It is simply recognition that these are grave and important matters,” the judge said of the timetable, noting there are few legal precedents to apply to some of the key points in the case. Government attorney Andrew Warden suggested the slower approach set by Menendez was appropriate. The Department of Homeland Security says it has made more than 2,000 arrests in the state since early December and is vowing to not back down. “What we see right now is discrimination taking place only on the basis of race: Are you Latino or are you Somali? And then it is indiscriminate thereafter,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told Fox News. “In other words, they are pulling people off the streets. They have pulled U.S. citizens off the streets and you don’t need to take my word for it at this point. This has been very well documented.” It was reported Wednesday that ICE agents have been in Willmar, Park Rapids, Alexandria and other parts of central and west-Central Minnesota recently not just the Twin Cities and St. Cloud.
The Little Falls Exchange Club has awarded $9,000 to Morrison County United Way (MCUW) for youth programs specifically the Imagination Library. MCUW has been the fiscal sponsor of the Imagination Library for Morrison County since 2002. The Little Falls Exchange Club has been a long-time supporter of this program with records indicating their support since as far back as 2005. In 2025, former MCUW board member, William “Bill” Garber who was also an Exchange Club member passed away. Part of this year’s donation is in memory of Bill who took great pride in his role of bringing this program to Morrison County. The Imagination Library was started by Dolly Parton but is funded on a local level and is only available in communities that have a non-profit that will fund and manage the program. It provides books to enrolled children age 0-5 years old at no cost to the family. Since 2002, 5,234 children have graduated out of the MCUW program and there are currently 1,108 children enrolled from Morrison County and the Browerville/Staples area of Todd County. Through donations, fundraisers and grants, MCUW funds the yearly cost of over $30,000 to bring these books to the community. “We are so grateful for the Little Falls Exchange Club and their donations/partnership throughout the years. We feel this is a wonderful way to honor the memory of Bill and his legacy in Morrison County. Bill would often visit our office and was very proud to have been part of the group that brought the Imagination Library to Morrison County - he will be missed. We are thankful for the work people like Bill do for our community,” said executive director, Meghann Boser. For more information on the Morrison County contact Meghann 320-632-5102.
Two vehicles collided on Highway 10 in Sherburne County Wednesday afternoon around 1:15pm. 79-year-old Carol Tschida of Foley was southbound and 27-year-old Jordan Reichert of Becker was Eastbound and collided at the intersection of County Road 11 in Becker. Reichert was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non life threatening injuries. Tschida and Reichert's passenger were not injured.
The Little Falls School Board will hold a special meeting at 7:30am on Tuesday, January 20th at the District Office on Riverwood Drive in north Little Falls. The board has to approve employee contracts at the meeting for food services, student support specialist and custodial contracts at the meeting. That is the only items on the agenda this coming Tuesday for the school board. Also Little Falls Community Schools are reminding parents and others that schools have a half day on Friday and no school Monday for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday next week.
Death Notices: Betty J. Kedrowski, age 84 of Cushing.
Weather: increasing clouds with snow showers before noon today, high 30. Snow possible tonight, becoming windy overnight, low 18 with snow to accumulate around 1-2 inches total. Friday snow in the morning, another half inch possible, then gusty winds and falling temps, high of 22 before 9am falling to near 0 by evening with wind gusts 20-35mph. Friday night clear and cold, low -6, wind chills around -25. Saturday sunny and very cold, high 3 above, low around -11 wind chills of -20 to -30 at times. Sunday cloudy with light snow, high 12, low around -8. Monday sunny and cold high 1 above, low around -10 below zero.
Sports: NFL Wide Receiver Adam Thielen announced he is retiring from the NFL. Thielen played last season with Carolina, Minnesota and Pittsburgh ending his season with 2 receptions in the Steelers loss to Houston on Monday night. Thielen graduated from Detroit Lakes High School and University of Minnesota Mankato when he signed with the Vikings in 2013. After 12 seasons, the 35 year old Thielen has decided to retire from NFL. High School Girls Basketball tonight Little Falls at Milaca 7pm on Q92 WYRQ. High School Girls Basketball Pillager at Pierz tonight 7:15pm on 94ROCKS KFML and fallsradio.com.