Tuesday, July 14, 2026
The Pierz Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 11:45pm Sunday, July 12, at Barrett Petfood, 1348 Highway 25, in southern Crow Wing County. Pierz Assistant Fire Chief Scott Saehr said when crews arrived on scene, they found flames visible from the mill area of the plant and plant personnel had been evacuated. Upon entering the plant, they found equipment on the east side of the building engulfed in flames. Saehr said crews contained and extinguished the fire. Crews were on scene for about two and a half hours with no injuries reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Brainerd Fire Department and North Memorial Health Ambulance assisted at the scene. No damage estimate was released by the company or fire department.
Morrison County Maintenance employees will be working on the following activities this week, shouldering CSAH 4, CSAH 48, County Road 262 and County Road 276, patching various roads and painting “Stop Ahead” Symbols. Contracted construction crews will be working on the following activities: Crews will begin milling and paving on CSAH 46. On CSAH 76, the east lanes will be paved this week then traffic will be re-routed to use the newly paved east side while the west side reconstruction takes place. Please drive with caution and remain patient during delays. Project is expected to be complete by the end of August. The Soo Line Trail from 30th Street to 450th Street south of Bowlus will be closed again Tuesday, July 14th was also closed Monday while crews conduct soil borings in that segment. Belle Prairie Park River Access project began in May. The park will be closed to vehicles and will be open to foot traffic only while under construction. Additionally, the boat ramp will be closed for the duration of the construction. Project is expected to continue into September. Please use caution around flaggers, work crews and flashing lights.
A Stearns County judge has dismissed four of five felony counts against Joseph Paul Herzing, a Catholic priest accused in a case involving an adult woman, but ruled that a third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge may proceed. In an omnibus order filed June 15, District Court Judge Ole Tvedten granted Herzing’s motion to dismiss one count of stalking and three counts of threats of violence, finding they were barred by Minnesota’s three-year statute of limitations. The state agreed those charges could not move forward. The remaining charge, third-degree criminal sexual conduct, stems from an alleged incident on December 7th, 2021. Prosecutors allege Herzing engaged in sexual penetration with the woman while he was in what Minnesota law defines as a prohibited occupational relationship, a member of the clergy providing religious or spiritual advice, aid or comfort in private. The judge has rejected a number of arguments from the defense in the case including U.S. Supreme Court rulings on religion and constitutional rights should change the outcome. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for 11am August 6th in St. Cloud.
At least one person was killed in a three vehicle accident Monday around 2:55pm on Highway 95 in Princeton Township. A westbound vehicle reportedly cross the center line and collided head on with an eastbound vehicle which then caused both vehicles to strike a third vehicle on Highway 95. Authorities stated that all drivers and passengers were from the Princeton area and at least one was killed and there were unbuckled members involved in the accident also. No name have been released at this time.
A man shot by a St. Cloud police officer last year goes on trial this week. Forty-seven-year-old Kyeon Hill is charged with felony 1st-degree assault - use of deadly force against a police officer and misdemeanor domestic assault. Hill is accused of stabbing police officer Virgilia Schreiner in the arm as she was placing him under arrest for a domestic disturbance in May 2025. Officer Schreiner then fired her gun at Hill, hitting him in the shoulder. Another officer tased Hill and took him into custody after he fled the scene on foot. The incident unfolded when officers responded to the 600 block of 8th Avenue North. A woman had called 911 to report that Hill had threatened her. Officers found Hill sitting in a vehicle at that location. They told Hill to drop the knife he was holding and exit the vehicle. When he exited the car, police say he stabbed Officer Schreiner in the arm, causing a puncture wound. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says a pocket knife was recovered at the scene. The Stearns County District Court trial is scheduled to last five days.
St. Cloud Police are investigating an assault early Saturday morning that sent a Sauk Rapids woman to the hospital. Officers responded to the 1000 block of 9th Avenue South at around 3:20 a.m. They arrived to find a 23-year-old woman had been assaulted by two other women in the parking lot of a business in the area. Police say the women are acquaintances and the assault was not a random incident. The victim suffered substantial but non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at St. Cloud Hospital for her injuries. Police say the investigation is active and anyone who has information about the assault is asked to call the St. Cloud Police Department at (320) 251-1200.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency and mobilized the National Guard to assist with wildfire suppression as more than 17 active wildfires rage in northern Minnesota. “Wildfires have broken out in northeastern Minnesota and are putting local communities at risk,” said Governor Walz, in a statement. On Saturday, the United States Forest Service closed 225,000 acres of Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness because of the unusually dry conditions and multiple wildfires. "These fires are impacting the northwest part of the area, between Ely and Crane Lake, north of the Echo Trail and south of Lac La Croix along the Canadian border. In addition, the Minnesota DNR is leading response on five other fires in the same area," according to a release from the governor's office. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is working with federal and local partners to suppress the fires. The Department of Natural Resources requested the Minnesota National Guard's assistance, according to the release.
The Department of Natural Resources have found Zebra Mussels in two Crow Wing County Lakes recently. The DNR said that the invasive species were found in Manuel Mine Lake and Perch Lake both in Crow Wing County. They remind boat owners to check their boats thoroughly when leaving the waters so that they are not moving Zebra Mussels to other lakes in the area, which is believed how this recent findings occurred.
Linden Hill’s annual Community Tour of Gardens is Wednesday, July 15. The tour is available between 3-8pm and is self-guided, beginning at Linden Hill for a cost of $10. Besides strolling around the gardens at Linden Hill, including viewing the former fountain in the lower grounds that was transformed into a new garden, visitors will also be given a map for additional garden sites in Little Falls. As to the gardens at Linden Hill, there are about 30 different garden spaces that are attended. One of the gardens participating in this year’s Tour of Gardens is located at the grounds of Meadow View Manor, on the far west end of Little Falls, a historic 1880s home in Little Falls. It was once the home of Milton M. Williams, who was a prominent business man, known for establishing the Little Falls Water Power Company, building the Mississippi River dam, co-founding the First National Bank and other endeavors. The Weyerhaeuser and Musser families were also frequent dinner guests at Meadow View Manor. Questions can be directed by contacting Linden Hill at 320-616-5580.
Entertainment News: Sam Neill, a smoothly elegant and versatile actor whose career moved from art film to blockbuster as he dodged velociraptors in “Jurassic Park” and played Holly Hunter’s husband in “The Piano,” has died. He was 78.
Death Notices: Mark A. Motschke, age 56 of Little Falls. Patricia Nicoski, age 91 of Little Falls.
Weather: Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect until 9pm Thursday. Sunny and hot today high 95 with heat index values around 101, clear tonight low 68. Sunny and hot Wednesday, high 93, heat index values around 100, clear Wednesday night low 67. Sunny and hot again on Thursday, high 94, partly cloudy Thursday night low 70. Sunny and hot again Friday high 92, slight chance of T-storms possible Friday night into early Saturday low 68. Sunny skies Saturday, high 88, clear Saturday night low around 64. Sunny skies on Sunday high 87, storms Sunday night into Monday, lows in mid 60s. Monday storms early high of 86.
Sports: Minnesota Lynx win 104-100 last night over Phoenix as the Lynx need all of the 70 combined points of Kayla McBride and Olivia Miles and their 11 three point shots in the win. Lynx (18-6) host the LA Sparks on Wednesday. St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker won the Home Run Derby last night prior to the Major League Baseball All Star Game tonight at 7pm in Philadelphia. The KLTF Victory League Game of the Week Sunday is Opole at Royalton at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com.