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Fire Death

A man has died after he was found inside of a burning home in rural Staples, MN. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, they received a report of a house fire in the 7300 block of 79th Ave. SW in Byron Township on April 16, 2024, just before 11 a.m. When fire crews arrived, the house was completely engulfed in flames, and they found a deceased, adult male inside. His name will not be released until family can be properly notified. Two other adult victims were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Police say a separate structure on the property has also been damaged from the fire. The cause is currently unknown, but the Staples Fire Department is working with the Minnesota Fire Marshal’s Office to determine what started the fire.

Highway Project

A road resurfacing project is going to be impacting traffic on Highway 10 through Little Falls starting Monday. The Minnesota Department of Transportation will be resurfacing Highway 10 in both directions from west of the Mississippi River at Morrison County Road 52 to south of Little Falls at County Road 35. The 8-mile project includes the Highway 10/371 split. The work also includes guardrail work and reestablishing gravel shoulders. There will be one lane of traffic each way until the project is completed in early July. The lane shifts will be done during off-peak times from Monday mornings until Noon on Fridays. There will also be some ramp closures overnights from 9:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. Periodic lane shifts will also take place at the southern end of the project to Halfway Crossing south of Royalton. Crews will be microsurfacing the roadway along that stretch of highway during weekdays.

House Candidate Harassment

Minnesota politicians are calling on a local DFL unit to rescind its endorsement of candidate Judd Hoff for House District 12B after allegations of him harassing the district's incumbent emerged. Hoff who is 53, is accused of stalking and harassing Rep. Mary Franson who resides in Alexandria  allegedly digging through her trash, posting her contact information and address online, filming her residence and sending her threatening messages. Franson has posted to X (formerly known as Twitter) documenting some of her interactions with Hoff, who allegedly moved in near her home after he was seen protesting outside of it. There are no charges filed against Hoff in relation to the alleged incidents. However, his record does note other prior incidents. In 2021, Hoff was convicted of felony second-degree assault for wielding a machete at a man who had torn a flag off Hoff's vehicle. The victim had taken the flag down after noticing it was upside down, according to a criminal complaint. Hoff has several other convictions — including multiple counts of disorderly conduct and damage to property — dating back to 1991.  David Hann, chairman of Minnesota's Republican Party, called for the DFL to "urgently and unequivocally condemn this type of behavior and take immediate action to rescind its endorsement of Judd Hoff." On Monday, DFL Chairman Ken Martin disavowed the endorsement and asked the local unit to withdraw its endorsement. "The kind of violent and threatening behaviors that Mr. Hoff has engaged in have no place in the Minnesota DFL party," Martin said. "The Minnesota DFL will not spend any of our resources on behalf of Mr. Hoff. We all have a responsibility, regardless of party or ideology, to reject violence in our politics – we can and should expect better from candidates for elected office." District 12B includes Alexandria and Sauk Centre.

Mn Dot Reminds Us Of Ag Traffic

Planting season is right around the corner meaning more traffic on roads across Minnesota and as it ramps up The Minnesota Department of Transportation is warning travelers to watch out for farm equipment. “Farmers need our highways to prepare and plant fields at this time of year. Sunrise and sunset can also reduce visibility of farm equipment while driving. Drivers should slow down and prepare to encounter slow-moving farm vehicles, especially on rural, two-lane roads,” said Brian Sorenson, state traffic engineer. MnDOT says since 2021 there have been 446 crashes involving farm equipment in Minnesota, resulting in eight deaths and 171 injuries. Farm equipment is large and heavy, making it hard for operators to accelerate, slow down and stop. The equipment also makes wide turns and sometimes crosses over the center line. In addition, farm vehicles can create large blind spots, making it difficult for operators to see approaching vehicles.

Motorists should:

Slow down and watch for farm equipment, particularly at dusk and dawn on two-lane rural roads

Use caution when approaching farm equipment

Watch for debris dropped by farm equipment

Drive with headlights on at all times

Wait for a safe place to pass

Farm equipment operators should:

Use lights and flashers to make equipment more visible

Use slow-moving vehicle emblems on equipment traveling less than 30 mph

Consider using a follow vehicle when moving equipment, especially at night