24-Mar-2026

Morrison County Methamphetamine Traffic Stop

The Morrison County Sheriff's Office reports that on Sunday at approximately 1:12am, a Morrison County deputy conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Highway 10 and 93rd Street north of Royalton, MN in Bellevue Township.  The deputy observed the vehicle in question cross the center line, prompting the traffic stop.  The driver of the vehicle was identified at 40-year-old Bradley Wehmas of Wadena, MN.  It was determined that Wehmas did not have a valid drivers' license.  During the stop, the deputy observed indicators consistent with possible drug activity.  Wehmas admitted to possessing methamphetamine on his person.  Additional methamphetamine was later located after his arrival at the jail.  In total, approximately 101 grams (over3.5 ounces) of suspected methamphetamine was seized.  Wehmas was placed under arrest and is currently being held in the Morrison County Jail pending formal charges to include 1st Degree Possession of a Controled Substance, Driving after Cancellation-Inimical to Public Safety and Introduction of Contraband into a jail.  

23-Mar-2026

Dairy Workers Strike

Union members in Paynesville are on strike after not being able to come to terms on a new deal. Teamsters Local 471 at Associated Milk Producers Incorporated (AMPI) Dairy in Paynesville has gone on strike after almost a year of negotiations. The Union says AMPI has not taken the negotiations seriously or presented a fair plan. Members have worked for over a year without a raise and are looking for more flexibility and stability in health care coverage, and a guarantee that if the Paynesville facility is sold or ownership changes, they would be able to retain their jobs and union contract. Local 471 Principal Officer Lyndon Johnson says AMPI has had more than enough time to do right by their workers, but instead has dragged their feet, and members are united in demanding the wages, health care, and job protections they deserve. AMPI is a cooperative that processes and distributes cheese and other dairy products across the country. The Paynesville facility employs over 60 people, and they have facilities in New Ulm, South Dakotoa and Wisconsin.

23-Mar-2026

Fatal Pickup Crash

A man died Friday evening after his pickup truck went off the road, crossed through a residential yard and plunged into the Mississippi River east of Bemidji. Authorities received a 911 call at 4:43 p.m. on Friday, March 20, reporting the truck had gone into the water on Sunnyside Road. The caller said the driver did not get out before the vehicle went under, according to the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office. Bystanders tried to help when emergency crews arrived, but the truck sank quickly, the sheriff’s office said. Divers from the Lakes Area Dive Team pulled the man’s body from the vehicle around 6:30 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released the man’s name and are investigating what caused the truck to leave the road.

23-Mar-2026

Man Arrested After Incident In Miltona

One person is in custody after an incident in Miltona on Friday.  The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says they responded to a home on the East Side of Miltona at 7:00 a.m. for "an incident." The sheriff's office temporarily closed streets while the scene was active. Authorities say a man was taken into custody, and there is no threat to the public. The Alexandria Police Department, Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office, and Minnesota State Patrol assisted at the scene. No other information is available at this time.

23-Mar-2026

Sauna Fire

A fire that started in an outdoor sauna damaged an adjacent steel building Saturday night in rural Otter Tail County, according to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office. Otter Tail County dispatch received a report of a structure fire in the 51000 block of County Highway 51 at approximately 10:49 p.m. Saturday from Becker County dispatch, the sheriff’s office said. The fire is believed to have originated from an outdoor sauna, which damaged an adjacent steel building. No injuries were reported. The fire does not appear to be suspicious, the sheriff’s office said. Fire departments from Frazee, Wolf Lake, Perham and Vergas responded to the scene. The State Fire Marshal’s Office also assisted.

23-Mar-2026

Teen Girl Hit By car As She Was Getting Mail

A 13 year-old girl has been hospitalized after she was hit by a vehicle south of Fergus Falls. The Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office responded to a vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash on March 18, just before 4:00 p.m. Investigators say a vehicle driven by 47 year-old Yullveny Rodriguez Quijada hit 13 year-old Ellie Armstrong who was collecting her mail on the side of the road. Officials say Armstrong was taken by ambulance to the hospital with non-life threatening injures. Rodriguez Quijada was not hurt. The Sheriff’s Office says alcohol, drugs and distracted driving are not suspected in the crash.