>>Nearly 170 Crashes in MN Due to Rainy, Snowy Weather
(Minneapolis, MN) — 169 crashes, one fatal, were reported today due to the rainy and snowy weather. The Minnesota State Patrol says this number is from midnight through 2 p.m. Of the crashes, 152 included property damage, 16 had injuries, and one was fatal. There were 94 spinouts and one jack-knifed semi.
>>Warroad Man Pleads Guilty to Fatal 2023 Shooting of Wife
(Roseau, MN) — A Warroad man has pleaded guilty to the fatal 2023 shooting of his wife. 65-year-old David Corneliusen was offered a Norgaard plea, not remembering the crime but admitting to his role in the death. Corneliusen shot his wife Mary with a pistol after an argument. He’ll be sentenced for second-degree murder on December 16th.
>>Man Arrested in Fatal Owatonna Hit-And-Run
(Rochester, MN) — A man has been arrested following a fatal hit-and-run in Owatonna on Wednesday. Police responded to the crash on County Road 45 N, where 31-year-old Taylor Padilla-Ades of Lonsdale was found dead. Later that day, officers found the vehicle involved and arrested 42-year-old Derek Paul Denelesbeck. He faces charges of criminal vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of the crash. Denelesbeck is expected in court on Friday.
>>Elijah Vue’s Mother Pleads Not Guilty in 3-Year-Old’s Death
(Manitowoc County, WI) — The mother of Elijah Vue has pleaded not guilty to the three-year-old’s death. 31-year-old Katrina Bauer faces felony charges of chronic neglect of a child resulting in death and neglect of a child under age 6. Elijah went missing in February in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and his remains were found there by a deer hunter on September 7th. Bauer is being held at Manitowoc County Jail on a $400,000 cash bond. Bauer’s boyfriend, Jessie Vang, is also charged in Elijah’s death and is being held on a $500,000 bond. His next court date is Monday.
>>Austin Police Search for Armed Robbery Suspect
(Austin, MN) — Austin Police are asking for the public’s help finding a man suspected of committing an armed robbery Wednesday. Officers responded to an Austin gas station around 7 p.m., finding two photos of the suspect through surveillance footage. The suspect brandished a handgun, demanded money from the clerk, and fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was injured. The suspect is described as a man in his 20s, around 6 feet 2 inches tall, with a thin to medium build. He was wearing a black Reebok hooded sweatshirt, dark-colored pants, and black shoes. Anyone with information is asked to call APD at 507-437-9405.
>>Avon Man Seriously Injured by Bull
(Holding, MN) — An Avon man suffered serious injuries after a bull encounter Wednesday. Stearns County deputies responded to a Holding residence around 9:14 a.m. on the report that 45-year-old Keith Woitalla had been injured by a bull. Deputies found Woitalla lying in the pen—the bull secured in a separate pen. The victim was taken to St. Cloud Hospital, where his current condition is unknown.
>>Fergus Falls Woman Charged with Child Endangerment
(Fergus Falls, MN) — A Fergus Falls woman has been charged with child endangerment after a welfare check Tuesday. Otter Tail County deputies responded to a child welfare check near Swan Lake, just south of Fergus Falls, around 4:30 p.m. on a driver’s report of a woman carrying an infant. The woman wasn’t wearing shoes in windy, rainy conditions of 50 degrees but told the driver she was fine. The driver stopped when she walked into a ditch without the child, finding the infant on the ground. The woman, identified as 52-year-old Anatasia Vaughn, who is also the baby’s grandmother, was found in the woods showing signs of alcohol impairment. Vaughn’s husband told authorities she had been drinking earlier that day while babysitting their two grandchildren. Vaughn was arrested; her BAC reading .299.
>>Sartell Student Struck While Walking to School
(Sartell, MN) — A Sartell boy was struck by a car while crossing a crosswalk this morning. In a letter sent to families from Superintendent Michael Rivard, the school district says a student from Riverview Intermediate School was crossing in a crosswalk with a crossing guard present when he was struck. The boy was released to the care of his family; his age was not released. The school district says the safety of their students is their top priority and urges drivers to use extra caution around schools and crosswalks.
>>MN Reps Graded on National Park Support
(Undated) – According to the National Parks Action Fund Scorecard, which tallies the voting records of U.S. House members on park funding bills, endangered species, and oil and gas development in their districts, all four state Republicans got failing grades while three Democrats got A’s. Executive Director Kristen Brengel says they’re not trying to pick on Congress members but hopes the scrutiny helps change some votes moving forward. He argues, “This is just part of our values system. Do we love these places? Do we want to take care of them? Do we want to make sure they have adequate park rangers in them?” Overall, Brengel says, more House members received F’s than A’s. This comes after the House voted to cut funding for national parks by 13% last year. The scorecard is online at nationalparksaction.org.
>>Weekly Drought Update
(Undated) – The rain and snow forecasted are welcome news as we try to break the drought we’ve been in this fall. Today’s weekly update from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that 91% of Minnesota is now in a moderate drought, up from 86% last week. And 51% of the state is in a severe drought, up from 43% a week ago. After today, we have another chance for rain on Sunday and Monday.
>> Archery Deer Season Numbers are Down
(Undated) – The Minnesota DNR says the number of deer harvested during the October archery season is lower. They report hunters have harvested more than 17,000 deer for the month as of October 23rd. That’s down 1% from a year ago and 15% lower than the five-year average. The gun-deer season opens on November 9. The Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener is scheduled for Sandstone.
