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06-Mar-2026

Bomb Threat

An investigation is underway after a Park Rapids restaurant received a bomb threat by phone on Wednesday. According to a social media post from The Good Life Cafe, the threat came in on Wednesday, March 4 prompting a temporary closure. After an initial investigation by the Park Rapids Police Department, they determined the call originated from outside the community and there is no ongoing threat. “We are grateful to the Park Rapids Police Department for their swift response and guidance throughout the situation,” the restaurant said in a statement. “We also thank our staff and guests who responded calmly and safely, and our community for the concern and support shown to our team.” The restaurant said the safety of staff and guests “will always remain our top priority.”

06-Mar-2026

Drug Bust

A Mexican national who was in the country illegally has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, Guillermo Mercado-Chaparro sold a pound of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer. Police followed Mercado-Chaparro after the buy and saw him conduct other drug deals. Several days later, police saw Mercado-Chaparro retrieve two large garbage bags from his pickup truck and place them in a nearby Jeep. Police stopped the Jeep a short time later, and a drug-sniffing dog alerted to the odor of drugs in the Jeep.   When police searched the Jeep, they found roughly 250 pounds of methamphetamine in the garbage bags and a cooler. Police then got a search warrant for Mercado-Chapparo’s truck, searched it, and seized roughly 630 more pounds of methamphetamine from the truck bed. Altogether, Mercado-Chaparro had almost 900 pounds of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Minnesota Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America.

 

 

 

 

 

06-Mar-2026

House Fire

On Thursday 03/05/26 afternoon at 5:02 PM, the Todd County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting a structure fire at a residence in rural Aldrich. Todd County Dispatch paged Bertha and Hewitt Fire Departments to respond to the fire. A Todd County Deputy arrived shortly after the initial call, to find the east side of the residence engulfed in flames. Bertha and Hewitt Fire Department arrived on scene and extinguished the flames. Firemen were able to remove some dogs from the residence, however, several dogs perished in the fire. No other injuries were reported. The fire is currently under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office. The Sheriff's Office was assisted on scene by the Bertha and Hewitt Fire Departments, Lakewood Health System Ambulance, Todd-Wadena Electric, and the Staples Veterinary Clinic.

06-Mar-2026

Little Falls Man To Be Sentencved In Killing Of Toddler

A Little Falls man will be sentenced May 7th for the killing of a toddler he was caring for in July of 2023. A Morrison County jury found 42-year-old Erik Blanco guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter in the death of 14-month-old Riverlynn VanNorman First responders found the girl unresponsive and not breathing, with bruising to her face and marks on her neck and her ears. She died in the hospital, and the medical examiner determined her injuries were consistent with homicidal violence. Blanco was arrested in September 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

05-Mar-2026

Propane Truck Rollover

An early morning crash on Wednesday has closed two roadways. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says portions of County Road 42 and County Road 161 were closed after a propane truck crashed about 4.5 miles north of Richmond at the intersection of the two county roads. The Sheriff's Office says they received a call around 7:35 a.m. about a flatbed-style propane truck lying in the ditch on a power box with the driver still inside. An officer from the Cold Spring/Richmond Police Department was the first to arrive and found a Wenners Gas Company truck leaking propane with the driver trapped inside. Rescue teams were able to get the driver out, and he was taken to the St. Cloud Hospital with unknown injuries. Upon investigation, authorities say the truck was going north on County Road 161 approaching County Road 42, and due to heavy fog, the T-intersection came up more quickly than anticipated. The driver tried to make a left turn, causing the truck to roll. Stearn County Electric shut off the power to the affected area due to the propane leak, and because of the amount of propane, County Road 42 from County Road 9 to 218th Avenue was closed. County Road 161 was also closed to northbound traffic at 260th Street. Motorists were advised to avoid the affected roads.

 

05-Mar-2026

Semi Fire

A Grey Eagle man was not injured when his semi caught fire as he was hauling soybeans North of Melrose on Tuesday morning. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office says 59-year-old Steven Berscheit was driving a 1985 International straight truck South on County Road 13 at around 10:50 a.m. Berscheit was approaching the hill just north of County Road 17 when the truck started losing power. Berscheit told dispatchers he could smell burning rubber and the cab was filling with smoke. The truck lost all power, rolled backwards, and eventually tipped over into the ditch as it continued to burn. Berscheit was able to escape the truck's cab and was not hurt in the incident. The Melrose Fire Department was called in to extinguish the flames.