Felony charges against Christopher Lee Mahlum, 43, St. Paul, were amended in Morrison County District Court to include one additional felony count of DWI, specifically under the influence of methamphetamine. These charges were added to one felony first-degree DWI charge, one felony fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance charge and one gross misdemeanor driving after cancellation charge filed in January.

The following people charged with a gross misdemeanor or misdemeanor in Morrison County District Court have recently been sentenced: Gross misdemeanors: • Oscar Mejia Cedano, 25, Browerville (offense: 1/16/23) — Theft, fined $385 and sentenced to one day in jail and probation to the court for two years. • Jessica Maria Villavicencio Soto, 32, Browerville...

Morrison County Attorney Brian Middendorf and his staff have filed a felony complaint against the following individual: • Neal Raymond Weber, 53, Stillwater — In connection with a March 29 incident, Weber was charged with one count of fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance.

Alex Mitchel Oatis, 24, Little Falls, was charged in Morrison County District Court with one felony count of assault and one gross misdemeanor count of interfering with an emergency telephone call. The charges stem from an April 8 incident, when two officers of the Little Falls Police Department received a report of an assault occurring at a residence on Riverwood Drive in Little Falls. Officers arrived at the scene and met with the victim. The victim stated that she was assaulted by Oatis. She stated...

Steven Lee Braun, 54, homeless, previously of Royalton, was sentenced in Morrison County District Court to 126 days in local confinement and supervised probation for five years and fined $50 for one felony count of assault. One felony count of assault by strangulation was dismissed. If Braun breaks the conditions of his supervised probation, which include following all recommendations of a comprehensive assessment, no contact with the victim and paying restitution, he faces up to 21 months in a correctional facility. ...

Dominique Chavez, 28, Little Falls, was charged in Morrison County District Court with one felony count of assault. The charge stems from an April 15 incident, when the Little Falls Police Department received a report of a disturbance occurring at a residence on Third Avenue Northwest in Little Falls. Two officers responded to the report and met with the victim. The first officer spoke to the victim while the second officer went into the residence to speak with Chavez. The victim stated that Chavez was...

A felony charge of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor was dismissed against Richard Alvin Lalonde, 27, Brooklyn Park, in Morrison County District Court. The charge stemmed from a March 21, 2023 incident. The charge was dismissed because a necessary witness was not available to testify at trial, according to County Attorney Brian Middendorf.

Felony charges against Abraham K. Borntreger, 33, Little Falls, were amended in Morrison County District Court to include possessing child pornography of a minor under the age of 14 as a registered predatory offender. This charge was added to one felony count of fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance filed in April. One felony charge of possessing child pornography was dismissed. The charges stem from a March 7 incident. For details on the incident, read the article titled “Borntreger charged with drug, child porn possession” in the Courts and Crimes section of the April 21 issue of the Morrison County Record or online at mcrecord.com. If convicted on the new child porn possession felony charge, Borntreger faces up to 10 years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine. If convicted on the drug possession felony charge, he faces up to five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine.

Cindy Marie Cobenais, 35, Red Lake, was sentenced in Morrison County District Court to 183 days in local confinement and supervised probation for five years and fined $50 for one felony count of second-degree possession of a controlled substance. One felony count of fifth-degree possession of a controlled subtance was dismissed. If Cobenais breaks the conditions of her supervised probation, which include no alcohol or controlled substance use, completing inpatient treatment and submitting to random testing, she faces up to 58 months in a correctional...

Felony charges against John Adam Czech, 41, Little Falls, were amended in Morrison County District Court to include one felony count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. This charge was added to one felony count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct filed in October 2023. The charges stem from an August 2023 incident. In September 2023, a juvenile victim, over 16 but under the age of 18, went to the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office to report an incident of criminal sexual conduct that occurred. The victim allegedly...

On April 22, the Pierz City Council: • Approved a small accessory structure permit for Danielle Miller, two concrete permits for Richard Henry and Rodney Boser and two fence permits for Donald Gilson and ISD #484; • Donated $400 to the Pierz Legion Park Board for improving and maintaining the Hellie baseball field; • Donated...

In other business Tuesday, April 23, the Morrison County Board of Commissioners: • Approved changes to authorized access and signers for Morrison County’s accounts at Stearns Bank, removing former Deputy Auditor/Treasurer Debbie Symanietz and adding Auditor/Treasurer Shannon Coyle and current Deputy Auditor/Treasurer Breanna Mikkelsen; • Approved Helping Hands 365 to hold a raffle on Oct. 26 at the Boomerang Bar; ...

The Morrison County Board of Commissioners heard a request at its Tuesday, April 23 meeting to support a local internet service provider’s grant applications aimed at expanding high-speed fiber optic networks to underserved areas of the county. County Administrator Matt LeBlanc presented information on grants available through the State Border to Border 10 broadband program and Federal Reconnect 5 funds. He explained that Sytek, based in Upsala, is seeking the Board’s endorsement as it applies for about $4 million from either grant funds to build...

At its Tuesday, April 23 meeting, the Morrison County Board of Commissioners proclaimed April as National Donate Life Month, spreading awareness of the positive impact being an organ donor can have on others. The proclamation stated that an average of 16 people die per day waiting for an organ transplant. Pictured are (from left): Back row: Commissioners Jeffrey Jelinski, Robert Kasper, Greg Blaine, Mike LeMieur and Randy Winscher; Front row: Morrison County Deputy Registrar Denise Vogl.

At its Tuesday, April 23 meeting, the Morrison County Board of Commissioners proclaimed the week of Sunday, April 21 through Saturday, April 27 as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The proclamation stated that crime victims who feel supported and understood are more likely to seek justice. Pictured are (from left): Back row: Commissioners Jeffrey Jelinski, Robert Kasper, Greg Blaine, Mike LeMieur and Randy Winscher; Front row: Hands of Hope staff members Steph Och, Rocio Fernandez Lugo, Taylor Hernandez and Lyndsey Dimateo.

Both the cities of Motley and Randall recently received audits of their financial statements for the fiscal year of 2023. Below are summaries of the results of these audits: Motley: At the Monday, April 8 Motley City Council meeting, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Ryan Schmidt from the accounting firm Schlenner, Wenner & Co. presented the results of the city’s annual financial audit for the 2023 fiscal year. Schmidt provided Council...

Morrison County District 2 Commissioner Jeffrey Jelinski will not be running for reelection in the 2024 election. The last full day of his current term is Jan. 5, 2025. Jelinski emphasized that the decision to not run for reelection was not born out of any ill will for anyone within Morrison County and that he had greatly enjoyed his time in the position. However, he said it was always his plan to serve for three terms, and due to redistricting, he will have effectively served...

On Thursday, April 11, celebrated children’s book author Margi Preus visited Swanville Elementary School to give a talk about her writing process and inspirations. The Duluth resident spoke to the audience of students and teachers in the school’s auditorium. Preus is best known for her historical fiction middle grade novels featuring real-life protagonists, including the 2010 novel “Heart of a Samurai” about Manjiro Nakahama, one of the first Japanese people to come to America after being shipwrecked; 2012’s “Shadow on the Mountain” about Norwegian resistance...

Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen gave his annual report to the Morrison County Board of Commissioners at its meeting on Tuesday, April 23. Larsen provided a comprehensive overview of the activities of the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office over the past year. Larsen reported that the number of complaints received by the sheriff’s office in 2023 was 11,289, down slightly from 11,599 complaints in 2022. He noted that factors like traffic stops, carry permit applications and gun purchases all contribute to the total number of complaints....

There’s no place like home, but there’s also no place like the stage of Little Falls Community High School’s upcoming production of “The Wizard of Oz.” The timeless story of a girl from Kansas being whisked away to the magical Land of Oz is brought to life through an imaginative set, enchanting music and an enthusiastic cast. The week before tech week, many members of the cast are already in their costumes, most lines are memorized and, for the first time, actors use a fly...