Detroit Lakes High School to host community Veterans Day program on Nov. 10

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Students and members of the public are invited to attend the Veterans Day program at Detroit Lakes High School on Friday morning.

On Nov. 10, doors will open to the Lakeshirts Fieldhouse at 10:10 a.m. for an event aimed at honoring lakes area veterans and their service.

Rob Ullyott, social studies teacher at Detroit Lakes High School and an organizer of the event, said he believes it’s important for students to hear directly from lakes area veterans about their service and it gives the school a chance to partner with community veterans service organizations.

“It’s just terribly, terribly important, I think, that we continue educating our students as to what veterans mean to our country and to be thankful for our freedoms and such,” said Ullyott. “Also, one of our goals at the high school is to pair with the community more and not only bring more of that local flavor into our classroom but into our entire school.”
He also said they have started trying to do their large, educational version of the Veterans Day program every other year for the students. Last year, the expanded program brought more than 60 area veterans into the classrooms for stories and questions about their service with the high schoolers.

“We do the large program and the educational piece every other year,” said Ullyott. “Last year, we had that big day. I think we had almost 65 vets come in. We did a breakfast for them in the morning, we had a ceremony down in the gym and then we dispersed. And we had vets in several classrooms and we tried to pair them up so they’ve got someone there with them. It’s all teacher led, monitored and facilitated. And (the vets) tell their stories to the kids and there’s interaction back and forth and a lot of questions that are asked.”

Adding, last year, four veterans who participated in the event served during WWII and three of the four have since passed away.  

This year’s program will consist of an assembly and presentation from the local veterans service organizations.

The event will feature the service anthems and music performed by members of the Detroit Lakes High School Choir and Band and culminate in an outdoor 21-gun salute conducted by the Lake Region Veterans Color Guard, which is made up from veterans from across the lakes area.

Dave Knoph, a member of the color guard, said their group used to do their Veterans Day event at the memorial park on Washington Avenue, but, due to weather and the traffic noise, they wanted to move locations, which allowed for the perfect partnership with the high school.

“Last year, before we started going to the high school, we’d sit down in the memorial park on Washington Avenue” said Knoph. “It was so cold, or snowing, or raining, we never really got an audience. So I went to the high school and talked to Josh Omang … so last year we co-opted together and we came up with a program where we were able to be part of the high school and it’s really great that the community is being invited … that’s why I hope pairing our program with the high school and our programs together, it should be a beautiful ceremony.”

Knoph also said being able to share their stories with students may inspire the next generation soldiers, airmen, marines, sailors and guardians to pursue their own military service careers.

“A lot of veterans are humble and proud that they were veterans, but mostly humble in a lot of ways,” said Knoph. “It’s always good to let people know why you are a veteran and why you went and served …  and the patriots are still out there and I think it’s because our stories are being told. And that’s a necessity for them possibly joining the military and becoming veterans themselves.”

The Veterans Day program at Detroit Lakes High School begins on Friday, Nov. 10 at 10:30 a.m. and end with the 21-gun salute at about 11:11 a.m. to honor the official holiday on Nov. 11.

Woman charged with felony riot with a weapon over fighting with a hatchet

A St. Cloud woman is charged with a felony after a physical fight escalated into an alleged hatchet attack last Thursday.

According to the court records, on Nov. 2, 18-year-old Marla Baird-Adams had been drinking during the afternoon when she and another woman began fighting. A third woman said she stepped in to intervene and ended up in a fight with the second woman.

As a neighbor was breaking up that fight, they say Baird-Adams was standing in the yard with a hatchet in her hand and began yelling at the second woman.

Witnesses said the second woman ran toward Baird-Adams, and a physical fight resumed with Baird-Adams allegedly swinging the hatchet at her.

Police were able to separate the two.

Baird-Adams was arrested on suspicion of 2nd-degree riot armed with a dangerous weapon. Police said a preliminary test determined her blood-alcohol level was .17.

Court records show the victim suffered multiple cuts from the hatchet that required stitches.

Story by Ryan Janke / KFGO

New details over Red River Valley SWAT arrest of Hawley man Nov. 1

New details are emerging about a Red River Valley SWAT team arrest in Hawley last Wednesday that prompted a soft lockdown at area schools.

On Nov. 1, Moorhead Police say 39-year-old Brandon Loock of Hawley was taken into custody without incident after he reportedly tried to enter a home in the 1600 block of 2nd Avenue South on Halloween.

A door cam video showed Loock was holding a large knife while ringing the doorbell and police said Loock then showed a handgun when people in the home would not let him in.

Loock and the victim are known to each other and he is currently being held at the Clay County Jail for felony assault with a weapon and restraining order violations.

NDSU to celebrate Native American heritage over the next week

North Dakota State University has a series of events scheduled to celebrate and honor Native American Heritage Month. They kicked off the celebrations with discussions about how libraries can help empower communities and honor traditions of Native Americans.

NDSU Dean of Libraries, Jolie Graybill, said, quote: “It’s really rewarding to be able to bring together the different community members to have the expertise in the different areas. So the information can be shared and so people can learn.“

Here is a list of events for NDSU:

• History and artifacts presentation on Tuesday, Nov. 7 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Anishinaabe Theater
• A tipi will be set up from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8 near the Babbling Brook.
• History, culture and community presentation will be given by Brandon Baity, of White Earth, at Memorial Union Prairie Rose room on Monday, Nov. 13 from 10-11 a.m. Baity is a social worker and community leader based in Moorhead. 
• A session on making dream catchers and hemp bracelets is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Memorial union Prairie Rose room.
• A tribal college discussion is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 16, from 11 a.m. to noon in the Memorial Union Room of Nations.

The students and members of the public are welcome to attend any, or all, of the Native American Heritage events.

Story by Aaron Walling / KVRR

Todd County man agrees to plea deal in murder-for-hire plot

A central-Minnesota man agreed to a plea deal in Todd County District Court that dismissed a murder conspiracy charge 

According to court records, in August 2021, 39-year-old Robert Thomas Sr., of Grey Eagle, Minn., allegedly hired hitmen to kill his father, who was having an affair with his wife.

Thomas pleaded guilty in Todd County District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit burglary and will serve five years of probation.

Todd County Attorney John Lindemann said the deal was struck to have a charge of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder dismissed because it, quote: “would have been difficult for the state to prove at trial.”

A court transcript says Lindemann told the judge that Thomas’s father, Scott, “was not happy” with the plea deal outcome.

The Star Tribune reported that Scott Thomas and Robert Thomas’ wife are still in a relationship.

According to the complaint, Robert Thomas was “upset and feeling vengeful” after learning of his wife’s affair with his father. He admitted he and an accomplice conspired to find someone to break into and “ransack” his father’s Long Prairie apartment.

Robert Thomas also insisted that he told the person not to enter the apartment in the evening as people would likely be home. The person ultimately broke in during the evening hours to find his father home at the time and immediately fled.

In the now-dismissed murder-for-hire complaint, an informant told police Robert Thomas allegedly paid hitmen thousands of dollars to have a relative killed. 

On another occasion, a would-be killer allegedly went to a home in 2021 but didn’t follow through.

An undercover officer met with Robert Thomas on April 6 in the Coborn’s grocery store parking lot in Long Prairie to discuss the desire of having a family member killed and the meeting was recorded via video and audio.

It was revealed during the conversation that Robert Thomas had made several installment payments totaling $10,000 to gang members to kill the family member.

The undercover officer acted as though he was affiliated with the same gang members and agreed a price with Thomas of $50,000, to be paid in installments.

Thomas was later arrested on April 10.

Shakopee woman charged with third-degree homicide for overdose death of Litchfield man

A woman faces homicide charges after the drug overdose death of a Litchfield man last summer.

According to Central Minnesota Drug Task Force Commander Ross Ardoff, on July 31, the task force was called to assist at the scene of the drug overdose death of a 60-year-old man. They were able to find the name of a woman who provided the drugs to the man. 

The 26-year-old Shakopee woman was arrested while driving a stolen vehicle in St. Cloud, and officers found suspected fentanyl in her possession. 

She is facing third-degree homicide charges relating to the overdose death.

The case is still under an active investigation, and law enforcement stated more arrests are anticipated.

Story by Ryan Janke / KFGO

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