WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2020
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 123 NO. 10 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
SPORTS: Osceola football beats Altoona. PAGE 8
Eight arrested and charged in drug bust in Osceola BY JASON SCHULTE EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
Eight individuals were arrested last month as a result of a drug bust iin Osceola a and were ssubsequently c charged in P Polk Countty Circuit Quinn C Court on a v variety of d drug-related c charges. Bradley B. Q Quinn 35, 5501 Sarattoga Ave., O Osceola; Love L N Natasha M. M Moffitt, 34, 5501 Saratoga A Ave., Osceo ola; Justin M Mudrick, 38, 5501 Saratoga A Ave., Osceo ola; Adam Moffitt Lofquist, 46, 5501 Saratoga A Ave., Osceo ola; Alexand dra N. Love, 332, Roberts; N Nicholas A. R Roubik, 34, W White Bear Roubik R bik L Lake, Minn., Neena M. Williams, 31, Forest Lake, Minn., and Tyler Marsh, 25, Grand Junction, Colo., are facing charges pertaining from possession of methamphetamine to being party to a crime. A preliminary hearing in the cases against Quinn, Moffitt, Mudrick and Love was scheduled for Oct. 6. Roubik, Williams, Marsh and Lofquist have dates set
ffor Oct. 19. Accordiing to the c criminal c complaint: On Sept. 116, officers Williams w with the P Polk County S Sheriff’s D Department, O Osceola Pollice Departm ment and St. C Croix Valley D Drug Task Mudrick M di k F Force execute ed a search w warrant at 5501 Saratoga A Ave. in the v village of O Osceola. Seven of tthe eight Marsh M h iindividua als were ffound at the rresidence, inc cluding a juv venile child. T The missing iindividual, L Lofquist, was Loftquist a apprehended later. The evidence supporting each arrest is as follows: Bradley Quinn At the residence, law enforcement found a Dodge Dakota truck, which was registered in Quinn’s name. Observed in the bed area of the truck was a baggie containing suspected methamphetamine residue, which ultimately tested positive. A second baggie was also found in the driver’s side door sleeve, which also tested positive for methamphetamine. SEE ARRESTS, PAGE 2
Pumpkin weigh-off goes virtual Organizers expecting 100 plus entries between 600 pounds to more than 1 ton While the global pandemic has caused many groups to “throw in the towel” when it comes to hosting events, the St. Croix Growers’ Association (SCGA) has maintained a “show must go on attitude” with its 15th annual Stillwater Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off, and it may be the best yet with possible world records set. According to SCGA board member and event co-founder, Matt Marose, the group will have roughly 70 growers attending with a possible 100 entries, ranging from 600 pounds to more than 2,000 pounds. This would be double the number of entries compared to years past, said Marose. “This is due to expanding the number of entries to three per grower plus being one of a handful of weigh-offs across the nation—maybe the world,” he said, “We all are in suspense to see what that day brings.” The virtual event will livestream Saturday, Oct. 10, via the growers’ website www. stcroixgrowers.com. The organization will start promptly at 9 a.m. weighing the pumpkins, and finish off the day with the awards ceremony scheduled for 4 p.m. Due to the Coronavirus, the actual event is not open to the general public, but people can do a driveby viewing of the weigh-off-site, or “camp out” in his or her vehicle to watch the show at the intersection of Osgood and Highway 36 in Stillwater, Minn. This area is better known to locals as the “old Denny Hecker SEE PUMPKIN, PAGE 6
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Giant pumpkin grower, Pete Midthun, from Deer Park, standing next to his possible prize pumpkin, which weighed over 1500 mid-August. He estimates it will be near 1800 pounds by showtime. In 2018, Midthun ranked 14th in the world when he grew a 2091-pound pumpkin.
Man dies in accident on Hwy. 8 while trying to pick metal off the highway A man lost his life over the weekend when he was attempting to pick up a piece of metal that was lying on US Highway 8. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office reports at 11:03 a.m., Oct. 3, they received a call of a vehicle versus pedestrian crash, on Highway 8, just east of the Hwy. 46 North junction.
Upon their arrival, it appeared the male, who was traveling westbound on Hwy. 8 stopped his vehicle on the north shoulder. He then exited his vehicle and entered the eastbound lane to pick up a piece of metal, which was lying on the road. He was then struck by an eastbound vehicle, which did eventually
pull over. Despite efforts from good Samaritans and Emergency Medical Personnel, the man died at the scene. The Apple River Fire and First Responders, the Balsam Lake Fire and First Responders, the Lakes Area Ambulance Service, Life Link Air Ambulance, Polk County Medical Exam-
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iner’s Office and the Wisconsin State Patrol assisted the Sheriff’s Office at the scene. The Sheriff’s Office and Wisconsin State Patrol are still investigating the accident. The name of the victim will be released at a later time, said Sheriff Brent Waak.
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