Latest news with #MeekerCountySheriff
CBS News
5 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Church in Minnesota town of Cosmos destroyed in fire
A church in a small Minnesota town west of the Twin Cities was destroyed in a fire early Thursday. Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze said First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cosmos was "engulfed in flames" when first responders arrived just after 1:30 a.m. Before that, someone driving on Highway 4 noticed "a glow," Cruze said, and investigated, finding the church aflame and subsequently calling 911. No injuries were reported, but the church is "a total loss," Cruze said. Authorities, including the Minnesota State Fire Marshal, are investigating. In a statement, First Evangelical Lutheran said, "We are a small country church in rural Cosmos with strong roots." The church shared a message from one of its members on Facebook, saying in part, "Maybe the lesson is that the church is not just the building, it's the people, and our faith is still standing." The church is working on fundraising efforts. Earlier this summer, WCCO's John Lauritsen went Finding Minnesota in Cosmos to highlight the town's astral obsession. All of the city's streets are named for galaxies, planets and constellations, and its yearly Space Festival features a rocket and an alien named Neptune Ned. Cosmos is about 80 miles west of Lauritsen contributed to this report.
CBS News
21-07-2025
- CBS News
Motorcyclist with "WILL RUN" fake plates leads Minnesota deputies on chase, sheriff says
A southern Minnesota man is in jail after authorities say he led deputies on a high-speed chase atop an unregistered motorcycle, with fake license plates reading "WILL RUN." The Meeker County Sheriff's Office says it was alerted early Sunday evening of a motorcyclist "driving at speeds over 100 mph, back and forth" on Highway 55 through the town of Watkins, located about 25 miles southwest of St. Cloud. A deputy attempted to pull the motorcyclist over, but he fled and led them on a two-mile pursuit that ended with the suspect pulling up to a residence and fleeing on foot, the sheriff's office said. The motorcyclist, a 37-year-old Watkins man, was soon arrested and is being held in Meeker County Jail in Litchfield. Authorities say he faces several criminal charges, including fleeing an officer, driving after revocation and reckless driving.
