>>Inmate Faces Charges in Alleged Stabbing of Ex-Minneapolis Officer Chauvin
(Tucson, AZ) — A fellow inmate is facing attempted murder and assault charges for allegedly stabbing of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin at a federal prison in Arizona. The U-S Attorney’s Office says 52-year-old John Turscak is accused of stabbing Chauvin about 22 times with an improvised knife on November 24th at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson. The criminal complaint says Turscak told corrections officers that he would have killed Chauvin if they hadn’t intervened. Chauvin is serving a 20-plus year sentence for the killing of George Floyd on Memorial Day 2020.
>>Three of Minnesota’s four U-S House Republicans vote against expelling Santos
(Washington, DC) — Just one of Minnesota’s Republican members voted “yes” today (Fri) as the U-S House expelled embattled G-O-P Congressman George Santos of New York. Eighth District Congressman Pete Stauber voted to expel Santos, while 6th District Congressman Tom Emmer, 7th District Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach and 1st District Congressman Brad Finstad all voted “no.” Minnesota Democratic Party Chairman Ken Martin says it’s “embarrassing” that Finstad voted to keep Santos in Congress “despite the scathing bipartisan ethics report confirming the overwhelming evidence of his unethical and criminal conduct.” Finstad says previous expulsions from the U-S House were for treason or criminal convictions while in office. He says while Santos’ conduct was unbefitting, today’s vote “sets an entirely new standard” for expelling duly-elected members of Congress.
>>Anonymous donor offering $10K reward in St. Paul murder cold case
(St. Paul, MN) — An anonymous donor is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the 1988 murder of Cheryl Prokop. On Thursday, December 2nd, 1988, someone entered Prokop’s St. Paul home and strangled her, leaving her body where Prokop’s four-year-old daughter would find it later that morning. The Minnesota BCA and St. Paul Police Department have been actively investigating the case for 35 years but have gotten nowhere. Now, an unnamed donor is offering the $10,000 reward in hopes it will encourage someone to come forward. If a tip is received that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case, the donor will dispense the reward in coordination with the family and law enforcement.
>>Twins say Provus will move from radio to television broadcast booth
**MEDIA REFERENCES**
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minnesota Twins radio play-by-play voice Cory Provus is moving to TV. The Twins made the announcement today. It comes a little more than a month after the announcement that long-time television announcer Dick Bremer would be transitioning into the team’s front office. Bremer will serve as an ambassador for the Twins. Provus, 45, has been calling Twins games since 2012. Pre-and post-game host Kris Atteberry will replace Provus in the radio booth.
>>MN BCA Looks for Missing/Runaway Juvenile
(Glencoe, MN) — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is asking for the public’s help in finding a missing juvenile runaway. 16-year-old Cheyenne Cadena has had no contact since November 27th with friends via social media and hasn’t been at her residence since November 26th. Cadena is described as 4-11, 97 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She has friends and family in Minnesota and Nebraska.
>>Four Arrested in Major Fentanyl, Meth Bust in Duluth
(Duluth, MN) — Four men jailed in Duluth are accused of trafficking more than ten kilograms of fentanyl and 20 kilos of methamphetamine in the Twin Ports area. Authorities searched two homes Thursday in Duluth and seized nearly two pounds of fentanyl, two pounds of meth, 102 synthetic fentanyl pills, 21 thousand dollars in cash, and four handguns. The Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force says it has evidence that the four suspects have been transporting and selling drugs for a major drug trafficking organization.
>>VA Announces Vet Center Outstation Opening in St. Cloud
(St. Cloud, MN) — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has announced a new Vet Center Outstation is coming to St. Cloud. Vet Center Outstations are community-based counseling centers that provide social and psychological services to eligible veterans, service members, and their families. The St. Cloud facility is slated to open in early 2024.
>>State Health Department monitoring three HIV outbreaks in MN
(Various) — The state Department of Health continues to monitor three ongoing outbreaks of HIV in Minnesota. MDH spokeswoman Chrissy Jones says, “Two of them are in the Hennepin County and Ramsey County areas. Those are… with individuals who are injecting drugs and those who are experiencing unstable housing. And then we also have an outbreak that we’re monitoring in the Duluth area.” There are currently 9,800 Minnesotans living with HIV/AIDS. Today is World Aids Day.
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