Minnesota News Network

Police today released the name of the Saint Paul man they say drove a car into a group of protesters in the Minneapolis Uptown neighborhood late Sunday night, killing one person and injuring others. 35-year-old Nicholas Kraus is being held on probable cause criminal vehicular homicide. 31-year-old Deona Knajdekk died in the incident.

And Minneapolis police are looking for a male who earlier that evening climbed a pole and spray-painted a city-owned camera that they say “would have caught the fatal crash Sunday evening, providing law enforcement and the County Attorney’s Office with critical evidence in the prosecution of the suspect had it not been disabled by the paint.” Anyone with information should contact CrimeStoppers.

It’s official: the Great Minnesota Get Together is a go for 2021. The fair was canceled last year due to COVID. The fair will return this year from August 26th through Labor Day, September 6th. Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer says “we’ve been planning on it, but until you actually push the button and say ‘let’s go’ and launch…yeah it’s a very big day for all of us.” The fair was canceled last year due to COVID. As for this year, Hammer says there are no crowd limit restrictions  tied to COVID, but he says “we’re following requirements and guidelines as well, we’re certainly not throwing caution to the wind, we are very aware that the pandemic goes on.” And proof of vaccination will not be required for guests, staff or state fair vendors. Pre-fair $13 discount admission tickets will be on sale soon through August 25 for all ages. Admission at the gate for adults age 13-64 will be $16; kids 5-12 and seniors 65+ will be admitted for $14; children four years old and under are able to enter for free. Here’s more with Jerry Hammer:

As state budget talks continue before Monday’s expected special session, Governor Tim Walz tells Minnesota News Network the message to negotiators is, “If you’re not done by five o’clock today (Wed), we’re gonna bring in these conference committees in front of leadership and we’re just gonna hash out compromises…. We’ve been asking these folks to do that. The next process will be basically 24/7 ’til Monday to try and work out the bills that aren’t done.”

The governor says four or five budget bills are done, many of them are “really close” to agreement, and even some of the bigger ones are “pretty close,” like K-12 and health-and-human services. But Walz acknowledges the public safety bill, stalemated over police reform other issues, is “not there yet.”

Senate Republican leaders haven’t been reachable for comment.

Police have released security photos of a black two-door car that might be linked to cases of hate speech on the Minnesota State University Moorhead campus in March. They say the male driver placed several stickers around the campus, and similar hate speech propaganda turned up at North Dakota State University in Fargo at about the same time. Anyone with information should contact Moorhead police.

The Minnesota State Capitol Building reopens to the public this week–after being closed for more than a year due to the pandemic and amid civil unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s death. The building will open starting on Thursday, June 10th with weekday hours from 8 am- 5 pm. The building will remain open beyond regular hours as needed to accommodate House of Representatives and Senate floor sessions as well as any legislative hearings conducted in Capitol hearing rooms. Weekend hours are expected to resume at a later date.

The Minnesota Department of Corrections is asking the public’s help in locating a fugitive with Minnesota ties last seen in California. Robert Baca, a level 3 sex offender, was released from the Minnesota Department of Corrections in October last year. His supervision was subsequently transferred to the California Department of Corrections in San Bernardino, California. Last month Baca failed to report to his supervisor. Authorities say Baca has ties to the Detroit Lakes, Minnesota area. Baca has a criminal history that includes failure to register as a predatory offender, criminal sexual conduct and motor vehicle theft. Baca is a 55-year-old white male, who is 5 foot 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 185 lbs. He has gray hair (possibly shaved) and has hazel eyes and fair skin. If seen, do not confront Baca, and call 911 immediately. Anyone with information on the whereabouts or activities of Baca is asked to call 911, the Minnesota Department of Corrections Fugitive Hot Line 651-603-0026 or the investigator in charge at 651-802-4579.