>> Senate G-O-P Files Ethics Complaint Against D-F-L’s Mitchell Following Arrest
(St. Paul, MN) — Senate Republicans today (WED) filed an ethics complaint against D-F-L Senator Nicole Mitchell of Woodbury, who is charged with first-degree burglary in connection to a home break-in in Becker County. In a statement, Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson (East Grand Forks) said Republicans “are compelled to protect the integrity of the work we do and to preserve the reputation of the legislature.” Mitchell was arrested around 5 A-M Monday after police were called to a burglary in progress at her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home, and she was officially charged on Tuesday. Court documents say Mitchell had allegedly broken in to retrieve her late father’s ashes. Mitchell has since denied the allegations in a Facebook post, stating she was checking on a family member with Alzheimer’s disease.
>>Former Diversion Authority Official Questioned Whether Chair had Power to ask for Resignation
(Moorhead, MN) – The former executive director of the Metro Flood Diversion Authority suggests that authority chair Shelly Carlson and Authority Chief Counsel John Shockley violated the joint powers agreement, governance policies, and North Dakota law when they attempted to place him on administrative leave before his resignation. In text messages between Joel Paulsen and board member John Strand, Paulsen said his attorney had informed him that Carlson did not have the power to give him an administrative leave ultimatum without the board’s approval. Paulsen described his resignation as “forced” and “not in good faith.” “The resignation is null; she never had the power,” Paulsen wrote. In the messages obtained by KFGO News, Paulsen also confirmed that eight of the 14 board members had not been informed about any potential action being taken against him by Carlson. Paulsen also claimed that before his resignation, he had been working with Shockley to help the authority avoid litigation with Red River Valley Alliance, a consortium of developers working on the $3.2 billion project.
>>St. Paul Man Charged with 6 Felony Counts of Tax Fraud
(St. Paul, MN) — A St. Paul man has been charged with six felony counts of tax fraud. Officials say Aaron Jacobs failed to file income tax returns for his business, Pro Master Painting LLC, from 2017 through 2022. Jacobs had filed years before, demonstrating he knew his obligation to file taxes. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both. Jacobs faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail, $50,000 plus another $29,000 owed in income tax, penalties, and interest.
>>U.S. Attorney’s Office Holds MN Community Fentanyl Awareness and Prevention Summit
(Edina, MN) — In recognition of National Crime Victims’ Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Drug Enforcement Administration is holding a community summit in Edina this afternoon (MON, 1-4 pm) to talk about how substance use disorder and fentanyl poisonings are wracking Minnesota. Victims will speak about how the ongoing fentanyl crisis contributed to the loss of their friends and family members. Local healthcare advocates and community-based organizations will be available to answer Minnesotans’ questions.
>>”‘Voice of Hockey” North Starts announcer Al Shaver dies at age 96
(Vancouver, BC) — The Minnesota hockey community is mourning the loss of longtime North Stars play-by-play voice Al Shaver. His family says Shaver died after a brief illness at age 96. Shaver called North Stars’ games from the inaugural season 1967 until the team moved to Dallas in 1993. He did Gopher men’s hockey games for three more seasons before retiring. Shaver was known as the “Voice of Hockey” in the state. His son, Wally, is now the radio play-by-play voice for University of Minnesota hockey.
