>>Governor Walz to Give Last State of the State Address Tuesday Night
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz delivers his last State of the State Address tonight (Tues) from the Minnesota House Chamber. The governor is not running for re-election. Republican Senator Andrew Mathews of Princeton told members of the Senate floor, “I’m calling on Governor Walz to comb over his State of the State speech and strip out anything that would be the inflammatory divisive rhetoric that we have seen before and keep it focused on the issues.” The governor delivers his State of the State at 7 p.m. followed by the Republicans’ response.
>>House DFL Requests Full Gun Ban at State Capitol
(St. Paul, MN) — House D-F-L members sent a letter to Republican Speaker Lisa Demuth requesting a full ban on guns in House spaces for any non-law enforcement individuals at the Capitol complex. Democrats have been pushing to ban guns at the Capitol for years but have renewed that effort since the June 14th political attacks, and now in response to Representative Walter Hudson’s March 26th incident where he was caught drinking and carrying a gun. Representative Pete Johnson of Duluth said, “The only guns in Capitol spaces should be held by law enforcement, in line with many other states, blue and red.” The letter included that Minnesota is one of only seven states that allows open carry of firearms at the Capitol.
>>Bill Banning Cryptocurrency Kiosks Heading to Governor
(St. Paul, MN) — A bill banning cryptocurrency kiosks in the state of Minnesota is heading to the governor’s desk for his signature. Minnesota currently has 350 licensed cryptocurrency kiosks in the state operated by roughly eight companies. These kiosks look like A-T-Ms and allow people use cash or debit cards to buy cryptocurrency. But the concern is these kiosks have led to cases of fraud, theft, and scams. The bill passed the House 127-7 on Monday after clearing the Senate earlier this month.
>>Trump Signs Measure Rolling Back Protections Near BWCA, Mining Opponents Push Back
(Washington, DC) — A measure signed by President Trump on Thursday overturns federal protections on more than 225,000 acres near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, reopening the door to potential copper-nickel mining. The resolution cancels a 2023 order that blocked mineral leasing for 20 years in land surrounding the Boundary Waters and Voyageurs National Park. Environmental advocates are sharply criticizing the move. Save the Boundary Waters Executive Director Ingrid Lyons says the decision ignores years of scientific research and widespread public support for protecting the region, noting about 70 percent of Minnesotans favor permanent safeguards. Supporters of the rollback argue that it restores access to valuable mineral resources. Minnesota leaders say the fight is far from over.
>>Buttigieg Speaks Tonight at Carleton College in Northfield
(Northfield, MN) — Former U-S Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is speaking tonight at Carleton College in Northfield. Buttigieg is participating in the ‘Engaging Across Viewpoints’ lecture series. Carleton College President Alison Byerly is hosting the conversation and Buttigieg will offer insights from his service at the federal level and answer questions. Some Democrats are urging him to run for the party’s presidential nomination in 2028.
>>Renee Good’s Widow Asks Feds to Turn Over Her Vehicle
(Minneapolis, MN) — The widow of Renee Good is asking the federal government to return the vehicle of her late wife. Good was fatally shot in her Honda Pilot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on January 7th in south Minneapolis. Attorneys for Rebecca Good filed a motion arguing the Trump administration’s refusal to turn over the S-U-V inhibits her push for an investigation and the Minnesota B-C-A’s investigation into the deadly shooting. Lawyers say the vehicle remains at an F-B-I storage facility in Brooklyn Center. D-H-S officials initially claimed Good was trying to run over agent Ross, which the motion denies.
>>Mankato Police ID Suspect and Victims in Deadly Shooting Incident
(Mankato, MN) — Authorities are naming the suspect and victims in a deadly shooting incident Sunday in Mankato. Officers found 52-year-old Joshua Downey dead of multiple gunshot wounds in a bedroom. Thirty-seven-year-old Rosalie Rode was located with blunt force injuries and taken to the hospital in stable condition. The report says 44-year-old Joseph Bulfer of Fairmont was arrested at the scene with an AR-style rifle. Investigators say Bulfer is an ex-boyfriend of Rode. The Mankato Department of Public Safety is seeking second-degree murder and other charges against Butler.
>>Western Minnesota Man Convicted on 27 Criminal Sexual Conduct and Stalking Charges
(Montevideo, MN) — A Minnesota jury convicted 42-year-old Jacory McCalpin of Montevideo on all 27 counts, including first-degree criminal sexual conduct and stalking, following a week-long trial. The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office says the crimes spanned from July 2022 through December 2023 and involved repeated sexual and physical assaults. Prosecutors say McCalpin recorded the assaults and used the videos to blackmail the victim into further acts. Jurors also found aggravating factors on 21 counts. The Montevideo Police Department and B-C-A assisted in the investigation. Sentencing is scheduled for June 2nd in Chippewa County.
>>DVS, Clay County DMV Help Foil Identity Fraud Ring
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota’s Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) and the Clay County D-M-V are credited with uncovering an identity-theft ring. Officials say the group attempted to exploit a same-day ID pilot program last December, which allowed customers to apply for and receive identification on the spot. Authorities say most applicants presented Louisiana birth certificates and applied only for state photo I-Ds, even when they had valid driving privileges. While the birth certificates were determined to be authentic, investigators say the applicants falsely claimed Minneapolis addresses and Minnesota residency. All applications were denied or later canceled. The same-day ID pilot program has since been shut down.
>>Moose Killed by Ambulance in Highway 169 Crash near Ely
(Ely, MN) — The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating a crash involving an ambulance and a moose near Ely. Troopers say the ambulance struck the bull moose on Highway 169 early Monday morning and went into the ditch. The report says the ambulance driver wasn’t hurt, but two passengers may have possible injuries. The moose died in the crash.
>>Two Dogs Shot in Separate Cases in Southwest Minnesota
(Undated) — Authorities in southwestern Minnesota are looking into a series of incidents involving dogs being shot. The Lincoln and Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Offices report that two family pets were shot in separate cases near Ivanhoe and St. Leo on April 11th. Officials also say there are unconfirmed reports of additional missing pets in the surrounding area. Investigators are asking residents to come forward with any information and are especially interested in hearing from anyone whose dog may be missing.
>>Timberwolves Fall to Nuggets in Game 5 of First Round Playoff Series
(Denver, CO) — The Nuggets beat the Timberwolves 125-113 Monday night in Denver to force a Game 6 of the playoff series Thursday in Minneapolis. The Wolves trailed by nine points at halftime before the Nuggets pulled away in the second half. Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27 points, Ayo Dosunmu had 18, and Bones Hyland and Terrance Shannon each scored 15 points. The Wolves take a 3-2 series lead into Thursday’s game at Target Center.
>>Wild and Stars Play Game 5 of NHL Playoffs in Dallas
(Dallas, TX) — The Minnesota Wild are in Dallas tonight (Tues) for Game 5 of their best-of-seven playoff series against the Stars. The teams split the two games at Grand Casino Arena. The Stars won Game 3 in double overtime last Wednesday, and the Wild celebrated a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday to even the series 2-2. Matt Boldy netted the game-winner in O-T and Jesper Wallstedt made 43 saves for Minnesota. Injured forwards Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin skated Monday in practice and are listed as questionable tonight.
