>>Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Drugs in Fatal OD, Hiding Body
(Rochester, MN) — A Rochester man has pleaded guilty to providing the controlled substances that killed a woman in 2022. Police say 43-year-old Timothy Loftus provided 28-year-old Tia Arleth with the drugs on May 29th. After finding Arleth dead, Loftus wrapped her body in a tarp and hid it in a field in Olmsted County. Arleth’s body was found a month later on June 17th. Loftus took a plea deal, admitting to a controlled substance crime and concealing a body, instead of the third-degree murder charge he originally faced. He will be sentenced on July 7th.
>>Minnesota Professor Fired For Not Taking COVID-19 Vaccine Sues Governor Walz
(Duluth, MN) — A former college professor from Duluth is suing Governor Tim Walz and his former employer, Lake Superior College. Russell Stewart claims he was fired for refusing to follow the state’s COVID-19 mandates, specifically for not taking the vaccine. The ethics and philosophy instructor is seeking to regain his job and a formal acknowledgment that his constitutional rights were violated.
>>U.S. Representative Craig Re-introduces Bill to Eliminate Federal Taxes on Social Security
(Eagan, MN) — U.S. Representative Angie Craig re-introduced her bill to eliminate federal taxes on Social Security benefits for seniors. The “You Earned It, You Keep It” Act would put more money back into the pockets of Minnesota retirees. The bill would be paid for by raising the cap on the Social Security payroll tax so higher-earning Americans continue paying into Social Security. Craig says this bill would extend social security payments as a whole from 2034 until 2058 and would reduce the federal debt by $9 trillion over the next several decades.
>>Kasson Man Charged with Attempted Murder for Knife Attack
(Kasson, MN) — A Kasson man faces attempted murder and other felony charges after a knife attack. On Friday, police responded to a report of a man trying to break into a Kasson residence and stab those inside. The suspect, 52-year-old Jonathan Harris, was found inside the home. Harris tried to reach for his vehicle to escape arrest, commenting officers would have to kill him, but police pulled him to the ground and handcuffed him. He was sedated and brought to St. Mary’s Hospital. A woman told officers Harris tried to stab her and held a knife to her stomach after they argued. A man in the house says Harris stabbed him in his hands, choked him, and tried to stab him in the neck. Harris’s conditional bail is $250,000 and he’s due back in court later this month.
>>Man Faces 9 Charges After Threatening Ex-Wife, Children
(Superior, WI) — A man facing nine charges appeared in court today after threatening to harm his ex-wife and children. Superior, Wisconsin police responded to the woman’s report around 8:36 p.m. Monday. The woman noted the man was alone with their children in her home while making the threats. Officers set up a perimeter around the home as the man continued to send threatening messages to his ex-wife. Authorities went inside the house and arrested the man without incident. The man also has two extraditable arrest warrants.
>>Xcel Energy Naming Rights Ending on Minnesota Wild’s Arena
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Wild’s home ice arena will have a new name next season. The Wild announced today that the existing naming rights agreement with Xcel Energy will conclude this summer after a 25-year partnership. Team officials say they expect to announce a new naming rights partner before the start of next season. The Wild host the Ducks tonight in the regular season finale at “The X.”
