>>Kistner Drops GOP Bid in 2nd District for Middle East Deployment
(Prior Lake, MN) — Republican candidate Tyler Kistner is dropping out of the race for Congress in Minnesota’s 2nd District. Kistner said in a statement that he has been activated by the Marine Reserves to deploy to the Middle East again. Kistner added, “Perhaps someday I will be called to serve in the halls of Congress, but now is not that time.” He lost to Democratic Congresswoman Angie Craig in the 2020 and 2022 elections. State Senator Eric Pratt of Prior Lake is running for the G-O-P nomination this year.
>>Senate GOP Claim DFL “Taxing Minnesotans Out of Living Here”
(St. Paul, MN) — While Minnesota Democrats propose new state taxes on social media companies and ad services, extending sales tax to financial advice, and a new statewide property tax, Republicans say Minnesotans need fewer taxes. Senator John Jasinski of Faribault says license tab fees are one way to reduce the financial strain, which he says has skyrocketed since the last G-O-P majority in 2018. He says to own a car for five years in M-N, it costs 3,520 dollars, compared to 425 dollars in Wisconsin. Senator Michael Kreun of Blaine says legislators need to “right-size state government, reduce regulations, and give local communities breathing room instead of constantly forcing them to raise taxes.” D-F-L Governor Tim Walz has also proposed a dependent care tax credit for families with young children and lowering the state sales tax by three-quarters of a cent.
>>Governor Walz Brings Childcare Plan to Rochester
(Rochester, MN) – Governor Tim Walz is spending this Tax Day in Rochester highlighting his plan to make childcare more affordable for Minnesota families. The governor talked about his plan at Hoover Elementary School and Early Learning Program. The governor’s proposal would expand Minnesota’s refundable Dependent Care Tax Credit by increasing income eligibility, expanding allowable expenses for young children under age five, and increase the credit rate for all dependents under age 13. This is the governor’s second tour stop to discuss childcare costs. The governor was in Duluth last week.
>>Bill to Ban Herbicide Paraquat Fails in Agriculture Committee
(St. Paul, MN) – A proposal that would ban the use of the herbicide called paraquat failed to be included in a bill in the House Agriculture Committee. The herbicide has been linked to causing Parkinson’s disease. Studies have shown that people living within 500 meters of a paraquat treated field double their chances of developing Parkinson’s disease in their lifetime. It is already banned in more than 70 countries. The bill was not included in the 2026 Agriculture Policy Bill.
>>Early Morning Fire Displaces Residents in St. Cloud
(St. Cloud, MN) — Several people are displaced, and one person was hospitalized after a house fire early this morning (WED) in St. Cloud. Fire crews were called to a home before 1 a.m. Firefighters found heavy smoke and flames coming from second- and third-floor windows. One person was taken by ambulance to St. Cloud Hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening. The Red Cross is helping eleven residents who are displaced.
>>NY Mills Man Gets 7 Years for Meth Sale in Controlled Buy
(Fergus Falls, MN) — A New York Mills man is headed to prison for selling methamphetamine during a controlled drug buy. Fifty-seven-year-old Jeffrey Kampsula was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted in February. The Otter Tail County Attorney’s Office says in August of 2024, agents with the West Central Drug and Violent Crime Task Force worked with a confidential informant to purchase meth from Kampsula. Investigators provided buy money, and the transaction was recorded using a wireless audio device.
>>$105K Lottery Ticket Sold in Faribault
(Faribault, MN) — A lucky lottery ticket worth more than 100-thousand dollars was sold in southeast Minnesota. The Minnesota Lottery says a North 5 ticket purchased at a Circle K gas station in Faribault won 105,702 dollars in Tuesday night’s drawing. The winning numbers were 2, 8, 10, 22, and 29.
