>>DEED Releases February Job Numbers
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota’s unemployment rate edged up in February. New numbers from the Department of Employment and Economic Development show the jobless rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.5 percent. DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek says federal immigration enforcement activity appears to have played a role. Minnesota’s labor force fell by nearly 86-hundred workers, with labor force participation also dipping. State officials say delayed federal data will be caught up later this month when March job numbers are released, after reports were slowed by last fall’s federal government shutdown.
>US Senate Passes Resolution to Allow Mining near BWCA
(Washington, DC) — A resolution to allow copper-nickel mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness passed the Republican-controlled U-S Senate. The 50-49 vote was mostly along party lines. G-O-P Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Susan Collins of Maine joined all Democrats in voting against the measure. Minnesota Senator Tina Smith warns the proposed mine will harm the watershed of the B-W-C-A and damage the tourism industry. Congressman Pete Stauber introduced the resolution in the House to lift a 20-year ban on mining.
>>Stauber Cheers Senate Passage of Resolution Allowing Mining near BWCA
(Washington, DC) — Congressman Pete Stauber is calling Senate passage of his resolution to allow mining near the Boundary Waters a “major victory” for America and the 8th District. The Minnesota Republican said on social media, “the Senate just passed my bill to reverse Biden’s illegal mining ban in the Superior National Forest.” Opponents argue that copper-nickel sulfide mining will harm the B-W-C-A watershed and the environment. Senator Tina Smith warned that a Chilean mining company will take the minerals from Minnesota to China to be smelted.
>>ICE Agent Charged After Allegedly Threatening Drivers During Metro Surge
(Minneapolis, MN) — An ICE agent who worked in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge is now facing felony assault charges. Court records show 35-year-old Gregory Morgan Junior, of Temple Hills, Maryland, has been charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors say Morgan pointed a gun at two motorists while driving near the Whipple Federal Building at the end of his shift in February. A nationwide warrant has been issued for his arrest.
>>Rochester Police Renew Call for Info in 6-Year Cold-Case Death
(Rochester, MN) — Rochester police are asking the public for help in a six-year-old cold case. Robert Volgmann, a-k-a Bobby, was found dead in his apartment on April 16th, 2020. He was seen alive four days earlier on Easter Sunday. Investigators say the bedroom window of the ground floor apartment had been left open for several days. Volgmann’s landlord discovered his body. Police describe Volgmann as a jack of all trades who dreamed of eventually moving to Hawaii.
>>TikTok Creator Banned from St. Paul Parks, Appeals Decision
(St. Paul, MN) — A TikTok creator known for posting videos of himself giving away food and cash is banned from St. Paul city parks through early October. City officials say Josh Liljenquist harassed and recorded vulnerable adults at Pig’s Eye Park. They say he did this without consent and planned an unlicensed event. Liljenquist denies the claims, saying he seeks consent before filming and was out of state when the event happened. Housing advocates support the ban, calling the videos exploitative, while other community groups say Liljenquist’s work has helped people in need. Liljenquist plans to appeal the ban during a meeting with city officials later this week.
