>>Gov. Walz Orders Half-Staff Flags to Honor Late Firefighter
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz orders all U.S. and Minnesota flags to fly at half-staff until sunset Thursday in honor of firefighter Laura Zumbusch-Wood. Laura was killed in the line of duty on July 27th. She leaves behind her husband, Paul, and son, Zachary. Walz says Laura dedicated her life to protecting others with courage, compassion, and commitment. In addition to being a volunteer firefighter, Laura worked in landscaping and design and played a big role in helping the city plan a new fire station.
>>Duluth Sexual Predator Sentenced for Coercing, Raping a Child
(Duluth, MN) — A repeat sex offender from Duluth will spend 22 years in prison for the coercion and enticement of a child. In October 2022, 33-year-old Dillon Reyna met a minor at a local Duluth park. The child was under 16 years old and receiving care for prior sexual abuse, which Reyna knew. For months, he manipulated the victim to have sex with him, using coercive tactics, and giving the minor gifts and rides that were conditioned on her sexual cooperation. Reyna raped the girl and filmed her without the minor’s knowledge. After his arrest, he told an associate to delete various social media accounts he had been talking to the minor on, but this was unsuccessful. Officials praise the girl for bravely coming forward, despite Reyna’s attempts to make her lie to the police.
>>2nd Arrest in Winona Child Torture Case
(Winona, MN) — Another arrest in a Winona child torture case. 27-year-old Jalil Wilson of La Crosse, Wisconsin, joins 20-year-old Joseline Gunderson in the charges. The arrests are related to a July 28th Snapchat video showing a three-year-old boy bound with duct tape, crying, and being dragged to a closet where a person with a clown mask and blanket is waiting. Gunderson showed the video to a coworker, who then alerted the police. Officials say Wilson is the one wearing the mask and frightening the child, and that the child and his mother were staying at Gunderson’s residence. The child’s mother says she was in the shower during that time and was unaware.
>>Crookston Man Faces Felony Cocaine Charges
(Crookston, MN) — A Crookston man faces seven felony cocaine charges after he was accused of selling drugs to a confidential informant on several occasions. Court documents say Kane Rodriguez sold cocaine to an undercover police officer every week between March and this August. After his arrest, Rodriguez admitted he had been selling small amounts of cocaine but hadn’t been doing it long. He claimed he did not sell to make money but to help people in need, and that most of the cocaine was for personal use.
>>St. Paul Tax Preparer Charged with Felony Tax Crimes
(St. Paul, MN) — Katie Satak, owner of K Tax in St. Paul, is facing six felony charges for failing to file and pay Minnesota income taxes from 2021 to 2023. Investigators say she earned enough through multiple businesses to be required to file, yet failed to do so. The charges followed a Better Business Bureau referral alleging she also failed to file returns for paying clients. Satak allegedly owes over $77,000 in taxes, penalties, and interest.
>>AG Ellison Sues Trump on Victim of Crime Act Grants Imposition
(St. Paul, MN) — Attorney General Keith Ellison is joining 21 other states in suing the Trump Administration for “cruelly pulling the rug out from under crime victims and survivors.” The suit claims President Trump, through the Department of Justice (DOJ), is illegally blocking grant funds from the Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) to states that do not assist the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with civil immigration enforcement efforts. Ellison says this is a federal responsibility, and Congress did not authorize the DOJ to impose such conditions.
>>UMN Gopher Makes Senior Bowl Top 300
(Undated) — A Minnesota Golden Gopher will join the 2026 Senior Bowl Top 300. University of Minnesota lineman Deven Eastern of Shakopee has been added to the postseason game, which is made up of the best NFL Draft prospects who have completed college eligibility. Eastern has played 32games, made 59 tackles, broken up four passes, and forced one fumble in his career. The game takes place at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 31st, 2026.
