>Farm Bureau Backs 25 Minnesota 4-H Exhibitors at State Fair Auction
(Eagan, MN) – The Minnesota Farm Bureau is continuing its support for the next generation of agricultural leaders. During this year’s Minnesota State Fair Purple Ribbon Auction, the organization sponsored 25 top 4-H livestock exhibitors from across the state. Farm Bureau President Dan Glessing says the auction recognizes months of hard work by young producers and highlights the future of Minnesota agriculture. The sponsored exhibitors included champions and top finishers in beef, market swine, sheep, and dairy steer competitions from counties across Minnesota.
>>Work Begins on $1.8 Billion Blatnik Bridge Reconstruction
(Duluth, MN) – A major transportation project connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin is officially getting underway. Governor Tim Walz joined state and federal leaders in Duluth Monday to mark the start of the $1.8 billion reconstruction of the Blatnik Bridge. The 65-year-old span carries about 33,000 vehicles a day between Duluth and Superior and is one of only two bridges linking the cities. Construction begins in September and is expected to take up to five years, with funding from federal, Minnesota, and Wisconsin sources.
>>Minnesota Records Sixth-Hottest Summer on Record
(Undated) – Minnesota is closing out one of its hottest and driest summers ever recorded. State climatologists say the summer of 2026 ranks as the sixth hottest in 153 years of recordkeeping, with Twin Cities temperatures averaging three degrees above normal. The state also saw widespread drought, with nearly 80 percent of Minnesota classified in at least moderate drought conditions. Experts say the combination of heat and dry weather contributed to this summer’s wildfire activity and growing rainfall deficits across much of the state.
>>Appeals Court Upholds Sentence in Attempted Murder of Disabled Son
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Court of Appeals has upheld the prison sentence for the former wife of the state’s Corrections Commissioner in the attempted murder of her disabled son. Julie Myhre-Schnell pleaded guilty last year after admitting she put anti-anxiety medication into her 33-year-old son’s feeding tube at his group home in 2023. A judge sentenced her to three years in prison, well below state guidelines. Prosecutors appealed, but the appeals court ruled the lower court acted within its legal authority.
>>Second Person Charged in Stolen Suni Lee Statue Case
(St. Paul, MN) – A second person is facing charges in connection with the theft of a bronze statue honoring Olympic gymnast Suni Lee in Saint Paul. Ramsey County prosecutors have charged 44-year-old Tamica Bazinet with felony receiving stolen property. The statue was recovered August 28 during a search of a home on Forest Street after police responded to a shots-fired call. Earlier, authorities charged 22-year-old Da’Shawn Caradine in the same case. The statue had been stolen from Phalen Regional Park in July of last year.
>>Minnesota Used-Car Dealer to Pay $100,000 in Consumer Fraud Settlement
(St. Paul, MN) – A Minnesota used-car dealer has agreed to change its business practices and pay one-hundred-thousand dollars to settle consumer fraud allegations. Attorney General Keith Ellison says Midwest Car Search and owner Scott Spiczka misled customers by falsely marketing vehicles as certified, adding service contracts without consent, and failing to provide required warranties and disclosures. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed in 2024 and permanently bars the dealership from the alleged deceptive practices.
>>Boundary Waters Access Expands as Fire Closures Ease
(Undated) – More areas of the Boundary Waters are reopening as wildfire conditions improve in northeastern Minnesota. Beginning Tuesday, the Little Vermilion Lake entry point will reopen for day use, and Lake Jeanette Campground, several boat launches, and backcountry sites will also welcome visitors. However, parts of the northern Echo Trail remain closed while crews assess fire-damaged areas. Fire restrictions have been lifted across the Superior National Forest, but officials urge caution as more than 100 firefighters continue work along the Echo Trail.
