>>Central MN VOTF Detail About 2-Year Long Fentanyl Investigation
(Undated) — Details on a nearly two-year-long investigation by the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force. In early 2023, undercover officers began buying fentanyl pills and powder in central Minnesota to build a case against a network of dealers. Officials learned key members lived at a St. Cloud residence, leading to the arrest of Devounteono Tyson, Richard Ayler, and Trae Patterson. Two high-profile suppliers were also identified, Vantavian Duckworth and Keyonna Patterson. The investigation is ongoing with additional suspected arrests.
>>Owatonna Man Pleads Not Guilty in 19734 Cold Case Murder
(Dunn County, WI) — An Owatonna man pleaded not guilty today to the 1974 cold case murder of Mary Schlais in Dunn County, Wisconsin. Schlais was found dead on February 15th in Spring Brook. She was hitchhiking from Minneapolis to Chicago. 84-year-old Jon Miller was arrested on November 7th and charged with first-degree murder after genetic information revealed Miller’s family tree through DNA evidence. Miller is on a $1 million cash bond.
>>New Hope Nursing Home Workers Begin 5-Day ULP Strike
(New Hope, MN) — New Hope nursing home workers begin their 5-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike today. Members of SEIU Healthcare MN&IA say their employer hasn’t kept promises about pay and benefits during their hospital’s sudden sale this year, seniority issues, wages for new hires, and workers facing issues with access to benefits on pay stubs. 13 bargaining sessions have been had since August.
>>Rochester Man Charged with DWI for Hit-and-Run Crash
(Rochester, MN) — A Rochester man is charged with third-degree DWI and fleeing the scene of a crash after a hit-and-run this morning. Rochester Police responded to the scene around 1 a.m., finding a parked vehicle partway on a curb with damage and debris in the road. The suspect’s vehicle, 25-year-old Jordan Velez-Hammes, was found with damage nearby.
>>Superior Home Fire Displaces 2
(Superior, WI) — A house fire in Superior Thursday leaves two people without a home. Fire crews responded around 6:23 p.m. The fire grew quickly, and firefighters cleared the scene. The home is a total loss worth around $150,000. The cause of the fire is unknown.
>>New UMN Blood-Based Test Identifies Survival Outcomes in Prostate Cancer Patients
(Minneapolis, MN) – A new study led by the University of Minnesota found a DNA sequencing test can distinguish metastatic prostate cancer patients with poor and favorable prognoses. Dr. Scott Dehm’s team developed a blood-based test—the AR-ctDETECT—a less invasive prognosis method “designed to identify those circulating bits of tumor-derived or tumor cell-derived DNA in the blood and measure and characterize.” Dehm says out of 770 samples from a phase 3 clinical trial of advanced prostate cancer patients, 59% identified circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), indicating a significantly worse overall survival comparatively.
>>MN Gas Prices Holding Steady as Winter Comes
(Undated) – If you haven’t noticed a rise in gas prices in Minnesota, that’s because the average hasn’t moved the needle from $2.82 a gallon for regular unleaded. AAA’s Brynna Knapp says the price should stay level through the holidays as the demand starts to go down. She says, “People are starting to hunker down, and the weather is getting colder; they’re working remotely in this era, so the demand for gas and people traveling has just gone down.” Triple A reports the price in the Twin Cities Metro is slightly higher than the state average at $2.89 a gallon.
