>>Fire Displaces 11 Residents in Minneapolis Apartment Building
(Minneapolis, MN) – 11 residents were displaced after a late-night fire in a Minneapolis apartment building. Fire crews responded around 11:54 p.m. Tuesday to reports of smoke and flickering lights. Crews found heavy smoke coming from the second floor and discovered fire inside the walls and ceiling. The building was evacuated, and firefighters extinguished the blaze after an extensive overhaul. One unit was deemed uninhabitable, and the Red Cross is helping three adults. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
>>Human Remains Found Near I-90 Identified After 10 Years
(Albert Lea, MN) – Freeborn County authorities say skeletal remains found along I-90 in 2015 have been identified as Luis Gilberto Robledo. Investigators used genetic genealogy to confirm Robledo’s identity after contacting the DNA Doe Project in 2021 and obtaining DNA from one of his children. Robledo, originally from El Paso, was believed to be in his 70s or 80s when he died. Officials still don’t know how he ended up in Minnesota or when he died, though they suspect sometime between 2000 and 2012. The case remains under investigation.
>>Congresswoman Omar Urges ICE to Release Records of Minnesota Traffic Stops
(Washington, D.C.) – Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is pressing federal immigration authorities to release documentation on traffic stops conducted in the state. Her request follows ICE’s statement that it has no record of officers pulling over Omar’s son. Omar alleges agents stopped him over the weekend and demanded proof of citizenship. The conflicting accounts come amid heightened immigration enforcement activity across the Twin Cities in recent weeks.
>>Muslim Advocacy Org. Believes ICE in MN Are Here to Create Violence
(Undated) – U.S. citizens continue to get caught in immigration officers’ crosshairs as ICE makes arrests in Minnesota. Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director of the state’s Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN), claims federal agents are not really engaging in ICE enforcement but instead creating a violent environment with peaceful protestors. A national correspondent for KARE-11 reports there have been over 400 arrests since the federal operation began on December 1st.
>>Tensions Run High at Latest MN Fraud Prevention Hearing
(St. Paul, MN) – Strong words and emotions during public testimony at this morning’s House Fraud Prevention Committee hearing. Nate Olson, a disability advocate, told both Republicans and Democrats that “enough is enough.” “I’m very scared for my little brother if he goes into an ICS home. But right now he’s home with my parents, and he’s going to stay there because I’m going to keep fighting for these disabled people.” The hearing was called to examine fraud prevention in the Departments of Health and Human Services.
>>Menards to Pay $630K to MN in Settlement
(Saint Paul, MN) – Attorney General Keith Ellison says Menards will pay over $630,000 to Minnesota as part of a $4.25 million multistate settlement. The deal resolves claims that Menards misled customers with its “11% OFF” rebate ads and engaged in price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Investigators say the ads implied an immediate discount, but customers only received store credit for future purchases. Menards also raised prices on essentials like rubbing alcohol and garbage bags during the pandemic. Under the settlement, Menards must clearly disclose rebate terms, allow at least a year to submit claims, update its online rebate tracker, and stop price gouging during emergencies.
>>Poll Shows Trump and Walz Both Below 50% Approval
(Undated) – A new KSTP/SurveyUSA poll finds both President Trump and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz struggling to win majority approval among registered Minnesota voters. The survey shows Trump with 42% approval and 55% disapproval statewide. While he retains strong support among Republicans, 89% approve of his performance, and respondents expressed the most concern over his handling of the economy. Governor Walz fares only slightly better, with an even split: 48% approve, and 48% disapprove. Critics of Walz point to frustration over his administration’s failure to curb state government fraud.
>>MnDOT Awarded Nearly $18 Million in Grants for New Buses
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Department of Transportation is receiving federal dollars to help rural transit providers upgrade their vehicle fleets. MnDOT says it’s getting $17.9 million in grant funding from the Federal Transportation Administration. The money will replace aging vehicles and transition fleets into cleaner propane technology. MnDOT says the money will be used to purchase 40 replacement buses and to build two new transit facilities located in Slayton and Pipestone.
