>>War of Words Escalates Over Minnesota Fraud Scandal
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz says Minnesota is making progress in addressing fraud and welcomes any investigations into the matter. “You commit fraud in Minnesota, you’re going to prison,” Walz said. “I don’t care what color you are or what religion you are. Anybody who wants to help us in that we welcome that.” Republican Congressman Tom Emmer sharply criticized Walz during an appearance on FOX News, claiming the fraud scandal has cost taxpayers more than a billion dollars. “It’s already more than a billion dollars that these fraudsters stole from Minnesota taxpayers under Tim Walz’s watch, and the number is growing,” Emmer said. He added, “Tim Walz has done nothing. Tim Walz has not held one person in his administration accountable.” The U.S. Treasury confirmed it is investigating claims that some of the stolen funds were sent to a terrorist group in Somalia.
>>Mountain Lion Spotted in Duluth
(Duluth, MN) — Duluth Police say they’ve received reports of a mountain lion in the city. Officials are working with the Minnesota D-N-R (Department of Natural Resources), which is also aware of the animal. Police say no further action will be taken at this time. Residents are reminded to use caution around wild animals and never approach them.
>>DVS Pauses Non-Domiciled CDL Issuing After Federal Audit
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota’s Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) says it’s paused issuing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) after a federal audit raised compliance concerns. D-V-S Director Pong Xiong says the agency takes road safety seriously and notes all C-D-L applicants—regardless of citizen status—must pass the same tests in English. Xiong says Minnesota previously identified and corrected administrative errors and disputes some federal findings, which he says relate to new rules currently under a court-ordered stay. The agency will submit an action plan to federal regulators and conduct an additional internal review.
>>State Lawmakers Touring THC Business
(St. Paul, MN) – Members of the Minnesota Senate will tour a hemp-derived THC manufacturing business in Burnsville on Thursday. The senators with the Select Subcommittee on Federal Impacts on Minnesotans will meet with industry leaders, including brewery owners and delivery drivers, following the late-night deal in Congress to ban these products. Democratic leaders have said this move by Congress could kill the industry, and Minnesota could lose 2,700 jobs if the ban goes into effect in a year.
>>Stewartville Man Faces Felony Drug Charges After Rochester Bust
(Rochester, MN) — A Stewartville man is facing multiple felony charges after police found him slumped over in a running vehicle early Monday. Officers responded around 4:45 a.m. and found 25-year-old Corey Gilbertson asleep behind the wheel. Police say they saw drug paraphernalia in the car and later found more than 28 grams of meth, 0.82 grams of heroin, scales, and plastic bags. Gilbertson admitted to smoking heroin the night before and was arrested after officers learned his license was canceled. Bail is set at 50,000 dollars, and he’s due back in court later this month.
>>Rosemount Police Chief Resigns After Months on Leave
(Rosemount, MN) — Rosemount Police Chief Mikael Dahlstrom has officially resigned after months on paid leave. The City Council says the decision follows internal discussions and feedback from an anonymous employee survey. Deputy Chief Carson Thomas, who has led the department since October, will continue as interim chief. Thomas has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience and became deputy chief in 2022. Dahlstrom’s separation agreement includes a payout of more than 164,000 dollars, raising concerns among some residents.
>>Mike Lindell Files Paperwork for MN Governor’s Race
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota businessman Mike Lindell has filed paperwork to run for governor as a Republican, but says he’s not officially in the race yet. Lindell, best known for founding MyPillow and his loyalty to President Donald Trump, told reporters he’s “98 percent sure” he’ll announce next Thursday, December 11th. Lindell has faced multiple lawsuits over false claims of election fraud and was recently found to have defamed voting technology company Smartmatic. His entry would make him one of a dozen Republicans challenging Democratic Governor Tim Walz in 2026.
>>2 Sentenced in Mille Lacs Fentanyl Overdose Death
(St. Paul, MN) — Two men have been sentenced in federal court for distributing fentanyl that caused a fatal overdose on the Mille Lacs Reservation. Prosecutors say 48-year-old Dimitric Wilson received 21 years in prison after a jury convicted him of trafficking fentanyl from Detroit to Minnesota and Wisconsin. Wilson continued selling drugs while on pretrial release and was found with hundreds of grams of fentanyl and crack cocaine during a traffic stop. His co-defendant, 51-year-old Allen Goodwin, was sentenced to 10 years for selling fentanyl to a 38-year-old man who died after injecting it in July 2023.
>>VA Permanently Houses Homeless Veterans in 2025
(Washington, D.C.) — The Department of Veterans Affairs announced it permanently housed 51,936 homeless Veterans nationwide during fiscal year 2025, 4,011 more than the previous year. The total includes 66 Veterans housed by the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. This marks the VA’s best national performance since it began tracking the number of individual Veterans permanently housed, rather than total housing placements, a change implemented in 2022 to ensure more accurate reporting.
>>Great Lakes Iron Ore Trade Down in November
(Cleveland, OH) — Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 3.4 million tons in November, down 19.1 percent from a year ago and 20.3 percent below the month’s five-year average, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association. Year-to-date iron ore shipments stand at 39.2 million tons, a decline of 13.2 percent compared to the same period in 2024. Through November, loadings remain 8.1 percent below their five-year average. Since 1880, the Lake Carriers’ Association has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today moves more than 90 million tons annually of cargo critical to American industry and infrastructure, including iron ore, stone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials.
