>>Community vigil tonight for slain Burnsville officers, parademic
(Burnsville, MN) — There’s a community vigil tonight (530pm start) at the Burnsville Police Department/City Hall for the two officers and a paramedic fatally shot in the line of duty early Sunday morning. Officials are gathering with the community to honor Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, and Fire Department Paramedic Adam Finseth.
>>North Dakota Mayor Arrested and Charged in Minnesota Crash Seriously Injuring One
(Detroit Lakes, MN) — The mayor of Mapleton, North Dakota — just west of Fargo — was arrested after a crash that severely injured a passenger in a truck he was driving near Detroit Lakes on Sunday. 35-year-old Andrew Draeger faces two counts of felony criminal vehicular operation. A witness said a pickup was speeding towards him, took the curve too fast, and crashed into trees and a rock. Draeger told deputies that he had four beers. His blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit. The female passenger suffered a fractured neck and back.
>Rep. Craig Reintroduces Ride Along Legislation Amid Burnsville Shootings Mourning
(Cottage Grove, MN) — After a ride-along with a Cottage Grove police officer, Second District U-S Representative Angie Craig says she’s reintroducing a resolution that would require every U-S House member to ride-along with their local law enforcement at least once every two years. Pointing to last weekend’s shootings of two officers and a paramedic in Burnsville, Craig says “it’s our job as elected officials to understand the incredible risk law enforcement officers take every day.” Craig says she’s also done ride-alongs in Burnsville, Hastings, Shakopee and South St. Paul — plus recently with Dakota County EMS in Eagan.
>>Lester Prairie Man Charged with Threatening to Kill Officers, Neighbor
(Lester Prairie, MN) — A Lester Prairie man is facing felony charges after allegedly threatening to kill neighbors and police officers. Officers went to the residence of 48-year-old Ryan Kirsch on Friday on reports of loud music, swearing and items being thrown out of the house. Kirsch allegedly went to a neighbor’s house cussing and threatening that person and their property. The criminal complaint says when the first officer arrived, Kirsch had a long stick in his hand, threatened to kill the officer, then went back into his house. After obtaining a search warrant, officers arrested Kirsch and he was taken to the McLeod County Jail.
>>Backers say statewide zoning standards bill would encourage badly-needed home construction in MN
(St. Paul, MN) — A group of lawmakers says municipal zoning codes are limiting construction of badly-needed housing in Minnesota — and their bill would set minimum densities on city residential lots, require cities authorize a certain amount of non-single-family construction, and limit cities’ requirements for off-street parking. Democratic Representative Mike Howard from Richfield points to “some of the historical exclusionary zoning practices that have left us in the state we’re in, with some of the biggest racial gaps in housing for homeownership or for renters.” But Daniel Lightfoot with the League of Minnesota Cities calls it an overly rigid framework. He says it “removes the ability for cities to plan for growth by mandating density, regardless of infrastructure capacity” and prohibits public hearings on certain developments. Lightfoot says numerous cities are innovating and there needs to be a partnership with the state.
>>Bill requiring “plain language” on driver’s manual and written test moving forward at legislature
(St. Paul, MN) — A bill is moving forward in the Minnesota House that would direct D-V-S (Driver and Vehicle Services) to use plain language in the driver’s manual and on written exams. Sponsor, Representative Brad Tabke says, “This is not changing the rigor or the requirements of knowledge for the test whatsoever.” He says the goal is to “ensure drivers understand the rules of the road” rather than show they can “decode complex sentences.”
>>Milaca Business Owners Charged with Multiple Tax Crimes
(St. Paul, MN) — Two Milaca business owners are charged with three felony counts each of failing to file income tax returns, as well as other tax crimes. Criminal complaints say Robert and Heather Spring own separate businesses operating out of the same Princeton location. The two allegedly failed to pay sales tax for their businesses between May 2019 and August 2022, and officials say they also didn’t file individual income tax returns from 2019 through 2021. They say Robert Spring owes over $109,000 in unpaid sales tax.
>>UCare Foundation Invests in Programs Addressing Social Drivers of Health Across MN
(Minneapolis, MN) — On today’s (TUES) global recognition of the World Day of Social Justice, the UCare Foundation announced it’s providing more than $440,000 in grants to seven Minnesota community organizations that work to build more fair and equitable social support systems in urban and rural areas. The grants address social drivers of health for African American, American Indian, East African, and Latino individuals and families, and for people in crisis, with individual grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Health equity Officer Pleasant Radford Jr. says UCare is “doubling down its efforts” to create more equitable conditions for Minnesotans through partnerships with organizations.
>>Repubs pushing to eliminate remote voting in MN Senate, call it hangover from COVID
(St. Paul, MN) — Some Republicans in the Minnesota Senate are pushing to no longer allow members to vote from remote locations during floor sessions. Mazeppa Senator Steve Drazkowksi calls it a hangover from COVID. He says, “I am not aware of any other states, other than Minnesota at this point, that are not following their constitution and meeting in person, like their constitution directs them to do.” Democratic Majority Leader Erin Murphy responded, “My focus is on Minnesota and the work of the Minnesota Senate.” Democrats have only a one-vote majority in the state Senate, and eliminating remote voting could put the chamber in a tie if one Democrat couldn’t be there in person. An obvious concern is former Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic who has a recurring cancer diagnosis.
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