>>Federal Cuts to Education Concerns
(St. Paul, MN) — Senate Democrats said today that federal cuts to education and human services could be disastrous for Minnesota. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy is calling on Republicans to help fight these cuts to come up with a balanced budget together. “What is uncertain for us is what’s coming from Washington, and we are calling on our colleagues in the Minnesota Senate to help us stall those cuts from the Republican trifecta in Washington DC and help us make sure we balance this budget.” Republican Senate Leader Mark Johnson says that while President Trump wants to cut $36 trillion in debt, lawmakers here should look at eliminating waste and fraud. “How do we take steps right now when we can see the path soon? There’s going to be a deficit here. What steps are we taking here? Instead of bellyaching what’s happening in Washington, DC, there are things we can do in St. Paul.” Johnson agrees Republicans and Democrats need to work together to come up with the budget on time.
>>Second Felony Charge Filed Against Senator Mitchell
(St. Paul, MN) – Prosecutors have filed a second felony charge against Minnesota Senator Nicole Mitchell for possessing tools used in a burglary or theft. The Democrat from Woodbury is accused of breaking into her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home in 2024. Mitchell says she was trying to retrieve items from her late father. The second charge is based on evidence that she had a flashlight with a black sock to limit the brightness. Mitchell successfully petitioned the judge to delay her trial until after the 2025 legislative session.
>>Foley Woman Pleads Guilty to Providing Drugs in Fatal Overdose
(Foley, MN) — A woman from Foley will be sentenced in April after pleading guilty to providing the drugs that led to a fatal overdose last March. Twenty-eight-year-old Christine Grove was facing trial for third-degree murder this week before pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter. Benton County prosecutors say Grove sold fentanyl to the victim on March 22nd, and the woman was later found dead by her grandfather. Police said cell phone records showed the victim made a drug deal with Grove before she died. The autopsy determined she died of drug toxicity related to fentanyl and methamphetamine.
>>Winona Man Sentenced to 27 Years for Online Sextortion Scheme
(St. Paul, MN) — A Winona man will spend 27 years in federal prison for an online sextortion scheme that victimized more than 60 girls in 2022 and 2023. The U-S Attorney’s Office says 31-year-old Valentin Quintana used social media apps to threaten, sexually manipulate, and exploit girls between the ages of nine and 12 in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and New Zealand. Quintana posed as a minor girl and convinced victims to send him a sexual photo or video and then threatened to send those images to their family and friends. He pleaded guilty to three child pornography charges last June.
>>Minnesota Lawmaker Proposes Having Cameras in State Daycare Centers
(Blaine, MN) — A Minnesota legislator is looking to crack down on daycare abuse. Blaine State Representative Nolan West proposes that state daycare centers have cameras in areas with toddlers and infants. The Republican lawmaker also is calling for a one-year mandatory sentence for those convicted of malicious treatment of a child. Representative West’s daughter was one of several alleged victims of child abuse at the Small World Learning Center in Blaine. Police say two former staffers face upcoming court hearings on assault of a child and other charges. In one case, an infant’s leg was broken.
>>Wolves And Lynx Awaiting An Arbitration Ruling To Determine Who Owns The Teams
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Timberwolves and the Lynx hope to hear soon who their owners will be. A three-member arbitration panel is expected to decide today if the teams belong to current owner Glen Taylor or Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez. Lore and Rodriguez have been trying to purchase the Wolves and the Lynx since 2021. The plan fell through in December 2023. The pair have been in an ownership dispute with Taylor for almost a year. Taylor accused Lore and Rodriguez of not meeting the deadline requirements for the final payment. The two disagreed and said they were waiting for the NBA to approve the paperwork they submitted by the deadline.
