>>Creation of new Office of Inspector General Clears First Hurdle
(St. Paul, MN) — A bill that would create an Office of Inspector General in Minnesota has passed its first step after a hearing in the Senate State and Local Government Committee. One of the authors of the bill, Senator Heather Gustafson, says the newly created position would bring accountability, transparency, and fiscal responsibility to the fight against fraud in state government. The bill has bipartisan support. The next stop will be a hearing in front of the Judiciary Committee.
>>Judge Orders Mental Competency Exam in New London Murder Case
(New London, MN) — The man accused of murdering a New London man during a carjacking attempt in Willmar last fall will undergo a mental competency exam. “Kandiyohi County Judge Stephen Wentzell has ordered a Rule 20 exam for 26-year-old Ameer Musa Matariyeh (MAHT’-uh-rye-uh) of Minneapolis, who is accused of shooting 55-year-old Jerome Skluzacek (SKLOOZ’-uh-check) to death while being chased by police October 22nd. He’s also charged with shooting and wounding a Lake Lillian man during the same chase. A doctor will examine Matariyeh and submit a report to the judge within 30 days of the Rule 20 order.
>>Pedestrian Struck by Vehicle near MSU-Mankato Campus
(Mankato, MN) — A woman is hospitalized after being hit by a car this morning (Tues) near the Minnesota State University Mankato campus. Police say the 21-year-old woman was in the crosswalk when an S-U-V hit her. She was taken to the Mayo Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Officers say the driver was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk and other charges.
>>Man to Stand Trial for Sexually Abusing Young Girl in Eden Valley
(St. Cloud, MN) — A man with a lengthy criminal history is set to stand trial in Stearns County for sexually abusing a pre-school-aged girl. Prosecutors have charged 36-year-old Aaron Michael Edberg with two counts of 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct. According to the criminal complaint, the charges stem from a time between 2000-2001 when he lived with the victim and her mother in Eden Valley. The girl reported the abuse to a teacher in December 2023 after they had moved out of Minnesota. Court records show the girl underwent a forensic interview at a Children’s Advocacy Center in California in early 2024. The victim alleges that Edberg made her perform sex acts on him multiple times in the home they shared.
>>Walz, MnDOT to Announce Winners in Name a Snowplow Contest Wednesday
(Roseville, MN) — Governor Tim Walz and MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger will announce the winners tomorrow (Wed 11 am) in the fifth annual ‘Name a Snowplow’ contest. The deadline to vote on the 50 finalists was last Friday. The top eight vote-getters will become the official names of snowplows in MnDOT’s eight districts across Minnesota. More than 73 hundred names were submitted this year.
>>F. Scott Fitzgerald Statue Stolen In St. Paul
(St. Paul, MN) — A statue of F. Scott Fitzgerald, located outside the former St. Paul Academy, is currently missing. Police report that the copper statue was removed sometime between February 3rd and last Friday. It is believed that the statue, honoring the St. Paul native and author of “The Great Gatsby,” was cut free and taken away. As of now, no suspects are in custody.
>>NDSU Student to Race Bison-themed Car at Daytona International Speedway
(Fargo, ND) — An NDSU student from West Fargo will be racing Saturday at Daytona International Speedway’s ARCA Series in an NDSU car. Bryce Haugeberg will be driving a green and gold Bison-themed car. Haugeberg is a mechanical engineering student who was 8 years old when he began racing at Red River Kart Club. “It’s been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. And now, racing at Daytona, it’s a dream come true,” Haugeberg said. Today, he races dirt-winged sprint cars at regional tracks, including Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo and Buffalo River Speedway in Glyndon, Minnesota, which his family operates. Live coverage of the race begins at 11:00 a.m. Saturday.
