>>St. Paul Search for Man Missing for 3 Months
(St. Paul, MN) – St. Paul police are searching for a man who was last seen on November 3rd. 31-year-old Roger Ellis Junior was last seen in the area of Snelling and Thomas Avenues. He’s described as Black, five feet eight inches tall, 145 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information should call 911.
>>Deadly Mobile Home Fire Under Investigation in Austin
(Austin, MN) – Officials in southern Minnesota are investigating a deadly fire in Austin. Crews were called to the Oakland Estates Mobile Home Park around 1:30 this morning. The Austin Fire Department reports one person died and another resident is being treated for injuries suffered in the fire. Authorities identified the victim who died as 76-year-old Ricky Lee Hofer. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause.
>>Federal Pursuit Ends in Multi-Vehicle Crash in St. Paul
(St. Paul, MN) – A federal pursuit ended in a multi-vehicle crash late this morning in St. Paul. Police say federal agents were chasing a vehicle when it crashed around 9:40 a.m. near Western and Selby Avenues. The person being pursued was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Photos from MPR show at least two vehicles heavily damaged, and a third may have been involved. Mayor Kaohly Her says they belonged to bystanders, though it’s unclear which car was the target of the pursuit. The Department of Homeland Security, which was shown on the scene, has not commented. Mayor Her criticized the ongoing federal immigration operation, saying the incident shows ICE is “causing chaos” and putting residents at risk.
>>Gubernatorial Candidate Qualls Discusses Polls and Fraud
(St. Paul, MN) – Recent polling by KSTP-Survey USA shows Democratic U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar leading all Republican candidates by double digits in the governor’s race. Klobuchar’s lead over businessman Kendall Qualls was 16% points. Qualls is not buying the poll. He explains, “If every candidate basically got 35%, not even Republicans are rating us equally. So to have the general populous rate us all equally in their survey poll, I mean, literally around 35%, I don’t put a lot of stock in that.” Qualls did tell MNN he needs to meet more Minnesotans and listen to their concerns. He finished second in the caucus to House Speaker Lisa Demuth in the GOP governor’s race.
>>Senate Leader Talks About Upcoming Session Without Melissa Hortman
(St. Paul, MN) – The legislative session begins Tuesday, and missing will be the late House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. She and her husband were killed in a political attack last June. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy says they’re talking about her more, people are sending photographs, and “It takes me back to the loss of her, and I think you know we’ve been so busy that it’s been easy to push that aside a little bit.” Murphy says Melissa Hortman would want all lawmakers to return to work on the job they were elected to do.
>>MDA Weekly Recalls
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is naming two products in its weekly recall. Akkarco LLC of Virginia is voluntarily recalling Ashfiat Alharamain Energy Support due to undeclared tadalafil, an ingredient used in FDA-approved treatment for male erectile dysfunction. The product is an unapproved new drug that hasn’t established as safe or effective. It’s packaged in a glass bottle with an orange label with an expiration date of October 2028. Mondelez Global LLC is expanding its December voluntary recall of CHIPS AHOY! Baked Bites Brookie due to small cornstarch clumps, which could be a choking hazard. Best use by dates for the recall include May 9th-12th and the 18th, 2026.
>>MMA Announces Priorities for Legislative Session
(Minneapolis, MN) – The state’s largest advocacy group for physicians will advocate for five key legislative priorities at the Capitol this session. The Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) says the top priority will be asking lawmakers to minimize the impact of federal cuts to Medicaid and preserve coverage for Minnesotans. The MMA says the state is expected to lose $1.4 billion in federal matching funds. Other priorities include increasing childhood vaccination rates, supporting firearm safety laws, and increasing wellness support for those in the healthcare industry. The legislative session opens Tuesday, February 17th.
>>Two University of Minnesota Experts Named to 2026 TIME100 Health List
(Minneapolis, MN) – The 2026 TIME100 Health list features two University of Minnesota faculty: Dr. Michael Osterholm and Dr. Emil Lou. Osterholm, a Regents Professor and McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, directs the University’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). Lou is a tenured professor, physician, scientist, and gastrointestinal oncologist with the University of Minnesota Medical School, Masonic Cancer Center, and M Health Fairview. The TIME100 Health list recognizes 100 global leaders shaping the future of health, highlighting innovators and pioneers driving advances from gene therapies to public health systems.
