>>Minnesota’s Budget Improving
(St. Paul, MN) – Minnesota’s budget forecast is improving. Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Erin Campbell says the surplus for the next two years is now expected to be higher than the numbers that were released in November. She says, “We now project to end fiscal year 2026-27 with a surplus of 3.7 billion dollars, which is 1.3 billion more than forecasted in November. Left unspent, that surplus will carry forward to fiscal years 2028-29.” The November Forecast also showed a three billion dollar deficit for the years 2028-29, but Campbell says that has improved, too. Right now, the state is looking at a surplus of 377 million dollars, but that does not include any future federal cuts from Washington. Though the budget forecast now shows a higher surplus for the next two years, State Economist Dr. Anthony Becker says they’re seeing signs of consumer stress, “with higher delinquency rates in certain loans, credit cards, auto loans, and student loans with delinquency rates now reaching levels comparable to those of the Great Recession.” Becker also says Minnesota’s unemployment rate is still under the national average. Loss of jobs could cost the state more revenue and impact the budget forecast numbers. Governor Tim Walz’s message to lawmakers is to be “fiscally conservative” and to “focus on the things that make a difference.” Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth says tax increases on families and more government spending “should be off the table,” with a focus on lowering costs on family budgets. Democrats are concerned that more federal cuts could erase the surplus and force the state to find other ways to save budget money.
>>Man Charged in Death of Woman at Wabasha County Campground
(Mazeppa, MN) – A man is now charged in the September death of a Lakeville woman at a campground near Mazeppa in southeastern Minnesota. The Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office says 69-year-old Stanley Munstermann of Madison, Minnesota, is jailed on second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter charges in the killing of 63-year-old Barbara McBride-Law. The medical examiner determined McBride-Law died of homicidal violence. She was found dead in a camper at Mac’s Park Place. Authorities say they put hundreds of hours into this investigation.
>>Fargo Police Identify Man Found Dead in Burning Vehicle
(Fargo, ND) – Fargo Police are identifying the man found dead inside a burning vehicle earlier this week as 68‑year‑old Stephen Hanson of Fargo. Crews responded just before 1 p.m. Tuesday to a vehicle fire north of the Fargodome. When the fire was put out, Hanson was found deceased inside. Investigators say the scene indicates the death does not appear suspicious.
>>AG Bondi Charging 30 More Suspects in St. Paul Church Protest
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi is charging 30 more people for their involvement in an ICE protest at a St. Paul church. Bondi says on social media that federal agents have already arrested 25 of them, with more to come throughout the day. She wrote, “YOU CANNOT ATTACK A HOUSE OF WORSHIP. If you do so, you cannot hide from us – we will find you, arrest you, and prosecute you.” Local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong is accused of organizing the January 18th protest at Cities Church because Pastor David Easterwood also leads the local ICE field office.
>>Infant, Two Women Injured After Being Hit by Pickup in Rochester
(Rochester, MN) – Three pedestrians, including an infant, were injured Thursday afternoon after being hit by a pickup truck at a busy intersection in Rochester. Investigators report that around 4:15 p.m., the pickup was making a left turn when the driver hit two women and a baby who were crossing in the crosswalk. The infant was thrown from the stroller during the impact. All three were taken by ambulance to a hospital. Their conditions and names are unknown. Police describe the driver as an 84‑year‑old man. He was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian. The case remains under investigation.
>> Proposed Bill to Ban Cryptocurrency Kiosks in MN Stalls
(St. Paul, MN) – A DFL-authored bill at the Capitol would ban cryptocurrency kiosks in Minnesota in an effort to reduce scams. Woodbury Detective Lynn Lawrence tells the story of a senior who had been getting scammed for months, who was already “financially vulnerable with a fixed income and food and housing insecurity.” She says Adult Protection Services had to get involved due to her “dire circumstances, and she had been giving 50 percent of her income per month to the scammers.” There are 350 licensed crypto kiosks in Minnesota. The bill was laid over for future consideration. The bill is authored by Representative Erin Koegel of Spring Lake Park.
>>”Angel Families” of 2 MN Teens Killed in Crash Honored at White House
(Undated) – The families of two Minnesota teens killed in a crash with an intoxicated undocumented woman who was driving on the wrong side of a Wisconsin freeway were among those honored at a special White House ceremony Tuesday. 18-year-old Hallie Helgeson of Montevideo and 19-year-old Brady Heiling of Clara City died while returning home from a Coldplay concert on I-90, north of Madison, the night of July 20th, 2025. Hallie’s mother, Alyson, says that at first they didn’t believe it when they were invited. They had only known about the event a week before and thought it was a scam: “We didn’t think small-town families would be invited to the White House.” Jen Heiling says they will do anything they can to bring justice for Brady and Hallie, and says they were hurt by those who said they were just being used as political props. She says they think this is “a really big moment for them to really kind of get a little bit of a grasp of what this world is all about.” Brady and Hallie were enrolled and were about to begin classes in the Fall of 2025 at Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, South Dakota.
