>>Pres. Trump Administration Announces Federal Funding Freeze Rescinded
(Washington D.C.) — President Donald Trump’s budget office has announced they are rescinding Monday’s order to freeze federal funding nationwide. This comes after mass panic, national outcry, and 23 states, including Minnesota, suing Trump for the order, and a federal judge blocking the freeze until Monday, February 3rd. Trump initially cited the freeze due to a necessary review of across-the-board spending. The White House says all other executive orders remain in place.
>>House Republicans Unveil Plan to Make Minnesota Safer
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota House Republicans unveiled their new proposal to make the state a safer place to live. The new public safety plan has 13 provisions to get tougher on crime. Public Safety Committee Chair Paul Novotny from Elk River unveiled their plan, saying it’s time to end what he calls a “soft on crime” approach here in Minnesota. Novotny says the proposal has been shared with the Senate, and he looks forward to sharing it with House Democrats when they return to session.
>>Woman Dead, 2 Injured in Hutchinson Crash
(Hutchinson, MN) — A Polk County woman is dead, and two others are injured after a crash in McLeod County Tuesday morning. State Patrol says an SUV driver, 66-year-old Roxanne Strodahl of McIntosh, was killed in a collision with a truck. The crash happened at an intersection of two roads near Hutchinson. The truck’s driver and passenger were brought to Hutchinson Hospital with minor injuries.
>>Fridley High School Basketball Player Attacked With Pipe During Game
(New Hope, MN) — A Fridley High School basketball player is recovering after being attacked during a game in New Hope on Tuesday. Police arrested three adults and two juveniles at Cooper High School. Police say the suspects struck the victim with a pipe while he was sitting on the bench. The gym was placed under lockdown, and the game was eventually postponed.
>>Mankato’s Rapidan Dam Removal Set For 2027
(Mankato, MN) — The removal of the Rapidan Dam is set to begin in 2027. The dam failed during significant flooding last year on the Blue Earth River in Mankato. According to officials from Barr Engineering, the removal process is expected to continue into 2028. The Bloomington-based engineering firm has received a contract worth $1.47 million to develop plans for the dam removal project. The Rapidan Dam gained national attention after flooding caused part of it to collapse.
>>St. Paul Man Sentenced to 80 Months for Armed Cell Phone Store Robbery
(St. Paul, MN) — A St. Paul man will spend more than six years in federal prison for the armed robbery of a cell phone store last April. Prosecutors say 31-year-old Johnnie Ward, Junior demanded access to a safe in the backroom while his accomplice pointed a torch lighter at the clerk. Ward reportedly demanded the clerk to “hurry up or else.” Ward and the other man fled the store with several cell phones. He was also ordered to pay 49 hundred dollars in restitution.
>>2 Plead Guilty to Roles in FOF Fraud Scheme
(Minneapolis, MN) — Two more defendants in the Feeding Our Future fraud case have pleaded guilty. 38-year-old Abdulkadir Salah and 37-year-old Abdi Salah pleaded guilty Tuesday for their roles in the $250 million scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Abdulkadir was co-owner and operator of Safari Restaurant, which received over $16 million in fraudulent funds. Abdi registered Stigma-Free International, a nonprofit, to carry out the scheme through different sites across Minnesota. As part of their plea deal, each agreed that various assets and money gained during the crime are subject to forfeiture. Their sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date.
>>CBP Stops $1.34M Worth of Fraudulent Gas Engines
(Minneapolis, MN) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stopped 42 pallets of fraudulent gas engines from China from leaving Minneapolis-St. Paul’s Express Consignment Facility last week. Officers say there were 1,134 engines total, with 27 engines a pallet, valuing about $1.34 million. These pallets, which were going to various U.S. businesses, were seized for lack of proper documentation and were turned over to Homeland Security.
>>Minneapolis Mayor Frey to Run for 2025 Reelection
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced today (WED) that he’ll be running for reelection this year. Frey was elected in 2017 and will serve his third term as mayor if he wins. Others running alongside him include City Councilmember Emily Koski, Senator Omar Fateh, and DeWayne Davis, a Minneapolis minister. The mayor and all 13 City Council seats are up for reelection.