>>No Charges for MN State Patrol Trooper Who Shot Suspect
(Hennepin County, MN) — A Minnesota State Patrol trooper will not face any charges for shooting a man last year. On September 21st, Eddie Freeman III was a passenger in a vehicle heading east on I-94 in Minneapolis. The driver says Freeman caused the vehicle to crash into an embankment and then fired multiple shots at her. Authorities found Freeman walking along the shoulder of the freeway. As troopers approached, Freeman fired his gun, hitting a trooper’s car. The trooper made a U-turn, left his car, and shot Freeman. The HCAO (Hennepin County Attorney’s Office) found no evidence of unlawful behavior. The charges against Freeman include six counts of first-, second-, and fourth-degree assault.
>>DFL Returns to Majority in MN Senate
(St. Paul, MN) – Next week, the Minnesota Senate will return to Democratic control after their special election victory in District 60. Democrats will have the 34-33 edge, but the Senate has been working under a power-sharing agreement. Republican Senator Mark Johnson from East Grand Forks hopes that the agreement will continue, noting it’s been “working in a very bipartisan manner and found a lot of value, bringing the needs of Minnesotans to the forefront, and we’re going to continue to work that way.” Democrat Doron Clark is expected to be sworn in next week, filling the seat that was held by the late Senator Kari Dziedzic.
>>Senate GOP Rolls Out “Minnesotans First” Agenda
(St. Paul, MN) – Governor Walz, Democrats, and Republicans have all said Minnesota has a fraud problem. Today, Senate Republicans rolled out what they’re calling their “Minnesotans First” agenda. Senator Jordan Rasmusson of Fergus Falls says, “Minnesotans are generous, but they expect their tax dollars to go to the intended purpose and not fraudsters. And it seems like on a weekly basis we hear news stories on fraud, waste, and abuse where people are stealing Minnesotans’ hard-earned tax dollars, and it’s time that state government treats that money like it’s their own money.” Rasmusson says the plan includes implementing a statewide office of inspector general and legislative auditor to review agencies and to bolster anti-fraud efforts to look into government grants. The agenda also includes bills looking at education and public safety spending.
>>TX Man, 2 Others, Accused of Robbing LeRoy ATM
(LeRoy, MN) — A Texas man is one of three accused of breaking into an ATM in Mower County earlier this month. Deputies responded to an ATM alarm around 3:20 a.m. on January 11th at First State Bank in LeRoy. Investigators learned a silver pickup was involved. Surveillance footage showed two men prying open the ATM and using a chain to connect it to the truck, where a third man was driving. Suspect 21-year-old Markell Kinney of Houston, Texas, was found in Stacyville, Iowa, about 20 miles southwest of LeRoy. The other two suspects are at large. Kinney is being held on $50,000 conditional bail and is due in court next month.
>>RPD Investigate Car Crashing Into Home
(Rochester, MN) — Rochester police are investigating a crash Wednesday where a car smashed into a home. Police say the incident was around 4:20 p.m. when a vehicle collided with a brick structure attached to a Rochester home. The driver and sole occupant, a 61-year-old woman, was not seriously injured. Police have not said if anyone was inside the home. Impairment is not believed to have been a factor.
>>New Sports Betting Bill Introduced in MN Senate
(St. Paul, MN) — DFL Senator Matt Klein of Mendota Heights introduced his new sports betting bill on the Senate floor. He says it has safeguards built into it to help prevent gambling addiction, and he has more support from outside groups like Canterbury Park, the support of the allied charities of the professional sports teams, and all 11 Native American tribes. Senator John Marty is still opposed to adding more gambling to Minnesota, especially when it includes the ability to place bets on mobile devices. Before reaching the Senate floor for a vote, Senator Klein says the bill has to go through several committees first.
>>Social Equity Applicant Cannabis License Verification Window Closing
(St. Paul, MN) — The deadline is tonight for cannabis businesses that want to be verified as social equity applicants for the license lottery. There were 648 social equity applicants in the pre-approval lottery that was canceled by a judge in November. They include people convicted of possession or sale of cannabis, residents of areas with high marijuana enforcement rates, military veterans, and beginning farmers. Social equity and general applicants can begin applying for the cannabis license lottery on February 18th. The new lottery is expected to happen in May.