>>Search for 16-Year-Old Missing Since December
(Bloomington, MN) – Bloomington Police are searching for a missing 16-year-old girl. Aliyah Fletcher was last seen leaving her home on December 9th, 2025, and she may be in St. Paul and heading to Colorado. She is described as white, five feet three inches tall, 139 pounds, with brown-blonde hair and brown eyes. Fletcher was last seen wearing a yellow and blue crew neck sweatshirt and tan Victoria’s Secret sweatpants.
>>Juvenile Found Safe After Overnight Search in Byron
(Byron, MN) – Olmsted County deputies say a juvenile girl is safe after an overnight (WED-THURS) search in Byron. Around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, a resident reported doorbell camera footage showing a girl at his front door who appeared to be trying to enter and wasn’t dressed for the weather. Deputies, the Minnesota State Patrol, and Byron Fire and First Responders searched the area for several hours and alerted the school district to notify parents. Authorities later identified the girl and confirmed she is safe.
>>Gov. Walz Authorizes Guard to Stand Ready After Minneapolis Shooting
(St. Paul, MN) – Governor Tim Walz is authorizing the Minnesota National Guard to be staged and ready to assist law enforcement. This comes after an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Wednesday after a confrontation. Executive Order 26-01 allows the Guard to protect critical infrastructure and support local agencies if needed. The Minnesota State Patrol has also mobilized 85 members of its Mobile Response Team. Walz says Minnesotans have shown powerful peace, but the Guard remains ready to help keep the peace, ensure public safety, and allow for peaceful demonstrations. He recommends that anyone who protests do so safely and lawfully.
>>DPS Can’t Press Criminal Charges in Fatal Minneapolis ICE Shooting Due to FBI Case Takeover
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is no longer part of the investigation into the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Department of Safety (DPS) Commissioner Bob Jacobsen says the FBI invited them to be part of a joint investigation yesterday, but quickly reversed course, eliminating access to case materials, scene evidence, and investigative interviews. Jacobsen says without this information, no state charges can be filed. He recommends Minnesotans who want to protest to find safe and lawful ways to do so. Governor Tim Walz says he spoke to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem yesterday. When asked how she would feel if former President Joe Biden sent 2,000 officers to South Dakota, she said she would have welcomed them.
>>Department of Human Services to Freeze Provider Enrollment for 13 Medicaid Services
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) will freeze new provider enrollments in 13 categories of Medicaid services at high risk for fraud. The Department says it’s working with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement the freeze, at which point the state will no longer accept new applications from businesses seeking to provide these services. Temporary Human Services Commissioner Shireen Gandhi says this action is one more step in disrupting fraudulent billing. A start date for the freeze has not been announced.
>>Minnesota Adds Jobs in New Unemployment Statistics
(St. Paul, MN) – Minnesota employers added 8,900 jobs between September and November of last year, according to the Department of Employment and Economic Development. This is compared to numbers that were essentially flat for the entire country. Minnesota’s unemployment rate for November was 4.0% compared to 4.6% nationally. DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek says the numbers show Minnesota employers are adding jobs while the national labor market has stalled.
>>Texas Man Sentenced in St. Cloud Drug-Related Death
(St. Cloud, MN) – A Texas man received a stayed sentence of just over seven years for his role in a fatal drug overdose in Stearns County. Prosecutors say 49-year-old Daniel Upshaw pleaded guilty to third-degree murder after meeting the victim at a Maple Lake bar in November 2024. Investigators say the two men, both former Marines, discussed a drug deal before the victim was later found dead in a St. Cloud garage with evidence of cocaine use nearby. Upshaw pleaded guilty in October to one count of 3rd-degree murder. He will also serve 360 days in jail, with credit for time served.
>>Small Business Owner Peterson Announces Run for MN Senate District 4
(Hawley, MN) – Austin Peterson is running as a Republican for Senate District 4 in northwest Minnesota. The seat is currently held by Democrat Rob Kupec. Peterson owns a small business, serves on the Hawley School Board, and has been active in local schools, church, and youth sports. He says Minnesota families are paying the price for what he calls reckless spending and partisan politics in St. Paul, and promises to put Becker and Clay counties first. His campaign focuses on affordability, accountability, and a brighter future for Minnesota. Senate District 4 includes Moorhead, Detroit Lakes, Hawley, and surrounding communities.
>>MPCA Fines Hutchinson Utilities Commission for Violations
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has fined the Hutchinson Utilities Commission $11,340 for air permit violations at an electricity generation facility. An air quality performance test last March showed the utility had exceeded its permit limit for particulate matter. When facilities do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment. The facility did have its pollution reduction equipment cleaned and retested last June, and since then, emissions have been within the allowed limits.
>>Minnesota Twins Announce Schedule for Winter Caravan
(Minneapolis, MN) – The Minnesota Twins have announced their first road trip of the new year. The traditional Winter Caravan will visit four states and nine cities. Besides their home state of Minnesota, Twins players and coaches will be stopping in communities in Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota on January 21st and 22nd. New Twins Manager Derek Shelton will be part of the group visiting St. Paul and Welch. This will be the 64th Winter Caravan for the team.
>>Vikings K Reichard Named NFC Special Teams Player of Month
(Eagan, MN) – Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard is being honored as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December and one game in January. Reichard went 12-for-12 on field goals and point-after-attempts as the Vikes ended the season on a five-game win streak. He made three field goals in last Sunday’s 16-3 win over the Packers.
