>>Wildfire Recap
(Ely, MN) — Wildfires continue to burn across northeastern Minnesota, with 16 active fires now reported in the Superior National Forest, including three inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Officials say more than 500 firefighters are battling the blazes as thunderstorms, shifting winds and more than 13,000 lightning strikes detected Friday threaten to spark additional fires. Evacuation orders remain in place in parts of Lake, St. Louis and Cook counties, while the largest fires continue to burn near Winton, the Echo Trail and the BWCAW. Forest officials urge the public to avoid closed areas and follow evacuation orders.
>>New Air Quality Alert Issued
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air quality alert that will run through the weekend. Impacted areas include Brainerd, Hinckley, Bemidji, Moorhead, International Falls, Duluth and the rest of the Arrowhead. The Twin Cities are not included. The MPCA says heavy smoke is expected to remain and continue to come from Canadian wildfires as well as the fires burning in northeastern Minnesota.
>>Governor Authorizes Emergency Assistance for Areas of Disaster
(St. Paul, MN) – As the wildfires continue burning in northeastern Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz has announced the authorization of emergency assistance for two previous disasters. The Governor says state assistance will be going to Crow Wing and Lake Counties that suffered wildfire damage back in May, and for areas of Stevens and Grant Counties that were hit hard by severe storms in June. Earlier this week, Governor Walz and his Executive Council approved an extension of the peacetime emergency that allows the Minnesota National Guard to help fight the fires currently in northern Minnesota.
>>Minnesota Reaches Settlement with Drug Company on Illegal Pricing
(St. Paul, MN) – Minnesota has joined a national coalition of states in reaching a nearly $30 million-dollar national settlement with the drug company Glenmark. The states announced this will resolve allegations that the generic-drug manufacturer inflated and manipulated prices and reduced competition. Glenmark says it will also cooperate in three ongoing multistate lawsuits in which Minnesota is a plaintiff. Attorney General Keith Ellison says Minnesota’s share of the settlement is more than $187,000.
>>Man Dies in Winona Drowning
(Winona, MN) — A 22-year-old man is dead following a water incident in Winona. The Winona County Sheriff’s Office says a 911 call came in just before 8 p.m. Thursday reporting a man missing in Airport Lake. Crews searched the area for about 40 minutes before finding him. Life-saving efforts were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead. His name has not been released pending notification of family. The incident remains under investigation.
>>Duluth Man Sentenced in Murder of Own Mother
(Duluth, MN) – A Duluth man was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison for the murder of his mother. 47-year-old Nathan Davin pleaded guilty to the August 2025 murder of his elderly mother in their Duluth residence. When police arrived, they found Davin with blood on his hands and his mother in a recliner dead from a gunshot wound. He plead guilty to charges last month. The St. Louis County Attorney’s Office says the sentence is in the presumed guideline range for Murder in the Second Degree. Davin has already started service his sentence since making his guilty plea.
>>Sun Country Trimming Flights
(Minneapolis, MN) — Travelers flying Sun Country this fall may notice fewer flight options. The airline is trimming its September schedule after its parent company, Allegiant, said staffing shortages involving pilots and other flight crews have forced temporary service reductions. Allegiant says stronger-than-expected employee turnover, along with increased demand for cargo flying, contributed to the cuts. The company expects to rebuild staffing and gradually return to a full schedule in the coming months.
>>St. Paul Saints Welcome Ten Millionth Fan
(St. Paul, MN) – The St. Paul Saints could welcome their 10 millionth fan to CHS Field tonight. The team is just over 7,000 fans from the milestone and is expecting a standing-room only crowd for tonight’s game against the Louisville Bats. The Saints say the lucky fan will walk away with about $7500 worth of prizes and souvenirs. They include a Gold Card that gets them and a guest into Saints games for life, a special jersey, an appearance on the TV broadcast and multiple gift cards. The game starts at 7 p.m.
