>>St. Louis County Man Sentenced in Criminal Sexual Conduct Case
(Duluth, MN) – A St. Louis County judge has sentenced 53-year-old Jerrid Ahlstrand to nine years in prison for criminal sexual conduct in the second-degree against a minor female. Prosecutors say the crimes happened in the East Range area of St. Louis County between 2018 and 2024. According to the charges filed, the victim was under the age of 16 at the time. The sentence was the maximum the judge could enforce under the Minnesota sentencing guidelines for this offense.
>>Congresswoman Morrison Introduces Bill to Prevent Drug Overdoses in Schools
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representative Kelly Morrison has introduced the “School Access to Naloxone Act”, which would ensure access to naloxone and that school staff are trained in administering this lifesaving medication to students in case of an opioid overdose. Morrison says every week more than 20 students die of an overdose in this country. This bill would incentivize school districts to carry naloxone, otherwise known as Narcan. In her time in the Minnesota legislature, Morrison passed a bill to require school districts carry at least two doses of naloxone. This federal bill encourages school districts to carry it, provides training and civil liability protection to staff members who oversee the medication. The bill has bipartisan authors in both the House and Senate.
>>University of Minnesota-Rochester Expanding
(Rochester, MN) – The University of Minnesota-Rochester’s expansion plan has received another green light. The University of Minnesota Board of Regents approved the new plans in the Discovery District in Downtown Rochester. The university is planning to develop approximately 12,000 square feet of teaching laboratories, classrooms, and collaboration space in Two Discovery Square. School officials say this will enable continued enrollment growth and strengthen conditions between students and employers and health care leaders. The expansion comes with a cost of $10.4 million dollars with $2.7 million coming from the University of Minnesota system.
>>MnDOT Says Plan Ahead for Grandma’s Marathon Traffic
Duluth, MN) – If you’re heading to Duluth this weekend for Grandma’s Marathon, the Minnesota Department of Transportation says you should plan ahead. MnDOT says there will be increased traffic and delays for the weekend. On Saturday, I-35 and Highway 61 will be detoured to accommodate the marathon. The detours will start at Mesaba Avenue and travel on city streets before returning to the Highway 61 Expressway. Closures for the event are expected to be lifted by 3 p.m. The City of Duluth has posted all the closures on its website.
>>Munsinger Garden in Full Bloom
(St. Cloud MN — Summer is in full bloom at St. Cloud’s Munsinger Clemens Gardens. Botanical Society Co-Chair Jill Florek says recent rainfall has helped the flowers flourish after earlier dry conditions slowed growth. The popular attraction features roughly 150,000 annuals and perennials spread across 21 acres and welcomes visitors from around Minnesota and beyond, including tour groups and bus trips. The gardens are free to visit and open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with memberships and donations helping support the longtime St. Cloud landmark.
