>>Gov. Walz Establishes Council to Document Operation Metro Surge
(St. Paul, MN) – Governor Tim Walz has signed an executive order creating a new council to document the impacts of Operation Metro Surge and Operation PARRIS. The group will collect testimony, data, and firsthand accounts from Minnesotans to build a public record of the harm, as well as the resilience that communities showed. Walz says many families lived in fear, and some were separated during the operations, and that their stories need to be formally documented. The council will also deliver recommendations to prevent future abuses and support long-term recovery.
>>Senate Vote Will Allow Children in Chamber
(St. Paul, MN) – A long-standing rule in the Minnesota Senate is changing. For the first time, Senators will be allowed to bring their children into the Senate chamber. Republican Senator Julia Coleman of Waconia led the fight for the change, saying she knows of multiple women “who have felt the call to service but say they can’t because the Senate isn’t family-friendly enough and maybe they’ll consider the House.” There was opposition. Republican Karin Housley of Stillwater said the chamber lacks space and offered alternatives, such as a parent room off to the side to “show the Institution some respect.” The resolution passed by a 41-25 vote.
>>House, Senate Bills to Ban Surveillance Pricing Stall
(St. Paul, MN) – Multiple bills in the House and Senate that would prohibit the use of surveillance pricing in Minnesota stores have stalled, despite renewed cries of support. Surveillance pricing would introduce Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs), which can be changed every second. Combined with A-I and customer data surveillance, local United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) groups say this will hurt consumers and take away jobs. Hayley Mudek, an e-commerce worker at Cub Foods in Burnsville, wonders how families can be expected to “budget and thrive” when prices can change from the beginning of a shopping trip to the end. UFCW Local 1189 spokesperson Diana Tastad-Damer explains that “the second the weatherman forecasts a blizzard, companies can use ESLs to hike prices.” Walmart plans to roll out ESLs in all of its stores by the end of the year, promising “clear, consistent prices.”
>>Sen. Klobuchar Applauds EPA Waiver for Nationwide E-15 Sales This Summer
(Washington, D.C.) – Senator Amy Klobuchar is applauding the EPA for allowing sales of E-15 nationwide this summer. The emergency waiver will allow gas stations in 42 states to sell 15-percent ethanol fuel between June and mid-September. Minnesota and seven other Midwestern states can sell E-15 year-round. Klobuchar says, “As consumers and farmers are facing higher costs because of the war in Iran, this is an important step to provide some relief.” She is now calling on Congress to pass her bipartisan bill to permanently allow for the sale of nationwide, year-round E-15.
>>MN GOP Leaders Silent After MAGA PAC Attacks Late Speaker Hortman
(St. Paul, MN) – A right-wing MAGA PAC called Action 4 Liberty is drawing criticism after publishing an AI-generated image mocking the late House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her family. The comment was in response to a post describing a bill that would name the State Office Building after Hortman. The image shows a statue of Melissa reaching over to take a person’s wallet from their back pocket with the caption, “Leaked image of what the artist had in mind.” DFL Party Chair Richard Carlbom called the post “appalling,” noting the Hortmans have been gone less than a year. The DFL “vehemently condemns” the attack. No Republican Minnesota leaders have commented on the image.
>>Man Charged for Shooting Threats at SCSU
(St. Cloud, MN) – A 29‑year‑old St. Cloud State University student faces four charges, two of which are felonies, after allegedly threatening to shoot people on campus. Police responded Monday afternoon after a student made violent threats. Court records say the suspect, Romello Lloyd, confronted another student in a skyway. He accused a fraternity of orchestrating an earlier assault and threatened to shoot whoever was responsible. Lloyd was found in class and arrested. He had a loaded handgun, an extra magazine, replica guns, and a knife in his pack. Lloyd had previously been ruled incompetent to stand trial in Hennepin County, making him ineligible to possess firearms or ammunition. He’s charged with two counts of threats of violence and two counts of being an ineligible person in possession of a gun or ammunition. No injuries were reported.
>>Minnesota Vikings Submit Bid to Host 2028 NFL Draft
(Eagan, MN) – The Minnesota Vikings want to host the NFL Draft in two years at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings and Minnesota Sports and Events submitted a bid for the 2028 draft. Officials say the red carpet, flag football, and other ancillary events could be held at the TCO Performance Center in Eagan. The Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting this year’s draft in late April, and Washington, D.C., was awarded the 2027 bid. More than 600,000 fans attended the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, and the three-day event generated 100 million dollars.
>>Fire in Fargo Storage Garages Linked to Camper Heater
(Fargo, ND) – A propane heater inside a pop‑up camper caused a fire earlier this month that heavily damaged multiple storage garages in south Fargo. Officials say on March 10th at Bison State Storage, the fire began while someone was working on the camper and preparing for an upcoming trip. Flames spread quickly, damaging or destroying about a dozen storage units and the property inside. The loss is estimated at $300,000.
