>>2 Dead, 1 in Critical Condition in Spirit Lake Tribe Shooting
(St. Michael, ND) — North Dakota’s Spirit Lake Tribal Council now says two people, not three, were killed in a shooting Tuesday; the third victim is in critical condition. The Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement and FBI say a shooting happened around 9:30 a.m. at a St. Michael home. The suspect was arrested four hours after the shooting. No other information is being released.
>>7 Indicted in “Horrific” Murder of MN Transgender Man
(Hopewell, NY) — Seven people have been indicted in the New York murder of Sam Nordquist, a transgender man from Minnesota who was physically, psychologically, and sexually tortured for a month before he was killed. Nordquist’s body was found wrapped in plastic bags in a field on February 13th. New details show those indicted coerced two children, ages 7 and 12, into abusing Nordquist. All seven suspects face charges of first- and second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, second-degree conspiracy, concealment of a body, and endangering a child’s welfare. Nordquist’s funeral was Monday, and he was buried Tuesday. Those indicted are: Kimberly Sochia, 29, Thomas Eaves, 21, Patrick A. Goodwin, 30, Jennifer A. Quijano, 30, Kyle R. Sage, 33, Emily Jean Motyka, 19, and Precious N. Arzuaga, 38.
>>Defendant In Feeding Our Future Case Posted She Knew How To Make Money
(Minneapolis, MN) — Prosecutors in the federal Feed Our Future fraud trial are expected to finish presenting their case today in Minneapolis. FBI forensic accountant Lacra Blackwell testified yesterday that defendant Aimee Bock bragged in a social media message to her ex-felon boyfriend that she knew how to make money. This message was sent on the same day she deposited more than $78,000 into one of her accounts. Bock is accused of organizing a pay-for-play scheme in which dozens of alleged conspirators stole $250 million by claiming to provide meals for thousands of children each day across Minnesota. The prosecution is expected to call their final witnesses today, after which defense attorneys may begin presenting their case.
>>Judge Considers Unsealing 2017 Warrant in Huisentruit Case
(Mason City, IA) — A Cerro Gordo County judge debates releasing new information in the disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit. The 27-year-old Minnesota native was reported missing after failing to show up to work at Mason City, Iowa news station KIMT on June 27th, 1995. Huisentruit was declared legally dead in 2001. In 30 days, a judge will rule whether to unseal a 2017 search warrant involving the main person of interest. Attorneys say they should be unsealed as the man died in December, but the judge says the case is still active, and this could harm that effort.
>>Man Found Guilty of Fatal 2023 St. Cloud Home Shooting
(Stearns County, MN) — 27-year-old Deionte Parker has been found guilty of fatally shooting one person and injuring two others in Stearns County. On October 22, 2023, officials responded to a St. Cloud home around 4 a.m. on a shooting report. Court documents say three people were found with gunshot wounds. 34-year-old Antonio Harris Jr. was later pronounced dead, while two others, 26 and 52 years old, were injured. Parker will be sentenced on April 15th. He faces 55 years in prison.
>>MDA Recall Warning, Beef Products from, Richfield Co-op
(Undated) — Thousand Hills Local Farms is recalling some of its beef products from a Richfield store due to metal contamination. This comes after staff and a customer at Lakewinds Food Co-op found metal shot or BBs in beef products. The recalled products can be identified by lot codes 25024 and 25034 on the package sticker. The following products are being recalled out of caution: bottom round roasts, stew meat, top round steaks and roasts, stir fry meat, sirloin tip steaks and roasts, eye of round steaks and roasts, and ground beef. Anyone with these products (bought at Lakewinds Food Co-op in Richfield) should throw them away or return them.
>> Farmers Could Receive Property Tax Credit Under New Senate Bill
(St. Paul, MN) – Some Minnesota farmers could receive a property tax credit if a Senate bill pushes forward. Senator Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) is renewing his push to support southeastern Minnesota farmers with a property tax credit that encourages them to implement conservation efforts that protect water quality. The proposal would provide a $5 per acre property tax credit to farmers whose land is certified under the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification program. This credit would include land in Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, and Winona counties, which the EPA and activists have previously complained about nitrate levels in private wells. The bill is supported by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau, and the Minnesota Farmers Union.
>>Total Loss in Watkins House Fire
(Watkins, MN) — No one was hurt in a house fire in Watkins Tuesday night. Once on scene, the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office says deputies found the home fully engulfed in flames. The house is owned by 39-year-old Peter Lansing and 35-year-old Bianca Lansing of Watkins. No one was hurt in the fire and the home and all its contents were a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
>>Mayo Clinic Reports 20% Profit Increase
(Rochester, MN) — Rochester-based Mayo Clinic reports a nearly 20% profit increase. In its annual report, Mayo Clinic’s net profit rose from $1.1 billion in 2023 to $1.293 billion in 2024. The hospital also increased operation revenue by 10.6%, while expenses rose by 9.7%, and salaries and benefits increased by 8.4%. Mayo Clinic took in $772 million through grants and contracts and $540 million through contributions.
>>Afton Cross-Country Skier Takes Silver in World Championship Race
(Trondheim, Norway) Three-time Olympic medalist Jessie Diggins of Afton, Minnesota, has won a silver medal at the cross-country skiing world championships in Trondheim, Norway. 33-year-old Diggins and team sprint race partner Julie Kern were just 2.9 seconds behind first place in today’s race. This is Diggins’s seventh world championship medal.
>>St. Cloud Cathedral and Orono Win Quarterfinals at Boys State High School Hockey Tourney
(St. Paul, MN) — Defending champion St. Cloud Cathedral and Orono will meet in the Class A semifinals of the Boys State High School Hockey Tournament. Cathedral shut out Mahtomedi 3-0 in the first quarterfinal game today (Wed) at the Xcel Energy Center. Orono skated past Northfield 8-2 in the second quarterfinal. Hibbing-Chisholm-VCA faces off against Luverne at 6 p.m. in the third Class A quarterfinal, and Northern Lakes and East Grand Forks play the final game at 8 p.m. The Class 2A quarterfinals start Thursday morning in St. Paul.
