>>Man Charged with Stabbing to Death Mother of His Toddler in St. Paul
(St. Paul, MN) — A 34-year-old man is charged with the second-degree murder of a woman in Frogtown last week. Joseph Davis is accused of stabbing to death the mother of their 2-year-old child. St. Paul police responded to the neighborhood around 7 a.m. Friday to perform a welfare check. On arrival, officers found an unharmed toddler in the living room and a woman’s body in the bedroom. 33-year-old “CM” was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials say Davis left another woman he has children with a voicemail, admitting to killing CM and asking to see his children before he turned himself in. CM had an active protection order against Davis. He was arrested later that day in a Minneapolis apartment building. Davis has at least three other domestic assault convictions and protection orders in which CM was the victim.
>>Teen Arrested for Weekend Stabbing in Mankato
(Mankato, MN) — A 16-year-old boy is in custody for a stabbing in Mankato on Sunday. Around 7:30 p.m., police say an 18-year-old man arrived at a hospital with stab wounds. The victim is in stable condition despite serious injuries. The teen suspect was arrested for the incident, which took place near 2nd and Adams Street. No other injuries or arrests were reported. Police ask anyone with information or evidence to call 911.
>>Atlanta Woman Found Guilty of Meth Trafficking
(Minneapolis, MN) — An Atlanta woman has been federally convicted of methamphetamine trafficking in Minnesota. After a four-day trial, Vanessa Violante-Lujano was found guilty of attempting to possess meth with intent to distribute. In June 2022, federal authorities at the U.S.-Mexico border seized nearly 220 pounds of Cartel-sourced meth destined for Minnesota. The DEA conducted an undercover operation in Lakeville, sending an agent to meet with Violante-Lujano and a co-conspirator to drop off the meth shipment. The attempted drug deal was caught on video, and the two were quickly arrested by the Minnesota State Patrol. Violante-Lujano is in custody pending sentencing.
>> House Passes Cannabis Policy Bill
(St. Paul, MN) — The House has passed the 2025 Cannabis policy bill. The bill provides several modifications to the adult-use cannabis law, including creating a lower-potency hemp wholesaler license and giving visiting patients the same rights as medical cannabis patients in the state. The bill also makes several technical changes to the current law when it comes to medical licenses and regulations. The vote was 82 to 50. The bill will likely now head to committee to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions.
>>Office of Cannabis Management Sets June 5th Business License Lottery
(St. Paul, MN) — The Office of Cannabis Management is holding a lottery for four types of cannabis business licenses on June 5th. Social and general applicants will be awarded licenses for cultivation, manufacturing, retail, and mezzanine businesses, which allow all three. Some applicants who were pre-approved for the cannabis lottery that was cancelled last fall are already eligible for licenses. OCM officials say cannabis businesses will be opening this month.
>>Duluth Duplex Sustains $15K in Fire Damage
(Duluth, MN) — A Duluth apartment duplex sustained an estimated $15,000 in damage in a fire on Sunday. Crews responded to a structure fire report around 9:57 p.m. Tenants tried to extinguish the fire with a garden hose before it was knocked down by firefighters. No injuries were reported. Two residents are being helped by the American Red Cross after being displaced. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
>>Spicer Man Leads Deputies on High-Speed Pursuits
(Meeker County, MN) — A Spicer man is in custody after leading Meeker County deputies on a high-speed chase. Around 10:52 p.m. Friday, a deputy was heading south on Highway 4 and attempted to stop a vehicle driving above the speed limit. The car sped away, leading the deputy on a chase through Kandiyohi County at speeds over 100 mph. A PIT maneuver by the deputy spun the vehicle into a ditch, and the driver, 19-year-old Maxwell Robnik, was arrested. Robnik’s driving privileges had been limited, and he wasn’t allowed to drive during the incident. He also had led Yellow Medicine County deputies on a pursuit earlier that day.
