>>Suspicious Mailing Addressed to Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Department of Administration reports a suspicious mailing addressed to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office was discovered today. Officials say it included a threatening letter and unidentified white powder. The mail is in the possession of and being tested by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Officials say the mailing is related to a series of mailings sent to election officials across the country. Secretary of State Steve Simon issued a statement that read, “Our office will not be deterred and will continue to support the thousands of election officials across the state as they administer elections to their communities.”
>>Senate Candidates Flanagan, Tafoya Square off in MPR News Debate
(St. Paul, MN) – The two candidates vying for the U.S. Senate seat, Democratic Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan and Republican Michele Tafoya squared off in a one-hour debate Friday afternoon hosted by MPR News. The candidates answered questions on a wide range of topics from fraud, social security, the war in Iran, and Medicare. Tafoya said she would not raise taxes and would end the fraud problem, while Flanagan continued to say she’s in favor of Medicare for All, and that Tafoya would be a rubber stamp candidate for Donald Trump. As of now, this is the one and only debate scheduled between the two candidates.
>>Minnesota Voting Numbers Updated
(St. Paul, MN) – Minnesotans continue to cast their ballots early for the November 3 election. The Office of Minnesota Secretary of State reports that local election officials have distributed 519,813 absentee and mail ballots in the first four weeks of voting. Of that total, officials say 202,252 ballots have been cast so far. Today, Friday October 16, is also the beginning of early voting in Minnesota which allows voters to place their ballot directly into a ballot tabulator at their local election office. The early voting law took effect this year requiring every county to offer at least one location for early voting.
>>Minnesota Businesses Accused of Tribal ID Discrimination
(St. Paul, MN) — Two Minnesota businesses are accused of discriminating against Native Americans by refusing to accept tribal identification. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights found probable cause of discrimination involving Wings Financial Credit Union in Coon Rapids and The Office Pub and Grill in Minneapolis. Investigators say the credit union denied a customer access to her account, while the bar refused service to a customer despite his tribal ID confirming his age.
>>U of M Budget Cuts Could Approach $262 Million
(Minneapolis, MN) Budget cuts at the University of Minnesota could approach 262 million dollars over the next two years. That’s up from the 225 million dollars in reductions announced last month. The Twin Cities campus could absorb 131 million to 146 million dollars in cuts. Among the university’s four smaller campuses, Crookston and Duluth face the largest percentage reductions, at 10 to 11 percent. The School of Dentistry and the College of Biological Sciences would see some of the smallest cuts. The reductions are planned for fiscal years 2028 and 2029, beginning in July 2027.
>>Ellison Urges Congress to Push for Release of Epstein Files
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is urging Congress to quickly pass a second Epstein Files Transparency Act. Ellison has joined 17 other attorneys general in saying the Trump administration has failed to release millions of documents required under a law passed last year. The Justice Department missed its December deadline, and some released files reportedly revealed victims’ personal information. The proposed legislation would give state attorneys general and survivors the ability to enforce the law and seek access to records related to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.
>>Banana Ball Returns to Target Field
(Minneapolis) – Banana Ball is coming back to the Twin Cities. The 2027 Banana Ball World Tour will return to Minneapolis to play two games at Target Field Friday, June 4 and Saturday June 5. The games will pit the teams known as the Party Animals and the Firefighters. Banana Ball sold out all three games last August at Target Field. Tickets are lottery-based, and fans who are interested should register on the Banana Ball website before October 31.
