>>BPD Search for Missing 16-Year-Old
(Brooklyn Park, MN) — Brooklyn Park police are searching for a missing 16-year-old. Alaysia Brown was last seen leaving a residential area on Monday. She’s described as Black, five feet six inches tall, 120 pounds, with black and blonde hair and hazel eyes. Brown was last seen wearing ripped blue jeans and black Crocs.
>>Farmington Police Officer Dies by Suicide
(Farmington, MN) — A Farmington police officer and school resource officer, Pete Zajac, died by suicide late Tuesday. He is survived by his wife and three children. The Farmington Police Department said on Facebook, “Our entire police family is mourning. His contributions to the department and community will be deeply missed.” Zajac served 15 years with the department and two years in local schools. The department thanked colleagues and community members for their support during this difficult time. Anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide is encouraged to call or text 811 for help.
>>Woman Assaulted in Vadnais Heights
(Vadnais Heights, MN) — Authorities are seeking a man who sexually assaulted a woman Tuesday evening in Vadnais Heights near Centerville Road and Pondview Drive. The woman ran to a nearby home for help and was taken to a hospital. The suspect is described as a clean-shaven, muscular white man in his mid-20s, about six feet tall, with short brown curly hair. He was wearing a black jacket and pants, and his glasses were knocked off during the attack. Police continue to search for leads.
>>Governor Walz Orders Third-Party Audit of 14 High-Risk Medicaid Programs
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz is ordering a third-party audit of 14 “high-risk” Medicaid services at the Department of Human Services. Payments for the programs will be suspended for up to 90 days while claims data is analyzed for suspicious billing activity and other potential fraud. Walz says, “We’re pumping the brakes on 14 programs that were created to help the most disadvantaged among us, yet have become the target of criminal activity.” Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson says Minnesotans want prevention and accountability, saying, “This is too little, too late.”
>>Nurses Demand Action After Assaults at Essentia Health
(Brainerd, MN) — Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) are calling for urgent safety reforms after two more assaults at a Brainerd hospital. The incidents at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center follow two similar attacks at Essentia’s Duluth facility earlier this month. MNA President Chris Rubesch says unsafe staffing and lack of support are fueling a dangerous pattern. Nurses are demanding stronger staffing ratios and a direct role in hospital safety decisions. They say violence is preventable, and Essentia must act now to protect caregivers and patients.
>>Rep. West Pushes for Cannabis Transport Plan
(Undated) – Minnesota has had a recreational use cannabis law since 2023, and some state lawmakers are still trying to tweak it. Republican Representative Nolan West from Blaine says the state now needs to come up with ways to deliver the product around the state. He notes there are no licensed transporters right now, and only tribal governments can move marijuana. During the last special session, Minnesota lawmakers raised the cannabis tax to 15% as part of the budget negotiations. That’s one of the highest rates in the country.
>>U of M: DST Leads to Deer-Vehicle Collisions Increase
(Undated) – Daylight Saving Time (DST) is coming to an end this weekend, which means a sharp rise in vehicle and deer collisions the coming week. University of Minnesota Professor Raphael Stern explains that deer are primarily active during dawn and dusk. When DST ends, we fall back an hour, which Stern says brings dark earlier and changes our commuting hours, overlapping with sunset. He urges slow driving, particularly in areas where you commonly see deer, like parks, golf courses, and forests, to give you more reaction time.
>>Champlin Honors First Responders for Heroism
(Champlin, MN) — The Champlin Police Department honored 13 first responders Monday night for their lifesaving actions during the June 14th attempted assassination of Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Officers from Champlin and Maple Grove, Allina Health paramedics, and Hoffman’s daughter Hope received the department’s Lifesaving Award at a ceremony at Mississippi Crossings. Police Chief Glen Schneider praised their bravery and composure under extreme circumstances. Senator Hoffman also presented a framed Senate resolution, saying their actions were “beyond words and beyond scope.”
>>K9 Helps Find Fugitive in Duluth
(Duluth, MN) — Duluth Police say K9 Gus helped track down a woman who fled during a traffic stop Tuesday night. Officers say the passenger jumped into the driver’s seat and took off, later abandoning the vehicle. K9 Gus followed a scent trail to a nearby home, where officers arrested 39-year-old Amber Hammond. She faces charges including drug possession, fleeing police, and probation violation.
