More than 175 airmen from the 934th Airlift Wing along with four C-130 aircraft are scheduled to return to Minnesota Sunday following a four-month deployment to Southwest Asia. They were responsible for transporting people, cargo and supplies throughout the southwest Asian theatre of operations. Personnel included pilots and co-pilots, navigators, crew chiefs, load masters, logistics […]
Women’s March today in Bemidji, plus forum on accepting refugees
A Women’s March in Bemidji today as part of a larger movement across the country, organizers say to “support the recognition and improvement of our basic human rights.” It coincides with the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote through the 19th Amendment to the U-S Constitution. There’s also a panel discussion after […]
Klobuchar ramps up get-out-the-vote efforts in Minnesota as early voting begins for Super Tuesday primary
Supporters of Senator Amy Klobuchar’s bid for president ramp up their efforts in Minnesota on this first day of early voting for the March 3rd “Super Tuesday” presidential primary. Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Mayor Jacob Frey are at a morning (8am) event in Minneapolis, while Mayor Melvin Carter shows his support at an […]
Lawmakers talking about reducing or eliminating Minnesota’s estate tax
Reducing or eliminating Minnesota’s estate tax could be back on state lawmakers’ radar screen this year, after Senate Democratic Minority Leader Tom Bakk said in Rochester this week that he supports it to keep older Minnesotans from leaving the state. Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka’s response: “If the governor is also open, so that […]
Victims suing Bemidji Area School District after assistant principal sexually exploited students
Two victims and their parents are suing the Bemidji Area School District, alleging administrators did not take adequate steps to protect students from an assistant principal who solicited sexually explicit photos from them. 37-year-old Brandon Bjerknes is serving a 25-year prison sentence. The Star Tribune reports the plaintiffs allege that in 2016 a parent complained […]
Masked robber punches victim on U-of-M East Bank campus
Police at the U-of-M’s Minneapolis campus are looking for a masked robber who punched a victim outside a residence hall, stole their wallet and fled on foot. It happened just after 10 this morning (Thurs) outside Territorial Hall on the East Bank campus. Officials sent out a campus-wide safety alert.
Police seek help locating missing Bemidji woman
The Bemidji Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing woman. 29-year-old Katrina Gulbranson was reported missing by her family on Tuesday and has not been in contact with them since January 8th. Investigators say prior to being reported missing, Gulbranson had been in sporadic contact with detectives and family members […]
Minnesota attorney general says state’s consumer protection laws need updating
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison contends the state’s consumer protection laws must be updated in the wake of lawsuit settlements with two major telecommunications providers, Comcast and CenturyLink. Ellison says Minnesotans have lived for 40 to 50 years under the ideology that business is self-regulating, but “it’s not. We’ve got to make sure that there […]
Walz gives thumbs-up to federal court blocking Trump refugee resettlement order
Governor Tim Walz says he welcomes a federal court blocking President Trump’s executive order which requires counties to vote on whether they’ll accept refugees. “I know that there will be further appeals to that, but at this point in time we’re back to something that’s worked in this country basically since our beginning,” Walz says. […]
Walz rollout of final bonding numbers sets up debate for 2020 session
Governor Tim Walz has released final details of his bonding request for state public works projects, arguing the state is in sound fiscal shape to leverage surplus dollars for much-needed and long-deferred investments. “This is the most local projects that have ever been submitted by a governor’s proposal,” Walz says. “We need to start tackling […]