>>Statewide DWI Crackdown
(St. Paul, MN) — Nearly 300 law enforcement agencies across Minnesota are teaming up with the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety for a two-week DWI enforcement campaign starting today. Officers will work overtime shifts to target impaired drivers and raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence. The goal is to prevent crashes before they happen. So far this year, more than 16,000 people have been arrested for DWI in Minnesota, and 65 lives have been lost in alcohol-related crashes.
>>Woman Dies in Fire at St. Paul Senior Living Facility
(St. Paul, MN) — A woman is dead after a fire broke out early this morning at a senior assisted living complex in St. Paul. Fire crews responded around 3:45 a.m. to reports of smoke in a first-floor hallway. They quickly extinguished the fire and found the woman deceased inside the affected unit. The fire was contained to one apartment. Residents were evacuated but have since returned. If confirmed, this would be St. Paul’s fifth fire fatality of 2025—well above the city’s average of two to three per year.
>>Champlin First Responders Honored at Guns and Hoses Golf Tournament
(Champlin, MN) — First responders from Champlin are being recognized today at the Guns and Hoses charity golf tournament in Ham Lake. The event honors the police and paramedics who helped save Senator John Hoffman and his wife on June 14th. Lino Lakes Public Safety Chaplain Wes Pederson says the recognition is well deserved. “The Champlin Police Department is a great example. They responded very, very quickly. And part of what we want to do at this event is honor them, but also provide resources to the Front Line Foundation.” Hoffman’s daughter, Hope, is attending the ceremony. Proceeds from the sold-out tournament go to the Front Line Foundation, which supports first responders with training and resources.
>>AG Ellison Sues Landlords for Defrauding State of $259K
(St. Paul, MN) — Attorney General Keith Ellison is suing a landlord and property management company for defrauding the state and tenants of over two hundred fifty-nine thousand dollars. The suit claims Monarch Investment and Management Group, LLC, and seventeen of its affiliated companies in the state submitted false claims to the Rent-Help-M-N program between 2021 and 2022. Rent-HelpM-N was created to help prevent evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic by paying rent and utility fees for those struggling financially. Ellison says Monarch stole the money, charged Minnesota tenants numerous illegal fees, and still sought to evict forty-four residents when they had already paid rent.
>>Minnesota-Based Relief Group Mobilizing Aid for Drought-Stricken Somalia
(Columbia Heights, MN) — The American Relief Agency for the Horn of Africa (ARAHA), based in Columbia Heights, is launching urgent support efforts in Somalia, where drought conditions are impacting nearly 2.5 million people. ARAHA Program Director Anab Omar says communities in northern and central Somalia are facing severe food insecurity, dried-up wells, and loss of livestock. “There is escalating food insecurity, the loss of livestock… major disruption to farming and livelihood. Which is, to many families, not having the basic needs.” ARAHA has teams on the ground assessing needs, but says more help is needed. Minnesotans can donate online to help send food and water.
>>Orwell Dam Drawdown Begins for Repairs
(St. Paul, MN) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin lowering the Orwell Dam reservoir near Fergus Falls by 14 feet starting today.(Fri) The drawdown will take about 30 days to prepare for mid-September repairs and inspections. The pool is expected to refill in 3–4 weeks after work wraps up around Sept. 19, weather permitting. The 72-year-old dam was constructed in 1953.
>>Latin Kings Gang Member Sentenced for Illegal Firearm
(Minneapolis, MN) — A Latin Kings gang member faces four years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Twenty-three-year-old Jorge Olivares, a.k.a. “Stomper,” is a convicted violent felon. In December 2023, Minneapolis police responded to a suspicious vehicle report. Olivares was found asleep at the wheel with a loaded semiautomatic pistol. Six grams of cocaine were also found in the car.
>>CPD Search for Long-time Endangered, Missing Man
(Columbia Heights, MN) — Columbia Heights police are searching for an endangered missing man. Thirty-eight-year-old Antonio Robinson was reported missing by his mother on Thursday. She said she nor his relatives had heard from or seen him for one to two years. Police have checked numerous databases and have been unable to find any contacts during the last several years. Robinson is described as Black, six feet six inches tall, two hundred sixty pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
>>MN Vikings’ Cheerleaders Captain Sees Major Backlash
(Undated) — The Minnesota Vikings’ Cheerleaders captain for the 2025-’26 season is causing a shake-up on social media. Blaize Shiek first performed in-game last Saturday during a preseason match against the Houston Texans, but has seen serious backlash online due to being male. The Vikings state that, “In 2025, about one-third of N-F-L teams have male cheerleaders,” and that Shiek “has an impressive background and went through the same rigorous audition process.” Despite this, the Fargo South High School graduate has seen some support online as well, especially from his hometown.
