>>McLeod County Board Opposes North S.T.A.R Act
(Hutchinson, MN) — McLeod County Board of Commissioners Saturday unanimously passed a resolution opposing the North S.T.A.R. Act, which is proposed state legislation aimed at protecting immigrant rights by halting collaboration between local police and federal immigration. Over 130 members of the public were in attendance for the special meeting and the unanimous vote opposing such legislation resulted in a standing ovation from the audience. The proposed bill would also give Minnesota ‘sanctuary state’ status. Minnesota’s legislative session begins at noon today. There are currently 11 such states in the U-S.
>>MN Lawmakers to Debate on End-of-Life Options
(St. Paul, MN) – State lawmakers begin the 2024 legislative session at noon today, and one issue that could come up early on is what backers call end-of-life options. House Republican Minority Leader Lisa Demuth says Democrats’ pre-session hearing and committee vote makes it their “Top issue as we go back into session….We do not support physician-assisted suicide. What we do support is compassion and dignity.” Incoming Senate Democratic Majority Leader Erin Murphy says, as a registered nurse, she appreciates why people want to have control at the end of life — but Murphy is noncommital about whether it will pass this session, saying “We’ll see if there is time on the agenda” as it “may take more time than one session.” House Democratic Majority Leader Jamie Long says he doesn’t know if an end-of-life options bill has the votes to pass.
>>MN Political Analyst Believes Trump vs. Biden Presidential Matchup Not Inevitable
(Undated) — A top Minnesotan political analyst believes a rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden is not inevitable. Fluence Media’s Blois Olson says he thinks there’s a one in three chance that both Trump and Biden will be on the November ballot, and after last week’s special council report, he’s even more confident that Biden might not be the Democrat’s nominee. Olson says, “My timeline is like May. Democrats will kind of gather, the leadership, probably the executive council, and they’re gonna say ‘Look, our ultimate goal is to make sure that Donald Trump is not president. What can we do if Joe Biden is vulnerable?'” Several people close to Biden have been speaking on his behalf over the weekend to counteract the narrative that his memory is failing.
>>Duluth Police Investigate Armed Robbery
(Duluth, MN) — Duluth Police are investigating an armed robbery. The suspect fled the area before police arrived Sunday around 7 p.m. An undisclosed amount of money was taken, and no injuries were reported during the robbery. Police say the investigation is ongoing but have not provided further details at this time.
>>Sexual Assault Charges Dropped Against State Sex Offender Program Psychologist
(Carlton, MN) — Prosecutors have dismissed sexual assault charges against a Minnesota Sex Offender Program psychologist following the death of a key witness. Last week, Carlton County Court dropped two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct against 41-year-old Michelle Brownfield of Duluth. Brownfield was accused of having a sexual relationship with two clients enrolled in the state sex offender program in Moose Lake. The charges stemmed from allegations dating back to 2016 and 2017, with Brownfield originally charged in April 2021.
>>Osseo Preparing for 2025 Marijuana Rules, Regulations
(Osseo, MN) — City officials in Osseo say they want to be ready when the state finalizes the regulations and license application process for cannabis dispensaries. City Administrator Riley Grams says Osseo is “quite far along” in discussions about a municipal cannabis business, noting many other cities “Are also very interested in it, maybe they’re not just quite at the point of having those public dialogues quite yet, but we are. We want to be as transparent with our residents and business owners so they know what’s going on.” Grams says they’d like to keep the money people are going to spend on marijuana in the community instead of going to large private companies.
>>Red Wing Company Made Usher’s Super Bowl Skates
(Red Wing, MN) — A Red Wing-based company is behind the rollerskates worn by Usher during last night’s Super Bowl halftime show. Riedell Roller shared a photo on Instagram, captioned “We did that.” The skates, known as Flipper’s World Quadz, are priced at $1,450, with a cheaper option in the line available for $500.
