>>GOP Senate Leader Calls on DFL to Let Voters Replace Senator Mitchell
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota Senate G-O-P Minority Leader Mark Johnson calls on Democrats to let voters pick a new senator after an additional felony charge was filed against Senator Nicole Mitchell. Becker County prosecutors added a charge of possession of burglary or theft tools against the Woodbury Democrat on Monday. Court records show Mitchell had a crowbar and flashlight when she allegedly broke into her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes home last April. Johnson says, “The circus surrounding the Senate needs to stop.” A judge delayed Mitchell’s burglary trial until after the legislative session.
>>Minnesota Senate Considers Ban on Cell Phones in Schools
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Senate is considering a bipartisan bill banning cell phones in schools. Lake Park Audubon Superintendent Tim Godfrey testified at a hearing Monday about his district’s new policy where students turn in their phones before class. Godfrey told senators, “The impact has been remarkable. Student engagement and learning have soared. Perhaps the most telling, our lunchroom, once quiet with students absorbed in their screens, is now filled with conversation, laughter, and real human connection.” Godfrey admits that what works for his district may not work in other parts of the state or in larger school districts.
>>Feeding Our Future Trial Underway In Minneapolis
(Minneapolis, MN) — The jury trial of the founders of the defunct nonprofit Feeding Our Future is underway in the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis. Salim Said and Aimee Bock, among others, are accused of defrauding the federal government of more than 250 million dollars in pandemic relief funds. The two claimed to feed six thousand children daily in the summer of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Bock is accused of being the ringleader of what prosecutors call the “largest pandemic relief fraud case in the country.”
>>Judge Temporarily Blocks Funding Cuts to NIH after Ellison, 21 AGs Sue Trump Administration
(St. Paul, MN) — A federal judge temporarily blocks the Trump administration’s cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) medical research grants. Minnesota A-G Keith Ellison and 21 other state attorneys general filed a lawsuit to stop the funding change for universities and institutions that do medical and public health research. Ellison said in a statement, “Abruptly and arbitrarily slashing funding for the N-I-H isn’t only dangerous and cruel, it’s against the law.” The N-I-H awarded 65 million dollars to five Minnesota institutions in fiscal year 2025, including 37 million to the University of Minnesota and 29 million to the Mayo Clinic. Senator Amy Klobuchar says N-I-H research supports nearly eight thousand jobs in our state and 1.7 billion dollars in economic activity.
>>DNA Evidence Leads To Charges Against St. Louis Park Man In Deadly Shooting
(Minneapolis, MN) –DNA evidence has aided authorities in solving a deadly drive-by shooting that occurred in Minneapolis in 2023. Montrell Scott of St. Louis Park has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Laterryon O’Mar Moore. Reports indicate that DNA in a vehicle driven by Scott matched his own DNA. He is being held on a one million dollar bail and is expected to appear in court on March 4th.
>>Def Leppard Playing the 2025 Minnesota State Fair
(Falcon Heights, MN) — Def Leppard will be playing at the Minnesota State Fair for the sixth time this year. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are headlining the Grandstand Concert Series on Tuesday, August 26th. Def Leppard performed at Target Field with Journey and the Steve Miller Band last summer. They last played the Great Minnesota Get-Together in 2015. Tickets for this year’s State Fair concert go on sale Friday at 10 am through E-TIX. Ticket prices for Def Leppard start at 77 dollars.
>>DNR Asks Minnesotans to Support Wildlife When Filing Taxes
(St. Paul, MN) — Are you seeking last-minute tax deductions before the April 15th filing deadline? The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds Minnesotans about the Nongame Wildlife Fund Tax Checkoff program. If you’re an animal lover or looking for deductions, you can donate to this fund using the M1 form when filing your income tax or the M1PR Homestead Credit Refund. Thanks to matching funds from the Reinvest in Minnesota critical habitat license plates, your donations will be tripled. The Nongame Wildlife Fund supports various initiatives, including field research, habitat enhancement projects, educational programs, and popular wildlife cameras like the DNR EagleCam and FalconCam. To learn more, please visit the Nongame Wildlife Fund webpage on the DNR’s website.
