>>Bill to Keep ICE Agents Out of Schools Fails in Minnesota House Committee
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota House Education Policy Committee failed in its first attempt to pass a bill to keep ICE out of schools. It would have required agents to get a judicial warrant first. Republican Peggy Bennett of Albert Lea voted against it, saying state and local governments need better cooperation to get ICE out of Minnesota. D-F-L Senate Education Chair Mary Kunesh of New Brighton said, “I think there will be a lot of obstruction when it comes to holding our federal government accountable making it clear that the expectation is that they will follow the law.” She has a similar bill ready for Senate consideration.
>>Minneapolis Police Investigating Fire Set at Renee Good Memorial Site
(Minneapolis, MN) — Police are investigating a fire at the Renee Good memorial site in south Minneapolis. Officers say someone poured gasoline on a pile of wood Tuesday night and the fire damaged a fence and several items at the makeshift memorial. Neighbors put out the flames. Councilman Jason Chavez called the act “despicable.” Good was fatally shot in her vehicle by an ICE agent on January 7th.
>>Ex-Minnesota Corrections Officer Arrested for Immigration Fraud
(St. Paul, MN) — A former Minnesota Department of Corrections officer is under arrest for alleged immigration fraud and false claims of U-S citizenship. Officials say Morris Brown was last employed by the state in October. The D-O-C said in a statement, “The allegations outlined by federal authorities describe a pattern of deception spanning multiple years and multiple federal agencies, including false claims of citizenship and misrepresentations in immigration filings.” The U-S Department of Holmeland Security said Brown entered the U-S in 2014 on a noncitizen visa and is now facing deportation.
>>Man Found Naked in State Capitol Found Incompetent to Stand Trial
(St. Paul, MN) — New court records show the man found naked in the State Capitol last summer is incompetent to stand trial. The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office says it intends to continue prosecuting Dominic Pearce once he has restored to competency. Pearce is charged with one count of second-degree burglary of a government building. A judge ordered Peace be referred for civil commitment. The Minnesota State Patrol said Pearce was removed from the State Capitol three times in July. Security staff said they found him naked and nonviolent in the Senate chamber.
>>Legacy Amendment Funds Millions in Large Grants to History Organizations Across Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Historical Society announces 38 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Large Grants, each $20,000 or more, have been awarded this year, totaling nearly 4.7 million dollars across 21 counties. Large grants are awarded annually to support nonprofits, educational institutions, government agencies, and federally recognized Tribes in preserving and sharing Minnesota’s history. A full list of grant awardees can be found on the Minnesota Historical Society’s website.
>>Messy Morning Commute in Minnesota
(Undated) – Minnesota drivers are digging out after a messy morning commute following a powerful winter storm. Plows have been working to clear heavy snow and slick roads, as authorities report hundreds of crashes and spinouts across the state. Most of the Twin Cities metro picked up four to five inches, but northern Minnesota saw dramatically higher totals. Parts of the North Shore topped 20 inches, and one community reported an astonishing 38 inches of snow. Temperatures are now dropping behind the storm.
>>Richmond Woman Dies in Northern Minnesota Crash
(Pillager, MN) — A Richmond woman is the victim of a deadly crash Tuesday night in Cass County. The Minnesota State Patrol says an eastbound S-U-V driven by 40-year-old Travis Grossman of Pillager was turning left when it struck a westbound vehicle in the intersection. A passenger in that vehicle, 19-year-old Taylor Wahnschaffe of Richmond, was killed. The driver, 21-year-old Jonah Oleary of Browerville, was taken to a Brainerd hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Grossman and his two passengers weren’t hurt.
>>Team USA Women’s Hockey vs. Canada in Olympic Gold Medal Game
(Milan, IT) — The U-S women’s hockey team is playing rival Canada today (Thurs 12:10 pm) for the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Italy. The Americans routed the Canadians 5-0 in the preliminary round. Team U-S-A is seeking its first gold medal since 2018 in South Korea. The U-S settled for silver in Beijing four years ago with a 3-2 loss to Canada in the final. Team U-S-A features several Minnesota players including Taylor Heise (HY-zee), Grace Zumwinkle, Lee Stecklein, Kelly Pannek, and Rory Guilday; Gopher forward Abbey Murphy; and Kendall Coyle Schofield (SKO’-field) and Britta Curl of the Frost.
>>Girl’s State High School Hockey 2-A Quarterfinals in St. Paul
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota State High School Girl’s Hockey Tournament continues today (Thurs) in St. Paul with the class 2-A quarterfinals. Defending champion Hill-Murray is taking on Lakeville North in the first game, and Edina and Bemidji face off at 1 pm at Grand Casino Arena. The evening session features Centennial/Spring Lake Park against Farmington at 6 o’clock, and Holy Family Catholic skates against Andover in the late game. The semifinals in Class A and 2-A will be played on Friday.
