>>Governor Walz Announces Gun Violence Prevention Plan
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz announced his comprehensive gun violence prevention plan this morning at the State Capitol. Joined by state lawmakers and victims of gun violence, the governor’s plan includes a ban on military assault rifles and high-capacity magazines. His plan also includes ensuring accountability among responsible gun owners by requiring safe storage and the reporting of lost or stolen firearms, and closing the ghost gun loophole. D-F-L gun violence prevention bills will be introduced this afternoon during a House Public Safety Committee hearing, which is expected to include testimony from Annunciation School parents and gun manufacturers.
>>AG Ellison Resolves Straw Purchaser Lawsuit Against Fleet Farm
(St. Paul, MN) — Attorney General Keith Ellison says the state has resolved its lawsuit against Fleet Farm for negligently selling firearms to straw purchasers. The consent judgement comes after Fleet Farm tried to dismiss the lawsuit last fall. Fleet Farm has agreed to take multiple steps in Minnesota stores to improve detection and prevention of possible straw buying. The company will also pay a one-million-dollar penalty. Fleet Farm was accused of selling a gun to a straw purchaser that was used in a mass shooting at a St. Paul bar in 2021. Ellison says Minnesota is holding them to account for that callous behavior.
>>Hoyt Lakes Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Assault, Possession of Pornography
(Duluth, MN) — A Hoyt Lakes man is pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a child under age 16 and possession of pornographic work of a minor under 14. St. Louis County prosecutors say 60-year-old Robert Hannu will be sentenced to 110 months in prison on April 20th. Hannu’s victim told investigators she had sexual encounters with him at least six times and came forward years after the abuse. Authorities executed a search in December of 2024 and discovered Hannu was having social media chats someone who volunteered to send pictures from when they were 13-years old. Police also found content on his phone from other juvenile victims.
>>Snowmobiler From Minnesota Killed in Idaho Avalanche
(Island Park,ID) — Authorities say a Minnesota man was killed when a small avalanche swept through the Centennial Mountains near Island Park in Idaho on Sunday. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim as 21-year-old Landon Fox of Amboy, in southern Minnesota. He was riding with three others when the slide came down. Deputies say all four riders were caught in the avalanche, but the other three managed to escape with only minor injuries.
>>59th Annual Central Minnesota Farm Show in St. Cloud
(St. Cloud, MN) — More than three thousand people are expected at the 59th annual Central Minnesota Farm show today and tomorrow (Tues & Wed) in St. Cloud. There are more than 150 vendors and 270 booths this year. Organizers are bringing in area high school students to interact with farm exhibitors. The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce is also offering five one-thousand-dollar scholarships to students interested in careers in agriculture. There are speakers and ten different sessions during the two-day event.
>>Top Vote-Getters Named in MnDOT’s Snowplow Contest
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesotans have spoken and the state’s snowplow fleet is about to get eight new pun-filled names. “Oh, For Sleet’s Sake” and “Flurrious George” led the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s annual Name a Snowplow contest and will join six other winning names on plows across the state. Nearly 19,000 voters cast ballots to choose the winners. This is the sixth year that MnDOT has hosted the Name a Snowplow contest.
The top eight names and their assigned MnDOT districts are:
Oh, For Sleet’s Sake – District 3 (Central Minnesota)
Flurrious George – District 6 (Southeast Minnesota)
Sled Zeppelin – District 2 (Northwest Minnesota)
K Pop Blizzard Hunter – District 8 (Southwest Minnesota)
Minne-Snow-ta – District 1 (Northeast Minnesota)
Every Day I’m Shovelin’ – District 7 (South Central Minnesota)
O Brother, Where Art Plow? – District 4 (West Central Minnesota)
The Life of a Snowgirl – Metro (Twin Cities)
>>US Men’s Hockey Won Gold 46 Years Ago in Lake Placid
(Lake Placid, NY) — Today marks the 46th anniversary of the 1980 U-S Olympic men’s hockey team beating Finland to win the gold medal. Team U-S-A scored three third-period goals in a 4-2 comeback victory in Lake Placid, New York. They won the gold medal two days after the ‘Miracle on Ice’ semifinal victory over the Soviet Union. That U-S team had 12 Minnesota college players and was coached by the U of M’s Herb Brooks.
>>Olympic Curlers Cory and Korey Welcomed Home at Duluth Airport
(Duluth, MN) — U-S Olympic curlers Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin received a hero’s welcome Monday night at Duluth International Airport. Cory and Korey won the silver medal in mixed doubles at the Winter Games in Italy. Thiesse told reporters it was an incredible month over there, and to be able to represent our country. Dropkin said they wouldn’t be here without the community around them. They made history as the first U-S curlers to medal in mixed doubles and Thiesse is the first American woman to medal in curling.
