>>Rochester Man Charged in Violent Fall Carjacking
(Rochester, MN) – A Rochester man is facing charges in a violent carjacking that happened last fall in southeast Rochester. Court documents say officers were called to a home on October 7th, where they found a man outside bleeding heavily from the head with his clothes soaked in blood. The victim told police he had just pulled into his driveway when another vehicle arrived behind him, and at least two people approached. One suspect shone a flashlight into the passenger window while another pulled him from the driver’s seat. The man says he tried to roll under a second vehicle in the driveway but was assaulted and robbed of his phone and wallet before the attackers fled in his car. Officers also recovered a handgun magazine with several unfired bullets. Investigators reviewed nearby surveillance footage and identified two suspects. 18-year-old Dakaree R’Moni Johnson was arraigned this week on aiding and abetting first‑degree carjacking. A second suspect, 18-year-old Moses Joseph Ogak, is also in custody but has not yet been charged.
>>Minneapolis Somali Business Owners, Community Members Join Statewide Economic Blackout
(Minneapolis, MN) – No work, no school, no shopping. That’s the cue that many Minnesotans are following today in an economic blackout to protest ICE operations in the state. Waris, a Somali community member and mother of five children, says she was born in America, is a Minnesotan, and has lived here most of her life. She says, “We are here to show we are citizens. You cannot take us outside. We are what we are, and you are what we are.” Locals and business owners spoke out about the essential roles the Somali community plays in Minnesota’s economy outside Karmel Mall earlier this week, and urged residents to protest.
>>Faith Communities Call for Day of Prayer
(St. Paul, MN) – Faith leaders across Minnesota are calling for a day of prayer and fasting to coincide with the “ICE Out of Minnesota: A Day of Truth and Freedom” rally in Minneapolis. The rally is calling on Minnesotans to refrain from going to work, school, and shopping as a show of unity against ICE operations in the state. Churches across the state are opening their doors for a collective pause, reflection, and discussion of how these operations are impacting communities. Faith leaders are calling on other communities across the country to join them.
>>BP Commander Bovino Highlights ICE Arrests
(Minneapolis, MN) – The head of border enforcement is imploring the media to report on all of the dangerous criminals he says his agents are capturing in Minnesota. In Minneapolis, U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino took reporters to task for stories claiming a five-year-old boy was arrested by ICE while coming home from pre-school. Bovino disputed that, claiming the boy was actually “abandoned” by his father during an immigration enforcement operation. Bovino says his father, an illegal alien from Ecuador, was the target. Anti-ICE tensions remain high in the state ever since the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE agent on January 7th. Meanwhile, the lawyer for the five-year-old’s father, Attorney Marc Prokosch, says the father is not an “illegal alien” and has been following the law in seeking asylum.
>>Flu Hospitalizations and Deaths Continue to Rise in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) – The flu season doesn’t appear to have peaked yet in Minnesota. The latest numbers from the state Department of Health show a total of nearly 39-hundred hospitalizations and 105 deaths. No children have died of influenza this season. There have been 207 flu outbreaks in schools and 78 in long-term care facilities. The most common strain in Minnesota is influenza A H3N2, which health officials say is not a perfect match for the current flu vaccine.
>>North Dakota Senate Votes Down Free School Meals Bill
(Bismarck, ND) – There won’t be free lunch or breakfast for students in North Dakota next year. The North Dakota Senate voted down legislation this morning that would have provided universal school meals. Members of a group named “Together for School Meals” say they will continue to collect petition signatures to place the question on the statewide ballot in November. Governor Tim Walz signed Minnesota’s Free School Meals bill into law in March 2023.
>>Nisswa City Council Passes Vote of No Confidence in Mayor Jennifer Carnahan
(Nisswa, MN) – The Nisswa City Council has approved a vote of no confidence in Mayor Jennifer Carnahan, removing her from committee assignments and formally censuring her. The vote is largely symbolic and carries little legal authority. Carnahan has faced scrutiny since the holidays after alleging she was physically assaulted by a resident outside a local bar. The accused individual has denied the allegation. In response to the council’s action, Carnahan said the vote reflects personal opposition to her decision not to resign. She added that voters elected her to lower taxes and bring transparency to city government, goals she says she has accomplished.
>>MN Hockey Day to be Held in Hastings Saturday
(Hastings, MN) – Tomorrow is Hockey Day Minnesota in Hastings. The state of hockey is celebrating 20 years of tradition and preparing for an estimated 80,000 fans. Shane Hudella, president and founder of United Heroes League, says, don’t let the cold keep you away, as they have a “massive heated Treasure Island Resort and Casino entertainment tent, live bands, a Cub Foods food and beer garden, and other warm spaces.” A full list of events can be found at hockeydaymn.com.
>>4 Minnesota Wild Games to Air on KSTC and KSTP TV
(St. Paul, MN) – Four Minnesota Wild games are being carried on over-the-air television for the first time in 15 years. The January 29th game against the Flames, April 11th matchup at Nashville, and April 14th game against Anaheim are being broadcast on KSTC 45 TV. The February 27th game at Utah will be aired on KSTP. Minnesota Wild chief revenue officer Mitch Helgerson said, “We’re thrilled to expand our reach and deliver must-watch hockey to more Minnesotans than ever before.” Most games are carried by FanDuel Sports Network.
