>>Minnesota Judge Orders Acting ICE Director to Appear in Court Friday
(Minneapolis, MN) — A federal judge in Minnesota has taken the rare step of ordering Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s acting director, Todd Lyons, to appear in court Friday afternoon. Chief U-S District Judge Patrick Schiltz issued the directive on Monday, demanding that Lyons explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt for failing to follow multiple court rulings related to immigration detainees. According to recent filings, federal authorities have repeatedly kept individuals in custody despite explicit judicial orders requiring their release or timely bond hearings.
>>Multiple Arrests at Border Patrol Protest Outside Maple Grove Hotel
(Maple Grove, MN) — Police in Maple Grove say several people were taken into custody during a protest Monday night outside a local hotel. Demonstrators believed Border Control Commander Greg Bovino and other agents were staying at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott. Officers say the event escalated when people began engaging in unlawful behavior. Objects were thrown at officers and property was damaged. Authorities issued a dispersal order and those who failed to comply were arrested. The Maple Grove P-D said it respects and upholds First Amendments rights of citizens to peacefully protest.
>>St. Cloud City Council Passes ‘Welcoming Community’ Resolution
(St. Cloud, MN) — Hundreds attended the St. Cloud City Council meeting Monday night to hear about resolutions related to immigration enforcement. Councilmember Hudda (HOO’-duh) Ibrahim brought forward a resolution calling for a just and welcoming community which passed on a 6-1 vote. Ibrahim said it,”affirms the city of St. Cloud’s long-term or longstanding commitment ensuring safety, dignity and equal treatment for all residents.” Councilman Mark Johnson offered an amendment adding the line “to all law-abiding residents who are here legally,” but it failed on a 4-3 vote. The council postponed until March discussion of a resolution affirming support for law enforcement and the rule of law.
>>Minnesota-Based Ag Companies Push for ICE Tension to Ease
(Undated) — Several C-E-Os of Minnesota-based agricultural companies are joining other business leaders in calling for tensions to ease across the state. Cargill, C-H-S, Hormel, and Land O’Lakes are among the companies that signed a letter released by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. It comes amid ongoing unrest surrounding the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. In the letter, members of Minnesota’s business community say they’ve been working behind the scenes with public officials to identify practical, long-term solutions. They’re urging state, local, and federal leaders to collaborate on a path forward, one that allows families, businesses, employees, and communities across Minnesota to return to work and move toward a stable and prosperous future.
>>Fatal Rochester Shooting Suspect ID’d
(Rochester, MN) — Police in Rochester are identifying the suspect in the fatal shooting Saturday night as 35-year-old Michael Milbrandt of Rochester. He faces multiple felony charges in the shooting death of one person. Police say they found the victim lying on the ground with gunshot wounds, and he later died in the hospital. Authorities were then called to the report of a man breaking into a home with a gun a few minutes after. Investigators say the alleged burglar was identified as the suspect in the shooting. Milbrandt and the victim knew each other.
>>St. Cloud Man Charged with Child Pornography After Long Investigation
(St. Cloud, MN) — A three-year investigation has led to ten felony child pornography charges against a St. Cloud man. Stearns County court documents say St. Cloud police received a cyber tip from Microsoft in 2022 indicating illegal images were uploaded from a home, and additional tips were reported in 2023 and 2024. Investigators executed a search warrant in November 2024 and seized several electronic devices belonging to 74-year-old Joseph Scott Smith. The F-B-I later provided a copy of Smith’s hard drive to local investigators. Smith is scheduled to appear in court March 18th.
>>Rochester Police Search for Missing Woman
(Rochester, MN) — Rochester police are searching for a missing woman who may be heading to Virginia. Twenty-eight-year-old Feroza Sherzai was last seen Saturday, January 17th, around 4:27 p.m. She’s described as white, five feet two inches tall, 145 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Feroza was wearing a green shirt, a thin black fur coat, black leggings, ankle socks, and shoes and was carrying a black bag or purse and a white teddy bear. She is originally from Virginia.
>>DEED Awards $6 Million in Contamination Clean Up
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced more than $6 million for 13 communities to assess and clean up contaminated sites for redevelopment. These grants will pay up to 75 percent of the costs to clean up the polluted sites that can be redeveloped by public or private companies. DEED says these projects will create 147 new jobs and collectively increase local tax bases by nearly $5.5 million. Project locations include the Twin Cities, Duluth, Austin, and Albert Lea.
>>Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire Announce Concert Tour
(St. Paul, MN) — Legendary singer, songwriter, and producer Lionel Ritchie, along with Earth, Wind and Fire, will kick off their North American tour with a stop in St. Paul. The concert will be Wednesday, June 24th at Grand Casino Arena. This will be the second show for Richie at Grand Casino Arena with the last being in 2023. Earth, Wind and Fire has performed five times in St. Paul. General ticket sales begin this Friday, January 30th.
