>>Minnesota BCA Pushed Out of Investigation into Fatal ICE Shooting
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is no longer part of the investigation into the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an ICE agent. Officials say it was decided Wednesday that the BCA would conduct a joint investigation with the FBI, but later that afternoon, they learned the U.S. Attorney’s Office reversed course and it would now be led solely by the FBI. That meant BCA investigators would not have access to case materials, scene evidence, or investigative interviews. Without that access, the BCA has reluctantly withdrawn from the investigation.
>>Lt. Gov. Flanagan Reacts to Fatal Ice Shooting in Minneapolis
(St. Paul, MN) – Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flannagan is reacting to the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good yesterday in Minneapolis by a federal ICE agent. She says it’s clear to her that Operation Metro Surge “has never been about public safety…it is to stroke fear and chaos.” Flanagan says Good was a mom, “a woman who had stuffed animals right in her vehicle.” The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) announced this morning that the FBI has reversed course and the investigation into the shooting will solely be led by the FBI.
>>Minnesota Health Officials Break from CDC on Vaccines
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) says it will follow immunization schedules from professional medical groups instead of the CDC. This comes after federal officials cut back on recommended childhood vaccines earlier this week. Health Commissioner Dr. Brooke Cunningham says the federal changes don’t reflect the best science. She says medical association guidelines are evidence-based and widely trusted by doctors. MDH plans to update its website and materials to match those recommendations, aiming to give families and providers clear, consistent guidance.
>>Fugitive Charged in New London Woman’s Overdose Death
(Willmar, MN) – A man is facing federal charges in connection with the 2022 overdose death of a Willmar woman. The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office reports that 24-year-old Hudeife Muhamed Mire was arraigned this week in U.S. District Court in New York on a charge of Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution. Mire was originally charged in 2022 after an investigation by the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office and the CEE-VI Drug and Gang Task Force into the overdose death of 19-year-old Samantha Myers at a home near New London. After posting bail on state charges, Mire fled Minnesota and later the country. A multi-agency search involving the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service eventually located him in Kenya last October. He was extradited to the United States with assistance from the Kenyan National Police.
>>Minnesota Farmer and Computer Scientist York Running for U.S. Senate
(Lake Wilson, MN) – Southwest Minnesota farmer and computer scientist Mark York of Lake Wilson is running for U.S. Senate. York is seeking the Republican Party endorsement for the seat of retiring U.S. Senator Tina Smith. York served as a White House fellow at the Pentagon and began his career at Cargill as a commodity trader and data analyst. He’s facing former state GOP Chair David Hann, ex-basketball player Royce White, Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze, and Navy veteran Tom Weiler in the Republican race.
>>Woman Escapes Injury After Snowmobile Breaks Through Ice
(Alexandria, MN) – A woman escaped injury after the snowmobile she was riding broke through thin ice on Lake Ida near Alexandria. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reports the incident occurred around 6:20 Wednesday night in the lake’s southwest bay, between Breezy Point and Lakeview Point. Authorities say 24-year-old Alycia Stotesbery of Alexandria was operating the snowmobile when it went through the ice. She managed to jump clear and was not hurt. A Douglas County drone helped locate the spot where the snowmobile sank, but officials have not marked the area due to hazardous ice conditions. The Sheriff’s Office is reminding the public that, because of variable weather this season, ice remains unsafe in many locations.
>>MnDOT Adds Flashing Warning Signals for Amish Buggies on Highway 44
(Canton, MN) – The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has installed new flashing alert signs along Highway 44 between Mabel and Canton in southeast Minnesota to enhance safety for Amish horse-drawn buggies. The system is designed to increase driver awareness in an area where narrow shoulders and guardrails force buggies onto the roadway. This stretch of Highway 44 runs through Minnesota’s largest Amish community. The new warning system activates when a buggy approaches, alerting motorists to slow down and share the road.
>>Annual MN Organic Conference in St. Cloud Kicks Off
(St. Cloud, MN) – The annual Minnesota Organic Conference starts in St. Cloud today and runs through tomorrow at the River’s Edge Convention Center. Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Cassie Dahl says organic farming is still going strong and that they’ll be covering a variety of related topics over the two days, such as crop insurance, soil health, solar, grazing, parasites, and cover crops. Dahl says there are over 600 farms and more than 200 handlers processing organic products.
