>>Grand Marais Man Competent to Stand Trial for Second-Degree Murder
(Grand Marais, MN) — A Cook County judge says a Grand Marais man is competent to stand trial for the March 2023 death of a man previously convicted of sexual assault. Levi Axtell was charged with second-degree murder after admitting to killing 77-year-old Lawrence Scully with a shovel and moose antler. He alleged that Scully was stalking his daughter outside her daycare, but authorities said an investigation didn’t reveal anything. Scully served a three-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting a six-year-old in Kanabec County in 1979. Axtell had been found incompetent for trial due to mental illness.
>>Pilot Flying to Brainerd Injured in Western Wisconsin Crash
(Amery, WI) – A pilot is in stable condition at Regions Hospital following a weekend plane crash near Amery, Wisconsin. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office reports the single engine fixed-wing plane was traveling to Brainerd Saturday when it experienced engine failure and crash landed in a field. The pilot was airlifted to St. Paul with non-life threatening internal and facial injuries. Officials say he was flying the plane from Indiana to central Minnesota. The victim’s name hasn’t been released.
>>Kandiyohi County Placed Under EAB Quarantine
(Willmar, MN) — State agriculture officials are expanding emerald ash borer restrictions to all of Kandiyohi County after the invasive insect was discovered in a new area of Willmar. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has issued an emergency quarantine that limits the movement of firewood and ash materials outside the county to help prevent the spread of the tree-killing pest. Emerald ash borer was first found in Minnesota in 2009 and has since damaged millions of ash trees. Officials encourage residents to watch for signs of E-A-B infestation, including increased woodpecker activity and distinctive S-shaped tunnels beneath tree bark.
>>Frey Proclaims June 1st-7th ‘Prince Celebration Week’ in Minneapolis
(Minneapolis, MN) – Mayor Jacob Frey is proclaiming June 1st through 7th as the official “Prince Celebration Week” in Minneapolis. Frey said, “There are few artists as connected to a city as Prince is to Minneapolis.” Fans from across the world are coming to town for to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his death and his 68th birthday Sunday. One of the main events is a Prince Sing-Along Saturday in front of the mural near Target Center.
>>State Fair Announces CeCe Winans is Final Grandstand Concert
(Falcon Heights, MN) – Gospel singer CeCe Winans is the final concert of the 2026 Minnesota State Fair. Winans is bringing her ‘More Than This’ world Tour to the Grandstand on Labor Day, September 7th. She is the best-selling female gospel artist of all time and has won 18 Grammy Awards, 33 Dove Awards, and 19 Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Tickets for CeCe Winans at the State Fair go on sale this Friday.
>>Target Announces ‘Deep Savings’ for Summer, Back to School Shopping
(Minneapolis, MN) – Minnesota-based Target is announcing ‘deep savings’ for summer and back-to-school shopping later this month. The Target Circle Deal Days event June 23rd through 26th features up to 45 percent off thousands of items in apparel, beauty, home, toys, and essentials. The school savings include 40 percent off JanSport backpacks. There will also be one-day only offers. Target Circle members can receive a free Starbucks hot or ice brewed coffee or Bullseye cookie on June 23rd at more than 18 hundred stores.
>>DNR Peregrine Falcon Chick Hatches
(St. Paul, MN) — A new peregrine falcon chick has hatched on the Minnesota D-N-R’s FalconCam. One of five eggs hatched over the weekend, and more chicks could arrive in the coming days. D-N-R officials say three or four chicks typically hatch from a clutch this size. The newly hatched chick is covered in soft white down and will remain under the watchful care of its parents as the nest continues to hatch.
>>Minnesota Lynx Rout Mercury in Phoenix for 5th Straight Win
(Phoenix, AZ) – The Minnesota Lynx improved 7-2 with a 111-77 victory over the Mercury Monday night in Phoenix. Courtney Williams scored 30 points and Olivia Miles had 19 and nine assists in Minnesota’s fifth straight win. Phoenix falls to 2-8. The Lynx open a three-game homestand Thursday night against the 5-3 Golden State Valkyries.
