>>Body Pulled Out of Mississippi River in St. Paul
(St. Paul, MN) — St. Paul police are investigating after pulling a body from the Mississippi River on Sunday. Officers responded to a report of a body in the water at Harriet Island around 10 a.m. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office helped pull the body out. No other information is available.
>>Metro Transit Police Investigate Fatal Light Rail Train vs Bicycle Crash
(Minneapolis, MN) — A deadly light rail train crash is under investigation in south Minneapolis. Metro Transit police say a bicyclist was hit by a train Sunday night at Hiawatha Avenue and 42nd Street. Officers say the victim was treated by first responders but died at the scene. The bicyclist’s name hasn’t been released. No other injuries were reported.
>>Motorcycle Crash Near Fertile
(Fertile, MN) — A motorcyclist was injured in a crash on State Highway 32 South of Fertile, in northwestern Minnesota, Friday night. The State Patrol says the cyclist was northbound on the highway when a horse & buggy going southbound crossed the center line and caused the motorcycle to swerve and tip over. The cycle driver, 52-year-old Mark Johnson, of Mentor, was transported to the Crookston hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the buggy was not injured.
>>Two People Arrested in Fatal Overdose Death
(Foley, MN) — Two people charged in a fatal drug overdose case were arrested Thursday after a Benton County judge issued arrest warrants for the couple. The suspects, 38-year-old Crystal Swenson and 33-year-old Fox Bellanger, are accused of selling cocaine laced with fentanyl to Swenson’s 16-year-old son. A third suspect in the case, 48-year-old Anthony Costello, has pleaded guilty to one count of 2nd-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. Swenson and Bellanger were scheduled to appear in court on May 29th, but both failed to appear. Swenson pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge in April and failed to appear for her sentencing. She will be sentenced on June 27th. Bellanger was set for a pre-trial hearing. He has a settlement conference on July 23rd.
>>Special Session Underway at State Capitol
(St. Paul, MN) — The special session is underway as both the House and Senate members were called to the floor shortly after 10 a.m. The two chambers have 14 bills to vote on, which would lead to a new state budget for the next two years. The House started with the controversial standalone bill that would eliminate Minnesota Care health insurance for undocumented adults. The governor and legislative leaders have set a 7 a.m. Tuesday deadline to pass the budget.
>>No Victims Located in Reports of Shooting, Yells for Help in Cannon Falls
(Cannon Falls, MN) — Reports of a person yelling for help and gunshots drew a large law enforcement response to the Cannon Valley Bike Trail Sunday evening, but there was no evidence of a shooting. The Cannon Falls PD was urging the public to stay away from the area, and authorities searched from the ground and by helicopter and drone. Investigators say they did not locate any victims during the search. The initial report indicated a person was calling for help and possibly unresponsive on the bike trail.
>>At Least 2 Fires Seen in Minneapolis Over the Weekend
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minneapolis Fire Department responded to at least two fires this weekend, one on Sunday and one early this morning. On Sunday, crews responded to a fire at a 2 1/2-story home around 5:52 p.m. All residents were out of the home at the time, but two cats are still unaccounted for. The home was deemed uninhabitable and will be boarded up. The Red Cross will help the six displaced residents. A firefighter was evaluated for exhaustion at a hospital and released. No other injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Around 12:40 this morning, fire crews responded to a smoke and water flow alarm in a five-story commercial storage building owned by Public Storage. On arrival, smoke was seen on the fourth floor. Firefighters forced entry into three storage units, all actively on fire, and extra personnel were called in. Searches of all floors were clear, and no one was injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
>>Prince “Godfather” Pepé Willie Dies
(Undated) — Pepé Willie, the man credited mainly with jump-starting Prince’s career, has passed away. He relocated from New York to Minneapolis in the 1970s and became a significant influence in the Twin Cities’ music scene. In an interview last week with the Minnesota Star Tribune, former Prince drummer Bobby Z referred to Pepé as a “godfather,” stating, “The Prince story would not have happened the way it did” without him. Both Prince and Bobby Z were members of Pepé’s band, 94 East, before Prince achieved stardom. Pepé died on May 31st after a battle with cancer. He was 76 years old.
