Vigil Held for Slain Former House Speaker and Husband
(St. Paul, MN) — Hundreds gathered at the State Capitol Wednesday night to honor former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Flowers, handwritten notes, and heartfelt mementos surrounded the candlelight vigil. Mourners included friends, supporters, and colleagues from across the political spectrum. The couple was shot and killed on Saturday. Authorities say the suspected gunman, Vance Boelter, also wounded another lawmaker and that lawmaker’s spouse before being taken into custody on Sunday. Investigators say Boelter had a long list of potential targets.
>>Minnesota Reaction to Tennessee’s Ban on Gender Affirming Care
(St. Paul, MN) — The U.S. Supreme Court is allowing Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender, nonbinary, and two-spirit youth to remain in place. Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke says the ruling puts young lives at risk, cutting off access to critical mental health care and hormone therapy. “It’s agonizing, it’s long, it often takes quite a while to get to a physician where you see your child begin to flourish. And to know that all the work you’ve done to protect your child is taken away from you by the court is devastating.” Finke argues the decision weakens the Equal Protection Clause, which bars governments from denying people equal protection under the law. Finke reassures that the decision does not change any laws in Minnesota, which has been praised as a “trans refuge state.”
>> Minnesota Historical Society Honoring Pride Month
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Historical Society is honoring Pride Month by showcasing LGBTQ+ history and stories from across the state. Spokesperson Lizzie Ehrenhalt says one key project is the Greater Minnesota Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ History Map—a digital storytelling tool that highlights communities and contributions often overlooked. “We don’t want to just show points on a map, we want to explain the history that those points represent.” The interactive map explores five key themes: Indigenous and Two-Spirit history, rural voices, drag and gender variance, celebration, and organizing. Erenhalt says “The creators of the map chose these in part to lift up people and places and topics in Minnesota history that don’t always get as much attention in queer public history.” The project is supported by Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment, approved by voters in 2008, which helps fund arts and cultural heritage initiatives across the state.
>>Death Investigation Underway in Wabasha County
(Wabasha, MN) – Authorities in Wabasha County are investigating the death of a woman following a reported assault late Wednesday afternoon. Deputies responded to a call about a severely injured woman who needed immediate medical attention. Thirty-six-year-old Melissa Hunt later died at St. Elizabeth’s Health Care. Forty-four-year-old Craig Hameister of Rochester, who had a prior relationship with Hunt, was arrested by Olmsted County deputies.
>>Two People Seriously Injured in Construction Zone Crash Near Two Harbors
(Two Harbors, MN) – Two people are fighting for their lives after a crash in a construction zone on Highway 61 Wednesday afternoon. The State Patrol says it happened just before 4 p.m. inside the Lafayette Bluff Tunnel, northeast of Two Harbors. A northbound Sprinter van driven by 34-year-old Patches Magickbeans of Milwaukee entered a closed lane, struck several construction barrels, and then slammed into a scissors lift. Two workers were on the lift at the time, repairing lights in the tunnel. One managed to grab a fixture and avoid serious injury. The other—27-year-old Benjamin Kidd of Duluth—fell to the ground and was seriously hurt. Both Kidd and Magickbeans were airlifted to a Duluth hospital with life-threatening injuries.
>>Morrison County Crash Leaves Motorcyclist in Critical Condition
(Buckman Township, MN) — A man from central Minnesota remains hospitalized in critical condition following a motorcycle crash near Little Falls. The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office says 54-year-old Jeffrey Opatz of Swanville was riding Monday night when he lost control and crashed into the ditch. Opatz was found unresponsive and airlifted to North Memorial Hospital in the Twin Cities. Authorities are still investigating the crash.
