>>Minnesota College Student Person of Interest in Missing Woman Case
(Leesburg, Va) — A Minnesota college student is a person of interest in the case of a college student who disappeared in the Dominican Republic. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia says that St. Cloud State University (SCSU) student Joshua Riibe has been identified as potentially the last person to have seen Sudiksha Konanki. Konanki is a Loudoun County resident and student at the University of Pittsburgh. Authorities say Konanki was vacationing with five friends and was last seen on the morning of March 6. Chad Quinn with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office says it is not a criminal investigation and that Riibe is not a suspect. Quinn says Riibe was not part of the group vacationing in the Dominican Republic with Konanki, either. Quinn stresses that Riibe may have been the last person to see Konanki, so they want to talk to him. St. Cloud State University has confirmed that Riibe is a senior and has been enrolled there since 2023. Quinn says the Dominican National Police, with assistance from the FBI, have interviewed several people in the case, which is ongoing.
>>Minnesota Posts Large Gains in Jobs, Labor Force in January
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota employers added 9,600 jobs in January, the largest monthly gain since March 2024. This growth was three times faster than the nation as a whole. Minnesota’s labor force participation rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 68.1% compared to 62.2% nationally. Minnesota’s unemployment rate is 3%, which is comparable to the national jobless rate of 4%. Minnesota has added jobs for six straight months and nine months out of the last 12. Eight of the 11 supersectors gained jobs in January, led by strong months for Education & Health Services (up 4,300 jobs), Professional & Business Services (1,900 jobs), and Construction (1,200 jobs).
>>Minnesota DNR Sets Open Water Fishing Regulations for Walleye on Mille Lacs Lake
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe have set the open-water bag limits for walleye on Mille Lacs Lake. The DNR says the daily bag limit will be two walleye, both of which must be over 17 inches and only one of which can be over 20 inches. The total harvest for state anglers is 113,600 pounds, and for the tribe, 88,000 pounds. If the allotted state harvest exceeds that amount, it will be deducted from the state harvest next year. The DNR says the Mille Lacs walleye fishery appears to be healthy, with abundant forage and strong yellow perch and Cisco 2024 year classes. The state also says a drastic cut to harvest numbers more than a decade ago has appeared to pay off. The open water season runs from May 10th through November 30th.
>>Winona Police Launch Death Investigation
(Winona, MN) — Winona Police are investigating a man’s death after he was found unresponsive on the ground Wednesday morning. The 86-year-old man was found along a road at 7:10. Despite life-saving aid, he was pronounced dead. Police say there is no indication of foul play or threat to the public.
>>March, Month of the Worm Moon, Total Lunar Eclipse
(Undated) — March is the month of the “Worm Moon,” and this one comes with a total lunar eclipse. The “Worm Moon” is March’s full moon, and the Farmer’s Almanac cites this due to how earthworms appear as the soil warms up. The moon will also be eclipsed beginning at midnight tonight (THURS), reaching totality at 3 a.m. on Friday.
>>Gophers Part Ways With Basketball Coach Ben Johnson
(Minneapolis, MN) — University of Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle announced early this morning that he was making a change in leadership at the top of the Golden Gopher basketball program. Coyle said in a written statement that he met with head coach Ben Johnson after the team arrived in Minneapolis late last night to inform him of his decision to relieve Johnson of his coaching duties. Coyle says a search for a successor will begin immediately. Johnson’s team lost the Big Ten Tournament opening game to Northwestern yesterday 72-64 in Indianapolis to finish the year 15-17. Johnson’s four-year tenure ended with a career mark of 56-71 overall and 22-57 in the Big Ten. Coyle called the decision a “difficult” one to make and says the expectation is to “compete for championships.”
>>Meeker County Barn Complete Loss After Fire
(Union Grove Township, MN) — A Meeker County barn is a complete loss after a fire Wednesday. Deputies responded to the fire in Union Grove Township around 9:30 p.m. The barn was completely engulfed in flames when authorities arrived. No one was injured. It’s believed an electric heat lamp inside the barn was the cause of the fire.
