>>Deputies Investigate Anoke County Inmate Death
(Anoka County, MN) — Deputies are investigating the death of an Anoka County Jail inmate. Around 12:30 a.m. Monday, an inmate collapsed. Life-saving measures were taken, but the man died at the scene. No other information is available.
>>Washington County Authorities Make 5 Arrests for Attempting to Solicit Minors
(Stillwater, MN) — Washington County authorities say five people are jailed on felony charges for attempting to solicit minors in Newport. Officers from the East Metro Human Trafficking Force, Cottage Grove, and Forest Lake conducted a sting operation last Thursday. Investigators say the suspects chatted on social media with undercover officers posing as minors and were arrested as they arrived at the meeting place. Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry said, “We are dedicated, along with our local law enforcement partners, to combating sex and human trafficking within our communities.” Fourteen people were arrested in a sex trafficking sting in Bloomington last week, including ex-state Senator Justin Eichorn.
>>U of M Physicians File To Unionize With Largest Union In U.S.
(Minneapolis, MN) — University of Minnesota physicians have filed to unionize with the largest doctor’s union in the U.S. Approximately 1,000 resident physicians and fellows cited “unsustainable working conditions” and high stress as reasons for the move, which could lead to burnout and impact their decision to stay in Minnesota post-training. A UMN representative acknowledged the unionization process and expressed commitment to labor relations. If successful, this would be the first union for resident physicians and fellows in the state.
>>Federal Judge Blocks Release of Ex-Senator Eichorn to Halfway House
(St. Paul, MN) — Former Senator Justin Eichorn of Grand Rapids will not be released today from federal custody to a halfway house. A judge blocked his release following a motion from prosecutors with new information in the case. The conditions of Eichorn’s release will be discussed at a pretrial hearing on Wednesday. The motion accused Eichorn of lying about possessing a handgun and arranging for a woman to remove a laptop from his St. Paul apartment. Eichorn resigned from the Minnesota Senate after being arrested for soliciting a minor in Bloomington. Court records show his wife filed for divorce Monday in Itasca County.
>>Man Sentenced in Machete Attack
(Rochester, MN) — A man from Rochester has been charged in connection with a machete attack that occurred on St. Patrick’s Day at a parking ramp in Rochester. When officers arrived at the scene, they found the victim bleeding heavily from his forehead, with a T-shirt wrapped around the wound. The victim informed the police that he did not recognize the man who attacked him. According to court filings, a surveillance camera captured the attack, allowing investigators to identify the alleged assailant as 38-year-old Anthony Nolan White. Court records reveal that the suspect had been charged earlier this year in a different assault involving a machete.
>>Fergus Falls Man Charged in Domestic Shooting Incident
(Fergus Falls, MN) — A Fergus Falls man is facing felony charges in connection with a domestic shooting incident last Friday. Otter Tail County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report that 33-year-old Donavan Bolden was allegedly firing a handgun outside a home and had made threats to use the firearm. A SWAT team was called in and apprehended Bolden without incident. He’s charged with felony threats of violence, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and gross misdemeanor domestic assault.
>>State Legislators Push for Added Protections Against Bird Flu
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota lawmakers are calling for added safeguards to address bird flu in response to milk from a Stearns County dairy herd testing positive for H5N1. Representative Rick Hansen of South St. Paul says they should include continued testing of retail milk, voluntary testing for poultry and dairy workers, and monitoring of the wastewater supply for the virus. Hansen says Minnesotans deserve additional proactive steps to protect workers and assure trust in our food supply. Hansen co-chairs the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee.
>>Minnesota Man Wins Bassmaster Classic
(Undated) — A man from Minnesota won a prestigious bass fishing tournament over the weekend. 23-year-old Easton Fothergill from Grand Rapids claimed victory at the Bassmaster Classic in Texas, earning the Ray Scott Trophy with the largest winning weight in the tournament’s 55-year history. Over three days, Fothergill caught 15 bass that weighed a combined total of over 76 pounds. His prize totaled more than $300,000.
