>>Motorcyclist Killed in 2-Vehicle Crash Near Champlin-Park High School
(Brooklyn Park, MN) — A motorcyclist is dead after a two-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon in the north metro near Champlin-Park High School. Witnesses told Brooklyn Park police that the rider lost control of the motorcycle, crashed, and then slid into a passenger car. Officers attempted life-saving measures, but the rider died at the scene. The motorcyclist’s name hasn’t been released.
>>Ramsey County Authorities ID Woman Shot and Killed by St. Paul Police
(St. Paul, MN) — Authorities are naming the woman fatally shot by police Monday night in St. Paul. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office says 41-year-old Pepsi Heinl of St. Paul died of multiple gunshot wounds. Officers said they were called to the report of a suicide in progress and speaking with Heinl when she produced a handgun and pointed it at them. Investigators say three officers fired back and Heinl died at the scene. Those officers have been placed on critical incident leave. B-C-A agents recovered a handgun and cartridge casings in the home.
>>Gov. Walz’s Annual Fishing Opener Kicks Off in Lake City
(Lake City, MN) – Governor Tim Walz says he is excited to celebrate fishing in Minnesota this year as he launches the boat tomorrow morning to fish on Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River for the Governor’s Fishing Opener. Walz says The vibe down here in Lake City is palatable, the weather is absolutely perfect, and folks are pretty optimistic about the opener tomorrow!” The commissioner of the Minnesota D-N-R Sarah Strommen adds fishing is more than important to the state, stating, “Fishing is a $4.4 billion industry for the state of Minnesota. If you look at outdoor recreation more broadly it’s an $11 billion industry. It is not a small economic factor for our state.” This is the first time since 1981 that Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River has hosted the Governor’s Fishing Opener.
>>DFL Cheers Supreme Court for Stripping Legal Marijuana Now Party’s ‘Major’ Party Status
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Supreme Court is no longer recognizing the Legal Marijuana Now Party as a major party in the state. A district judge recommended to the state’s high court in March that the L-M-N-P lose its major party status because it does not meet all the statutory requirements. D-F-L Party Chair Ken Martin says in a statement, “If the Legal Marijuana Now Party wants to run candidates for office, they can still get on the ballot using the same process available to other third parties.” The D-F-L and G-O-P are now the only major parties in Minnesota.
>>Half of MN Public Water Systems Tested for PFAs Show Some Level of Chemical
(Undated) – 2023 data just released show about 98 percent of Minnesota’s community water systems met all federal health standards — but officials say measurements for P-FAS chemical contamination are not yet included in that figure. State Drinking Water Administrator Sandeep Burman says about a thousand public water — i.e. residential — systems in Minnesota have been tested for P-FAS and they’ve found P-FAS in about half of them. He notes, “Because P-FAS is so pervasive, …some P-FAS — mostly at very low detections — has been found in about 50 percent of those systems.” But Burman says about 18 community systems across the state exceed the new federal standards for P-FAS. Officials note some of those systems have taken action to reduce P-FAS levels in their water supply.
>>MDH Funds Caring Careers Website for Aging Population
(Undated) – The Minnesota Department of Health has funded the Caring Careers Start Here website, a leading resource to explore careers in aging services, as the demand for committed and qualified caregivers increases. Eric Perkins with Perk At Play Productions says there’s not just a gap in coverage but a chasm of shortage to attend to a population booming beyond measure, He notes one in five Minnesotans will be considered an older adult by 2030, a number that’s doubled since 2010. The site is a collaborative effort by LeadingAge Minnesota and Care Providers of MN to foster career pathways that “promote deep connections, rewarding experiences, and the chance to make a meaningful difference.”
>>Gov. Walz Jumps on the Timberwolves Bandwagon
(Undated) – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has jumped on the ever-expanding Timberwolves bandwagon. Speaking at the tip-off of the Governor’s Fishing Opener in Lake City today, Walz says, “Look, I’m as Minnesotan as anybody, I’m like kind of shocked by this whole situation. They’re really good. And, somebody told me this, it’s like they don’t know they’re playing in Minnesota right now, because they’re just like fearless. So, I’m excited.” Tonight’s game tips off at 8:30 at the Target Center. The Wolves lead the best-of-seven series two games to none.
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