>>1 Dead, 1 Arrested in Coon Rapids Domestic Incident
(Coon Rapids, MN) — Anoka County authorities say a man is under arrest after a homicide Wednesday morning in Coon Rapids. Police responding to a domestic incident found a victim with life-threatening injuries and he died in the hospital. Officers took a 25-year-old suspect into custody. Investigators have not released any information about the victim’s cause or manner of death.
>>Motorcyclist from Wisconsin Killed in Houston County Crash
(Brownsville, MN) — A western Wisconsin man is dead after his motorcycle collided with a car Wednesday night in southeastern Minnesota’s Houston County. The State Patrol says a cycle driven by 23-year-old Cameron Sokolik of La Crosse collided with a vehicle driven by an Iowa woman on Highway 26 near Brownsville. The report says Sokolik died at the scene. The driver wasn’t hurt.
>>Man Arrested for Threatening to Shoot Up Business in Willmar
(Willmar MN) — A Renville County man is accused of making threats Wednesday afternoon at a business in Willmar. Police say the 72-year-old man from Danube was unhappy and threatening to shoot up the business. Officers were told the same suspect had been there a few days earlier and threatened to return with a firearm. Employees were evacuated as authorities arrived at the scene. The suspect was arrested for alleged threats of violence. No injuries were reported.
>>Mpls4CCP Delivers Over 10,000 Signatures to City Clerk to Put Police Control in Residents Hands
(Minneapolis, MN) – Minneapolis for Community Control of the Police (Mpls4CCP) went straight to the City Clerk Wednesday with over 10,000 Minneapolis resident signatures advocating to amend the city charter to establish an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Commission (CPAC). Organizer Jess Sundin says the only person with power over the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (Fry), who she believes has not been progressive in addressing problems with officers. Sundin says there are “countless officers that have complaints against them” and “countless officers that were paying money to settle lawsuits and none of them are being removed from their jobs.” Sundin adds community members can only comment on police policies or deteriorating civilian structures, not enact any discipline or change. If adopted, the CPAC would have hiring and firing power over officers, the ability to set policy for interacting with civilians, and more.
>>MN House Passes Legislation to Protect “Kidfluencers”
(St. Paul, MN) – Legislation passed by the Minnesota House on Wednesday establishes legal protections for so-called “kidfluencers.” Representative Zack Stephenson of Coon Rapids says this bill does two things, “It builds out from our existing child labor laws and establishes that children under the age of 14 cannot work as social media influencers. The second thing it does is say for children who are older that than that they should be guaranteed a portion of the profits.” Kids ages 14 to 18 are required to put the money in a trust account for when they’re older. Stephenson says this is a step in the right direction to ensure Minnesota law keeps up with emerging technology to prevent the exploitation of children.
>>COPAL Requests St. Paul, Minneapolis Grant Temporary Protected Status for Ecuadorians
(Minneapolis, MN) – Communities Organizing Latine Power and Action (COPAL) members and community advocates are calling for Minnesota lawmakers to support Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ecuador, allowing Ecuadorians already in the U.S. to stay and legally work for as long as the TPS is active. Associate Executive Director Carolina Ortiz says St. Paul and Minneapolis must become sanctuary cities as Ecuadorian communities are dealing with challenges, including economic instability, political unrest, and natural disasters. COPAL reports in Minnesota, the number of asylum cases in immigration courts originating from Ecuador jumped 900% over the last five years. Ortiz says extending TPS is not only the right thing to do but would contribute to the overall stability and economic growth of our country and state.
>>Rep. Craig Proposes Tax Cut for Small Businesses, Owners
(Washington, D.C.) — Representative Angie Craig has introduced proposed legislation to cut taxes for small businesses and their owners. The Small Business Tax Relief Act would cut the corporate tax rate for small businesses to 18% and increase the self-employment tax deduction for their owners. Craig says opening and growing a small business already takes a “tremendous sacrifice and dedication,” and the bill would help reduce the national deficit.
>>MN Timberwolves Guard Conely Named 2023-24 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minnesota Timberwolves Guard Mike Conley has been named the 2023-24 NBA Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year, his second career Teammate of the Year honor. The annual award recognizes an NBA player who is deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to their team. Conley won the award with the Memphis Grizzlies for the 2018-2019 NBA year, making him and Jrue Holiday (3x) the only players to win the award multiple times.
