>>Minnesota DFL Party Chair Calls on Senator Mitchell to Resign
(St. Paul, MN) — The head of the Minnesota D-F-L Party is now calling on State Senator Nicole Mitchell of Woodbury to resign. Mitchell is charged with first-degree burglary for an alleged break-in at her stepmother’s home in Detroit Lakes in April. Senate leaders removed Mitchell from her committee assignments and D-F-L caucus meetings following her arrest, but she could vote from the Senate floor. D-F-L Chairman Ken Martin says, “Now that her constituents have had full representation through the end of the legislative session, it is time for her to resign to focus on the personal and legal challenges she faces.” Senate G-O-P Minority Leader Mark Johnson responds, “This statement from D-F-L Chair Ken Martin is a clear admission Democrats were so desperate to pass their highly partisan agenda they were willing to use votes of an alleged burglar to do it.”
>>Bicyclist Struck and Killed by Light Rail Train near State Capitol in St. Paul
(St. Paul, MN) — Metro Transit and St. Paul police are investigating a light rail crash Wednesday afternoon that left a bicyclist dead. Officers say the rider was struck by a Green Line train at the Capitol/Rice Street station in St. Paul and died at the scene. Buses replaced trains in the area for about two hours, and the scene was cleared around 6:30 pm. Authorities haven’t identified the bicyclist.
>>SCSU Offering Summer Cannabis Courses
(St. Cloud, MN) — St. Cloud State University will offer new online career training courses this summer in cannabis education. SCSU’s Professional and Continuing Education division is partnering with Green Flower. These nine-week courses are available to anyone over the age of 18. The career training courses offer three topics: Cannabis Cultivation Specialist, Cannabis Retail Specialist, and Cannabis Extraction and Product Development Specialist. Each program takes about nine weeks to complete, and the full online learning model allows students to work at their own pace. St. Cloud State University launched the state’s first cannabis certificate program last fall, with enrollment 40 percent over targeted goals.
>> Former Governor Jesse “The Body” Ventura Coming to Moorhead to Promote THC & CBD
(Moorhead, MN) — Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura is coming to Moorhead to push his THC and CBD products. Ventura will stop by Unwind Minnesota in Moorhead from 2-3 p.m. this Saturday. He’ll be promoting Jesse Ventura Farms, which has teamed up with the store with a focus on giving back to the community and having high-quality, legal THC & CBD products. The former politician, professional wrestler, and actor is also a New York Times Best-Selling Author. He wrote a book on cannabis called Jesse Ventura’s Marijuana Manifesto.
>>DFL State Convention Begins Tomorrow In Duluth
(Duluth, MN) — Minnesota Democrats are set to convene in Duluth this weekend to strategize for the upcoming November election. The DFL convention will kick off tomorrow at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. The party aims to endorse candidates, finalize its platform, and nominate delegates for the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The agenda is expected to cover topics such as the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Republicans’ claims that former President Donald Trump could win Minnesota this fall.
>>Diesel Spill Reported Near Lake Superior’s Silver Bay Marina
(Silver Bay, MN) — Crews are working to contain and clean up a diesel spill in Lake Superior. The spill was reported yesterday morning near Silver Bay Marina. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reports that 75 to 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the lake. The MPCA is collaborating with the U.S. Coast Guard to assess any potential damage to the coastline.
>>Investigation Underway into Rural Hawley Fire
(Clay County, MN) — Fire destroyed a house about a mile north of Hawley Thursday, shortly before 3 a.m. Hawley Fire Chief Tim Sanvik says the house was abandoned and was never lived in. He says by the time firefighters arrived on the scene, the structure had burned to the ground, and the garage roof had also collapsed. Tanker trucks from several area fire departments were also called in. The Clay Sheriff’s Office has responded to this residence for reports of people trespassing on the property. It is believed that the fire started between 11:00 p.m. and 2:49 a.m. If anyone has any information regarding this fire, please contact the Sheriff’s Office.
>>Applications For MN E-Bike Rebates To Open Next Week
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesotans can apply for rebates on electric bikes starting next week. The rebate application will open next Wednesday at 11 a.m. A maximum of 10,000 applications will be accepted, and the state will issue the first group of rebates on July 1st. Rebates of up to $1,500 are available through the program. You can find more information on the Minnesota Department of Revenue website.
>>Minnesota Kids Eliminated From Scripps National Spelling Bee
(National Harbor, MD) — Unfortunately, Minnesota will not have a representative in this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee finals. Four spellers from Minnesota advanced through the preliminary rounds on Tuesday, hoping to make it to the final spell-off. William Rausch of Royalton was the sole Minnesota speller to reach yesterday’s semi-final round, but he was eliminated in the sixth round after misspelling the word “vargueno” (var-GWAY-noh). The remaining eight spellers will compete for the title tonight in Maryland.
>>Timberwolves Block Party Tonight Ahead Of Game Five
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Timberwolves are hosting a block party before Game Five of the Western Conference finals. The event starts this afternoon at the corner of First and Sixth Avenues in Minneapolis. Fans can watch the game on two big-screen TVs while enjoying music, food, drinks, and various activities. Tickets are free on the Timberwolves website, with a one-dollar processing fee. The game against the Dallas Mavericks will start at 7:30 at the Target Center.
