>>Two Killed, Two Seriously Injured in Northern Minnesota Crash
(Walker, MN) – Two people are dead, and two others are seriously injured following a head-on collision in northern Minnesota. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports that the accident occurred on Thursday night around 9:15 p.m. in Turtle Lake Township, just east of Walker. A 61-year-old man from Walker, who was driving an SUV, was killed in the crash. A 55-year-old woman from Manahga, who was driving the other vehicle, also lost her life. Two passengers in her car, a 46-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, both from Walker, were flown to regional hospitals with serious injuries.
>>Motorist Rescued from Submerged Vehicle in Lake Pepin
(Lake City, MN) — A rescue operation was initiated on Thursday evening after authorities in Lake City received reports of a vehicle that had crashed into Lake Pepin. The Lake City Police Department stated that emergency responders were dispatched to Roschen Park shortly before 5:45 p.m. Rescue crews entered the water and successfully pulled the sole occupant of the vehicle back to shore. The driver was then transported to the hospital for medical treatment. Their current condition is unknown.
>>Walz Travels to South Carolina, California for Weekend
(St. Paul, MN) – As state lawmakers try to tackle the budget at the Capitol, Governor Tim Walz will be traveling this weekend to speak in front of Democrats. First, the governor will speak at the South Carolina Democratic Convention. From there, he will head to California for their party convention. When asked about the trip, the governor said he was confident the work on the budget would get finished so he could call a special session by the middle of next week. The budget deadline for Minnesota lawmakers is June 30th.
>>Northeast Minnesota Under Air Quality Alert
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air quality alert for northeast Minnesota. The alert will remain in effect until 6 p.m. this evening. The affected area includes Two Harbors, Hibbing, Ely, Duluth, and the Tribal Nations of Grand Portage and Fond du Lac. Heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires is impacting air quality.
>>Commerce Budget Passes Working Group
(St. Paul, MN) — Another piece of the state’s proposed $66 billion budget was passed by the Commerce working group. The budget agreement creates an ombudsperson to oversee disputes between homeowners and homeowner associations. It also puts a reprieve on banning some lead keys. One thing left out of the bill is the ban on selling flavored nitrous oxide that kids use to get high. That issue was over language in the bill and will most likely be reintroduced in 2026. The commerce budget calls for decreases of $15 million over the next four years.
>>Environment Budget Clears Hurdle in Working Group
(St. Paul, MN) – The Environment and Natural Resources budget bill has cleared the working group and will head into the special session looking for votes. The budget plan increases fees for things like the aquatic invasive species surcharge for watercraft, but lowers game and fishing fees for veterans. It would extend the bass fishing season year-round. DNR (Department of Natural Resources) officials will also be able to tag abandoned watercraft and hold the owners responsible. This budget bill will head into the special session looking to pass both the House and Senate before hitting the governor’s desk for his signature.
>>Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Unlawful Firearm Possession
(Minneapolis, MN) — A man with a history of violence against women, including several assaults, a stabbing, and two strangulations of a pregnant victim, faces six years in prison over gun possession. Court documents say 28-year-old Eddie Grasty was arrested in March 2024 after assaulting a woman in a St. Paul apartment. Grasty hit the woman multiple times in the face and head before brandishing a Glock handgun and threatening to kill her. Due to prior felonies, Grasty was not allowed to own a firearm.
