>>IACP to Conduct After-Action Review of June 14th Lawmaker Shootings
(Brooklyn Park, MN) — Minnesota law enforcement is hiring the International Association of Chiefs of Police to conduct an after-action report of the June 14th attacks on state lawmakers. The I-A-C-P review will focus on the full 43-hour period, beginning with the murders of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, her husband, and their dog, and the shootings of Senator John Hoffman and his wife. The manhunt ended with the arrest of Vance Boelter. The review will evaluate efforts from the multi-agency response that required rapid mobilization, extensive coordination, and seamless communication among hundreds of public safety officials. The report is expected to take six months to complete.
>>Fighting Veteran Hunger
(St. Paul, MN) — As we honor our service members today (TUES), Governor Tim Walz is stepping up efforts to fight veteran hunger in Minnesota. Walz issued an executive order directing the Department of Veterans Affairs to build a statewide Veteran Food Pantry Network. This will help distribute food to veterans, service members, and their families, many of whom rely on federal programs like SNAP. The VA estimates 13 percent of enrolled veterans face food insecurity. Walz says Minnesota is committed to ensuring access to healthy food, regardless of federal changes. The Department of Veterans Affairs will lead the effort, building on its success in ending veteran homelessness.
>>Minnesota Democrats in the U.S. House Oppose Senate Government Funding Bill
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota Democrats in the U-S House plan to vote against Senate Republicans’ funding bill to reopen the federal government. Congresswoman Betty McCollum says it does not extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits and cuts 18 billion dollars more from SNAP. Representative Angie Craig claims it will increase health care costs in Minnesota and across the country. House Republicans do not need any Democratic votes to pass the Senate bill.
>>Students Tackle Sex Trafficking Awareness in Minnesota
(Sauk Rapids, MN) — Three Sauk Rapids-Rice DECA students, Zoey Spiczka, Benjamin Kirchner, and Greta Widman, are raising awareness about sex trafficking through a community impact project inspired by Terebinth Refuge, a Waite Park nonprofit helping survivors. Spiczka says the numbers are alarming. Between 2019 and 2023, there were 818 known victims in Minnesota. That’s a crazy number,” she said. “It’s important we shine a light on what’s happening.” The students will present their 20-page report at the state DECA competition in March, aiming to qualify for nationals. DECA is a career-focused student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs through hands-on projects, competitions, and community engagement.
>>Deputy Impersonation Phone Scam Circulating in Becker County
(Detroit Lakes, MN) — The Becker County Sheriff’s Office in Detroit Lakes is warning people about a phone scam involving a caller impersonating a sheriff’s deputy. The scammer claims the person being called has an outstanding warrant and attempts to collect personal or financial information. Some victims have reported that the scammer leaves a phone number and urges them to call back. In other cases, the caller pressures the person to make an immediate payment or share sensitive information. Authorities say do not call the number back and do not give out any personal or financial information.
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