>>White Bear Lake Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Infant Son’s Death
(St. Paul, MN) — A White Bear Lake man is sentenced to more than ten years in prison for the March 2024 death of his infant son. Prosecutors say 40-year-old Mark Forster was sentenced to 128 months in prison for second-degree murder on Wednesday and received credit for 490 days served. The criminal complaint says Forster shook eight-week-old Jackson on January 31st before the boy’s mother brought him to the hospital. He died on March 22nd of blunt force head trauma. Forster admitted to investigators that he may have hurt the boy, but didn’t remember because he’d been drinking.
>>MPCA Reports Improving Water Quality Trends
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota’s rivers and streams are showing signs of improvement, according to the Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) September 2025 “Trends in Lakes and Rivers” report. Scientists re-evaluated 37 major watersheds and found fish health scores rose by 1.5 points and macroinvertebrate scores by 6.3 points—both statistically significant gains. Most watersheds improved or held steady, with only one notable decline in the Missouri River basin. Pollutant load monitoring shows phosphorus levels generally decreasing, while nitrate increases have slowed compared to previous years. Since the Clean Water Fund began, 95 lakes and river segments have been removed from the impaired waters list thanks to long-term restoration efforts. Officials say continued monitoring and sustained action are critical as Minnesota prepares for the next watershed cycle in 2028.
>>Moorhead Mayor May Join House Race
(Moorhead, MN) — Moorhead Mayor Shelly Carlson may be throwing her hat into the ring for the Minnesota House. Carlson formed a campaign committee and registered with the state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. She would run as a Democrat in District 4-A. The seat is currently held by Democratic Representative Heather Keeler of Moorhead. Keeler announced last week that she intends to seek the DFL nomination for Congress in the 7th district. Keeler and Erik Osberg of Wadena are the current candidates challenging Republican Representative Michelle Fischbach.
>>Woodbury Man Gets 10 Years in Federal Prison for Sextortion Scheme
(St. Paul, MN) — A man from Woodbury will spend 30 years in federal prison for a massive sextortion scheme that victimized children. Thirty-eight-year-old Timothy Gebhardt was sentenced Wednesday on child pornography charges and interstate communication with intent to extort. The U-S Attorney’s Office says Gebhardt used online platforms to convince victims as young as age 12 to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos. Gebhart threatened to distribute the photos and videos to the victims’ classmates, family, and friends.
>>Field of Dreams Hosting Northwoods League All-Star Game
(Rochester, MN) — The 2026 Northwoods League All-Star Game will be played at the Field of Dreams in Iowa. The two-day event features the Home Run Challenge on July 7th and the All-Star Game on July 8th. The league is made up of some of the top college baseball players with N-C-A-A eligibility remaining. The Northwoods League has Minnesota teams in Duluth, St. Cloud, Rochester, Savage, and Willmar. The Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies meet in the MLB Field of Dreams matchup on August 13th.
