>>Itasca County Man Pleads Guilty to Hitting, Killing Pedestrian in Moose Lake

(Moose Lake, MN) — An Itasca County man has pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide while driving under the influence in Moose Lake. 22-year-old Brent Keranen of Pengilly, MN, pleaded guilty on October 2nd to the March crash that killed a pedestrian, 61-year-old Justin McNeil. Authorities say Keranen hit McNeil as he was walking along the north side shoulder of Highway 73 in Moose Lake. McNeil was pronounced dead at the scene. Keranen was stopped earlier that day with a .066 BAC but kept driving after getting a citation. Officials say Keranen showed several signs of impairment. His sentencing is on December 2nd.

 

>>Blue Earth Man Sentenced to 6 Months for January 6th U.S. Capitol Insurrection

(Washington, DC) — A man from southern Minnesota will spend six months in prison for taking part in the January 6th, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Building. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. says 35-year-old Paul Orta Junior of Blue Earth was sentenced Monday following his guilty plea to felony civil disorder in May. The criminal complaint says Orta pushed several metal bike racks being used as police barricades and made physical contact with law enforcement officers. Orta went to the Minneapolis FBI office after seeing himself in a January 6th photo from the U.S. Capitol. He was arrested last November in Owatonna.

 

>>Perham Man Arrested After 2 Years for Assaulting Girlfriend

(Perham, MN) — An Otter Tail County man accused of assaulting his girlfriend in 2022 has been arrested after two years. 29-year-old Jose Garcia Pena of Perham was arrested Sunday and made his first court appearance Monday, charged with third-degree assault. Court documents say on October 8th, 2022, Garica Pena, the victim, and a group of people were at a house party in Perham when the assault began. The victim said Garcia Pena dragged her down the stairs, punched her repeatedly, and kicked her before she could escape. Garcia Pena told officers he had been in many fights at the party and tackled a person who had grabbed him, fighting them before realizing it was his girlfriend, the victim.

 

>>PLHS 1 of 2 Schools Opting Out of MN Free School Meals Program

(Prior Lake, MN) — Prior Lake High School is now one of two Minnesota public schools choosing to opt out of the state’s free school meals program. The district says the decision comes after seeing a “strong preference for more meal flexibility and variety” from two community feedback surveys. Negative survey feedback suggested families with money are making the decisions and that this choice isn’t fair. The district stated, “If any family has concerns about their child’s ability to afford meals at PLHS, we are committed to making sure cost is never a barrier.”

 

>>MN Housing Development Makes $40M Investment in Workforce Housing

(Undated) – The Workforce Housing Development program is investing money to build housing across Greater Minnesota. Minnesota Housing Development Commissioner Jennifer Ho says the program got a huge infusion of one-time funding from the 2023 legislative session. She explains the base funding is nearly $4 million per biennium. $34 million was added, so $38 million was available. Ho says they’re funding 27 projects around Greater Minnesota. The investment will create 832 market-rate rental units in small- to mid-sized communities.

 

>>MPPA Speaks on the Importance of Pork Month

(Undated) – This month, the pork industry is being recognized. Minnesota Pork Producers Association president Daryl Timmerman says the industry as a whole plays a significant role in the state’s economy, stating, “31,000 people are impacted by the pork industry when you include the nutritionists, truck drivers, veterinarians, plumbers, electricians, bankers like myself, insurance accountants, and all the folks in the packing plants.” Timmerman says U.S. pork producers also play a vital role globally, with exports accounting for about 25% of production annually.

 

>>New York Jets Fire Coach Saleh 2 Days After Loss to Vikings in London 

(New York, NY) — The New York Jets are firing head coach Robert Saleh two days after losing to the Vikings 23-17 in London. ESPN reports defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will serve as the interim head coach. The Jets fell to 2-3 with Sunday’s loss to 5-0 Minnesota and Saleh had an overall record of 20-36 in three-plus seasons in New York. The Jets ownership had high hopes for the team following the signing of former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

 

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