>>Man Fatally Struck by SUV on Highway 169 near Shakopee
(Shakopee, MN) — The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating an early morning crash on Highway 169 south of Shakopee that left a pedestrian dead. Troopers say a 36-year-old man from Plymouth rolled his car into the ditch, got out, and was walking on the roadway when he was struck by an SUV. The man died at the scene. The report says the 44-year-old Henderson woman driving the SUV wasn’t hurt and that alcohol was not involved. The victim’s name hasn’t been released.
>>Brooklyn Park Man Charged with Cousin’s Murder
(Brooklyn Park, MN) — A Brooklyn Park man faces second-degree murder charges for the fatal shooting of his cousin. Around midnight on April 5th, police responded to a report of gunfire, finding Curtis Jackson and the victim, Marcus Williams Jr., both 28 years old. Both men had been shot by the other at the home of William’s mother’s house. Witnesses say the two had been fighting previously that night over weed. Williams was brought to a local hospital by a private party, where he was pronounced dead. Jackson was treated for his wound and charged via warrant. He is not currently listed in custody at Hennepin County Jail.
>>Woman Sues Scheels for ‘Acting Irresponsibly’ Selling Her Son the Handgun He Used to Commit Suicide
(Eden Prairie, MN) — A Minnesota woman is suing sports retailer Scheels after the store sold her son a handgun in 2022 that he used to kill himself. The lawsuit says the woman’s 19-year-old son went to a Scheels in Eden Prairie to look at handguns, where an employee gave him one, and he fatally shot himself. The mother claims Scheels acted irresponsibly and that her son wasn’t 21 years old, the legal age in Minnesota to purchase a gun. Scheel’s has yet to comment.
>>PUC Promoting Federal Lifeline Program During Awareness Week
(Undated) – The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is promoting the federal Lifeline Program during Lifeline Awareness Week. Consumer Affairs Office Supervisor Anne Thom says the program offers discounts on broadband internet and monthly phone services. He explains, “It’s an essential utility service, and people need to stay connected not just for social reasons but for medical, for other utility reasons, for school, for work.” People can find more information, including if they qualify for the program, by visiting the PUC’s website.
>>MN School Bus Stop Arm Laws
(Undated) – Minnesota law requires all road users to stop more than 20 feet from school buses when they display their stop signals and flashing red lights. Mike Hanson with the State Office of Traffic Safety says the big yellow school buses can’t be missed, so when that red stop sign is extended, all vehicles must stop 20 feet in front of or behind the bus. He says more than half of the buses in the state are equipped with stop-arm cameras, and stop-arm violators could face jail time and/or a fine.
>>La Crescent Man Leads Authorities on I-90 Chase in Stolen Pickup
(Winona, MN) — A man from La Crescent is jailed in Winona after leading authorities on a chase in a stolen vehicle Monday morning that closed Interstate 90. The Winona County Sheriff’s Office says officers used stop sticks to deflate the tires on the truck, and deputies deployed pepper balls into the cab to take the man into custody. The incident began when the La Crescent Police Department was called to the report of a stolen white pickup from a Kwik Trip. A Winona County deputy later spotted the vehicle on I-90 before a state trooper and St. Charles police officer joined the pursuit. The suspect is expected to face charges in Houston County.
>>New UMN President Cunningham Shares Future Goals for the School
(Minneapolis, MN) – The University of Minnesota President, Dr. Rebecca Cunningham, says one of her goals is to develop a new strategic vision for what the U of M should look like over the next five to ten years. She says, “I will invite our campus communities; we’ll have communities across the state and our alumni. The people that we serve join in that conversation and help us to imagine and envision together.” Cunningham says another priority will be how the “U” serves the health of Minnesotans. She says they provide a tremendous amount of the workforce.
