>>Governor Walz Hasn’t Named A Cannabis Director Year After Former Chief Resigned
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is getting flack for not naming a cannabis director one year after the previous chief resigned. He also hasn’t interviewed a candidate since Erin DuPree stepped down in September 2023, one day after she was appointed following reports she sold illegal products at her hemp store. Charlene Briner has been managing the cannabis office on an interim basis. The governor’s office announced earlier this year that there would be a second national search to fill the position. Seven candidates moved on to a second round of interviews, but Walz allegedly has not sat down with any of them.
>>Judge’s Ruling Repeals Ban on Abortions in North Dakota
(Bismarck, ND) — A court ruling in North Dakota on Thursday officially repeals the state’s ban on abortions. Judge Bruce Romanick found the abortion ban unconstitutionally vague and a violation of health care rights two weeks ago. He was asked to review it as part of a lawsuit from reproductive care doctors and the Red River Women’s Clinic, which moved from Fargo to Moorhead, Minnesota. Romanick writes in his latest judgment, “The law as currently drafted takes away a woman’s fundamental rights to liberty and her fundamental right to pursue and abstain safety and happiness.” North Dakota’s attorney general plans to appeal.
>>Hartland Man Dies in Collision with Construction Truck
(Freeborn County, MN) — A Hartland man is dead after his vehicle collided with a construction truck Thursday. The Minnesota State Patrol responded to the crash around 3:30 a.m. on Highway 13 in Freeborn County, where a Pontiac Grand Am heading north hit the truck heading south. The Pontiac driver, 26-year-old Luke Hershey, was pronounced dead at the scene. Hershey was not wearing a seatbelt.
>>2 Children Safe After Reported Abduction in NW WI
(Barronett, WI) — Two children are safe after a reported abduction in northwestern Wisconsin Thursday. The Barron County Sheriff’s Office responded to the abduction call involving children three and six years old. Law enforcement searched a wooded area near Barronett, where the children were told to be. The suspect’s vehicle was found around 6:30 p.m., and a 30-year-old man was arrested. The children were examined and returned to their families. No other information has been released.
>>Official Shortage Forces Alteration To Duluth Football Schedule
(Duluth, MN) — High school football teams in the Duluth area are working together to overcome a shortage of officials. The Twin Ports Football Association discovered this week that there weren’t enough crews to cover next week’s games in the area. Several teams could not shift their games to Thursday or Saturday due to homecoming activities or other special circumstances. The activities director at Esko High School volunteered to move the school’s homecoming game to 4 p.m. to allow an officiating crew to cover two games next Friday. A spokesman says Thursday and Saturday games may become a regular part of future football schedules if the TPFA can’t recruit more officials.
>>DNR Map Shows Changing Leaf Colors In Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — The leaves in Minnesota are beginning to change color, and the state Department of Natural Resources is keeping track of the transition. Most of the state has not yet reached peak fall color. Currently, a small area northeast of Duluth shows the most color, with the change in the 50 to 75 percent range. The DNR expects leaf colors to rapidly shift across northern Minnesota over the next week. Central and southern Minnesota should see the fall colors begin to peak in about two weeks.
