>>Police arrest man on suspicion of manslaughter in death of hockey player and MN native Adam Johnson
(Yorkshire, England) — Police in England have arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter in the death of hockey player and Minnesota native Adam Johnson, who died after his neck was cut by the skate blade of an opposing player during an October 28th game with the Nottingham Panthers. The B-B-C reports that South Yorkshire Police say detectives arrested the suspect Tuesday and he remained in custody. There’s no information yet on whether the person arrested is 31-year-old Matt Petgrave, the Sheffield Steelers’ player whose blade sliced Johnson’s neck. The Nottingham Panthers described it as a “freak accident.” Thousands were in person and on-line at Hibbing Memorial Arena one week ago Monday as fans around the world remembered Johnson.
>>FDA issues highest-level danger recall for stolen Medtronic devices
(Washington, DC) — The U-S Food and Drug Administration has issued its most serious level of recall for stolen Medtronic larynx-examination video scopes that are being sold on social media platforms. The devices did not pass Medtronic quality tests and were to be destroyed. The F-D-A says medical complications could include “inadequate airway support, cardiopulmonary arrest, and death.” Medtronic issued a public safety notification in late September but says no injuries or deaths have been reported. A visit to Medtronics’ facility in Australia is part of the governor’s trade mission that’s under way.
>>Minnesota Millionaire Raffle Tickets Nearly Sold Out
(Roseville, MN) — State lottery officials say less than ten percent of the tickets remain for the Minnesota Millionaire Raffle. A total of 800 thousand tickets are being sold for the New Year’s Day drawing. They went on sale three weeks ago and sold out in 23 days last year. Lottery director Adam Prock says the Minnesota Millionaire Raffle gives players the best chance of winning one of two one-million-dollar prizes – odds are one-in-400 thousand. Tickets cost ten dollars.
>>Minnesota Republican U-S House members demand info from Walz administration on Feeding Our Future fraud scandal
(Washington, DC) — All four of Minnesota’s Republican U-S House members are asking the Walz administration for all documentation related to the state Education Department’s oversight of the scandal-ridden Feeding Our Future program. First District Congressman Brad Finstad says he and colleagues Tom Emmer, Pete Stauber and Michelle Fischbach previously asked the U-S Department of Agriculture three times for information about what they say is lack of oversight that led to “the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the nation” — estimated at 250 million dollars with dozens of defendants facing federal charges. The Minnesota Department of Education is not commenting except to say it has “received the request and is working to respond.”
>>State regulators allow Great River Energy to add fuel-oil option at Cambridge generating plant
(St. Paul, MN) — Great River Energy has the go-ahead from state regulators to retrofit its electric generating plant in the east-central Minnesota community of Cambridge to run on fuel oil, as well as its current configuration for natural gas. Public Utilities Commissioner Valerie Means says extreme weather events have led to spikes in demand and large bills for consumers. Means says allowing the Cambridge plant a second fuel option will help hedge against price spikes. The facility operates during peak-demand periods and Great River Energy estimates it will burn fuel oil for 24 hours a year on average.
>>Officials unsure what caused bright flash in sky, sonic boom in large section of southern Beltrami County
(Bemidji, MN) — A second video has surfaced as officials try to determine what caused a bright flash in the sky and a sonic boom across a large section of southern Beltrami County and adjacent areas in northwest Minnesota last night (Tues). Beltrami County Emergency Manager Chris Muller says the new video from 7:41 P-M is from a municipal airport camera pointed toward Bemidji’s north side. He says it shows an object on their security camera “that goes streaking across the sky at a very, very high rate that coincides with the previous video that we were provided, showing the bright flash and large explosion sound.” Law enforcement conducted extensive searches and found nothing unusual and received no reports of damage. There was initial speculation that it was a meteor but further investigation ruled that out. Muller calls it “an interesting puzzle” but they still don’t know exactly what it was.
>>Ex-employee sues Sun Country Airlines, alleging violations of her right to pump breast milk
A former employee is suing Sun Country Airlines, alleging she was forced out of work eleven months after giving birth to her second child. “Hani Ali alleges the airline violated her rights under the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Minnesota Women’s Economic Security Act by making her pump breast milk in a high-traffic area inside the terminal that was not a designated nursing room, giving her nowhere to store her milk, allowing a coworker to watch her pump, allowing others to harass her over the time she needed to take pumping breaks, and purposefully not scheduling her inside the terminal, the only place she was allowed to pump, due to her pumping. Ali resigned in March 2022 and is currently seeking damages for lost wages, emotional distress, and mental anguish, as well as an injunction to ensure that Sun Country and other airlines won’t subject other new parents to similar treatment.
>>Rep. Craig, Sen. Klobuchar Urge CMS to Expand MN CFSS Program
(Burnsville, MN) — Representative Angie Craig, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and a bipartisan group of Minnesota lawmakers are urging Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand the state’s Community First Services and Supports (CFSS) Program, which provides Minnesotans with flexible in-home care options and covers services like eating, shopping, cooking, laundry, and health-related tasks. Craig says in a letter to lawmakers, “Minnesota’s CFSS program allows recipients to choose to use a portion of their budget to purchase goods or services, increasing their independence…These benefits are consistent with CMS’s goals of encouraging a person-centered, long-term support system and giving people the opportunity to decide where they live and which services they receive.”
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