>>BCA Continues to Investigate Shooting of 5 Officers in Sherburne County
(Foley, MN) — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (B-C-A) continues its investigation after five officers were injured — three with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds — in an exchange of gunfire Thursday morning with a suspect at a residence in Glendorado, about 20 miles east of Saint Cloud. B-C-A Special Agent-in-Charge Michelle Frascone (frass-CONE-ee) says they’re reviewing body-cam and squad-cam video as part of the preliminary investigation. She said, “We want everybody to know that we are working as quickly as possible to provide answers.” The suspect, 64-year-old Karl Holmberg, reportedly had numerous guns plus ammunition inside the home.
>>Local State Senators Praying for Recovery of Officers Shot
(Various) — State Senator Andrew Mathews from Princeton is asking Minnesotans to join him in praying for a fast and full recovery for each of the officers shot Thursday. Mathews says it’s “a reminder of the very dangerous situations that law enforcement willingly put themselves in every single day.” Colleague Nathan Wesenberg from Little Falls, who represents Glendorado Township where the incident occurred, says “We should never forget the sacrifices and risks of being a police officer, deputy, or sheriff, and we should always remember they deserve the greatest respect, and gratitude we can provide.”
>>Finstad’s Office is Working to Get Minnesotans Home From Israel
(Washington, DC) — Congressman Brad Finstad says his office is in contact with Minnesotans in Israel who are trying to get back home. In a social media post, the 1st District Republican says they are doing everything possible to get them home safely. The message included a previous post from the State Department saying the U-S is securing charter flights to help more Americans get out of Israel. Finstad says anyone who needs help returning home should contact his office or visit the State Department’s website.
>>Protest Rally Outside St. Paul Weapons Manufacturer
(St. Paul, MN) — A not-so-warm welcome for a weapons manufacturer opening a new facility in St. Paul. Members of the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition protested Thursday outside ForwardEdge ASIC, which is owned by Lockheed Martin. Protesters were chanting, “What we do want? Lockheed out. When do we want it? Now!” Organizers say they are outraged that the state Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded a one-point-three-million-dollar forgivable loan to ForwardEdge ASIC (AY-sick). The company designs and makes high-tech computer chips used in weaponry.
>>U of M Regents to Vote on St. Cloud Medical School
(Minneapolis, MN) — The University of Minnesota Board of Regents votes later this morning (Fri) on an important step toward opening Minnesota’s first new medical school in 50 years — in Saint Cloud in partnership with CentraCare. U-of-M Medical School Dean Jakub Tolar says, “We all know the reasons why…(it is) so fundamental for the state of Minnesota to have more of the rural physicians that are trained in the rural area of the Greater Minnesota.” CentraCare C-E-O Ken Holmen says medical students will get hands-on experience working in small-town hospitals and the flavor of the Saint Cloud program will be those who really have an interest in rural health care.
>>65 Minnesota School Districts Asking Voters to Approve Referendums
(St. Peter, MN) — Sixty-five school districts around the state will ask voters in November to support a bond referendum. Greg Abbott of the Minnesota School Boards Association says,” A lot of them if you look at it are really for capital project levees for technology you can only go 10 years on one of those levees so you have to renew it when they come up.” Four districts are requesting more than 100 million dollars each, with the biggest price tags coming from the Osseo and Stillwater school districts.
>>Sandhill Cranes Preparing to Migrate
(Zimmerman, MN) — It’s migration time and thousands of sandhill cranes are stopping at the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge to prepare. It’s estimated there are more than 7,600 cranes currently staging at the refuge and the numbers are growing. The last week of October is typically the time when there are the most birds and numbers have exceeded 29,000 in the past. There are opportunities for the public to get a look at Minnesota’s tallest birds by visiting the refuge either at dawn when they fly out to croplands to forage for food during the day or at dusk when they return to rest.
>>Minnesota Wild Shuts Out Florida Panthers in Season Opener
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Wild opened the season with a 2-0 win over the Florida Panthers Thursday night at the Xcel Energy. Goaltender Filip Gutstavsson stopped all 41 of Florida’s shots for his fourth career shutout. Former Gopher captain Brock Faber of Maple Grove scored his first career goal and Joel Eriksson Ek lit the lamp on the power play for Minnesota. The Wild head north of the border for road games Saturday night in Toronto and Tuesday night in Montreal.