As investigators plan to release evidence today in the police shooting death of Philando Castile — including squad dash-cam video — Governor Mark Dayton says, “My hope is whatever remains to be expressed publicly is done lawfully and peacefully. I think that’s very important. It’s been very important so far. I think Clarence Castile [Philando’s uncle] has been exemplary in calling for peaceful protests or statements.”
Today marks the start of the latest hearing for Alfonso Rodriguez, who was sentenced to death in 2006 for the killing of Dru Sjodin. The hearing in Fargo focuses on whether the North Dakota student was sexually assaulted and whether she died from wounds to her throat. Sjodin was abducted in Grand Forks in 2003 and her body was found near Crookston in 2004.
A group that includes lawmakers and farm officials visits Cuba today to help promote Minnesota exports in the island country. State Senator Julie Rosen, Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson and several others will spend the rest of the week there in an effort to maintain relationships at risk with the president’s call to restrict American access to Cuba.
These are the longest days of 2017. The Summer Solstice happens tonight just before 11:30 Central Daylight Savings Time. And while the weather in Minnesota seems ordinary enough, there is extreme heat to the west in places like Phoenix, Arizona which is forecast to top 118-degrees for a second day in a row.
The Minnesota Twins are now two and a half games back of Cleveland in the American League Central, after dropping a series to the Indians. They can improve their home record with a win tonight against the White Sox. While the Twins remain a game over .500 they have won just 14 of 38 games at Target Field.