>>Minnesota Lawmakers to Tackle Budget and Bonding Bill Next Week
(St. Paul, MN) — The two issues that could get the most attention when Minnesota lawmakers return to the Capitol next week are the state budget and the bonding bill. Proposals for the bonding bill range from $700 million to $1.35 billion. Republican Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson says, “We want to make sure those bonds if they are released focus on the needs of Minnesotans like drinking water, wastewater, roads, bridges. Those needs that are across the state.” D-F-L House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman says the talks have just started and will continue next week. The legislature returns from the Easter/Passover break on Monday.
>>Office of Cannabis Management Can Begin Awarding Business Licenses
(St. Paul, MN) — The Office of Cannabis Management can begin awarding business licenses now that the rules have been published in the State Register. The O-C-M’s Josh Collins says more than a thousand applicants are qualified. He says, “We are moving forward with our general licensing cycle which really is going to be putting licenses in the hands of social equity applicants.” Collins says some cannabis businesses could be ready to open in weeks. Applicants for categories that have a capped number of licenses will be entered into a lottery in May or June. The O-C-M’s goal has been to open the retail marketplace in 2025.
>>Hemp License Application Deadline 2 Weeks Away
(St. Paul, MN) — The deadline for growers and processors to apply for a 2025 Minnesota hemp license is April 30th. Program coordinator Katy Mutschler says they only have 52 applicants so far. She says, “We do obviously have way less applicants, but we do anticipate a ton more acres planted than we normally do. So even though we have less people growing, there should be more hemp out there.” She says one farmer plans to grow more than the total hemp acreage in all of Minnesota last year. There were around 130 hemp license applications at this time in 2024.
>>Intruder Arrested on UnitedHealthcare Campus in Minnetonka
(Minnetonka, MN) — Police in Minnetonka say a man is in custody after an intruder was reported Monday on the UnitedHealthcare campus. Authorities set up a perimeter around UnitedHealthcare and the 26-year-old suspect was arrested about 45 minutes later. Investigators say the man threatened violence against the health insurance company. Employees were told to shelter in the place during the incident. It comes four months after UnitedHealth C-E-O Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York City.
>>Nobles County Sheriff’s Deputy Suffers Life-Threatening Injuries in I90 Crash
(Worthington, MN) — A Nobles County sheriff’s deputy is in critical condition following a squad car crash Sunday afternoon on Interstate 90. Investigators say a S-U-V driven by a woman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota collided with a patrol vehicle driven by Deputy Arnold Logan Waldner. Deputy Waldner was taken to a Worthington hospital with life-threatening injuries. Sheriff Ryan Kruger is asking everyone to continue to hold Deputy Waldner in their thoughts and prayers. A benefit fund has been established for Waldner at 1st State Bank Southwest in Worthington.
>>Hudson, Wisconsin Man Charged in South St. Paul Shooting Death
(Hastings, MN) — A man from Hudson, Wisconsin is jailed on one-million dollars bond for a fatal shooting Friday night in South St. Paul. Dakota County prosecutors are charging 36-year-old Jacob Audie with the second-degree murder of 72-year-old Michael Schille. Officers found Schille with a gunshot to his face and he died at the scene. Police say they located an AR-style rifle, a magazine, and an empty cartridge casing near Schille. Audie was the one who reported the shooting to authorities.
>>Austin Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Dead Mother’s Social Security Benefits
(Minneapolis, MN) — A southern Minnesota woman is pleading guilty to collecting 360 thousand dollars in Social Security payments intended for her dead mother. The U-S Attorney’s Office says 54-year-old Mavious Redmond of Austin lost her mom in 1999 and she continued to collect her benefits through June of 2024. Court records show Redmond impersonated her mother and visited a Social Security office to submit a fraudulent application. Her sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
>>Minnesota Wild Can Clinch Playoff Spot in Season Finale vs. Ducks
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Wild will clinch a spot in the N-H-L playoffs with a win over the Anaheim Ducks in the regular season finale tonight (Tues 7pm) in St. Paul. Minnesota could also get into the postseason with one point against the Ducks or if the Blues or Flames lose in the regulation this evening. Rookie defenseman Zeev Buium from Denver University is expected to make his Wild debut tonight at the X. He was taken 12th overall by Minnesota in last year’s draft.
>>US National Junior Hockey Coach Named Tonight
(St. Paul, MN) — U-S-A Hockey will unveil the new head coach of the 2026 National Junior Team tonight (Tues 5:30pm) at the Xcel Energy Center. The team will play in the I-I-H-F (International Ice Hockey Federation) World Junior Hockey Championship later this year. All fans attending will receive an American flag and Wild mascot Nordy will be there, too. The World Juniors tournament will be held at Xcel Energy Center and Mariucci Arena on the University of Minnesota campus December 26th through January 5th.
>>UConn Star, Hopkins Native Paige Bueckers #1 Pick in WNBA Draft
(New York, NY) — U-Conn star and Hopkins native Paige Bueckers will be playing for the Dallas Wings this season. Bueckers was taken first overall in the W-N-B-A Draft by Dallas Monday evening in New York. She helped lead the Huskies to their 12th N-C-A-A championship last week. The Dallas Wings home opener is May 16th against Bueckers’ hometown team the Minnesota Lynx. Bueckers is the all-time leader in points, assists and steals at Hopkins High School, and was Minnesota Miss Basketball in 2020.
