>>Severe Storms Bring Heavy Rains, Large Hail and a Tornado to Minnesota
(Chanhassen, MN) — Severe thunderstorms packing heavy rains, damaging winds, large hail and at least one tornado rumbled across Minnesota Monday afternoon and evening. The National Weather Service reports a tornado damaged a farm west of Kenyon in Rice County just before 6 pm. Strong winds destroyed a barn and silo and tipped over a semi in that area. A funnel cloud was spotted near Kiester in Faribault County, and a train spotter reported a funnel cloud near Princeton in Mille Lacs County. Golf-ball sized hail fell in Steele County, there was one-and-a-half hail near Albert Lea and Clearwater in Stearns County, and one inch hail near St. Peter. No injuries were reported during the storms.
>>Special Election in Minnesota Senate District 6 in Crow Wing, Itasca Counties
(Brainerd, MN) — There’s a special election today (Tues) for the vacant seat in Minnesota Senate District 6 in Crow Wing and Itasca counties. Republican nominee Keri Heintzeman of Nisswa and Democratic candidate Denise Slipy from Breezy Point are competing for the seat of former G-O-P Senator Justin Eichorn of Grand Rapids. Eichorn resigned after being arrested and charged with soliciting a minor for prostitution in Bloomington. Senate District 6 is considered a Republican leaning district.
>>Senate Passes Liquor Policy Package Including More Social Districts
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesotans could soon have more freedom on where they drink alcohol following the Senate passage of the omnibus liquor policy bill. The legislation would authorize more cities statewide to create social districts. A social district is a designated area where people can walk around outdoors and consume alcoholic beverages from businesses. In previous years, this designation was granted in Anoka, Shakopee, and Stillwater. The bill also allows cities and counties to authorize liquor licenses in specific situations and increases the number of cases of wine that may be shipped to Minnesota residents to four. The bill now heads to the Minnesota House.
>>Transportation Budget Passes Minnesota House
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota House passed the 2025 Transportation Budget bill on an 85 to 49 vote. It would invest nearly $10 billion over the next two fiscal years for roads, bridges, public transit and airports. Some of the provisions include spending $2.1 billion for state road construction, $1.1 billion on country state-aid highways, it builds a new air traffic control tower for the Duluth Airport and continues to fund programs like Metro Mobility. The budget now heads to conference committee to work on the differences between the House and Senate versions.
>>Minnesota House Approves Higher Education Budget Bill Despite Cuts
(St. Paul, MN) — The omnibus higher education package passed by the Minnesota House Monday night includes cuts. The bipartisan agreement comes with a price tag of just under $4 billion. That keeps that part of the state’s budget flat for the next two years as Minnesota faces a deficit in the total budget. The bill delivers cuts of $36 million for 2026-27, and another $38 million for the following two years. The bill passed by a vote of 120 to 14 and is now heading to a conference committee.
>>VA Secretary Collins to Speak at Minnesota GOP’s Lincoln Reagan Dinner
(Bloomington, MN) — U-S Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins is the keynote speaker for the Republican Party of Minnesota’s Lincoln Reagan Dinner. The annual G-O-P fundraiser is May 12th at the Radisson Blu Mall of America (MOA). Collins is a U-S Air Force Reserve chaplain and former congressman from Georgia.
>>Man’s Body Found in Minnesota River in Savage
(Savage, MN) — The Scott County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a man was found dead in the Minnesota River. Deputies responded to a river port in Savage around 10:25 am on Monday. They found a man’s body in the water. No other information is being released.
>>Closed Bedroom Door Helps Save Life of Baby in Andover House Fire
(Andover, MN) — Fire officials say a closed bedroom door helped saved the life of a baby in a house fire in Andover. Crews responded to the report of a mother and baby trapped inside the burning house Monday morning. They used a ladder to rescue the woman and child through a bedroom window. Fire Chief Dennis Jones told reporters the door on the nursery was closed and that prevented the flames from getting into the room. The mom and baby are reportedly hospitalized in stable condition.
>>Multiple Residents Displaced by Richfield Apartment Fire
(Richfield, MN) — Multiple people are displaced after an apartment building fire Monday night in Richfield. Firefighters rescued two people from a third-story window before putting out the fire. No one was injured, but three cats died in the fire. The Red Cross is working to help 13 displaced residents. The cause of the fire is unknown.
>>43 Hogs Euthanized After Semi Rollover in Dodge County
(Dodge Center, MN) — Authorities in southeastern Minnesota say nearly 50 hogs were euthanized Sunday due to injuries suffered in a truck crash in Dodge County. Deputies say a semi hauling hogs rolled over into a ditch on Highway 56 in between Dodge Center and Hayfield. The trailer was carrying around 170 hogs, 43 of which had to be put down at the scene. The 127 uninjured hogs were transferred to a second trailer. The crash also spilled about eight gallons of diesel fuel onto the highway. The truck driver was cited for distracted driving.
>>Game 5 of NHL Playoffs Between Minnesota Wild and Golden Knights in Vegas
(Las Vegas, NV) — The Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights play Game 5 of the first-round playoff series tonight (Tues 8:30pm) at T-Mobile Arena. Las Vegas evened the series at two games each with a 4-3 overtime win on Saturday at the Xcel Energy. Wild coach John Hynes says his team got two days off and will be energized and ready to go for tonight’s game. Game 6 is Thursday night in St. Paul.
>>Minnesota Twins Top Cleveland Guardians for 4th Straight Victory
(Cleveland, OH) — The Minnesota Twins beat the Guardians 11-1 in the series opener Monday night in Cleveland for their fourth win in a row. Bailey Ober pitched seven-and-two-thirds innings of one-run ball to earn his third victory of the season. Edouard Julien and Ryan Jeffers hit homeruns for Minnesota and Byron Buxton and Ty France drove in a pair of runs each. Chris Paddack starts for the Twins tonight (Tues 5:10pm) against Cleveland righthander Tanner Bibee.
