>>Final Week for Minnesota State Patrol Colonel Matt Langer
(St. Paul, MN) — Colonel Matt Langer is leaving the Minnesota State Patrol on Friday after nearly 25 years with the agency. Langer started as a state trooper in 1999 and worked his way up the ranks to commander. He says, “It’s been an adventure. There’s been highs, there’s been lows, but I’ve learned something every day and it’s really been an enjoyable experience.” Langer says one of the most memorable moments was when Governor Walz signed the “hands-free” cell phone bill into law in 2019. He’s leaving the State Patrol to become director of global policing for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Lieutenant Colonel Christina Bogojevic will serve as the interim chief.
>>Minnesota Indian Gaming Association Opposes HHR Machines at State’s Horse Tracks
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association is criticizing the Minnesota Racing Association for approving historic horse racing (HHR) machines at the state’s two racetracks. The commission voted Monday to expand gaming at Canterbury Park and Running Aces after hearing testimony for horse owners and breeders. Andy Platto of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association says in a statement, “slot machines not located on tribal land remain illegal in Minnesota.” He claims the Racing Commission decided to usurp legislative authority and unilaterally authorize slot machines. The Minnesota House bill that would legalize sports betting does not allow H-H-R machines at the horse tracks.
>>Minneapolis Mayor Updates Progress on DOJ Report after George Floyd Killing
(Minneapolis, MN) — Mayor Jacob Frey says the City of Minneapolis is reviewing its progress on a U-S Justice Department report on the 2020 riots in response to the police killing of George Floyd. The report recommends 27 points to be addressed, including restructuring how police handle major incidents, large crowds, and police use of force. Mayor Frey said the city has completed all recommendations from the review and is not hiding from its past mistakes and working on improvements.
>>CAIR Report Shows Record Number of Complaints in 2023
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil right organization, says they saw a record 86-hundred complaints in 2023. CAIR-MN (care-mn) Civil Rights Director Alec Shaw says the report credits the massive rise of islamophobia to the increased violence in Israel and Palestine since October. Shaw notes Minnesota Muslims have been verbally and physically attacked in public “just for being visibly Muslim,” as well as threats of suspension, expulsion, and termination to Muslim students and staff, and to those who visibly show support for Palestine.
>>Wisconsin Man to Plead Guilty to Daughter’s Murder in Mower County
(Austin, MN) — A Wisconsin man accused of killing his daughter in Mower County in 2019 is expected to plead guilty today (Wed) to second-degree murder charges. Investigators say Dariaz Higgins killed his daughter Noelani at a hotel in Austin and then wrapped her body in a blanket and left it in a ditch near Blooming Prairie. Higgins was convicted of shooting and killing Noelani’s mother in Milwaukee and sentenced to life in prison in 2021. He was brought back to Minnesota last month to face charges in his daughter’s death.
>>Man Charged in Accidental Shooting of 17-Year-Old in Burnsville
(Burnsville, MN) — Dakota County prosecutors are charging a Burnsville man with reckless discharge of a firearm for a weekend shooting that injured a 17-year-old neighbor boy. Police say a bullet fired from the apartment of 26-year-old Riccardo Harvey grazed the boy who was in bed sleeping next door. The teen was treated for non-life threatening injuries early Saturday. Investigators say a bullet found in the boy’s room came from a handgun found in Harvey’s bedroom. He’s jailed on 100 thousand dollars bail.
>>Loaded Gun Found in Backpack at Burnsville High School
(Burnsville, MN) — Authorities say they recovered a loaded gun from a student’s backpack Tuesday at Burnsville High School. Administrators told police they suspected another student also had a firearm, but a second gun was never found. No shots were fired. The teen who had a gun with live ammunition was taken into custody. Officers say a second student was briefly detained and released.
>>St. Cloud May Become Home to Space Shuttle Replica
(St. Cloud, MN) — In his State of the City address Tuesday night, St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis mentioned the possibility of a full-scale replica of the Space Shuttle being housed in Minnesota. Currently, the replica is located near Kennedy Space Center in Florida and is owned by St. Cloud resident Felicity-John Pederson. Supporters of the project aim to place the shuttle next to a planned children’s museum. Pederson estimates that the move would cost about a million dollars and could potentially take place before the end of this year.
>>Countdown for Uber and Lyft Leaving Minneapolis Begins
(Minneapolis, MN) — Uber and Lyft are getting ready to leave Minneapolis with less than a month left until the deadline. State leaders are urging the Minneapolis City Council to take action to prevent their departure. Governor Tim Walz is stressing the need for the council to come to a resolution, and discussions are ongoing to explore legislative options. Despite efforts to nullify the city’s ordinance, formal action has yet to be taken at the state level. The ordinance requires a minimum wage for app drivers, creating challenges for ride-hailing companies. Minneapolis council members plan to revisit the ordinance on April 11th.
>>Minnesota United’s Second-String Team Falls to Michigan in U-S Open Cup
(St. Paul, MN) — Despite outshooting their opponents 23-9, Minnesota United F-C 2 fell Tuesday night to Michigan Stars F-C 2-0 at Allianz Field. The loss ends Minnesota’s run in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U-S Open Cup. The “Twosies” controlled the possession battle, with a 65-35 advantage but conceded a goal in each extra time period to seal the loss. Minnesota returns to M-L-S NEXTPro play April 4th, when they visit Houston Dynamo 2.
