>>House DFL Leaders to File Ethics Complaint Against Republicans Involved in DWI Arrest
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota House Democrats plan to file an ethics complaint today (Tues) against two Republican lawmakers involved in a D-W-I arrest in White Bear Lake. Representative Elliot Engen was arrested on suspicion of driving impaired March 27th and Representative Walter Hudson of Albertville was a passenger in the vehicle and had a gun and a bottle of liquor. Engen and Hudson are accused of skipping official duties and drinking at a bar before Returning to the House. D-F-L Floor Leader Jamie Long said in a statement, “Reps. Engen and Hudson violated the public’s trust, and this type of behavior has no place at the Capitol. There has to be accountability for their actions that goes beyond removing them from committees.” Officers did not test Hudson’s blood alcohol level, and he was not charged with a crime.
>>83 Minnesota Businesses Apply for Hemp Licenses
(St. Paul, MN) — The Office of Cannabis Management reports 83 businesses have applied for hemp licenses since April 1st. The O-C-M re-opened the application window for operators that missed the first application period last fall. Officials say 76 retailers, four manufacturers, and three wholesalers applied for licenses to make and sell low-dose hemp edibles and beverages. Those products used to be under the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and are now regulated by the Office of Cannabis Management.
>>Finstad Reports Progress on Year-Round, E-15 Negotiations
(Washington, DC) — A member of the U-S House Agriculture Committee says year-round, nationwide E15 negotiations are in a good place coming out of the the April recess. Republican Representative Brad Finstad says, “We had a lot of good talks, a lot of good progress. The latest version of the E15 year-round legislation is in the legal counsel’s office right now at the U-S House Lawyer’s Office. Their drafting the bill for us.” Finstad says small and medium-sized refiners are coming onboard as talks continue. He believes E15 legislation could be attached to a military spending bill.
>>Man Accused of Murdering Co-Worker in Cokato Found Incompetent for Trial
(Buffalo, MN) — The man charged in the beating death of a co-worker last November in Cokato is incompetent to stand trial. Wright County Attorney Brian Lutes said a psychologist examined David Delong and determined he lacks the capacity to proceed to trial due to mental illness. Delong is facing second-degree murder charges in the killing of 20-year-old Amber Czech (zek) of Hutchinson. Lutes said he will do everything in his power to hold Delong accountable for the murder of Czech. A hearing on Delong’s commitment as mentally ill and dangerous is set for May 21st.
>>Charges Filed in Fatal Minneapolis Hit-and-Run
(Minneapolis, MN) — A woman faces criminal vehicular homicide charges in the hit-and-run crash that killed a University of St. Thomas student last month in northeast Minneapolis. Prosecutors say Gabryella Liebgott is in custody for the death of 22-year-old Seham Hassen. Police say Hassen was struck around 3 a.m. on March 22nd while crossing the street. She was taken to Hennepin Healthcare where she later died. Investigators say the vehicle was traveling extremely fast and did not stop. Liebgott was arrested April 3rd and formally charged Monday.
>>Minnesota’s Trout Season Opens Saturday
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota’s popular stream trout season opens Saturday. It offers anglers quality fishing opportunities across every region of the state. Brook trout and lake fishing will also open on Lake Superior and its tributary streams. The Department of Natural Resources says anglers can find stream maps, fishing tips, and access information on its website, including the StreamFinder tool. Minnesota is home to about 3,800 miles of designated trout streams. Anglers ages 18 to 64 must have a valid trout stamp in addition to an angling license.
>>Twins Top Tigers in Series Opener at Target Field
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minnesota Twins topped the Detroit Tigers 7-3 in the series opener last night at Target Field. Starting pitcher Joe Ryan allowed three runs over five innings and struck out seven batters for the win. Luke Keaschall hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning to break a 3-3 tie and catcher Victor Caratini drove in a pair of runs in the eighth. Taj Bradley gets the start for 4-6 Minnesota tonight (Tues 6:40pm) against Detroit ace Tarik Skubal.
