>>St. Paul Man Accused of Shooting at Eagan Police Officers
(St. Paul, MN) – A 37-year-old St. Paul man is facing attempted murder charges after prosecutors say he fired at Eagan police officers responding to a domestic disturbance Friday morning. Authorities say Adrian Ricardo Flowers pulled a handgun during a struggle with officers, firing one shot that narrowly missed an officer’s head. Prosecutors say he then pointed the gun at a second officer and pulled the trigger, but the weapon jammed. Officers were able to disarm and arrest him. Flowers is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer and other felonies. He’s being held in the Dakota County Jail on $1 million bail without conditions.
>>Lakeville Man Sentenced in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme
(St. Paul, MN) – A Lakeville man has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in federal prison for his role in the massive Feeding Our Future fraud case. Federal prosecutors say 37-year-old Abdinasir Mahamed Abshir falsely claimed to serve thousands of meals a day to children and collected more than $5 million through fraudulent reimbursements. Abshir pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was also convicted of witness tampering after trying to interfere with a cooperating witness. He was sentenced to 78 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $2.2 million in restitution. Authorities say the fraud was part of the $250 million Feeding Our Future scheme.
>>Otter Tail County Zoo Facing Possible Closure
(Otter Tail County, MN) – A popular family-run zoo in Otter Tail County could soon close its doors. The owner of Trowbridge Creek Zoo in Vergas says years of declining attendance have pushed the operation to the brink. In a social media post, owner Dustin Ebersviller said the financial pressure of caring for animals and maintaining the facility has become overwhelming. He says small zoos have only about three months each year to earn enough revenue to support animals year-round. The zoo is home to zebras, camels, lemurs, capybaras and other animals. Ebersviller is asking the public for support to help keep the zoo open.
