>>Republicans React to DHS Closing of Housing Stabilization Services Program
(St. Paul, MN) – Republican leaders are lashing out at the Department of Human Services’ decision to terminate the Housing Stabilization Services program due to fraud. Fraud Prevention Committee Chair Kristin Robbins of Maple Grove says, “This is a stunning admission of how deeply broken this program has become under the Walz administration’s watch.” She adds that the program was initially expected to cost taxpayers $2.6 million a year, but costs ballooned to over $100 million. Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth says, “The surprise announcement from the Walz administration is the right decision, but it’s too little, too late. Once again, state agencies failed to catch fraud in real time.”
>>Protest Planned for Sunday Outside Governor’s Mansion
(St. Paul, MN) – A protest will be held Sunday outside the Governor’s mansion. The Minnesota Anti-War Committee, a member of the Free Palestine Coalition, will hold a protest against what they call Israel’s ongoing genocide and deliberate starvation of Gaza. Organizers say they want to send a message to Governor Walz to stop investing Minnesota money in Israel’s crimes. The protest starts Sunday afternoon at three o’clock.
>>Hormel Workers in Austin Part of Class-Action Lawsuit Against Company
(Austin, MN) — This week, 1,600 union workers at the Austin Hormel meatpacking plant filed a class action lawsuit against their employer for abusing the 2023 law that provides Earned Sick and Safe Time for Minnesota employees. The employees claim the company forced them to use vacation time instead of sick leave.
>> Poor Air Quality Persists Across Minnesota
(Chanhassen, MN) – A statewide Air Quality Alert has been extended through Monday, as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to drift into Minnesota. Health officials warn that the unhealthy air can cause symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, coughing, and shortness of breath. Those most at risk include children, seniors over 60, and individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD. Residents are urged to limit outdoor activities, keep windows closed, and use air purifiers if available.
>>Child Seriously Hurt in UTV Crash
(Fergus Falls, MN) — An 8-year-old child was seriously hurt in a UTV rollover Friday afternoon northeast of Fergus Falls. According to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, the child was driving the UTV through a field when they attempted a turn and lost control, causing the vehicle to roll. The child, who was not wearing a seatbelt or helmet, became pinned beneath the UTV. Family members pulled the child out before emergency crews arrived. The child was unconscious and airlifted by Life Link III to Sanford Hospital in Fargo. A sibling riding in the UTV was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured.
>>Petition Push to Rename State Building for Late Speaker Hortman Gains Momentum
(St. Paul, MN) — A grassroots campaign is gaining traction to rename the Minnesota State Office Building in honor of the late House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. Organizers say hundreds of 400 people have already signed a petition to rebrand the structure as the Hortman State Office Building. The effort is being led by John and Jodi Wolhaupter, who say they want the name change to serve as a lasting tribute to Hortman’s leadership and a solemn reminder of the tragedy that ended her life. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot in their Brooklyn Park home in June in what authorities have called an assassination.
>>Anoka County Sheriff Wants Info on Fairgrounds Fireworks Incident
(Anoka, MN) — Investigators are asking the public for more information about a fireworks incident on the Anoka County Fairgrounds last weekend. The sheriff’s office says several people suffered minor burns when someone threw a large firework into a crowd, which ignited. Deputies say they’d like to speak with a group of juveniles who were near the scene. The victims were treated by paramedics on the fairgrounds.
>>New DWI Law for Repeat Offenders Now in Effect in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — A new law targeting repeat drunk drivers went into effect on Friday. DFL Senator Ron Latz of St. Louis Park pushed for the change after a deadly crash in his district outside Park Tavern, where a repeat offender drove into a crowd, killing two people and injuring several others. Senator Latz says the updated law now requires ignition interlock devices for anyone with a prior DWI — even if that conviction is nearly two decades old. The driver responsible for the Park Tavern tragedy was recently sentenced to 30 years in prison — a sentence Latz says he fully supports.
>>State Fair Less than Three Weeks Away
(Minneapolis, MN) — Officials at the Minnesota State Fair say they’ll be ready to open the gates in less than three weeks. Spokesperson Maria Hayden says the fairgrounds will enter “lockdown mode” next week, which means the grounds will be closed to the public. She says vendor setup will start as preparations gear up for opening day on August 21st. This year’s fair runs from the 21st through September 1st.
