>>GOP Lawmaker Calls for Vote on New Minnesota State Seal
(St. Paul, MN) — Two Republican non-voting members on the State Emblems Redesign Commission oppose the Dakota language on the design selected for the new state seal. Representative Bjorn Olson of Fairmont claims it violates state statute and wants Minnesotans to vote on it. He told members Tuesday, “the people should be able to vote in November to accept these flag and this seal.” Secretary of State Steve Simon says his office examined this issue and their tentative conclusion is “that any such statewide vote would not be constitutional.” He says the only statewide votes are for candidates or for amendments to the Minnesota Constitution. The new seal includes the Dakota phrase “Mni Sota Makoce” (min-ee-SOH’-tah muh-KOH’-chay), which means the land where the water reflects the skies.
>>Minnesota’s Senators Asking for Audit of Postal Service District
(Washington, DC) — U-S Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar are asking the U-S Postal Service to conduct a full audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota District after numerous reports of delayed and unreliable mail service. In a letter to the Inspector General, the senators said Minnesotans rely on the Postal Service as an essential public service for deliveries like medicine, Social Security checks, paychecks, and communication with loved ones, especially in rural communities. Specifically, Smith and Klobuchar are asking the Inspector General to look at the accuracy of Postal Service data reporting, staffing and recruitment, areas with the most disruption, and whether the Postal Service could operate to service standards with a full workforce.
>>Parole Board Denies Early Release for Duluth Man Convicted in Fatal Shooting
(St. Paul, MN) — A Duluth man serving a 50-year sentence for fatally shooting three people at a party in 1994 won’t be getting out of prison early. The Minnesota Board of Pardons denied a request for an early release from Todd Michael Warren on Tuesday. Warren was convicted in the murders of Keith Hermanson, Peter Moore, and Samuel Witherspoon. He told police that he saw the men sexually assaulting his girlfriend’s friend before he went home and got a gun. Warren apologized to the victims’ families during Tuesday’s meeting. He will be able to apply for early release again in five years.
>>103th Birthday Celebration at Minnesota Veterans Home Minneapolis
(Minneapolis, MN) — Family and friends are celebrating a special birthday today (Wed) for a resident at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Minnepolis. Harold Anderson turns 103. Anderson served in the Marine Corps at the end of World War II. Jennifer Kraus with the Minnesota Veterans Home says they will celebrate Harold today with cake, ice cream, and his favorite game, Bingo. Following the war, Anderson came back to Minneapolis and started a construction company with his family. Kraus says Harold built his family home and lived there until he was 102.
>>Suspect Vehicle in Fatal Rock County Hit and Run Found in South Dakota
(Luverne, MN) — The Rock County Sheriff’s Office in southwest Minnesota says a vehicle suspected in a fatal hit and run has been located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Deputies found 76-year-old William Krotzer of Luverne lying dead in a ditch last Wednesday near Beaver Creek. His vehicle was discovered about a mile away with a flat tire. Investigators said that Krotzer was struck by a newer model Chevy Z-71 pickup. The Minnesota B-C-A is assisting local authorities with the case.
>>Plane Breaks Through Ice on Upper Red Lake
(Upper Red Lake, MN) — A pilot and passenger are safe after their single-engine airplane broke through the ice Tuesday morning on Upper Red Lake in northern Minnesota. The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office says the two people flew from Grand Rapids to the lake to ice fish. Deputies say the pilot found what was thought to be a safe landing spot but had difficulty slowing the plane down. It slid into an area of shallow ice and the nose broke through. Other people ice fishing helped the pilot and passenger to shore.
>>Southwest Airlines Distributes Travel Vouchers Following 2022 Meltdown
(Undated) — In the aftermath of last year’s major travel meltdown, Southwest Airlines is taking steps to rectify the situation. Southwest had nearly 17 thousand flight cancellations and left two million passengers stranded over the holiday season. The airline has agreed to a 140-million-dollar penalty, marking one of the largest penalties in U-S Department of Transportation history. Southwest has dedicated an entire webpage and implemented an online action plan outlining the measures taken to prevent a recurrence of a similar meltdown in the future.
>>2024 Minnesota Yacht Club Music Festival in St. Paul
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Yacht Club Music Festival is set to bring some fresh beats to St. Paul next summer. The festival promises a lineup of 20 artists across two stages, with no overlapping sets on July 19th and 20th at Harriet Island Regional Park . The event is being put on by the folks who promote Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits. While details about the lineup and ticket prices are currently limited, the festival plans to implement wristbands for entry, saying once purchased, they cannot be refunded or exchanged.
