>>’Taylor Swift’ Ticket Law Takes Effect January 1st in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — A new Minnesota law aims to protect sports fans and concert goers. Starting January 1st, ticket sellers will be required to show upfront fees that will be added to the cost of the ticket. The law intends to make the buying process more transparent and avoid surprises at the end of a purchase for customers. Senator Matt Klein of Mendota Heights says the sellers must also have tickets in their possession before putting them on the market. Klein says this law will create a fairer marketplace for both seller and buyer.
>>Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program Has Served 68K Households
(St. Paul, MN) — State officials say Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program has served about 68 thousand households in the state this heating season. Michael Schmitz with Department of Commerce says they’ve provided over 40 million dollars to Minnesotans who need help with their energy bills and with repairing and replacing their heating system if it’s not working. Schmitz says the state received 112 million dollars in federal funding for the program in November and has spent about one third of it. The average benefit is about 550 dollars.
>>Retired Edina Police K-9 Officer Dies of Cancer
(Edina, MN) — The Edina Police Department is mourning the loss of a retired police dog. Officials say 11-year-old K-9 Officer Blitz died Tuesday of advanced cancer. Blitz retired last New Year’s Eve following eight years with the Edina P-D and more than 650 calls for service. The department says its thoughts and prayers are with Blitz’s handler, Officer Sean Young.
>>Hermantown PTO Treasurer Gets Probation for Stealing $103K
(Hermantown, MN) — A northeast Minnesota woman who pleaded guilty to stealing more than 100-thousand dollars from the Hermantown Parent Teacher Organization will avoid jail time. Prosecutors say 44-year-old Trista Swanson was sentenced to three years of probation on four counts of theft. Swanson was also ordered to repay the money she stole from the P-T-O. Court records show Swanson stole more than 103 thousand dollars during her time as the organization’s treasurer. Investigators say she wrote checks to herself and used a debit card to withdraw cash and make unauthorized purchases.
>> Maple Grove Hospital Nurses Could Join Union
(Maple Grove, MN) — Nurses at Maple Grove Hospital are announcing later today (Fri 4pm) they have organized and are filing for an election vote to be represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association. The nurses say they are seeking a union to have a voice in their workplace and to improve work conditions and patient care standards. They say this will lead to greater job satisfaction, nurse retention and quality patient care. The M-N-A represents more than 22-thousand members in the Upper Midwest.
>>Billion Dollar Jackpot Tonight for Mega Millions
(Roseville, MN) — More than a billion dollars is available tonight (Fri) in the Mega Millions Lottery. The actual jackpot is worth $1.15 billion dollars, making it the fifth largest lottery jackpot in our country’s history. If you match all six numbers and select the cash option, that’s worth just over 516 million dollars. The Minnesota Lottery says changes are coming to the Mega Millions game next year. The price of a ticket will be going up from two dollars to five dollars.
>>Minnesota Wild Play at Dallas Stars Friday Night
(Dallas, TX) — The Minnesota Wild return from the holiday break tonight (Fri 7pm) with a road game at the Dallas Stars. The Wild snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Blackhawks Monday at the Xcel Energy Center. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson made 28 saves against Chicago after missing four games with an upper body injury. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger of Lakeville is undefeated against Minnesota in seven games.
