>>School Resource Officer Bill Passes Minnesota Senate Committee
(St. Paul, MN) — A bill aiming to clarify when school resource officers are allowed to use force barely cleared a state Senate committee yesterday (Wed) and is stalled in the Minnesota House. One sticking-point appears to be having the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board develop statewide policies, which Republican Senator Zach Duckworth from Lakeville is lawmakers’ job. But Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson says the bill addresses confusion about when prone restraints and force can be used. He says, “what would be in state law will assure police officers that they can use their best discretion to use force as needed, in a school setting or anywhere else in the state of Minnesota, consistent with their training.” Duckworth called for repealing the S-R-O law and starting over.
>>Minnesota House Bill Would Give Students More Time for Lunch
(St. Paul, MN) — A Minnesota House committee is working on a bill that would require schools give students at least 15 minutes to eat their lunch, prompted by long lines during lunch periods in some districts. Tracy Area Public Schools Nutrition Director Michele Hawkinson told lawmakers, ” Lunch is supposed to be the time for students to relax, catch up with friends and enjoy a good meal.” Hawkinson says more time to eat lunch is a proven strategy to help students reach their full academic potential. There are still questions about whether it would lengthen the school day and affect teacher contracts, and how special-needs students would be accommodated.
>>Moose Lake Disbanding Police Department, Subcontracting With Carlton County
(Moose Lake, MN) — The City of Moose Lake in northeastern Minnesota is disbanding its police department. The city council voted Wednesday evening to begin subcontracting with the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services. Officials say four sheriff’s deputies will be dedicated to Moose Lake and work out of the current department’s building. They say it will cost less to subcontract with Carlton County than continuing to operate the Moose Lake P-D.
>>Measurable Snowfall in Southern, Central Minnesota
(Chanhassen, MN) — Some folks in central and southern Minnesota are waking up (Thurs) to the most snowfall of the winter. The National Weather Service is reporting seven inches in Norwood Young America, Shakopee and the M-S-P Airport. Waconia, Isanti and Hendricks in southwest Minnesota received six inches and five inches fell in Kimball, Marshall and New London. Other reports include four inches in New Prague, three-and-a-half in Buffalo and two-and-a-half in Waite Park. Cooler temperatures in the 20s and low 30s are expected today (Thurs) across Minnesota.
>>More than 100 Crashes Reported Statewide During Wednesday Snowfall
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota State Patrol says Wednesday’s snowfall resulted in several dozen crashes across the state. Troopers say there were 125 crashes reported between noon and 9 pm yesterday. There were also 74 vehicle spinouts and one jackknifed semi. Among the crashes, ten resulted in injury.
>>State Patrol Investigating Deadly Crash near Elk River
(Elk River, MN) — The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating a two-vehicle crash on Highway 169 in Sherburne County Wednesday morning that left an eight-year-old boy dead. State troopers say a car driven by 43-year-old Erin Cooney of Elk River was attempting to cross Highway 169 when it collided with an S-U-V driven by Ryan McGrath of New Hope. The report says Cooney was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries and her eight-year-old passenger died at the scene. McGrath had only minor injuries. Authorities are expected to identify the victim this afternoon (Thurs 12:30pm).
>>1 Dead in Valentine’s Night Stabbing in St. Paul
(St. Paul, MN) — Police say one person is dead after a stabbing Wednesday night in St. Paul’s North End neighborhood. Officers say the victim was found suffering from an apparent stab wound in apartment and died a short time later at Regions Hospital. Investigators say a woman at the scene was taken to police headquarters for questioning. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office will identify the victim and the official cause of death. This is the second homicide of the year in St. Paul.
>>Polaris, Snowmobile Driver Charged After Sled Dog Deaths in AK
(Roseau, MN) — A Minnesota man and the company he works for are facing charges in Alaska after a December snowmobile crash. Erik Johnson of Roseau was testing a snowmobile in the Alaskan backcountry for his employer, Minnesota-based Polaris Incorporated. Investigators say Johnson’s snowmobile crashed into a sled dog team, killing three of the dogs and injuring another. Alaskan authorities have charged Johnson with a misdemeanor for operating the vehicle in an unsafe manner and say the company is also facing charges because Johnson was working for them at the time of the crash.
>>Minnesota’s New MMIR License Plate
(St. Paul, MN) — The state of Minnesota is now selling a license plate to bring awareness to missing and murdered Indigenous people. The specialty plate was debuted Wednesday during a rally and march in Minneapolis. A fund that offers rewards for information about missing Indigenous people will receive 25 dollars for each plate sold. Marches and events to draw attention to crimes against Indigenous girls and women were also held in Duluth, Bemidji, Mahnomen, and Moorhead yesterday.
>>MN DNR Says Mississippi River Fish Deaths Caused byThermal Stress
(Lake City, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is investigating the deaths of hundreds of fish in the Mississippi River. The fish were reported in the river in Lake City on February 3rd and in Wabasha on February 8th. The D-N-R says about a thousand fish died in all. The agency says the die-offs were caused by thermal stress related to recent high temperatures, and analysts are still looking at data collected from both locations.
