>>Walz in Nation’s Capital for Governor’s Conference, White House Meeting
(Washington, DC) — Governor Tim Walz is in Washington, D-C today (Fri) for a National Governors Association breakfast and several other events. His office says Walz and other governors have a morning meeting with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and cabinet secretaries at White House. Minnesota’s governor will attend a reception hosted by the ambassador of Mexico to the U-S this evening (Fri 5:45pm). Walz co-chaired the Council of Governors meeting on cybersecurity, emergency management and disaster response Thursday in the nation’s capital.
>>Minnesota Reaction to EPA Allowing Year-Round E-15 Sales
(Burnsville, MN) — The E-P-A is giving the green light to a request from eight Midwestern governors to allow year-round sales of E-15 fuel. Brian Werner of the Minnesota Biofuels Association says Governor Tim Walz was part of the bipartisan petition submitted nearly two years ago. He says, “We did finally get approval but unfortunately while that’s welcome news, E-P-A delayed finalizing the action until the summer of 2025. So it does create additional uncertainty about this summer.” Werner says federal regulators issued temporary waivers allowing the sales of 15-percent ethanol in the summers of 2022 and 2023. Year-round E-15 sales will become permanent in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
>>School Resource Officer Bill Expected on MN House Floor March 4th
(St. Paul, MN) — House Speaker Melissa Hortman says she guesses a compromise bill “fixing” a new law on use-of-force by school resource officers will be on the House floor one week from Monday (3/4). Hortman says amendments added Thursday, “I think that those resolve a lot of people’s concerns about the bill. So we’ll have to all take at look at it with amendment on and have a discussion about the bill as amended.” A key change that helped the bill pass committees in both the House and Senate gives law enforcement “comfort language” that school resource officers won’t have different restrictions on use-of-force than any other peace officer.
>>BCA: Burnsville Shooting Suspect Fire 100 Rifle Rounds at Law Enforcement
(Burnsville, MN) — The Minnesota B-C-A says 38-year-old Shannon Gooden fired more than one-hundred rifle rounds at law enforcement and first responders during last Sunday’s early-morning standoff in Burnsville. Investigators believe the two officers who died were initially shot inside the home. They say officers had been negotiating with Gooden inside that residence for about three-and-a-half hours when he opened fire without warning. It’s believed Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge (ROO-ghee) were hit, along with Officer Adam Medlicott (MED-lih-cot). He and another officer returned fire, hitting Gooden in the leg. They say Officers Ruge and Medlicott were shot a second time as officers moved from the home to an armored vehicle in the driveway, and that’s when Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Finseth was fatally shot while trying to aid the officers.
>>8th Annual ‘Gun and Hoses’ Charity Hockey Game at Blaine Super Rink
(Blaine, MN) — Minnesota police officers and firefighters face off tonight (Fri 5:30pm) in the eighth annual Guns and Hoses charity hockey game in Blaine. Executive director Wes Pederson (PEE’-dur-sen) of Lino Lakes Public Safety says this event is a way to thank our first responders in the state and has raised more than 250 thousand dollars. Proceeds are going to the Front Line Foundation which awards grants to the families of first responders who die in the line of duty. Team Guns has beaten Team Hoses in the seven previous games.
>>Deadly Crashes in Minnesota up Compared to Last Year
(St. Paul, MN) — Authorities in Minnesota are urging drivers to slow down to prevent deadly crashes on state roads. The state Department of Public Safety says there have been 49 fatal crashes this year, compared to 29 during the same period in 2023. Officials believe that drivers are going faster this winter due to the lack of snow and ice on the roads, which is leading to more violent crashes that increase the risk of injury or death.
>>ATV Rider Hospitalized in Duluth After Crash near Virginia
(Virginia, MN) — Authorities are investigating an A-T-V crash on the Iron Range near Virginia that left the driver hospitalized. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says the rider was found pinned under the four-wheeler in a ditch late Thursday night. Deputies say the victim was treated by paramedics at the scene and then airlifted to a Duluth hospital. No word on the driver’s current medical condition.
>>”Grumpy Old Men” Festival In Wabasha This Weekend
(Wabasha, MN) — Wabasha is holding its 31st “Grumpy Old Men” festival this weekend. The event celebrates the 1993 film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, which is set in Wabasha. The warm weather has led to a change in the ice fishing contest, which will now take place on the docks rather than on the ice. The event kicks off tonight (Fri).
>>”Daily Show” Visits Duluth to Explore Climate Change
(Duluth, MN) — A reporter from Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” recently visited Duluth, to investigate the possibility that the city may be resistant to climate change. In a segment posted online Thursday, correspondent Michael Kosta interviewed Duluth officials and residents. Kosta discovered that many residents were willing to welcome people from other states who are looking to escape the effects of climate change. However, the city’s chief sustainability officer warned potential newcomers by stating that “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.”
