>>10 More Suspects Charged in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

(Minneapolis, MN) — Federal prosecutors in Minnesota are charging ten more suspects in the 250-million-dollar Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. The U-S Attorney’s Office says the defendants were part of the scheme that defrauded the federal Child Nutrition Program by misappropriating and laundering millions of dollars that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to children. Two of the defendants falsely claimed to have served more than three thousand meals a day at Evergreen Grocery and Deli in Minneapolis and received more than four-point-two million dollars in payments through Feeding Our Future. A total of 70 people are now charged in the case.

 

>>Minnesota Nurses Association Releases Legislative Priority List

(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Nurses Association is out with its top priorities for the 2024 legislative session. Unity Hospital medical surgical nurse John Welsh says one of the M-N-A’s goals is to put patient needs before “corporate greed” in our health care system. He says the agenda calls for higher standards for hospitals to keep their non-profit status, increased prioritization of community health needs, increased public accountability for our public hospitals, and a pay cap on hospital C-E-Os. Welsh claims the same hospital executives who defeated the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside act last year are making further cuts in staffing levels and patient care. He says they want to build on workplace violence protections and the student loan forgiveness program for nurses this year.

 

>>MMA Advocating for Limits on Prior Authorization at Capitol

(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minnesota Medical Association (MMA), the largest advocacy group for Minnesota physicians and trainees, says they’ll be calling for five legislative priorities at the Capitol this session, which begins next Monday. M-M-A President Doctor Laurel Ries says out of everything they’re advocating for, “Reducing the use of prior authorization for critical services, where insurance companies delay getting treatments to patients, is the key one this year.” The group will hold its annual Physicians’ Day at the Capitol Wednesday, February 28th.

 

>>Klobuchar Supports Border Security and Foreign Aid Package

(Washington, DC) — Senator Amy Klobuchar is praising the U-S Senate’s bipartisan border security and foreign aid package, calling it a “positive step.” She emphasized its importance in securing borders, supporting Ukraine, fulfilling promises to Afghan allies, and providing aid globally. The package includes language from Klobuchar’s Afghan Adjustment Act to allow Afghans who sought refuge in the U-S to apply for permanent, legal residency and her-supported FEND Off Fentanyl Act to declare international trafficking of fentanyl as a national emergency. Republican leaders say the bill is dead on arrival in the U-S House.

 

>>More Record Warmth Expected Across Minnesota

(Chanhassen, MN) — It is going to feel more like April than February for the next few days Minnesota. National Weather Service Meteorologist Tyler Hasenstine (HA’-zen-styn) says we’re looking at near record-high temperatures in the low to mid-50s from St. Cloud and southward, low to mid-40s in northern Minnesota, and upper 30 iin the northwest corner of the state. Hasenstine some areas in far western and southwest Minnesota could see upper 50s to 60-degrees highs. A slight cooldown is expected this weekend.

 

>>Suspicious Death Under Investigation in Faribault

(Faribault, MN) — Authorities in southern Minnesota say they are investigating a suspicious death in Faribault (FAIR’-uh-boh). Police were doing a welfare check Monday afternoon when they found a man dead inside a home. Officers say the circumstances are “suspicious in nature” and they’re trying to determine exactly what took place. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is helping local investigators. The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to identify the victim this (Tues) afternoon.

 

>>Authorities ID Victim of Fatal Shooting in Rochester

(Rochester, MN) — The Rochester Police Department is identifying the man fatally shot in a shopping center parking lot. Officers say 24-year-old Osbel Ornelas of Rochester was shot Saturday afternoon and died in the hospital that evening. Two brothers were arrested following the shooting. Investigators say the suspects and Ornelas were involved in a road rage incident that led to a fight and one of the brothers shot him in the back of the head. Authorities say they recovered a gun at the scene.

 

>>FBI Investigating Waseca Federal Prison Inmate’s Death

(Waseca, MN) — The F-B-I is investigating after an inmate at the federal prison in Waseca was found dead Sunday. The Federal Bureau of Prisons says 29-year-old Jessica Wallowingbull was found unresponsive, given life-saving measures but pronounced dead by E-M-S personnel. No prison staff or other inmates were injured.

 

>>MSP Airport Chik-fil-A Manager Charged with Embezzling $140 K

(Minneapolis, MN) — A manager at the Chik-fil-A restaurant at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is accused of embezzling more than 140 thousand dollars. Federal prosecutors say 36-year-old Timothy Michael Hill of Woodbury collected the daily cash receipts from the airport restaurants and instead of depositing it into the safe deposit box, pocketed some or all of the cash. Court documents allege that Hill used future cash receipts to cover his theft and spent the money on jewelry, online sports betting and adult websites. He will make his first court appearance on five wire fraud charges February 14th.

 

>>Minneapolis Health Department Offering 1,000 Trees to City Property Owners

(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minneapolis Health Department is offering 1,000 trees to city property owners through a lottery, to help build the city’s greenery. In partnership with Tree Trust, any Minneapolis property owner can enter the lottery to purchase up to two $30 shade or evergreen trees, ranging anywhere from three to eight feet tall, weighing 20 to 40 pounds. Officials encourage anyone living in the city’s “Green Zones,” areas that have high levels of environmental pollution, to enter.

 

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