>>Walz to Unveil Gun Violence Prevention Package
(St. Paul, MN) — A proposed ban on assault rifles and high‑capacity magazines will take center stage today at the Minnesota State Capitol, as Governor Tim Walz introduces a new gun‑violence prevention package. The announcement will be followed by the introduction of companion bills during a House Public Safety Committee hearing this afternoon.
Today’s hearing will be the first in the House since the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in August. Families, community members, and first responders from Annunciation are expected to testify.
>>Lawmakers Looking at Ways to Cut Speeding on Minnesota Roads
(St. Paul, MN) – Lawmakers are looking at ways of making Minnesota roads safer by going after speeders with a new approach. Representative Larry Kraft of St. Louis Park is sponsoring a bill that includes new technology called an intelligent speed assistance device. Repeat offenders who have lost their licenses due to speeding violations could get back on the road with one of these devices in their vehicle. The technology physically prevents the vehicle from speeding. The bill passed the Transportation committee and is headed to the Judiciary, Finance, and Civil Law Committee. Representative Kraft passed a law last year that requires the ignition interlock system for repeat drunk drivers who attempt to drink and drive again.
>>School Bus Safety Bill Heads to Senate Floor
(St. Paul, MN) – The Senate Transportation Committee has approved a bill that will clarify state law when it comes to school bus stop arms. This new bill comes after the Minnesota Court of Appeals threw out a case last year after a driver argued that the stop arm of a school bus was not fully extended at a stop. The driver was originally convicted of the violation, but the court later overturned the conviction. This new bill clarifies the understanding that drivers must stop when there are flashing lights on the bus, regardless of whether the stop arm is extended or not. DFL Senator Ann Johnson Stewart of Minnetonka says this will better protect students getting on and off the school bus. The Senate is expected to vote on the matter soon.
>>Former ICE Instructor Alleges Agents Were Trained to Disregard Constitutional Rights
(Washington, D.C.) — A former instructor for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is accusing the agency of training new officers to disregard constitutional protections. Ryan Schwank testified before Congress that he resigned on February 13th after discovering that trainees were being instructed in ways he believes violate the Fourth Amendment. According to Schwank, ICE has been misleading both lawmakers and the public about its commitment to ensuring recruits uphold constitutional standards. He told lawmakers he was directed to instruct agents that they could make arrests based solely on an administrative removal order, without securing a warrant from a judge. The Department of Homeland Security has denied Schwank’s allegations, issuing a statement rejecting his claims.
>>Senator Tina Smith Boycotting State of the Union
(Washington, D.C.) — Minnesota Senator Tina Smith is joining dozens of Democratic lawmakers in boycotting President Trump’s State of the Union address tonight. Instead, she plans to attend the “People’s State of the Union” rally at the National Mall. Smith, who has represented Minnesota in the U.S. Senate since 2018, has previously announced she will retire at the end of her current term in 2027.
>>Hanska Teen Killed, Driver Seriously Hurt in Blue Earth County Crash
(Lake Crystal, MN) — Authorities in south central Minnesota are investigating a crash near Lake Crystal that left one teenager dead and another hospitalized. The Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office says a pickup and a car collided Sunday at an intersection on County Road 11. The driver of the car, 17-year-old Braydon Kral of rural New Ulm, suffered serious injuries, and his passenger, 15-year-old Claire Jeske of Hanska, died at the scene. The two occupants of the pickup weren’t injured.
>>Minneapolis Shooting Leaves Two Dead, Including Teenager
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minneapolis police say two family members are dead, including a 14-year-old boy, after a shooting on Monday afternoon. Investigators report that a 24-year-old man—released from the Hennepin County Jail earlier that same day—shot and killed his 23-year-old cousin and 14-year-old cousin. Brooklyn Center police later shot and killed the suspect during an exchange of gunfire. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says the suspect was well-known to law enforcement and had been jailed last week on suspicion of fleeing police and possessing an illegally modified handgun.
>>Five Arrests Made in Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigation
(St. Cloud, MN) — Five suspects are in custody following a central Minnesota enforcement operation focused on human trafficking and exploitation. The Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations arrested four people for attempts to purchase sex and one for solicitation of a person under 18. They say several active electronic solicitation of a child investigations remain ongoing, and more arrests are expected.
>>Hastings Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years for Child Exploitation
(Minneapolis, MN) — A 29-year-old Hastings man faces more than 16 years in federal prison for producing and possessing child sexual abuse material. Federal prosecutors say Hunter Geidl was sentenced to 198 months, followed by 10 years of supervised release, after admitting he possessed an explicit video of a minor in 2022. He later used multiple minors to create additional illegal material between 2022 and 2024. Authorities ask that anyone with information about any additional victims come forward. The case was investigated by the FBI with help from Hastings Police and brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative.
>>Woman Admits to Firing Multiple Shots and Hells Angels Clubhouse in Eveleth
(Duluth, MN) — Forty-year-old Adrien Gunderson pleaded guilty Monday to felony drive-by shooting toward an occupied building. Gunderson admitted firing multiple shots at the Hells Angels Clubhouse in Eveleth on September 2nd, 2024. Surveillance video showed her exiting a vehicle, approaching the front door, and opening fire. Officers recovered fourteen 9mm casings and found bullet damage on the door and inside the entryway.
Sentencing is set for May 4th.
>>Minnesota Hospital Association Holds First Ever Virtual Career Day
(Undated) – The Minnesota Hospital Association’s first-ever virtual health care career day drew hundreds of students from across the state. The event gave middle and high schoolers a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work inside a hospital. CEO Dr. Rahul Koranne says participants heard directly from nurses, advanced practice providers, social workers, therapists, technicians, and other staff about their hour-to-hour work caring for patients. The association says there are tens of thousands of open health care jobs in Minnesota right now. The virtual career day is still available to watch on the Minnesota Hospital Association’s website.
>>Dropkick Murphys Playing Free Acoustic Show near Alex Pretti Memorial Site
(Minneapolis, MN) — Boston punk band Dropkick Murphys is playing a free show next Friday near the Alex Pretti memorial site in South Minneapolis. They will perform an acoustic set at 4 p.m. on March 6th before a sold-out show at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul. Several local artists are also playing ‘Abolish Ice – a Fundraiser for the People.’ Dropkick Murphys singer Ken Casey said in a statement, “We are so proud of how Minnesota stood up and met this moment, and we are so sad for the Pretti and Good families and what they’ve gone through.”
