>>DHS Announces More Federal Medicaid Funding Held
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Department of Human Services announced the federal government is deferring $259 million in federal Medicaid funding. DHS says this is on top of federal action to withhold more than $2 billion in annual Medicaid funding due to the fraud issue. DHS officials say they have already submitted a corrective action plan to convince the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reverse course and are appealing. More than a million Minnesotans depend on Medicaid services in the state.
>>Bill at Capitol Would Make Crime of Grooming Child under 16 a Felony
(St. Paul, MN) – A bill at the Minnesota Capitol would make grooming a child under 16 a felony. The proposal was prompted in part by the story of Hannah LoPresto, a 2016 Eagan High School graduate who says she was groomed for years and later sexually assaulted by her band teacher. Albert Lea Republican Representative Peggy Bennett, who says she experienced grooming by a teacher herself, told lawmakers that cases like these show gaps remain in state law. An Eagan detective who investigated LoPresto’s case said charges couldn’t be filed at the time because of those legal gaps. The bill would define grooming as a felony, require training for mandatory reporters, and prevent teachers and volunteers from being alone with students on field trips. It passed its first committee and now heads to the House Public Safety committee.
>>Red Lake Mother Found Guilty of Killing Two of Her Children
(Minneapolis, MN) — A Red Lake mother accused of killing her two young sons and setting their home on fire was found guilty Wednesday in Minneapolis. Jennifer Stately was charged after five-year-old Tristan and six-year-old Remi were fatally stabbed on March 15th, 2024. Prosecutors say she then set the house on fire and fled with her three-year-old son, triggering a statewide Amber Alert. The child she fled with was found malnourished, leading to an additional neglect charge. Court documents say one boy died from stab wounds and the other from smoke inhalation. Her attorney pursued an insanity defense, claiming she believed the home was “demonic,” but the indictment concluded she “willfully and maliciously” set the fire.
>> Capitol Police Arrest Rep. Omar’s State of the Union Guest
(Washington, DC) — Capitol Police arrested Representative Ilhan Omar’s guest at the State of the Union address Tuesday night. Minneapolis resident Aliya Rahman was removed from the House chamber after silently standing when President Trump referenced Minnesota’s Somali community. Rahman, who has a disability, says officers forcefully removed her until several people intervened to prevent further injury. She was taken to a hospital for treatment before being booked at U.S. Capitol Police headquarters. On January 13th, Rahman was dragged from her car by federal agents in Minneapolis. She suffered torn tendons in both shoulders and a torn rotator cuff during that arrest. In a statement, U.S. Capitol police confirmed her arrest over unlawful conduct and disrupting Congress and said State of the Union tickets “clearly explain that demonstrating is prohibited.”
>>Man Facing Charges After Threatening to Kill MN Senator
(Park Rapids, MN) — A Park Rapids man is facing charges after threatening to kill a Minnesota senator and Attorney General Keith Ellison and attack the state Capitol. The 58-year-old suspect, John Tobias, was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in court on Wednesday. He remains in custody at the Hubbard County jail on two felony charges of terroristic threats. After last year’s assassination of DFL House Leader Melissa Hortman, Minnesota lawmakers are seeking to increase security. Tobias told investigators he didn’t intend to kill anyone, but he admitted that he was trying to get people’s attention.
>>Report Shows MN Lost 1,300 Farms in the Past Two Years
(Undated) — An annual report from the USDA shows that Minnesota lost 13-hundred farms in the past two years. The amount of farmland across the state also fell by 100-thousand acres. Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen said Minnesota’s farmers are struggling. Local farmers have struggled to cope with the global trade wars triggered by President Trump’s tariffs throughout 2025. State farming officials are pleased to see the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance program, but it still isn’t enough.
>>Duluth Man Arrested for Shoplifting, Brandishing a Knife
(Duluth, MN) — Police in Duluth say a man is in custody for shoplifting at a hardware store and threatening employees with a knife. The man had fled the scene on a bicycle before authorities arrived. Officers say the suspect was located a short time later but resisted arrest. They say he had a knife and fentanyl on him. He was jailed pending robbery, weapons, fleeing, and drug charges.
