>>Governor Walz Winning 3rd Term Would be Unprecedented in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz is ruling out a run for U-S Senate next year, but he is exploring the possibility of another term in Minnesota. Carleton College political analyst Steven Schier says Walz winning a third term in 2026 would be unprecedented. Schier says Governor Rudy Perpich served two-and-a-half terms, but he lost his third election to Arne Carlson. He says there has not been a governor to win three four-year terms in the modern era. Perpich was appointed governor in 1976 when Governor Wendell Anderson resigned to fill Walter Mondale’s seat in the U-S Senate. Schier says Governor Walz has a 54-percent job approval rating in a recent K-S-T-P/Survey U-S-A poll.
>>House GOP Bill to Limit Governor’s Emergency Power Fails
(St. Paul, MN) — A Minnesota House bill designed to ensure that no governor can continually extend emergency powers without legislative approval failed to get enough votes. Under the proposal from Republican Kristin Robbins of Maple Grove, a governor would be able to declare a public emergency, but that emergency would expire after 14 days unless a supermajority of both the House and Senate voted to extend it. Robbins says, “Minnesotans endured 16 months of emergency orders during the COVID pandemic that devastated families and closed businesses.” Democrats blocked passage of the bill.
>>Republican Lawmakers, Athletes Set to Rally for Girls’ Sports
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota House Republicans are bringing in some star power for a rally to keep girls’ sports for females only. Conservative activist and 12-time N-C-A-A All-American swimmer Riley Gaines and former Minnesota Viking Jack Brewer will join lawmakers at the Capitol Monday morning. Gaines is an advocate to keep girls’ sports for females only. At a recent hearing, transgender athletes spoke out against the bill saying this violates their rights by taking away their chance to compete. The bill is expected to come up for a vote Monday afternoon on the House floor.
>> Lawmakers Debate Bill Banning Transgender Inmates from Women’s Prison
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota House lawmakers are taking on the question of whether transgender inmates should be incarcerated in the state’s prison system. A bill authored by Alexandria Republican Representative Mary Franson looks to ban transgender inmates from the state’s only women’s prison in Shakopee. Franson says she’s concerned about the safety of women in the prison and thinks transgender female inmates should be housed in a men’s prison. Opponents say the bill is harmful to incarcerated transgender women, who are subject to sexual abuse, violence, harassment, and increased risk of suicide and self-harm in male facilities.
>>DEED Awards Final Round of Main Street Economic Development Funding
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is awarding $6.2 million through its Main Street Revitalization grant program. Office of Small Business and Innovation executive director Neela Mollgaard says this was the final round of funding. Since the program was signed into law in 2021 by Governor Walz, more than 600 businesses supported by Main Street grantees have raised $696 million in matching funds. The awards have also helped create or retain more than 8,700 jobs and increase local tax bases by almost $369 million.
>>Frey Condemns City Council Veto Override of George Floyd Square Project
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is not happy with the city council for overriding his video of the George Floyd Square plans. Frey warns the move will significantly delay progress on the project until at least mid-2026 and goes against the community’s wishes. City councilmembers are pushing for a pedestrian mall at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, where Floyd was killed by police. Frey says exploring a street closure would waste 500 thousand dollars in taxpayer money and undermine years of community engagement.
>>Hundreds of Arctic Cat Workers Getting Laid Off in Thief River Falls
(Thief River Falls, MN) — Hundreds of Arctic Cat employees at the Thief River Falls plant in northwest Minnesota will soon be unemployed. Arctic Cat’s parent company, Textron, told the Department of Employment and Economic Development about 385 workers will be laid off starting May 8th. The letter to DEED says, “changing business needs require us to reduce our workforce at the location permanently.” The announcement comes just months after operations were suspended in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud. Arctic Cat was established in Minnesota in 1962.
>>3 Live Grenades Found at History Center of Freeborn County
(Albert Lea, MN) — A discovery at the History Center of Freeborn County required a visit from the Albert Lea and St. Paul Police Bomb Squads. Museum officials called authorities Wednesday after finding three live grenades in their collections. Video posted on the History Center’s Facebook page shows officers wrapping up and removing the grenades. None of the explosives went off. No word on where the grenades came from.
>>Moorhead Man Draws 30-Year Prison Sentence for Fatal April 2023 Stabbing
(Moorhead, MN) — The sentence is 30 years in prison for a Moorhead man who was convicted of second-degree murder last month. Prosecutors say 59-year-old Robert Icanberry was found guilty of the April 2023 stabbing death of 60-year-old Terry Klevgaard. Police said Klevgaard was found dead in an apartment after not being seen for more than two weeks. Icanberry fled to California and was arrested two months later.
>>Missing Person Alert Issued for North Branch Teen
(North Branch, MN) — Authorities in east central Minnesota are searching for a missing 15-year-old girl. Police say Grace Brown was last seen in North Branch on Monday night/Tuesday morning wearing a white coat and blue jeans. She’s described as white, 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighs around 120 pounds, and has brown eyes and hair.
>>National Weather Service Issues Wind Advisory for Most of Minnesota
(Chanhassen, MN) — Most of Minnesota is under a wind advisory today (Fri). The National Weather Service is predicting 25- to 35 mile-an-hour winds with gusts up to 50 miles an hour. Forecasters recommend tying down patio future and other outdoor objects. The Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office is banning outdoor burning to prevent the risk of uncontrolled fires. Temps are expected to cool down Saturday across the state.
>>Minnesota Timberwolves Sign Guards Clark and Hyland
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are signing two players to contracts. The Wolves agreed to a two-year full contract with guard Jaylen Clark. Clark has appeared in 17 games this season and became the first rookie in franchise history to make four or more three-point shots in a game since Anthony Edwards in 2021. The team also signed Bones Hyland to a two-way contract. Hyland has seen action in 20 games this season for the L-A Clippers and has played four N-B-A seasons with L-A and the Denver Nuggets. The Wolves lost to the Lakers 111-102 Thursday night in Los Angeles.
