>>Early Voting Starts Friday in Minnesota’s Presidential Primary
(St. Paul, MN) — Early voting starts tomorrow (Fri) in Minnesota’s March 5th “Super Tuesday” presidential primary. Secretary of State Steve Simon says you can vote in-person at a city or county building or by absentee ballot from home. He says, “this Friday is the beginning of voting season in Minnesota in 2024. It’s not some far off distant thing.” Simon says you must vote for candidates from one political party on the presidential primary ballot. You can request an absentee ballot or find your voting location at mnvotes.gov.
>>Office of Cannabis Management Says MN Needs 381 Dispensaries
(St. Paul, MN) — The agency regulating marijuana policy in Minnesota is giving its first estimate of how many dispensaries could eventually be licensed in the state. The Office of Cannabis Management indicates that Minnesota will need at least 381 cannabis dispensaries to meet guidelines approved under state law. Officials say the state legislature could decide to increase that number if demand supports it. The O-C-M is working on the rules and regulations for retail cannabis operations which are expected to open in 2025.
>>Houston County 2nd Minnesota County to Oppose New MN Flag
(Caledonia, MN) — Southeastern Minnesota’s Houston County is the second in the state to formally oppose the new state flag and seal. This comes after Crow Wing County approved a resolution opposing the freshly adopted flag and seal earlier this month. Houston County’s resolution reads, “The official state flag and seal are not only symbols of our state, but also of our history, and both the current official state flag and official state seal contain historical information on our farming background, Native American heritage and the coexistence that is part of the rich history of our state.” The new flag and seal are on track to become official this spring unless state lawmakers reject the redesigns.
>>Funeral Thursday for Man Shot in Double Murder-Suicide at Cloquet Hotel
(Grand Rapids, MN) — The man shot in a double-murder suicide at the Super 8 Hotel in Cloquet is being laid to rest this morning (Thurs) in Grand Rapids. Police say 35-year-old Patrick Roers of Deer River and 22-year-old hotel clerk Shellby Trettel were fatally shot January 8th by a man who later died of a self-inflicted gunshot. A visitation for Roers is at 10 am today at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11 o’clock. There was a celebration of life Wednesday evening for Trettel in Cloquet.
>>1 Person Injured in Fire at St. Cloud Hotel
(St. Cloud, MN) — Officials are investigating a fire in a St. Cloud hotel Wednesday morning that sent one person to the hospital. Firefighters battled flames coming from a second floor room at the Days Inn and the building was evacuated. Officers say one person was taken to St. Cloud Hospital but their current condition is unknown. Crews were able to contain the fire to the one unit. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting local authorities with the investigation.
>>Rochester Woman Charged in Alleged Church Arson Fire
(Rochester, MN) — A Rochester woman is accused of setting fire to a local church in April of 2022. Police say 22-year-old Sesen Tesfay was arrested last week in connection with the fire that did two-and-a-half-million dollars damage to Peace United Church of Christ. Prosecutors say Tesfay is facing first-degree arson, second-degree burglary, criminal damage to property and theft charges. Officials say the north half of Peace United Church of Christ was gutted in the fire. No one was in the building at the time of the fire.
>>Amazon Prime to Stream Twins, Timberwolves, Lynx and Wild Games
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minnesota sports fans may soon be able to tune into Amazon Prime to get their fill of Twins baseball, Wild hockey and Timberwolves basketball. Diamond Sports is confirming that Amazon has bought a minority stake in the company as part of a deal that will allow them to emerge from bankruptcy. Diamond Sports owns 18 regional sports networks, including Bally Sports North, which broadcasts the Twins, Wild, and Timberwolves as well as the Minnesota Lynx. The company says those games will still be available on cable and satellite channels in addition to streaming on Amazon Prime.
>>MN Historical Society Purchases Wild Goalie Mask Painted by Native Artist
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Historical Society is adding a new piece of hockey history to its collections. The M-H-S purchased a mask worn by Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury that was designed by Mdewakanton Dakota artist Cole Redhorse Taylor. Fleury wore the mask during warmups on the Wild’s Native American Heritage Night in November despite the N-H-L warning it was against the rules. He wore the mask to honor his wife, Véronique Larosee Fleury, who is an Indigenous person of Canada. The Historical Society bought the mask at auction for 35 thousand dollars.
