>>Minnesota Sends Red Cross Volunteers to Assist in LA Wildfire Response
(Undated) — American Red Cross volunteers from Minnesota are part of the wildfire response effort in the Los Angeles area. Regional executive Brice Johnson says they are opening evacuation shelters and making sure people have a safe place to stay. Johnson says they sent 11 volunteers from Minnesota in the last couple days and that number will continue to grow. They are also moving truckloads of supplies, cots, emergency blankets, and water. The Red Cross is seeking financial and blood donations from Minnesotans for the wildfire response.
>>NFL Moves Rams vs. Viking Playoff Game to Arizona Due to Wildfires in LA
(Glendale, AZ) — The Minnesota Vikings and L-A Rams will play the N-F-C Wild Card game Monday night at the home of the Arizona Cardinals. The devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area forced the N-F-L to move the first-round playoff matchup to State Farm Stadium in Glendale Thursday night. Some members of the Rams staff had their homes impacted by the fires. The league said it had concerns about air quality in Southern California, the strain put on the community, and possible demands on police and fire departments.
>>Minnesota Senate GOP Minority Leader Johnson Previews Legislative Session
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Senate will be tied with 33 Democrats and 33 Republicans when the session opens Tuesday. There’s a special election January 28th to fill the seat of the late D-F-L Senator Kari Dziedzic of Minneapolis. G-O-P Minority Leader Mark Johnson of East Grand Forks says work continues on finding common ground. Johnson says, “we’ve had some very productive conversations” and is hopeful for a smooth start to the 2025 legislative session. His top priority is passing a balanced budget this year.
>>Senator Klobuchar Continues Push for Farm Bill in New Congress
(Washington, DC) — Ranking Senate Ag Committee Member Amy Klobuchar is not concerned that the Farm Bill will become an afterthought in the new Congress. The Minnesota Democrat says the aid package passed during the lame duck session will help farmers through difficult financial times. Klobuchar says the challenges with avian influenza and animal diseases will create a lot of pressure to get a farm bill done. Klobuchar says 2025 will be a year of change with a new administration but says she’s devoted to working across the aisle.
>>State Health Department Reports Big Increase in Flu Activity, 14 Deaths
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting a big spike in flu activity in the new year. The latest update shows there were 14 more flu-related deaths the week ending January 4th for a total of 23 this season. The report says 722 patients were hospitalized with influenza complications. Most of the hospitalizations were in the Twin Cities metro. Eight long-term care facilities and one school had outbreaks last week. State health officials were predicting an increase in flu activity after the holidays.
>>January 10th is “Quitter’s Day” in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — January 10th (Fri) has been dubbed Minnesota’s “Quitter’s Day.” Mike Sheldon is with the state Department of Health says this is just an opportunity to encourage all Minnesotans who are thinking about quitting commercial tobacco or are already in the process of it to keep quitting. Sheldon says the second Friday in January tends to be what people call “quitters” day because it’s when most people are giving up on their New Year’s resolution. M-D-H reports that it takes an average of eight to 10 quit attempts to permanently stop smoking commercial tobacco.
>>Lakeville Man Indicted for 1st Degree Murder in Stabbing of Pregnant Sister
(Hastings, MN) — A Lakeville man is now charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his sister and her unborn child last May. A Dakota County grand jury indicted 23-year-old Jack Joseph Ball for the stabbing death of 30-year-old Bethany Israel of Bloomington, who was between 17 and 18 weeks pregnant. The criminal complaint says Israel went to dinner at Ball’s house and never returned home. Police later found bloody knives and her dismembered body parts there. Ball has a court hearing this morning (Fri 9am) in Hastings.
>>Duluth Police Arrest Man Involved with Stabbing
(Duluth, MN) — Duluth police say a man is under arrest in connection with a stabbing on Thursday. Officers found one person with a stab wound and the victim was taken to a hospital where their current condition is unknown. A 24-year-old man is in custody pending charges of first-degree assault. Investigators say all involved people were detained and there is no threat to the public.
>>Missing Minneapolis Man’s Skeleton Found in Chicago
(Minneapolis, MN) — Authorities say the remains of a missing Minneapolis man have turned up near Chicago. Thirty-six-year-old David McCord was reported missing in July. Investigators say a skeleton was found in a wooded area of Bolingbrook, Illinois on December 14th with a wallet containing McCord’s I-D.
