>>Candidates File for 2 Special Elections in Minnesota House & Senate
(St. Paul, MN) — We now know the number of candidates running in the two special elections on January 28th in Minnesota. In Senate District 60 to fill the vacancy following the passing of former Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic of Minneapolis, 13 candidates filed the necessary paperwork. Ten are Democrats and three are Republicans. In House Race 40-B in the Roseville area, there are six candidates running for the seat. Five are Democrats and the lone Republican is Paul Wikstrom who lost the election to D-F-L candidate Curtis Johnson by 75-hundred votes in November. Johnson was disqualified for violating the residency requirement. A special primary election is set for January 14th.
>>Passing New Farm Bill is Top Priority for Congresswoman Craig
(Undated) — The next ranking member of the U-S House Agriculture Committee says completing a new farm bill is her number one priority. Minnesota Democrat Angie Craig says she’s disappointed that didn’t happen during the last Congress. Craig said, “this is fair warning though to everybody, unless my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are going to sit down and negotiate a bipartisan farm bill, my concern is we’re going to be at a disadvantage and not able to get one in the next Congress.” She says SNAP food benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) remain a sticking point in negotiations between Republicans and Democrats.
>>Number of Abortions Increased 16 Percent in Minnesota in 2023
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting a 16-percent increase in abortions in 2023. The number of abortions rose from 12-thousand-175 two years ago to 14-thousand-124 last year, the most since 2003. Nearly three thousand abortions were performed on out-of-state residents. Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life said in a statement, “D-F-L lawmakers and Governor Walz have sought to make Minnesota a land of truly unlimited abortion.” Some Iowa women are coming to Minnesota for reproductive care in response to a six-week abortion ban in their state.
>>Flu Activity Increasing in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — Flu activity appears to be on the rise in Minnesota. The state Department of Health reported the first three influenza-related deaths of the season in December. There were ten flu outbreaks in Minnesota schools the week before the holiday break. One-hundred-67 patients were hospitalized with influenza in the state for a total of 379 since October. State health officials say it’s not too late to get the flu vaccine.
>>Authorities Investigate Death of Farmer in Nicollet County
(Lafayette Township, MN) — Authorities in Nicollet County are investigating the death of an 85-year-old man on a farm in rural New Ulm. The sheriff’s office received a report Tuesday night that John Huelskamp was working with his cattle and had not been seen for a long time. Deputies and other agencies unsuccessfully searched for Huelskamp until after midnight and he was found dead on New Year’s Day morning.
>>1 Dead, 1 Injured in Windom Stabbing
(Windom, MN) — A man is dead and another injured after a stabbing in the city of Windom in southwest Minnesota on New Year’s Eve. Police were called to the Phat Pheasant Pub where they found two men ages 30 and 31 with stab wounds. Officers say the 30-year-old victim died in the hospital. A 26-year-old man from San Diego, California was arrested. No other information is available.
>> Woman Shot, Suspect Arrested in Mankato Shooting
(Mankato, MN) — An 18-year-old suspect is in custody in connection to a New Year’s Eve shooting in Mankato. Blue Earth County deputies were called to the Benco Electric parking lot on a report of broken glass and a handgun. Surveillance video shows two people shooting at each other in what is believed to be a drug deal gone bad. Investigators say a woman arrived at the hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound but was not an active participant. Deputies say they arrested Abdikhadar Mohidin of Moorhead, whose appearance was consistent with one of the shooters.
>>Duluth Drug Bust Nets Fentanyl, Cash and Arrest
(Duluth, MN) — A Duluth man is jailed after a fentanyl bust on New Year’s Eve. Police and the Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force say they found 150 grams of fentanyl packaged for sale, more than 12-thousand dollars cash, and other evidence of drug dealing during a search. Officers arrested a 54-year-old man on suspicion of first-degree sales of fentanyl.
>>$ 1 Million Mega Millions Ticket Sold in Minnesota for New Years Eve Drawing
(Roseville, MN) — A ticket sold in Minnesota for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing is a one-million-dollar winner. The Minnesota Lottery says a ticket matching the first five numbers was purchased at Cub Foods in Blaine. The winning numbers on New Year’s Eve were 13, 22, 27, 29, 35, and the Mega Ball was 1. The Mega Millions jackpot for Friday’s drawing is 42-million dollars.
>>Minnesota Wild Place Leading Scorer Kaprizov on Injured Reserve
(Washington, DC) — Minnesota Wild All-Star forward Kirill Kaprizov will spend time on the injured reserve list. The team placed Kaprizov on I-R Wednesday as he recovers from a lower body injury. He’s tied for second in the N-H-L with 23 goals and has 50 points. Minnesota has gone 2-and-1 without Kaprizov on the ice. Captain Jared Spurgeon suffered a leg injury in Tuesday’s 5-3 win over Nashville and was on crutches after the game. The Wild play the Capitals tonight (Thurs 6pm) in Washington, D-C.
