>>Governor Marks Opening of Office of Public Service
(Maplewood, MN) – Governor Tim Walz visited a food shelf in Maplewood to launch the new Office of Public Service. The office will coordinate and expand access to service opportunities across the state, helping Minnesotans find ways to contribute and volunteer. The office will also create pathways for young people to enter in-demand careers with wages to help their families. Eight different organizations across the state were given grants to help start or continue these career programs.
>>Supreme Court to Consider Ban on Assault Rifles
(Washington, D.C.) – The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Tuesday it will consider two cases where assault rifles have been banned. The High Court said it will consider whether the Second Amendment guarantees the right to have AR-15-style rifles. The two bans were passed in Cook County, Chicago, and the state of Connecticut. The justices have agreed to hear arguments in October. In Minnesota, Senate Democrats pushed through an assault rifle ban in the last session, but the measure didn’t pass after several attempts to bring the bill to the House floor failed. Democrats say the assault rifle ban and other gun laws will be a priority in the next legislative session.
>>Ellison Wins Court Victory Over Homeless Housing Funds
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is celebrating a court victory that preserves more than $3 billion in federal homelessness assistance funding. Ellison joined a coalition of 18 other states challenging Trump administration changes to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program. A federal appeals court upheld an order blocking the administration from changing funding rules that opponents said would shift money away from permanent housing. Ellison says the decision will help keep vulnerable people housed while the lawsuit continues.
>>Former Minnesota Representative Karen Clark Dies At 80
(Minneapolis, MN) — Former Minnesota Representative Karen Clark has died at 80 after a brief illness. The southwestern Minnesota native represented south Minneapolis in the House from 1981 to 2019. Clark was the first openly lesbian member of the Minnesota Legislature and helped pass Minnesota’s landmark LGBTQ anti-discrimination law in 1993 and the state’s 2013 marriage equality law. She was also a longtime advocate for environmental justice. Memorial service arrangements have not yet been announced.
>>Fundraiser Underway for Family of Worker Killed at Cold Spring Plant
(Cold Spring, MN) — A fundraiser is helping the family of a worker killed in an industrial accident at the Pilgrim’s Pride processing plant in Cold Spring. Authorities say 29-year-old Jesse Leal died last Thursday after becoming trapped beneath equipment in the loading dock area. Despite rescue efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Coworkers have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral costs and the expense of returning his body to his native Guatemala. The fatal workplace accident remains under investigation.
>>Fairmont Police Officer Charged with Sexual Assault, Threats
(Fairmont, MN) — A Fairmont police officer is facing multiple felony charges, including criminal sexual conduct, terroristic threats, witness tampering, and domestic assault. Investigators say 44-year-old Dustin Schwebke repeatedly assaulted a woman over several years while she was allegedly incapacitated by alcohol, THC, and prescription medication. Authorities also accuse Schwebke of threatening to kill the woman and intimidating her into staying silent. Schwebke has been placed on paid administrative leave while the case proceeds. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is leading the investigation.
>>Resident Charged In Fatal Stabbing At Cold Spring Group Home
(Cold Spring, MN) — Prosecutors have charged a resident of a Cold Spring group home with second-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of an employee. Thirty-three-year-old Luke McLane is accused of killing 30-year-old Glapoujay Garmondeh Saturday night at the St. Luke Home, a Catholic Charities residence for adults with developmental disabilities. Authorities say McLane was arrested at the scene and remains jailed without bail. Garmondeh was also the captain of the East Coast Stars, an amateur soccer team based in Brooklyn Park. Investigators have not released a motive for the attack.
>>Man Sentenced to More Than 106 Years for Sexual Assaults
(Montevideo, MN) — A Chippewa County man will spend more than 106 years in prison for a series of violent sexual assaults and stalking crimes. A judge sentenced 27-year-old Jacory McCalpin after a jury convicted him on 27 felony counts. Prosecutors say McCalpin repeatedly sexually and physically assaulted the victim between July 2022 and December 2023, recording some of the attacks and using the videos to blackmail the victim into further abuse.
>>AI and Nursing
(Minneapolis, MN) — University of Minnesota Researchers urge caution with AI in nursing. As artificial intelligence becomes more common in Minnesota hospitals, U-of-M researchers say nurses must remain in control of patient care. A new study finds AI can help reduce paperwork, identify patients at risk for complications, and give nurses more time with patients. But researchers stress the technology should support—not replace—the clinical judgment, ethical decision-making, and compassionate care that define the nursing profession. Researchers also encourage nursing schools to expand AI training to prepare future nurses for the technology’s growing role in health care.
>>Federal Judge Protects Hennepin County Funding
(Minneapolis, MN) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing new federal funding conditions tied to diversity, equity and inclusion and gender identity policies. The preliminary injunction protects millions of dollars in funding for Hennepin County while the lawsuit moves forward. County officials say the 2026 budget includes $ 274 million in federal aid, including grants for DNA processing at the Sheriff’s Office and nutrition programs serving women, infants, children, and youth at the juvenile detention center. Hennepin County is one of several plaintiffs challenging the funding restrictions in federal court.
>>Federal Judge Protects Hennepin County Funding
(Minneapolis, MN) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing new federal funding conditions tied to diversity, equity and inclusion and gender identity policies. The preliminary injunction protects millions of dollars in funding for Hennepin County while the lawsuit moves forward. County officials say the 2026 budget includes $ 274 million in federal aid, including grants for DNA processing at the Sheriff’s Office and nutrition programs serving women, infants, children, and youth at the juvenile detention center. Hennepin County is one of several plaintiffs challenging the funding restrictions in federal court.
