>>Melissa, Mark Hortman and Dog to Lie in State Friday at Minnesota Capitol
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz says Melissa and Mark Hortman will lie in State Friday in the Capitol. They will be joined by their golden retriever, Gilbert. Former House Speaker Hortman will be the first woman and one of fewer than 20 Minnesotans to lie in state at the Capitol. The public can pay their respects from noon to 5 p-m on Friday. A private funeral for the Hortman’s is set for Saturday at 10:30 a-m and will be livestreamed on the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s YouTube channel.
>>Minnesota Members Honor Melissa, Mark Hortman on US House Floor
(Washington, DC) — Minnesota’s congressional delegation honored House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark on the floor of the U-S House. Third District Congresswoman Kelly Morrison said about Hortman, “She was often the smartest person in the room, but you wouldn’t know it because she was so humble. She was a generous friend, a good neighbor and a mentor to me and to so many others. She saw the dignity in all people and treated everyone with respect.” Sixth District Congressman Tom Emmer told members, “there is no place in our country for politically motivated violence. None. The fact that the Hortman and Hoffman families are being forced to endure the consequences of inexplicable evil is heartbreaking, devastating and infuriating for us all.” Their remarks were followed by a moment of silence to remember the Hortman’s.
>>3rd Anniversary of Supreme Court Ruling Overturning Roe v. Wade
(St. Paul, MN) — Pro-life Minnesotans are celebrating the third of anniversary of the U-S Supreme Court decision today (Tues) that overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion ruling. Cathy Blaeser of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life says, “It was a wonderful, wonderful decision to have the Constitution of the United States brought back to its fullness and have states’ rights to once again step forward and have their own laws.” Blaeser says laws in Minnesota did not change because we have abortion rights in our state constitution. She says they look forward to the day in Minnesota where women and unborn children are protected.
>>11-Year-Old Fatally Shot near North Minneapolis Park
(Minneapolis, MN) — Police are investigating a shooting in north Minneapolis Monday afternoon that left an 11-year-old boy dead. A neighbor found the boy, put in him his car and was met by an officer on the way to the hospital. First responders tried to save him, but the boy died at the scene. Police Chief Brian O’Hara said, “I cannot emphasize how terrible it is to have an 11-year-old shot during the day and killed. But it’s clear there were other people here when this happened.” O’Hara says there were vehicles in the Folwell Park area when the shots were fired.
>>Moorhead Police Searching for Vehicle in Drive-By Shooting
(Moorhead, MN) – Moorhead Police are asking for the public’s help in locating a vehicle tied to a drive-by shooting that seriously injured a 17-year-old last week. Investigators are looking for a white 2010 Chrysler 300 with Minnesota license plate E-J-J 3-7-9. The car has distinct red lettering on the rear window. Authorities say the suspected shooter, also 17, was a passenger in the vehicle and is considered armed and dangerous. The shooting is believed to be targeted, and police say the suspect and victim knew each other. Anyone who sees the car is urged not to approach and to contact law enforcement immediately.
>>Fleet Farm Tied to More Straw Purchases in Federal Gun Case
(Minneapolis, MN) – Fleet Farm is once again being linked to illegal firearm sales in Minnesota. Federal prosecutors say 26-year-old William Burton made nearly a dozen straw purchases at Fleet Farm locations—buying guns on behalf of others who are prohibited from owning them. Several of those weapons later turned up at crime scenes. Burton now faces federal charges for making dozens of illegal purchases. Fleet Farm is already being sued by the State of Minnesota, accused of failing to prevent straw purchases at its stores. The company has denied any wrongdoing.
>>18-Year-Old Charged with Cousin’s Fatal Shooting in Bloomington
(Bloomington, MN) — An 18-year-old man is charged with the second-degree murder of his cousin. Bloomington police responded to a shooting report on Sunday, finding a man with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim, later identified as 24-year-old Andy Negrete, was brought to a hospital and died. Witnesses told officers that several men were drinking in the driveway of Exon Sanchex Garzon’s house when a fight broke out. Sanchez Garzon then shot Negrete multiple times before fleeing with two other men. Surveillance video shows Sanchez Garzon punching people before grabbing a bag and shooting at Negrete.
>>Former Minnesota Mountaineer Dies During Climb in Peru
(Caraz, PE) – Officials in South America say 36-year-old mountaineer Edson Vandeira of St. Paul died after falling during a climb in Peru. Authorities discovered the bodies of Vandeira and two companions on Artesonrju Mountain Sunday. The three had been missing since May 29th, and an extensive search was called off ten days later. Vandeira was reportedly training to receive full certification as a high-mountain guide. In addition to his climbing pursuits, he was a photographer with National Geographic and was featured on the History Channel’s Andre Extremo T-V series in 2022.
>>Dodge Center Man Charged with Sexually Assaulting Teen
(Dodge County, MN) — A southeast Minnesota man is accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a vulnerable teenager in Dodge Center. Dodge County court documents allege that between 2018 and 2023, 41-year-old John Higgins assaulted a girl between 16 and 18 years old. The investigation began in April after a woman told deputies that he was sexually abusing her daughter. Higgins was asked to participate in a forensic interview but instead said he’d like to talk to an attorney, who ultimately declined the interview for Higgins just two days later. Higgins faces eight felony charges, and his conditional bail is set at 500 thousand dollars. He’s due back in court next month.
>>Serial Fraudster Sentenced to 7 Years, Must Pay $2.9M
(Minneapolis, MN) — Federal prosecutors say a serial fraudster from Burnsville will spend seven years in prison and must pay over two-point-nine-million dollars in restitution for defrauding a California electronics manufacturer. Between 2019 and 2020, 53-year-old Thomas Pham schemed to steal one-point-two-million dollars from a San Jose-based servicing company, by arranging fraudulent agreements between the company, Victim A, and Pham’s business affiliates. Pham did this through the company he was C-E-O of at the time, Enterprise Products L-L-C. He facilitated conversations between his friends and Victim A, luring the company with bogus documents into paying a “deposit bond.” Pham never fulfilled the contract, and misappropriated the company’s money.
>>Study Ranks Minnesota Best State for Summer Road Trips
(Miami, FL) — A new report suggests Minnesota is the best state in the U-S for a summer road trip. The WalletHub study finds the Gopher state has the fourth-highest spending on parks and recreation, the third-most fairs and festivals, the third-fewest car fatalities, and the fourth-highest bridge quality. Researchers also say Minnesota has reasonable camping, hotel, and car repair costs. New York, Ohio, Utah, and Louisiana round out the top five. Neighboring Wisconsin is number 11.
>>Mankato Tabbed to host 2025 Minnesota Senior Games
(Mankato, MN) — Mankato is tabbed to host the Minnesota Senior games this August. Visit Mankato’s Joy Leafblad says Minnesotans aged 50 and up will be able to compete in a variety of sports. Leafblad says the facilities, parks, and trails available make the city a great place to host the games. She says Mankato also offers plenty to do for athletes when they’re not competing, from the art walk to restaurants and boutique shops. More information can be found at mnseniorgames.com.
>>Minnesota Lynx Play Road Game Tuesday Night at Washington Mystics
(Washington, DC) — The Minnesota Lynx go for their 13th victory tonight (Tues 7pm) when they play the Mystics in Washington, D-C. The 12-and-1 Lynx beat the L-A Sparks 82-66 on Saturday night at Target Center without the W-B-N-A’s leading scorer, Napheesa Collier. She is listed as questionable tonight with a sore lower back. The 6-and-8 Mystics are coming off a 91-88 win over Dallas Sunday in overtime. This is the first meeting of the season between Washington and Minnesota.
