>>Minnesota House to Vote on School Resource Officer Law Fix
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota House votes later today (Mon 3:30pm) on a compromise “fix” of a law passed just last year that governs use-of-force by school resource officers. House Speaker Melissa Hortman says they received a letter from law enforcement endorsing the bill as amended and “we do expect that bill to pass off of the floor… with bipartisan support.” Some Republicans in the Senate say the bill could be better, but whether they have sufficient leverage to make changes remains to be seen. A companion bill must still clear a key committee before reaching the Senate floor.
>>House Bill Strengthens Requirements, Transparency in Hospital Unit Closures
(St. Paul, MN) — A bill in the Minnesota House would strengthen requirements and increase transparency for large healthcare organizations ending services at local hospitals. Fosston City Administrator Cassie Heide says current law requires a 120-day notice and public hearing before curtailing or moving health care services. She told a House committee, “What makes this revised bill so important is seeing what Essentia was allowed to do in Fosston with little to no repercussions or accountability to the communities they serve. Essentia Health’s mandated hearing under the current bill was held via Teams 606 days after babies stopped being delivered in Fosston.” Several healthcare organizations have recently closed labor and delivery or mental health units at hospitals in greater Minnesota.
>>Record-Warm Temps in Twin Cities, Rochester and St. Cloud
(Chanhassen, MN) — Another day of record warmth on Sunday in the southern half of Minnesota. The National Weather Service says the Twin Cities set a record-high temperature of 74 on March 3rd which is also the earliest 70-plus-degree reading. The mercury hit 72 in Rochester – 16 degrees higher than the previous record of 56. St. Cloud also set a record with a high of 71 degrees. Parts of far northern and western Minnesota never got out of the upper 30s and 40s on Sunday afternoon. Coolers temps are expected this week in the state with some precipitation in the forecast.
>>Crews Battle Wildfires Sunday near Waseca and Fergus Falls
(Waseca, MN) — Authorities in south central Minnesota say a wildfire near Waseca is under control after burning a thousand acres Sunday afternoon. The Waseca County Sheriff’s Office says the grassfire near Snake Trail quickly spread due to ideal fire conditions. At least two homes were reportedly destroyed by fire and some buildings were damage. Crews in west central Minnesota also battled a one-thousand-acre wildfire Sunday south of Orwell Dam. The Fergus Falls Fire Department reported the fast-moving fire was contained but some areas were smoldering and producing smoke.
>>Fatal Shooting of Driver by Wright County Deputy Under Investigation
(St. Michael, MN) — Little information is being released about the fatal shooting of a driver by a Wright County deputy early Saturday in St. Michael. The Wright County Sheriff’s Office says the deputy was making a traffic stop when the driver exited the vehicle with a weapon, confronted the officer and refused to drop it. That’s when the sheriff’s deputy shot the suspect. Paramedics were unable to save the driver. The deputy was placed on administrative leave while the Minnesota B-C-A investigates the incident.
>>Feds Investigating Deadly Plane Crash near Afton in Washington County
(Afton, MN) — The F-A-A and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating a plane crash near Afton that left two people dead. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office says crews found a small aircraft fully engulfed in flames Saturday morning that crashed into the yard of a home. Firefighters put out the flames and located the bodies of an 85-year-old White Bear Lake man and a 68-year-old man from the Stillwater area. Neighbors reported hearing a small explosion before authorities located the plane. The victims haven’t officially been identified.
>>Body Recovered from St. Croix River in Western Wisconsin
(Hudson, WI) — Authorities in western Wisconsin report a body was recovered from the St. Croix River Saturday morning in Hudson. Police officers responded to Lake Front Park south of Dike Road around 8:27 am on a report of a body in the water. The deceased person has not been identified. There is an active investigation underway and police do not believe there is a threat to the community.
>>Rider Dies in Le Sueur County ATV Crash
(Le Center, MN) — Police are investigating a deadly A-T-V accident in Derrynane Township in Le Sueur County. Sheriff’s deputies says they found 33-year-old Matthew James of rural New Prague in the roadway Sunday morning with a three-wheeled A-T-V partially on top of him. Soller was removed from under the machine and life-saving efforts were performed, bu he died at the scene. Investigators say it appears Soller lost control of the A-T-V, causing it to roll. He wasn’t wearing a helmet.
>>ATV Breaks Through Ice on Lake near Babbitt in Northeastern Minnesota
(Babbitt, MN) — Authorities in northeastern Minnesota are cautioning that the ice is not safe after an A-T-V sunk on Birch Lake near Babbitt. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says the 64-year-old rider tried to stop near a pressure ridge Saturday morning and slid into the open water. Firefighters and others pulled the man from the chilly water, and he’s expected to be okay. Deputies say anyone who goes out on the ice should use extreme caution due to the warm weather and deteriorating conditions.
>>Trader Joe’s Recalling Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings
(New York, NY) — More than 61,000 pounds of steamed chicken soup dumplings sold at Trader Joe’s are being recalled for possibly containing hard plastic from a permanent marker pen. To date, no related illnesses or injuries have been reported. In an online notice about the recall, Trader Joe’s asked consumers to throw the impacted dumplings away or return them to any store location for a full refund. Trader Joe’s has ten stores in Minnesota.
*Additional Wire Info*
The 6-ounce “Trader Joe’s Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings” under recall were produced on Dec. 7, 2023 — and can be identified by their side box labels with lot codes 03.07.25.C1-1 and 03.07.25.C1-2.
