>>VP Harris Visiting Minnesota on ‘Fight for Reproductive Freedoms’ Tour
(Washington, DC) — Vice President Kamala Harris is coming to Minnesota later this week. The White House says Harris will visit the Twin Cities area Thursday as part of her so-called “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” Tour. President Joe Biden thanked Harris during his State of the Union speech for “being an incredible leader, defending reproductive freedom and so much more.” Officials haven’t released the location or time of her visit on Thursday.
>>Senate Taxes Committee to Hear Sports Betting Bill on Thursday
(St. Paul, MN) — A bill that would allow sports betting in Minnesota will be heard Thursday in the Senate Taxes committee. Senator Matt Klein of Mendota Heights says it cleared the Senate Commerce committee last week. He says the measure would make sports book legal in the state of Minnesota and the licenses would be operated by our 11 sovereign indigenous tribes. Klein says sports betting is expected to generate 400 million dollars annually at a ten-percent tax rate – “after a few years. The comittee is expected to discuss whether the state’s horse tracks are part of the proposal and address concerns from pull-tab charities.
>>AG Ellison Sues 4 Solar Lenders for $35M
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is suing four prominent solar lending companies for 35 million dollars in damages for alleged consumer deception. The companies, GoodLeap, Sunlight Financial, Solar Mosaic, and Dividend Solar Finance, are accused of violating consumer protection laws by imposing hidden fees on customers’ bills, resulting in additional costs of 15 to 30 percent for borrowers. The lawsuit comes after a six-month investigation.
>>2 St. Anthony Police Officers Injured by Suspect Armed with Knife
(St. Anthony, MN) — Two Twin Cities police officers are recovering from minor injuries suffered in an incident involving a suspect armed with a knife. The St. Anthony P-D says the man wearing a robe and hood was apparently going through a mental health crisis and resisted being taken into custody Friday afternoon. Investigators say the suspect attempted to disarm one of the officers and injured two of them. One officer was taken to the hospital for treatment. The suspect was transported to a hospital on a mental health hold.
>>Ramsey County ME Investigating Body Recovered from Mississippi River
(St. Paul, MN) — The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to identify a man’s body found in the Mississippi River near downtown St. Paul. Deputies and a members of the Water Patrol Unit recovered the man late Saturday morning across the river from the Lilydale boat launch. A passerby reported spotting the body in the water. No further information is being released.
>>State Fire Marshal Investigators Return to Lutsen Resort Fire Scene Monday
(Lutsen, MN) — State investigators are back at the remains of Lutsen Lodge on Minnesota’s North Shore today (Mon), digging through debris as they continue trying to determine what caused the fast-moving fire that destroyed the historic structure. State Fire Marshal Daniel Krier (KRY-er) said earlier, “It’s something that my office is taking very seriously, to make sure we can get some answers as to how the fire started.” Officials say there’s unstable debris at the fire scene and public access is restricted. Krier (KRY-er) says they can’t give a timeline on how long the investigation will take.
>>Large Fire Damages Agricultural Business in Blue Earth County
(Mapleton, MN) — Authorities in south central Minnesota are investigating a large fire in a commercial agricultural building at Ero-Guard in Mapleton. Blue Earth County Public Safety says a dozen area fire departments battled the flames Sunday morning into late afternoon. Officials say a firefighter from Minnesota Lake was taken to the hospital for minor smoke inhalation. Photos show the facility suffered major fire damage. The company’s website says Ero-Guard manufactures premier erosion control blankets.
>>Red Flag Warning Issued for 8 Southwest Minnesota Counties
(Undated) — The National Weather Service is issuing a Red Flag Warning today (Mon) for several southwest Minnesota counties from 1 to 7 pm. The warning area includes Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, and Rock counties. The D-N-R says very dry conditions, low humidity and strong winds can help fires spready quickly and easily progress out of control. Burning is prohibited in counties where the Red Flag warning is in effect. Officials are asking residents to check any recent burning activity to ensure the fire is completely out.
>>Townships Across Minnesota to Hold Annual Meetings Tuesday
(Undated) — Townships across Minnesota will hold their annual meetings tomorrow (Tues). The Minnesota Association of Townships calls the meetings “grassroots democracy on display.” The organization says the meetings will help set local tax levies, elect township officers, and provide a forum for discussing community issues. The state has more than 17 hundred townships representing more than 900 thousand Minnesotans.
>>Texas Men Charged in Calculator Theft Ring in Minnesota
(Woodbury, MN) — Two Texas men are facing charges after allegedly stealing calculators from several Target stores in Minnesota. Washington County prosecutors say they are accused of stealing graphing calculators from Eagan, Apple Valley, Lakeville, West St. Paul, and Burnsville stores in one day. The value of the stolen calculators was around 20 thousand dollars. Investigators believe the men are part of a larger theft ring in Texas that may have stolen 25 million dollars in calculators around the U-S. If convicted; the men could face up to ten years in prison.
>>Minnesota Women’s Hockey Star Voices Character in “Inside Out 2”
(Minneapolis, MN) — Minnesota Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) captain Kendall Schofield will be voicing a character in the upcoming Disney-Pixar film “Inside Out 2.” While Schofield did not disclose the details of her character, she says she’s “excited beyond words.” The film follows the main character, Riley from Minnesota, continuing to play hockey, suggesting that Schofield’s character may be one of the players. “Inside Out 2” is set to debut in theaters on June 14th.
