>>House-Senate Conference Committee Considers Fix to School Resource Officer Law
(St. Paul, MN) — A House-Senate conference committee meets this morning (Tues 10am) to put the finishing touches on a fix to the law governing use-of-force by school resource officers. The bipartisan bill passed the Minnesota Senate Monday afternoon after clearing the House last week. An amendment added in the Senate would allow school staff more abilities to intervene in certain situations to protect property from being damaged or stolen. Governor Tim Walz is expected to sign the compromise bill once it’s approved.
>>MNA Members to Testify in Support of ‘Healing Greed Agenda’
(St. Paul, MN) — Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) are turning out at the state Capitol today (TUES) to support the so-called “Healing Greed Agenda.” They say the proposed legislation puts “patient needs before corporate greed” in our hospitals. Minnesota House and Senate committees will hear testimony from nurses and allies boosting four bills including the HEAL Act, which would protect healthcare workers from retaliation when taking action to hold hospital executives accountable for safe patient care, and a measure to provide greater public transparency around hospital and service closures.
>>House Republicans Call on Hennepin County Attorney Moriarity to Resign
(St. Paul, MN) — House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth (day-muth) and other Republicans are calling for Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty to resign. Demuth alleges that Moriarty’s handling of State Trooper Ryan Londregan’s fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb the Second last year demonstrates what she calls “cherry-picking” of evidence and testimonies. She notes that Moriarty’s own use-of-force expert Jeffrey Noble admitted on October 13th, 2023 that, “Trooper Londregan committed no crime.” Moriarty’s office says these allegations are “simply false,” and that the expert characterized the meeting as a preliminary discussion stating hypotheticals with the state, and that the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA) “seemed to want special treatment for its officers.”
>>5 Teens Arrested in Connection with Minneapolis Robbery Spree
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minneapolis Police Department is reporting the arrests of five teenage suspects in connection with a series of recent robberies. Police Chief Brian O’Hara says investigators believe the suspects are responsible for at least two or three robberies; and possibly more. O’Hara called robberies committed by teenagers “an ongoing problem, and said new strategies are being implemented to address it.
>>Dakota County Authorities Warn of Increase in Drug Overdoses
(Hastings, MN) — Authorities in Dakota County are warning citizens about a spike in drug overdoses over the last month. Members of the Dakota County Drug Task Force say the rise in fatal and non-fatal O-Ds could mean there’s more fentanyl in the drug supply and an increase in powder cocaine. They say even recreational users are at risk for overdose and death. Officers say immediate access to naloxone (nuh-LOX’-own) can reverse an opioid overdose. Anyone suffering from possible symptoms should call 9-1-1 right away.
>>MN Woman Found Dead in Wisconsin State Park
(Superior, WI) — Deputies say a Minnesota woman has been found dead after going missing in a state park in Superior, Wisconsin. Authorities began searching for 65-year-old Kim Creager of Washington County last Wednesday. Her car was located at Pattison State Park in Douglas County and a search was launched. Creager was found dead in the park on Saturday. Foul play is not suspected.
>>Another Record-Warm Day on Monday in Minnesota
(Chanhassen, MN) — Another record-warm March day in Minnesota on Monday. National Weather Service Meteorologist Bill Borghoff says temps reached 68 degrees in Moorhead and 66 at Baudette in northern Minnesota and 76 degrees in Canby and Fairmont in the southwest. He says most of the state was 30 degrees above normal and St. Cloud and the Twin Cities set new records of 68 degrees. He says the mercury hit 72 in Rochester, smashing the old record of 63 degrees. Duluth also set a record-high of 62 Monday afternoon. It’s expected to be warm again today (Tues) before a cooler weather pattern arrives this weekend.
>>MN DNR Accepting Comments on Endangered Species List
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking feedback on its Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species list. The D-N-R is assessing the current list and is open to adding, removing, or reclassifying species for protection. Comments can be submitted until May 17th. There’s more information on how to submit feedback on the D-N-R website.
>>MSU-Mankato Announces Brand Redesign
(Mankato, MN) — Minnesota State University-Mankato is refreshing its brand by redesigning and upgrading its logos and other symbols. The university’s president announced Monday that the brand upgrade is meant to present a “bold new visual identity” that will be used in marketing and other messaging. The updated logos feature new tones of purple and gold and will also use new secondary colors. The college has been working with a consultant on the latest designs since 2021 at a cost of around 160 thousand dollars.
>>New Ulm in Running for “Strongest Town” in North America
(New Ulm, MN) — The city of New Ulm is in the running for “Strongest Town” in North America. Competing against 15 other cities in the ninth annual contest, New Ulm strives to be the best in safety, financial resiliency, housing, and transportation. The contest consists of five rounds with weekly voting leading to eliminations. The winning town will earn the title and a short documentary film produced by the Strong Towns nonprofit. You can vote on the Strong Towns website (https://strongesttown.com/).
