>>Governor Walz Targeting Red States
(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz is hitting the road and traveling to red states. His first stop will be a town hall meeting in Iowa today. During an interview on MSNBC last night, Walz said he’s headed to Iowa to use the platform he has because Democrats must make it absolutely clear there’s a difference between the two major parties. Walz will be in Des Moines, and the site was picked because it’s in Iowa’s third congressional district. Walz said he intends to let people know how Zach Nunn, the Republican who represents the third district, has voted this year. Nunn was reelected to a second term in the U.S. House last November by a four-point margin.
>>SCSU Student POI in VI Missing Student Case
(Undated) — A St. Cloud State University student is a person of interest in a missing person case. Loudoun County, Virginia, officials say Joshua Riibe may be the last to see Sudiksha Konanki in person. Konanki is a student at the University of Pittsburgh. She went missing on March 6th while vacationing with five friends in the Dominican Republic. Officials say Riibe is not a suspect and was not part of the group that vacationed.
>>Eight Businesses Sue Minneapolis Over George Floyd Square
(Minneapolis, MN) — Five years after the murder of George Floyd, Minneapolis has failed to create George Floyd Square in a “timely and safe manner,” according to a new lawsuit filed against the city by eight businesses near the Square. The plaintiffs are seeking $49 million, claiming lost income, employees, and a drop in property values. This comes after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed plans to build a pedestrian mall in the space and the City Council’s override of that veto. The court hearing will be later this month.
>>Rochester Man Jailed After Police Chase Endangering Small Child
(Rochester, MN) — A Rochester man will spend two weeks in jail after leading police on a chase with a young child inside his vehicle. Police say 22-year-old Daniel Burton was arrested on October 31st following a traffic stop. Court documents show Burton sped away after an officer attempted to arrest him. He drove at high speeds throughout town and was later arrested at home. Burton pleaded guilty to a felony charge of fleeing police.
>>Man With 3 Times Legal BAC Charged in Fatal Crash
(Anoka County, MN) — A 37-year-old man with a blood alcohol three times over the legal limit has been charged in a fatal Anoka County crash. Zachary Wydella faces two counts of criminal vehicular homicide for the Monday night crash that killed 51-year-old Ann Moore. Deputies say Wydella was driving a minivan when he hit Moore’s eastbound sedan. Moore was pronounced dead at the scene. Wydella was found with bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, and his breath smelled like alcohol. An open box of wine was found underneath his passenger seat. Wydella is due in court today.
>>House Bill Looks to Make it Easier to Build Starter Homes in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) – A Minnesota House committee has approved a bill that would make it easier to construct starter homes in Minnesota. Wabana Township Republican Representative Spencer Igo authors the bill and says no one can deny that there is a housing problem in the state. Opponents of the bill say it would take control of developments away from municipalities and eliminate the ability for public input on projects. The committee approved the bill and now heads to the House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee.
>>DEED Awards Another Round of Funding For In-Demand Job Training
(St. Paul, MN) – The Department of Employment and Economic Development is awarding more than $11 million to communities across the state to train workers for high-demand employment. Director of Employment and Training Programs Ama Akakpo says the program provides crucial job training for underserved communities across Minnesota. This is the second round of funding, with a little more than $2 million being awarded last summer. DEED is accepting applications for the next grant funding round until the month’s end
>>Gophers’ Season Ends in First Round of Big Ten Tournament
(Indianapolis) – The Gophers men’s basketball season is over after losing to Northwestern in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Dawson Garcia led the Gophers with 22 points, but the team lost to Northwestern for the second time this season. The Wildcats will now play Wisconsin today in the second round. The Gophers finish the season with a 15 and 17 record, losing five of their last six games to end the season.
