>>House Hearings Cancelled Monday Morning, Fraud Prevention in Senate
(St. Paul, MN) — All committee hearings in the Minnesota House are cancelled this morning (Mon) due to the snowstorm. More proposals to fight the fraud in Minnesota will be unveiled in the Senate as the D-F-L majority announces their package. A-I gets more discussion over regulations to protect children and consumers. The Senate Judiciary Committee will also take up the ban of sales of ghost guns. Ghost guns are privately manufactured and have no serial number to be traced. And the House Elections committee looks at a bill that would require voter ID verification before an absentee ballot can be delivered by mail.
>>Push Continues for State Bonding/Infrastructure Bill
(St. Paul, MN) — The talk over a state bonding bill seems to have gone quiet since the legislative session started. D-F-L Senator Ann Johnson Stewart of Minnetonka says there is some negotiating happening and the need for more money is real. Stewart says, “We know that our infrastructure is in a state that we must invest every single year and if we are offered up a billion dollars in bonding this year, if we don’t take that opportunity that means projects get more expensive, projects don’t happen.” The legislature came together last year for a $700 million bonding bill. When asked recently about a bonding bill for this year, Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth said there are no promises.
>>Winter Storm Drops Up to 20 Inches in Southeastern Minnesota
(Chanhassen, MN) — The winter storm that moved across Minnesota this weekend dropped some impressive snowfall in some parts of the state. Jacob Beitlich at the National Weather Service says it was still snowing Sunday when many of the double-digit totals were reported so they are probably going to go up today. Zumbro Falls tops the list with 20 inches, Lake City had 19, Rochester and Pine Island had 16, Glencoe and Red Wing received more than a foot, Owatonna saw 11 inches, and M-S-P Airport got nine inches.
>>Many Highways and Roads Still Closed in Southern Minnesota
(Rochester, MN) — A number of roads in southern and southeastern Minnesota remain closed this morning (Mon) due to the weekend snowstorm. MnDOT says Interstate 90 west of Albert Lea is closed and Interstate 35 south of Albert Lea is still closed. All state highways in Nobles, Jackson, Cottonwood, Watonwan, Martin, and Faribault counties are closed, and Highway 60 from Mankato to Iowa and Highway 15 from Iowa to Highway 19 are shut down. A no travel advisory is in effect for many counties in the southern third of the state. Officials say the road closures are expected to remain until conditions improve today.
>>Driver from Grove City Killed in Alcohol-Related Crash near Litchfield
(Litchfield Township, MN) — Alcohol is suspected in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 24 near Litchfield in Meeker County that left one driver dead. The Minnesota State Patrol says a car driven by 22-year-old Eben Laidlaw of Grove City collided with a pickup driven by 22-year-old Joseph Johnson of Litchfield early Saturday. Troopers say Laidlaw died of his injuries at Meeker Memorial Hospital. Johnson was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
>>Bidding Ends Today in the Minnesota State Fair Surplus Auction
(Falcon Heights, MN) — This is the final day to bid on items in the State Fair’s online surplus and memorabilia auction. Spokesperson Maria Hayden says they have hundreds of different State Fair items up for or sale. She says, ” A lot of them are equipment that have been retired from use. We’ve got some really cool old parking signs from our old animal-named lots. The other big items are the seats from the Lee and Rose Warner Coliseum.” She says those original 1951 seats were retired during the renovation project. Bidding ends at 1 p-m today. There is a link to Auction Masters on the State Fair website.
>>U of M Doctor Has Spring Break Safety Tips
(Minneapolis, MN) — Spring break is just around the corner for many Minnesota families, and safety should be part of the travel plans. University of Minnesota emergency physician Doctor James Miner says before you go, do your homework on your destination – from health care access to water safety and neighborhoods to avoid. If you’re heading somewhere warm, Miner stresses staying hydrated and protecting your skin with sunscreen, hats, or shade. And around pools or beaches, always keep a close eye on kids.
>>Minnesota Wild Fall to Toronto Maple Leafs on Home Ice
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Wild closed out their homestand Sunday evening with a 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Vladimir Tarasenko scored both of Minnesota’s goals in the third period. The Wild went 1-2-and-1 in four straight games at Grand Casino Arena. They play the Blackhawks Tuesday night in Chicago and complete the home-and-home series Thursday in St. Paul.
>>Gopher Women’s Basketball Hosting Green Bay in NCAA Tournament Opener
(Minneapolis, MN) — The University of Minnesota women’s basketball team plays Green Bay in the N-C-A-A Tournament opener Friday at Williams Arena. The 22-8 Golden Gophers earned home court advantage for the first- and second-round games. Minnesota is a four-seed in the Sacramento Region and will face the 13-seed Phoenix, who went 25-8 this season. This will be the first appearance in the “Big Dance” for Minnesota since 2018. On the other side of the regional bracket, five-seed Ole Miss will take on 12-seed Gonzaga Friday afternoon at the Barn.
