>>Minnesota House Tied with 67 DFL and GOP Members
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota House returns to a tie this week with 67 Democrats and 67 Republicans. D-F-L Representative-elect David Gottfried of Shoreview won a special election in House District 40-B last Tuesday and will become the newest member. House Democratic floor Leader Jamie Long says they will be back to co-chairs in all committees and he’s hopeful the real work of the session can begin. Under the power sharing agreement, Republican Representative Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring will continue as House speaker.
>>Funeral Set for Goodview Fire Chief Gruett on Thursday
(Goodview, MN) — A funeral is planned Thursday morning in southeastern Minnesota for Goodview Fire Chief Jason Gruett. Officials say Gruett died unexpectedly at his home Thursday at age 51. Gruett served 19 years with Goodview Fire and Rescue and had been chief for seven years. Governor Walz ordered flags lowered to half-staff through Thursday in honor and remembrance of Chief Gruett. There’s a visitation Wednesday from 4 to 7 p-m in Goodview.
>>Shipping Season Could Start Early on Lake Superior
(Duluth, MN) — The 2025 shipping season could start slightly earlier than usual on Lake Superior. Jayson Hron of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority says the Army Corps of Engineers moved up the opening of the Soo Locks from March 25th to 21st. He says it’s about an eight-and-a-half day sail in good conditions from the Atlantic Ocean to the Port of Duluth Superior and it’s about 25 hours for those ships to cross Lake Superior. The earliest ever first ship arrived in Duluth on March 28th of 2023. Hron says more than eight thousand entries were submitted for this year’s First Ship Contest before Sunday’s deadline.
>>Man Arrested for Fatal Stabbing in St. Cloud
(St. Cloud, MN) — A man is in custody for a fatal stabbing in St. Cloud last week. Police were called to reports of a fight in a home Thursday night. Officers say a 36-year-old man was found with a stab wound, taken to the hospital, and died the next day. A 25-year-old suspect, an acquaintance of the victim, was arrested Friday. The victim hasn’t been identified.
>>Authorities ID Waconia Man Killed in Motorcycle Crash on Highway 7
(St. Bonifacius, MN) — A Waconia man is the victim of a deadly motorcycle crash on Highway 7 west of the Twin Cities in St. Bonifacius. Officers say a cycle driven by 63-year-old Randy Felt collided with an S-U-V Wednesday afternoon. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office says Felt later died in the hospital of multiple blunt force injuries. State troopers are still investigating the crash.
>>2 Teens Shot in North Minneapolis
(Minneapolis, MN) — Two teens are recovering after a shooting Saturday night in north Minneapolis. Two 16-year-old boys stopped police about 10:40 p-m and officers say one teen had at least one life-threatening injury. Both victims were taken to Hennepin Healthcare. No arrests have been made.
>>Snowstorm Could Impact Travel for Boys State Basketball Tourney
(Chanhassen, MN) — A strong storm system is expected to bring mid-March snowfall to parts of southern Minnesota Tuesday night into Wednesday. National Weather Service Meteorologist Joe Strus says they’re still trying to pinpoint the path of the heaviest band of snow. He says it’s likely going be from Interstate 90 up to I-94 and include Albert Lea, Rochester and the Twin Cities is “kind of right on the line right now.” Strus says the metro area could see several inches of snow. The boys state basketball tournament begins Tuesday on the U of M campus.
>>Don’t Forget to Get Your Well Tested in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Health is reminding Minnesotans with wells to get them tested. Water Policy Manager Tannie Eshenaur says contaminants to look out for include bacteria, nitrate, arsenic, manganese, and lead. If your well tests positive for any of those contaminants, you can visit the M-D-H website for info on what to do next. You can also reach out to your local government or a conservation group to see if they have well tests available.
>>Minnesota DNR Looking for Volunteer Rainfall Monitors
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is looking for volunteers to be rainfall monitors. State Climatologist Luigi Romolo says the data gathered is used for monitoring drought, assessing flood events, and verifying which automated precipitation gauges need calibrating. Romolo says they have lots of volunteers in the Twin Cities metro, so they’re greatest need is in rural Minnesota. More than 550 Minnesotans signed up to be volunteers last year, which was a national record.
>>Former Minnesota Vikings Receiver Flatley Dies at 84
(Eagan, MN) — The Minnesota Vikings are mourning the loss of former wide receiver Paul Flatley. The team announced Saturday that Flatley died with family by his side at age 84. Minnesota drafted Flatley in 1963, and he played 64 games for the Vikings. He became a football broadcaster for the University of Minnesota once his field days were over. A memorial is planned in his hometown of Richmond, Indiana.
>>Gopher Women’s Hockey Advances to 2025 Frozen Four on Home Ice
(Minneapolis, MN) — The University of Minnesota women’s hockey team is headed to its 16th Frozen Four. The Golden Gophers advanced with a 3-2 win over Colgate Saturday in the N-C-A-A quarterfinals at Ridder Arena. The nation’s leading scorer – Abbey Murphy – had a pair of goals for the Maroon and Gold. Minnesota will play top-ranked Wisconsin Friday night in the Frozen Four semifinal on home ice. Cornell and Ohio State meet in the other semifinal. The Gophers won the national title at Ridder Arena in 2013 and 2015.
>>Timberwolves Beat Jazz at Home Sunday for 8th Straight Victory
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are on an eight-game winning streak after Sunday’s 128-102 victory over the Utah Jazz at Target Center. Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 41 points and Jaden McDaniels added 20 points and 12 rebounds. Minnesota’s last loss was on February 28th in Salt Lake City. The Indiana Pacers visit Target Center tonight (Mon 7pm).
