>>Governor Walz Signs Nine More Bills
(St. Paul, MN) — With 12 days to go in the legislative session, Governor Tim Walz signed another group of bills into law. They include raising the legal age to buy kratom to 21 , banning cryptocurrency kiosks in Minnesota, and protecting homeowners for actions by peace officers when damage is caused or chemical irritants are used in their home. This last bill was inspired by the son of late House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, who wanted to remediate and take care of their home following the political shootings of his parents almost a year ago. The governor signed nine new laws Tuesday at the Capitol.
>>Medicaid Fraud Fighting Bill Passes Minnesota House Committee
(St. Paul, MN) — A Medicaid assistance protection bill is heading to the Minnesota House floor for a vote. The proposal would bring additional investigators and prosecutors to the state Attorney General’s Office to find fraud and penalize those guilty of stealing from the state. Representative Matt Norris of Blaine says, “this bill does what Minnesotans expect us to do. It enhances our ability to investigate fraud and stiffens penalties for those who steal from government programs.” It would expand the investigative unit to a staff of 50 people, which Norris says it would be more in line with states about the size of Minnesota. The Senate passed a similar measure in their finance omnibus bill.
>>Food Advocates ”Pack the Capitol”
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota food bank leaders are gathering at the Minnesota State Capitol this morning (Wed) for the “Pack the Capitol” event. They are calling on lawmakers to prioritize hunger relief funding as volunteers pack hundreds of pounds of food along the Upper Mall. Second Harvest Heartland’s Zach Rodvold says the event gives legislators a firsthand look at the scale of need across the state and the critical role food banks play. He adds it’s also a chance to highlight the urgency for more state investment, especially as demand continues to rise. Last year marked Minnesota’s fourth straight record-breaking year for food shelf visits, reaching roughly nine million statewide.
>>MnDOT Unveils New State Rail Plan
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Transportation is out with an updated State Rail Plan, outlining freight and passenger rail priorities for the next 20 years. MnDOT’s Robert Clarksen says the plan was long overdue and helps guide future rail development. The nine-chapter plan identifies safety and infrastructure needs, including nearly 390 million dollars in unfunded freight rail improvement projects. It also sets up study corridors for possible passenger rail expansion from the Twin Cities. The plan now moves into its implementation phase.
>>Gas and Oil Prices Continue to Climb Due to Iran Conflict
(St. Louis Park, MN) — Gasoline and oil prices continue to climb due to the war in Iran and effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. AAA Minnesota’s Brynna Knapp says we’re seeing the impacts at the gas pumps with the statewide average rising to $4.20 a gallon. She says we were paying $2.96 one year ago. The last time Minnesota gas prices topped four dollars was in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Knapp says crude oil is averaging $112 per barrel, and the global market is based on supply and demand. Minnesota’s top sources of oil imports are Canada and Mexico.
>>3M Claiming Military Immunity in Minnesota PFAS Case
(Maplewood, MN) — Officials at 3M are claiming military immunity in the Minnesota PFAS case. The Maplewood-based company claims it’s not liable for the pollution in the Mississippi River because it was the result of work being done for the military. This comes after a six-year battle between 3M and the state of Minnesota over the forever chemicals in the river. 3M previously used these chemicals in products like Scotchgard but stopped manufacturing the chemicals in 2025. Some PFAS have been linked with cancers, and all of them are resistant to breaking down in the environment and the bodies of humans.
>>Hibbing Man Charged in Drug and Firearms Bust
(Hibbing, MN) — A Hibbing man is facing felony charges after a drug and firearms investigation by the Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force and Hibbing Police. Authorities say a traffic stop on May 1st, led to the discovery of about 28 grams of cocaine in a vehicle driven by 48-year-old Michael Fitzpatrick. Another search of his residence turned up another 14 grams of cocaine, more than 500 narcotic pills, and a stolen handgun. Fitzpatrick was arraigned Tuesday for first-degree sales of cocaine and Adderall and released on electronic monitoring.
>>Minnesota Wild Drop Game 2 of Second-Round Playoff Series at Colorado
(Denver, CO) — The Minnesota Wild trail the Avalanche two games-to-none following a 5-2 loss Tuesday night in Game 2 of the second-round playoff series. Colorado scored on its first shot of the game, and Kirill Kaprizov netted a breakaway goal six seconds later. Marcus Johansson scored Minnesota’s other goal late in the third period. Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson made 18 saves on 22 shots in his first start this postseason. Game 3 will be played Saturday night at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.
>>Wolves and Spurs Play Game 2 of West Semifinals
(San Antonio, TX) — The Minnesota Timberwolves take a 1-0 series lead into Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals tonight (Wed 8:30pm) in San Antonio. The Wolves beat the Spurs 104-102 in the opener Monday night. Anthony Edwards scored 18 points in his return from a knee injury, and Julius Randle led Minnesota with 22 points. Guard Ayo Dosunmu didn’t play in Game 1 and is questionable tonight with a sore calf. Game 3 is set for Friday night at Target Center.
