>>Walz, State Officials Breaking Ground on BCA Crime Lab in Mankato
(Mankato, MN) — Governor Tim Walz and Department of Public Safety officials are breaking ground on the new Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Crime Lab today (Mon) in Mankato. The project received 67 million dollars from the bonding bill last spring. The B-C-A’s Southern Minnesota Regional Office will house 50 agents, forensic scientists, support staff, and a crime scene response team. It is being built next to the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office.
>>GOP House Speaker Demuth Running for Governor in 2026
(Cold Spring, MN) — Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth is running for Minnesota governor next year. She plans to officially announce her candidacy at a news conference this morning (Mon). Demuth was elected to the Minnesota House in 2018 and became speaker last session as part of a power sharing agreement. In her campaign video, Demuth claims Governor Tim Walz, “hates us” and is “more focused on attacking President Trump than fixing Minnesota.” She faces a handful of Republicans in the primary including Representative Kristin Robbins, former state Senator Scott Jensen, and Kendall Qualls.
>>Former MPD Officer Thao Being Released from Federal Prison
(Lexington, KY) — Former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao is being released today (Mon) from a federal prison in Kentucky. Thirty-nine-year-old Thao was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in federal prison for violating the civil rights of George Floyd. Thao was also found guilty by a Minnesota judge of aiding and abetting the second-degree manslaughter of Floyd on Memorial Day 2020. He will be on supervised release through June of 2027 as part of his state sentence.
>>Suspect in Southern Minnesota Double Homicide Arrested in Iowa
(Hanska, MN) — A man is jailed in Iowa in connection with a double homicide in the south central Minnesota town of Hanska. The Brown County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 early Sunday morning from a boy who said his mom’s ex-boyfriend broke into their home and shot her. Responding deputies found a 32-year-old woman and 50-year-old man dead of gunshot wounds. Officers said the 45-year-old suspect fled scene and was carrying a long gun. Authorities in eastern Iowa arrested the alleged gunman Sunday afternoon. He was taken into custody on a warrant out of Brown County.
>>Increased Police Presence near U of M in Response to Deadly Shooting
(Minneapolis, MN) — There is an increased police presence near the University of Minnesota campus in response to a deadly shooting the morning after Halloween. Officers say they heard bursts of automatic gunfire in Dinkytown around 2:30 a-m Saturday and located two wounded males at an intersection and a third victim in an alley. One man died at the scene. A U of M student and a juvenile were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Investigators say three guns were recovered and the man who died was carrying one of them.
>>Hibbing Man Fatally Shot Sunday, Suspect Taken into Custody
(Hibbing, MN) — One man is a dead and another is in custody following a shooting Sunday morning on the Iron Range. Police in Hibbing were called to a report of shots in an apartment parking lot and found a man with gunshot wounds to the chest. First responders tried to save him, but he died at the scene. Officers say the suspect was taken into custody Sunday afternoon. The victim was identified as 24-year-old Parker Johnson of Hibbing. No other information is being released.
>>Fergus Falls Woman Killed in Otter Tail County Semi Crash
(Underwood, MN) — A Fergus Falls woman is the victim in a deadly car vs. semi crash in Otter Tail County. The Minnesota State Patrol says an S-U-V driven by 55-year-old Sandra Marie Olson drifted into the westbound lane of Highway 210 on Saturday and collided head-on with a semi tractor-trailer. Troopers say Olson was killed in the crash. The semi driver from Perham wasn’t injured. The report shows Olson was not buckled up.
>>University of Minnesota Researchers Testing Drones to Fight Wildfires
(Minneapolis, MN) — Researchers at the University of Minnesota are testing drones equipped with artificial intelligence to help combat wildfires. The university’s aerial robotics team is developing a swarm of drones designed to analyze smoke patterns and predict fire behavior. The drones use A-I to detect and track wildfires, a capability that’s becoming increasingly important as climate change intensifies fire risks. One researcher explained, “The big picture is to one day understand where wildfires go, how they behave, and to perform large-scale surveillance of wildfires.”
>>McCarthy, Vikings Upset Lions in Detroit
(Detroit, MI) — The Minnesota Vikings moved to 4-and-4 with a 27-24 win over the 5-and-3 Lions Sunday in Detroit. Quarterback J-J McCarthy threw touchdown passes to Justin Jefferson and T-J Hockenson, and one interception, and he also ran for a score. Aaron Jones had 78 yards rushing and 20 yards receiving before injuring his shoulder. The Vikings defense sacked Lions Q-B Jared Goff five times and forced one humble, and special teams blocked a field goal. The Purple are back home next Sunday to play the Baltimore Ravens.
