>>Ellison Criticizes DOJ Complaint Against Minnesota Federal Judges
(Undated) – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is condemning a Justice Department complaint filed against nearly all of Minnesota’s federal district court judges. Ellison calls the action an attack on judicial independence and says it appears aimed at intimidating judges over past rulings involving the federal government. The complaint was announced Tuesday by U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. Ellison argues disagreements with court decisions should be handled through the appeals process, not misconduct complaints against judges.
>>Minnesota Senators Pushing Governor for Diesel Fuel Tax Relief
(St. Paul, MN) – Minnesota Senators Aric Putnam (DFL-St. Cloud) and Rob Kupec (DFL-Moorhead) are pressing Governor Tim Walz to help ease the economic pain for farmers who are getting hard hit by the record-breaking rise in the cost of diesel fuel. The two Senators, who are both leaders on the Senate Agriculture Committee, are calling on the governor to quickly provide relief by temporarily allowing farmers to use the lower-taxed red dye diesel on public highways and not just in the field. Minnesota exempts red dye diesel from taxes but strictly prohibits its use off the farm. Temporarily allowing it to be used by farmers to move crops like sugar beets, corn and soybeans to market would save them 32 cents per gallon and make a huge difference in their bottom line according to the Senators. Diesel prices in Minnesota have jumped over the $6 dollar a gallon mark.
>>Gas Prices Continue Falling in Minnesota
(St. Louis Park, MN) – Gas prices continue falling across Minnesota. AAA (Triple A) reports that the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded dropped three cents this morning to $4.26 a gallon. That’s 11 cents lower than last week. Diesel prices also dropped but are still over the $6 dollar mark averaging $6.23 a gallon.
>>President Signs Lyme Disease Bill into Law
(Washington, D.C.) – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith’s bipartisan bill to protect Americans from Lyme and tick-borne diseases has been signed into law by President Trump. The new measure expands research, testing and treatment for these diseases. Most recent data shows Minnesota recorded 3,551 cases of Lyme disease in 2024 alone and is a rate that has increased in recent years.
>>Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule Begins Today
(St. Paul, MN) – The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) reminds Minnesotans that the state’s annual Cold Weather Rule protections take effect today. The Cold Weather Rule helps protect residential customers from having their natural gas or electric service disconnected during the winter if they are behind on their bills. The protection is not automatic. Customers who are having difficulty paying their utility bills must contact their utility and establish a payment plan. Customers must make and keep the payments under the plan to remain protected. The rule stays in effect through April 30th.
>>More Boundary Waters Areas Reopen Following Wildfires
(Undated) – More areas of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are reopening after this summer’s wildfires. The Superior National Forest says several entry points, including Blandin Trail, Moose-Portage River North and Angleworm Lake, are once again open for day and overnight use. However, some campsites, portages and fire-damaged areas remain closed. Entry points at Little Indian Sioux River North, Sioux-Hustler Trail and Stuart River will stay closed through spring of next year as recovery and rehabilitation work continues.
>>Iron Range Grant Programs Reach Major Milestone
(Iron Range, MN) – More than one-thousand grants have now been awarded through two Iron Range programs aimed at helping small businesses and downtown buildings. Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation and the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency will mark the milestone next week in Virginia. The Business Energy Retrofit and Downtown Building Rehabilitation programs help fund energy-efficiency upgrades, renovations and code-compliance projects. Officials say the grants have supported businesses across northeastern Minnesota with funding tied to mining production taxes.
>>Minnesota Technology Projects Earn National Recognition
(Undated) – Minnesota is receiving national recognition for several state technology initiatives. The National Association of State Chief Information Officers has honored the state’s Technology Modernization Fund with a special recognition award. Three other Minnesota projects, including the Direct Admissions college platform, Minnesota Paid Leave digital services, and the CloudRAMP cloud computing system, were named finalists. State officials say the projects are helping modernize government services, improve security, and make programs more accessible for Minnesotans.
>>Minnesota Wild Season Opener Tonight at Nashville
(Nashville, TN) – The Minnesota Wild drop the puck on the regular season tonight on the road in Nashville. Last season, the Wild advanced out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2015. But since that second-round exit against Colorado, there’s been plenty of changes. Mats Zuccarello, Marcus Johansson, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jake Middleton are all gone. Add to that, the Wild are without goaltender Filip Gustavsson and defenseman Brock Faber to start the season. The Wild open with a good chunk of the first quarter of the season on the road including the opener tonight against the Predators. Puck drops at 7 P-M from Bridgestone Arena.
