>>Women’s Group Urges State to Expand Use of Campaign Security Funds
(St. Paul, MN) — The group Vote Mama Lobby is urging state officials to allow political candidates to use their campaign funds on things like professional security personnel. Policy director Louisa Duggan says they’re asking the Minnesota Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security to take a look at the campaign finance statute and bring state guidance in line with federal guidance. She says that would allow candidates and legislators in Minnesota to use their campaign funds on all types of security expenses. Minnesota limits the use of campaign funds for nonstructural security devices and cyber security software and services.
>>Minnesota Food Shelves Prep for Increased Demand from SNAP Recipients
(St. Cloud, MN) — More than 400 thousand Minnesotans could lose their SNAP benefits this weekend and food shelves are preparing for a surge in new users. Stacy Lund of Catholic Charities in St. Cloud says they may have to stretch their inventory by decreasing the amount of food to individuals and families if they see an influx of people. She says food shelf demand is already up seven percent and local grocers and retailers are helping keep shelves stocked. The State of Minnesota is providing four million dollars in emergency funding to food shelves.
>>More Adoptive Families Needed in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — The Department of Children, Youth and Families is highlighting the need for more adoptive families in Minnesota. Assistant Commissioner Rebecca St. George says families adopted 673 children in Minnesota last year and right now there are 470 foster children still waiting for permanent families. St. George says one of the biggest challenges when it comes to adoption is keeping siblings together, and roughly 45 percent of the children waiting for adoption have siblings. Saturday marks the 28th annual ‘Celebrate Adoption: Circus of the Heart’ event at the State Fairgrounds. There will be adoption experts available to answer questions.
>>Ex-Minneapolis Police Officer Thao is Released from Federal Prison Next Week
(Lexington, KY) — Ex-Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao is scheduled to be released Monday from a federal prison in Kentucky. Thirty-nine-year-old Thao was convicted for his role in the Memorial Day 2020 death of George Floyd and sentenced to three-and-a-half years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors said Thao was “deliberately indifferent” to Floyd’s medical needs and violated his civil rights by preventing bystanders from helping him. He will be on supervised release until June 2027 under his state sentence for aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
>>WAMM, Minnesotans Rally Against US/Cuba Policy
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesotans will rally on the Lake Street/Marshall Bridge later today (Wed 4pm) in Minneapolis to demand an end to the U-S embargo on Cuba. Organized by the Solidarity Committee on the Americas and Women Against Military Madness, the protest coincides with a United Nations vote calling for the embargo’s repeal. Organizers are also urging the U-S to remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list and return Guantanamo Bay. They say the decades-long sanctions have devastated Cuba’s economy and harmed access to food, medicine, and fuel.
>>Less Than Half of the Minnesota Millionaire Raffle Tickets Remain
(Roseville, MN) — State lottery officials say more than half of the one million tickets for the Minnesota Millionaire Raffle have been purchased. Tickets for last year’s New Year’s Day drawing sold out in 15 days. The Minnesota Lottery is celebrating the game’s 20th anniversary this year with a total of 20 thousand prizes. There are two one-million-dollar grand prizes, and forty 20-thousand-dollar prizes have been added. The odds of winning a grand prize on New Year’s Day are one-in-500 thousand.
>>Fargo Man Arrested in Deadly Shooting
(Moorhead, MN) — A Fargo man is in custody following a deadly shooting at a local apartment complex. Officer say 26-year-old Levi Larteh was arrested Tuesday morning at a convenience store in Barnesville, Minnesota. The victim, 28-year-old Nadin Khoury , was shot in the stairwell and later died from his injuries. Investigators believe the shooting was not random and may be connected to a shots-fired call last Friday night at another apartment near the Microsoft campus in South Fargo. Larteh is currently being held in the Clay County Jail in Moorhead pending a murder charge.
>>Minnesota Wild Fall to Winnipeg Jets in Overtime
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Wild earn a point but lost to the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in overtime Tuesday night in St. Paul. Minnesota trailed 2-0 after the first period before Kirill Kaprizov, Brock Faber and Marcus Johansson scored three unanswered goals. Ex-Wild forward Nino Niederreiter scored midway through the third to tie it 3-3 and Kyle Connor netted the game-winner 46 seconds into O-T. The Pittsburgh Penguins visit Grand Casino Arena on Thursday night.
