>>Walz says Minnesota is Preparing for Trump to Send National Guard Troops
(Minneapolis, MN) — Governor Tim Walz says Minnesota is preparing for President Trump to send the National Guard to the Twin Cities. Walz said, “it would be logical for them to come here,” at the Star Tribune’s North Star Summit Tuesday with Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker. The governor added, “we fall into exactly what it looks like they’re trying to target: blue cities.” Walz plans to challenge any deployment of National Guard troops. Governor Pritzker said he feels the National Guard patrolling Chicago is an “unconstitutional invasion.”
>>Senator Smith Pushes Back Against GOP Call to End Shutdown
(Washington, DC) — Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation is urging Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith to help end the federal government shutdown. They’re urging support for a clean, bipartisan funding bill but the sticking point is health care. Senator Smith says she won’t stop fighting to preserve tax credits that could keep insurance premiums from skyrocketing. The Minnesota Democrat said, “All we’re asking is that Republicans who are in charge of the House and the Senate and the White House negotiate with us to stop this huge health insurance premium increase that’s hurting all of our constituents.”
>>US Senate Confirms Rosen as US Attorney for Minnesota
(Washington, DC) — The state’s Republican members of Congress are cheering Senate confirmation of Daniel Rosen as U-S Attorney for the District of Minnesota. Representative Tom Emmer said, “we are confident that Mr. Rosen will fight to protect Minnesotans, and their hard-earned tax dollars, from the scourge of crime and fraud we’ve seen in our state.” Rosen was one of more than 100 Trump nominees confirmed on a 51-47 vote in the U-S Senate. Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith voted against the bloc of nominations after supporting Rosen in committee.
>>Crown Prince of Norway Visiting St. Olaf College in Northfield
(Northfield, MN) — The Crown Prince of Norway is visiting St. Olaf College today (Wed) in Northfield. The St. Olaf community is lining the sidewalks this morning to welcome Crown Prince Haakon Magnus. He’s scheduled to meet with students, attend a convocation featuring music by the St. Olaf Choir and Orchestra, and hold a campus discussion. Crown Prince Haakon stopped by the Norway House in Minneapolis Tuesday and met with Governor Tim Walz and National Guard leaders at the State Capitol.
>>Anoka Social District Now Open Year-Round
(Anoka, MN) — The Anoka City Council voted in favor of keeping the Anoka Social District open year-round in the city’s downtown area. The district allows patrons ages 21 and older to buy alcoholic drinks from licensed establishments and sip and stroll through the marked district. The hours will remain 10 a-m to 10 p-m, but the district will not be open during the Anoka Halloween parades and sipping and strolling will not be allowed. The new year-round opening has already taken effect.
>>Some Minnesota Police Departments Turn to AI for Report Writing
(Brooklyn Park, MN) — A growing number of Minnesota police departments are using artificial intelligence to help write reports. The Brooklyn Park P-D and other agencies have adopted Draft One, a generative A-I tool that creates police reports directly from body camera footage. Officers using the software say it significantly reduces the time spent on paperwork, allowing them to respond to more calls and focus on community policing. Critics question the accuracy of AI-generated reports and raise concerns about transparency. In December, the A-C-L-U warned about the “unreliability and biased nature of A-I,” noting its tendency to “get facts wrong or make them up entirely.”
>>30th Annual Walk to School Day in Minnesota
(Undated) — Thousands of kids are walking to and from class today (Wed) in Minnesota. MnDOT’s Joseph Palmersheim says this is 30th annual Walk to School Day and 150 schools across the state are participating. He says it’s a chance for students and families to walk to school. Most districts have a drop-off location about a half mile from school for students who live outside of town and want to walk. Palmersheim says it’s important for students to get physical activity and learn how to safely navigate city streets and other areas near school.
>>Wolves Fall to Pacers in OT in Preseason Game at Target Center
(Minneapolis, MN) — The Minnesota Timberwolves fell to the Indiana Pacers 135-134 in overtime last night in their first preseason game at Target Center. The Wolves trailed by 24 points in third quarter before rallying to force O-T. Enrique Freeman missed the game-winning, three-pointer at the buzzer of the extra frame. Anthony Edwards had 17 points in his first preseason action. Minnesota plays the Knicks Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
