>>Democrat Lee Wins Fallen Speaker Hortman’s Minnesota House Seat
(Brooklyn Park, MN) — Former Brooklyn Park City Council Member Xp Lee is the winner of the Minnesota House District 34-B special election. Democrat Lee topped Republican candidate Ruth Bittner 61 to 39 percent Tuesday for the seat of fallen House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. Lee’s victory brings the House back to a 67-67 tie between D-F-L and G-O-P members. Hortman and her husband were assassinated by the alleged gunman who shot Senator John Hoffman and his wife in Champlin.
>>Minnesota Senate Tax Committee Chair Rest Retiring in 2026
(New Hope, MN) — D-F-L State Senator Ann Rest of New Hope is retiring next year after more than four decades in the legislature. Rest is the only lawmaker in history to serve as the Taxes Committee chair in both the Minnesota House and Senate. She was first elected in 1984 and served eight terms in the House before winning her Senate seat in 2000. Rest says serving in the Minnesota Legislature has been the honor of her life. Investigators say the man charged in the shootings of the Hortmans and Hoffmans also went to Senator Rest’s home in New Hope but was scared away by a police officer.
>>State Senators Meet Again over Gun Violence Prevention
(St. Paul, MN) — A group of state senators is hosting another working group hearing this morning (Wed) to discuss proposals on how to prevent gun violence. The lawmakers from both parties met Monday in the Senate Building to discuss about a dozen proposals ranging from banning assault rifles to increasing school safety and mental health capacities. No new proposals will be introduced at today’s meeting and there will not be any public testimony.
>>Minnesota Lawmakers Bonding Tour for State Projects Today
(St. Paul, MN) — State senators are touring 14 sites today (Wed) in southern Minnesota to look for future infrastructure or bonding bill projects. The projects include a sanitary sewer district in Zumbrota, a library renovation in Faribault, and the air traffic control tower in Mankato. The lawmakers serve on the Capital Investment Committee chaired by Senator Sandra Pappas of St. Paul. These projects would request state matching funds for future bonding legislation. The tour wraps up tonight with a final stop in Savage to look at a possible reconstruction project for Highway 13.
>>Minnesota Medical Cannabis Dispensaries Now Selling Adult-Use Products
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesotans can now purchase adult-use cannabis at 13 medical dispensaries in the state. Eric Taubel from the Office of Cannabis Management says the medical providers moved from the Department of Health to the O-C-M. He says as part of the transition they go from just selling to medical patients to having their doors open to adult-use customers as well. Green Goods has medical dispensaries in the Twin Cities, Duluth, Moorhead, and Rochester. Adult-use sales begin today (Wed) at Rise locations in Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Mankato, New Hope, and Willmar. Legacy Cannabis Duluth opened the first state-licensed, non-medical dispensary Tuesday.
>>Mayors Along the Mississippi Gather in Twin Cities
(Undated) — More than 100 mayors from cities along the Mississippi River are meeting in the Twin Cities this week for their annual conference. The event, hosted by the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, brings together leaders from 10 states to discuss shared challenges. This is the first in-person gathering since federal funding cuts reduced support for disaster planning and climate assessments—tools many river communities rely on as they face more frequent flooding, drought, and extreme weather. Mayors are expected to push for renewed federal support and share strategies for protecting the river and their communities.
>>Suspect Charged in Fatal Shooting of St. Olaf Football Player Lee
(South St. Paul, MN) — A suspect is facing multiple charges in the fatal shooting of a St. Olaf College football player Friday morning in South St. Paul. Dakota County prosecutors say 19-year-old Terrell Ranzy of St. Paul is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the shooting of 20-year-old Matthew Robert Lee. Police found two men suffering from gunshot wounds in the bedroom of a home and Lee died at the scene. The other victim was shot in the arm and torso. Witnesses told officers that Lee was an innocent bystander. He was a junior linebacker for St. Olaf football. There was a prayer service for Lee Friday night on the Northfield campus.
>>LEGO Replica Now on Display Inside US Bank Stadium
(Minneapolis, MN) — Vikings fan Camden Tatsapaugh from Connecticut spent more than two years building a detailed LEGO replica of U-S Bank Stadium. The model, made from more than 15,000 bricks, features working glass doors, the Gjallarhorn, and a hanging American flag. After disassembling the stadium into 125 sections, Tatsapaugh was flown to Minneapolis by the Vikings to reassemble it inside the actual stadium. The LEGO version now has a permanent home on the 100-level concourse, where fans can admire the craftsmanship and fandom behind the build.
>>Minnesota Lynx at Golden State Valkyries in Game 2 of WNBA Playoffs
(San Jose, CA) — The Minnesota Lynx and Golden State Valkyries play Game 2 of the W-N-B-A playoffs tonight (Wed 9pm) in San Jose. The Lynx won the opener 101-72 at Target Center on Sunday. Five Minnesota players scored in double figures. The Lynx can clinch the best-of-three, first-round series with a victory tonight on the Valkyries’ home court. The game was moved from the Chase Center in San Francisco to San Jose’s SAP Center due to a tennis tournament. Game 3 would be played at Target Center on Friday if necessary.
