>>Parents of Annunciation School Shooting Victim Ask VP Vance to Take Action
(Minneapolis, MN) — The parents of Lydia Kaiser, who was injured in the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, shared statements advocating for change after meeting with Vice President J-D Vance on Wednesday. Leah Kaiser said, “Vice President Vance. You have enormous authority. Please, use this moment to move your feet. And transcend our political divides to promote peace, unity, and hope.” Kaiser thanked the school staff, first responders, and hospital workers. Their daughter, Lydia, is still recovering at Children’s Minnesota.
>>Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus Criticizes Call for Special Session on Gun Control
(St. Paul, MN) — Gun rights advocates are criticizing calls for a special legislative session to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines. Rob Doar of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus says these measures wouldn’t have stopped the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School. He says, “This individual had a shotgun and two handguns as well that wouldn’t have been touched by a quote unquote “assault weapons” ban. So, the idea that removing one of the four firearms that he brought with him would have prevented a tragedy isn’t salient.” Doar says California has all the gun laws Minnesota legislators are proposing yet has more mass shootings than any other state.
>>Authorities ID Man Shot and Killed by Police in West St. Paul
(West St. Paul, MN) — Authorities are identifying the man fatally shot by police last Thursday in West St. Paul. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office says 42-year-old Jerry Va Thao of St. Paul died in the use-of-force incident. The Minnesota B-C-A says Apple Valley Sergeant Sean Marben fired his gun while responding with the South Metro SWAT Team. Negotiators tried to work with Thao for several hours before he fired at officers, striking a SWAT vehicle and a ballistic shield. Sergeant Marben spotted Thao armed at the bottom of the basement stairs when he fired and shot him. Officers provided medical aid, but Thao died in the hospital.
>>Rochester Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Threatening Woman with Gun
(St. Paul, MN) — A Rochester man will spend 15 years in federal prison following his conviction for illegally possessing a firearm as felon. The U-S Attorney’s Office says 24-year-old Divaunte Young pressured a woman for a ride to the Twin Cities in March of 2023 and threatened her with a handgun when she refused. The alleged victim locked herself in a gas station bathroom and called 9-1-1. Officers later found Young sleeping in her car with a bag containing a nine-millimeter handgun.
>>MDA Results on Free Nitrate Well Testing at Farmfest
(Morgan, MN) — Free nitrate testing at Farmfest this year revealed issues in some Minnesotans’ well water. Minnesota Department of Ag Water Expert Kim Kaiser says it’s crucial to get well water tested for nitrates, especially if they have young children under six months of age. Over the three-day event, 107 private wells were tested, with six exceeding the federal health standard of 10 milligrams per liter. About three in four Minnesotans rely on groundwater for their drinking water. More info on nitrate well testing can be found on the M-D-A website.
>>Pheasant Numbers Up 50 Percent in Minnesota
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota pheasant hunters have reason to celebrate. The latest August roadside survey shows pheasant numbers are up nearly 50% compared to 2024, and 21% above the 10-year average. Bird counts increased across every region, a trend likely driven by a mild winter and dry spring—ideal conditions for pheasant survival and reproduction. Survey crews recorded 75 birds per 100 miles of roadside, a jump from 51 birds per 100 miles last year. The D-N-R reports that pheasant populations are now above the 10-year average in every region within the pheasant range.
>>DNR Confirms Zebra Mussels in Two Minnesota Lakes
(St. Paul, MN) — The D-N-R is confirming zebra mussels and larvae in Cedar Lake in Scott County and Big Marine Lake in Washington County. Officials say a lake service provider reported mussels on a dock at Cedar Lake. No adults were found during a dive, but water samples contained veligers—zebra mussel larvae. At Big Marine Lake, inspectors found adult mussels on two watercrafts leaving the lake.
>>Interstate 94 Construction Continues This Weekend
(St. Paul, MN) — It won’t be easy driving through St. Paul this weekend on Interstate 94. MnDOT says portions of eastbound I-94 and northbound I-35E will be closed starting late Friday night. I-94 will be closed between Highway 280 and I-35E. Northbound 35E will be closed between Highway 5 and University Avenue. Crews continue to repair nine bridges on those two main interstates. These roads will open early Monday morning, but the construction will continue through the fall.
>>Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul Officially Renamed Grand Casino Arena
(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Wild’s home ice rink is now officially named Grand Casino Arena. The new ice sheet with the Grand Casino logo and signage were unveiled Wednesday at the arena formerly known as the Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota Sports and Entertainment secured a 14-year naming rights partnership this summer. The arena had been called “The X” for 25 years.
>>Former Wild Forward Zach Parise Elected to US Hockey Hall of Fame
(Eveleth, MN) — Former Wild forward and Minnesota native Zach Parise is being inducted into the U-S Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth. Parise and five other U-S born players were named to the Class of 2025. Forty-one-year-old Parise played 19 seasons in the N-H-L and nine of those years in Minnesota. He had 434 goals and 455 assists for a total 889 points in 1,254 games, and 83 points in the playoffs. Parise grew up in Orono, attended Shattuck St. Mary’s, and played two seasons at North Dakota before being drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 2003.
