>>Police Arrest Man for Damaging Ice Sculpture at State Capitol

(St. Paul, MN) — An ice sculpture bearing the message “Prosecute ICE” was destroyed outside the Minnesota State Capitol just hours after it was unveiled Thursday. Authorities say 30-year-old Jake Lang of Lake Worth, Florida, a pardoned January 6 insurrectionist, posted a video on social media showing himself knocking over the sculpture. Capitol security dispatchers witnessed Lang damaging the display and alerted State Patrol troopers. Lang was stopped as he drove away and was arrested without incident. He was booked into the Ramsey County Jail on suspicion of felony criminal damage to property. The sculpture had been installed by the veterans organization Common Defense, along with other community leaders, as a protest against federal immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota.

>>State Officials Pushing Back on Misinformation Surrounding Public Assistance

(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families has launched a new webpage to address confusion surrounding child care, food assistance, and other public programs amid uncertainty over federal funding and the spread of misinformation. Commissioner Tikki Brown said inaccurate claims, often circulating online and sometimes echoed by federal officials, have prompted legislative questions and concern among families who rely on public assistance. Brown said the misinformation can trigger fear-based responses, particularly among those using SNAP benefits and food shelves, as they prepare for a possible increase in demand. The webpage, titled “Facts First: The real story on services that support Minnesota,” provides verified information and pushes back against narratives Brown says have been used to justify the deployment and continued presence of federal immigration agents in the state.

>>ICE Impact Ripple Effects

(St. Paul, MN) — The full impact of federal immigration operations in Minnesota may not be known for months. But DFL Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy says the effects are already being felt, particularly in rural parts of the state, as workers stay away. “When we think about essential businesses — the ag industry, our farmers, health care, child care — those essential services rely on workers coming into the state,” Murphy said. “We need workers for all sorts of industries across the state of Minnesota,” Murphy says. Minnesota’s population is already growing too slowly to meet workforce demands, and she believes the presence of federal immigration agents is making it harder to reverse that trend.

>>State Representative Proposes Allowing Two Fishing Lines in Minnesota

(St. Paul, MN) — A Minnesota lawmaker is proposing a change that could let anglers double their fishing lines. Republican State Representative Chris Swedzinski of Ghent wants to allow Minnesotans to fish with two lines per person for all species, rather than the current one‑line limit. Swedzinski says expanding licensing options would give anglers more opportunities for success on the water and help more people enjoy fishing.
The proposal comes as the Department of Natural Resources considers reducing the daily and possession limit for walleye from six to four, beginning March 1st. Swedzinski says he plans to introduce the bill when the legislature convenes on February 17th.

>>Hennepin County Chief Public Defender Calls Courthouse Detentions Unconstitutional

(Minneapolis, MN) — Hennepin County’s chief public defender is calling the detention of two people at the county courthouse unconstitutional. On Thursday, ICE agents detained two individuals near the security screening area inside the Government Center towers, which house Hennepin County courtrooms. Chief Public Defender Mike Berger said he was alarmed that federal agents, along with state law enforcement, did not allow the detainees to speak with their attorneys. Berger argued that interfering with attorney access, even during an arrest, violates constitutional rights and called the actions “completely unacceptable.” A spokesperson for the Fourth Judicial District, however, said the detentions were lawful and permitted inside the courthouse.

>>Hibbing Woman Sentenced to 3 Years for Holding Ex-Boyfriend Captive

(Hibbing, MN) — A Hibbing woman is sentenced to three years in prison for holding her ex-boyfriend captive and assaulting him in February of 2024. Forty-one-year-old Shelly Goerdt pleaded guilty in December to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and false imprisonment. St. Louis County prosecutors say Goerdt and her sister, Corrine Starc, subdued the victim using a Taser and restrained him in a bathroom with rope, duct tape, and plastic wrap, and assaulted him for three days.

>>Amtrak Borealis Announces Record Ridership in 2025

(Undated) — More people are hopping aboard the Amtrak Borealis. The passenger rail line is reporting record ridership and ticket sales this year. The route, which runs through Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, saw ridership jump by more than 100 percent. Amtrak says nearly 213,000 people rode the Borealis last year, drawn in by the convenience and the scenic views along the way, including rivers, wetlands, wildlife, and small towns across the region.

>>Forest Lake Ice Fishing Classic set for Saturday

(Forest Lake, MN) – The Forest Lake Ice Fishing Classic this Saturday will support several community groups, including the Invisible Wounds Project, which helps veterans, first responders, and their families with mental-health and crisis support. Founder Russ Hanes says demand for their services continues to grow, with more than two thousand people helped last year and over a hundred suicide or crisis interventions. He says events like the Ice Fishing Classic make their work possible. The Classic runs from noon to 3 p.m., with prizes including an Ice Castle fish house and a guided hunt. More details are on the Forest Lake Ice Classic website.

>>Minnesota Ties to the Super Bowl

(Undated) — New England Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing says a Minnesota football legend helped launch his coaching career. Speaking with reporters at the Super Bowl, Downing credited longtime Eden Prairie coach Mike Grant with recognizing his potential beyond playing. Downing said Grant taught him patience and the attention to detail required to help players improve, lessons that shaped his approach to coaching. Downing later served as an assistant under Grant at Eden Prairie before beginning his NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings, where he worked from 2001 to 2005.

>>Lorde Donates $204K to Minnesota Immigrant Support Funds

(Minneapolis, MN) — Pop artist Lorde is publicly backing Minnesota’s immigrant communities with a 204,000-dollar donation to two local advocacy groups. She announced the gift on Instagram, writing “ICE Out” on her hand and pledging all merchandise proceeds from her two October shows at The Armory to the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and the Immigrant Defense Network. Lorde is one of several artists speaking out amid ongoing tensions in the state; Lizzo, Billie Eilish, and Justin and Hailey Bieber have also voiced support, with many wearing “ICE Out” pins at the Grammys.