Minnesota News Network

Roads reopen after flooding in far SW, east-central MN

I-90 has reopened in both directions at Beaver Creek in far southwest Minnesota, after heavy rains drenched that area overnight. Officials say Highway 59 at the north edge of Worthington has also re-opened and no other state highways in southwest Minnesota are currently affected by flooding — but they add the ground is saturated and they’re closely monitoring the situation. Nearly seven inches of rain was reported near Luverne and over four inches in Fairmont.

The Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office says people should avoid the upstream area of the Rapidan (RAP-un-den) Dam on the Blue Earth River. The boat barrier failed this morning and repair isn’t expected for at least two weeks.

Meanwhile in east-central Minnesota MN-DOT has re-opened Highway 48 between Hinckley and Danbury, Wisconsin as levels on the Saint Croix River drop significantly. That road had been closed since Monday after a dam in Douglas County Wisconsin broke due to heavy rains over the weekend, sending a torrent of water down the Tamarack River toward Pine County.

 

 

 

First Lady has first public event since surgery, Trump said in Duluth she’s “doing great”

First Lady Melania Trump made an unannounced stop at a Texas facility today to visit children sent there after their parents illegally entered the U-S. It’s Mrs. Trump’s first public action since surgery to treat a benign kidney condition, and President Trump said last night in Duluth, “She’s doing great. She went through a pretty big thing, but she came out– I mean… great doctors…. She is doing fantastically well. She’s all, a hundred percent.”)

Trump acknowledged earlier that his wife had been prodding him to stop the separation of children from parents illegally entering the U-S — an executive order he signed just before the Duluth visit. Democrats warn children could still be separated from their parents if they are prosecuted or deported — or perhaps even in other circumstances.

 

 

Trump rally in Duluth draws in thousands

President Donald Trump is firing up Republican supporters in Minnesota after a sold-out campaign rally at the Amsoil Arena in Duluth.  The president greeted the crowd of more than 83-hundred Wednesday night by saying, “I hate to bring this up–but we came this close to winning the state of Minnesota, and in two and a half years it’s going to be really easy I think.”  Trump touched on a number of topics including the economy, immigration and his meeting with North Korea’s leader.  He threw his support behind the Iron Range steel industry and mining in northeastern Minnesota.  President Trump essentially endorsed 8th District Republican congressional candidate Pete Stauber, telling the crowd, “Pete’s a great guy…You’ve got to get Pete a victory.”  G-O-P Senate candidate Karin Housley said,” the liberal media keeps talking about some blue wave, but seeing everybody here tonight, I wouldn’t be too sure about that. I’m seeing an even bigger red wave.”  Many times during President Trump’s speech the crowd chanted “build that wall, build that wall.”  A few protesters were removed from the arena.

Steel dumping, gov’t regulations among topics at Trump roundtable in Duluth (with AUDIO)

President Trump highlighted his actions to curtail foreign steel dumping during a roundtable with elected officials and business leaders tonight (Wed) in Duluth.  The president said,  “They were dumping steel into our country — like dumping it, dumping it, dumping it. And people said, oh, that’s terrible. But where it’s really terrible is after you lose all your steel industry, and after you lose all your aluminum industry, then they set any price they want because you’re gone.”

Excessive government regulation was also on elected officials’ and business leaders’ minds at the roundtable meeting. Saint Louis County Commissioner Keith Nelson told the president, people in northeastern Minnesota are sick and tired of bureaucrats telling them what they can do with lands they cherish:  “So Mr. President, when you get back inside that Beltway out there, stay on top of those regulations,” he told Trump, who responded, “We will.”  Nelson continued, “Get ’em off our back even more, and I promise you this Iron Range will make this country proud.”  Trump echoed, “So, what you’re saying is you don’t need the bureaucrats from D-C to come and tell you how to take care of your beautiful lakes and rivers — and nobody has more than you do…. I agree with that 100 percent.”

And applause erupted when the president told the roundtable, “For our next campaign we have a new slogan which — I think we can’t use ‘Make America Great Again’ because that would be like, gee, we didn’t do it the first time. It’s gonna be very simple: ‘Keep America Great’, because that’s what we’re doing. Keep America Great.”

Trump didn’t win Minnesota in 2016, but he told a rally at AMSOIL Arena that will change when he runs for re-election in 2020.

 

Here’s a portion of the roundtable:

 

Pawlenty tweets welcome to Trump but apparently will not be at Duluth rally

Former Governor Tim Pawlenty, who’s running for a third term, tweeted a “Welcome to MN” to President Donald Trump but apparently will not be in Duluth for tonight’s rally. Pawlenty added, “Proud to have my running mate [Lieutenant Governor] Michelle Fischbach greet you when you landed and thankful to you for protecting our borders, lowering taxes, trying to reduce health care costs, and more. Enjoy your time in the North Star State.”

 

Trump in Duluth for roundtable, rally

“We want Trump!” was the chant by supporters of the president who arrived early at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth for tonight’s rally. Randal from Lakefield has been to 33 rallies around the country and calls it a Trump love-fest.  He says, “We are coming here to hear our president speak directly to us as his supporters, but we as his supporters are going to give him vibes back that we’re strong and we’re standing with our president. He comes to fire us up and then he gets fired up from us.”

Protester Traci Luke from Minnetonka held a sign “Stop his Lies, Impeach Trump Now.”  Luke says about the president’s executive order that would end the separation of children from their parents after they are detained for illegally crossing the border, “Hopefully he is ending that, and that would be great, and I would say to him, thank you for that one little thing, but the rest of you, no thanks.”

 

DFL, GOP cross swords on immigration as Duluth prepares for Trump visit

Just before his visit to Duluth, President Trump has signed an executive order that would end the separation of children from their parents after they are detained for illegally crossing the border.  Minnesota D-F-L Party Chairman Ken Martin says “it’s a shame that we’re even at this point,” adding it “doesn’t excuse the trauma that has already been inflicted upon thousands of children and thousands of families. This is wrong.”

Republican candidate for governor Jeff Johnson responds the president “is trying to do what most Americans want, which is secure the southern border. Unfortunately this has become a terrible distraction and, again, nobody wants to see what’s happening down there, so if they can solve the problem I think that’s great.”

President Trump has a closed-door roundtable meeting this afternoon in Duluth followed by an evening rally at the AMSOIL Arena.  Immigration, trade and tariffs will likely be among the main topics.

Dayton pushes President Trump to end “zero-tolerance”

Governor Mark Dayton is the latest politician calling on President Trump to end the “zero-tolerance” immigration policy separating children from their parents at the U-S border. Dayton says he will refuse to deploy Minnesota National Guard personnel, equipment or resources to assist with immigration enforcement “until the Trump Administration stops its immoral and un-American ripping apart of immigrant families.” Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is being criticized for sending two dozen Guard members to the Arizona-Mexico border.

Blaine woman charged in north Minneapolis crash that killed two

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A woman from Blaine faces two counts of criminal vehicular homicide plus other charges after hitting a car parked in a north Minneapolis alley before the van she was driving flipped over. Prosecutors say 47-year-old Michele Reimann was with two others when they pulled into a convenience store so the driver could go inside. Reimann […]

Dam breaks in NW Wisconsin, water headed toward Minnesota

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Officials say a dam in southern Douglas County Wisconsin has broken due to heavy rains over the weekend and a torrent of water is headed down the Tamarack River, which joins the Saint Croix in Pine County. MN-DOT has closed Highway 48 at the Saint Croix River due to rising water levels. And Highway 23 […]

Flooding closes more roads in NE Minnesota, NW Wisconsin

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Continuing problems in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin after heavy rains over the weekend. Officials say a dam in southern Douglas County Wisconsin is likely to break soon, which will send a huge amount of water down the Tamarack River which joins the Saint Croix River in Pine County. MN-DOT has closed Highway 48 at […]

11 die in crashes on Minnesota roads over Father’s Day weekend

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The State Patrol says 11 people lost their lives in eight fatal crashes on Minnesota roads over the Father’s Day weekend. Lieutenant Tiffani Nielson says, “We’re seeing what we typically see in fatal crashes…. Some of these crashes had alcohol use. Two of the crashes we’re suspecting drug use. Four of the crashes we’re suspecting […]

Twins lose series finale in Cleveland

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INDIANS 4, TWINS 1 Shane Bieber pitched one-run ball into the sixth inning in his first major league win, helping Cleveland beat Minnesota. Bieber (1-0) scattered 10 hits and struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings in his second career start. The rookie right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Columbus earlier in the day when Carlos […]

Vikings co-owner talks about National Anthem policy

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Minnesota Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf told reporters that the organization supports the NFL’s new anthem policy and that each member of the team will be on the same page. League owners approved a new policy last month that requires players and league personnel on the sideline to stand for the national anthem but gives them […]

Final round of public hearings on controversial Enbridge Line 3 proposal

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The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission holds hearings today (Mon 930am start) and tomorrow in Saint Paul before next week’s decision on whether Enbridge can upgrade its “Line 3” pipeline across northern Minnesota. Nancy Norr with “Jobs for Minnesotans” says it means thousands of construction jobs for those now working on projects outside Minnesota.  “We want […]

GOP getting ready for Trump rally Wednesday in Duluth

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It’s a high-profile political week in Minnesota with President Trump scheduled for a Wednesday evening rally at the AMSOIL Arena in Duluth. Carleton College analyst Steven Schier says the 8th Congressional District U-S House seat is one of few in the U-S that “looks like a real possibility of a Republican pick-up….  Minnesota and the […]

Dems meet on Father’s Day to endorse new candidate for 5th District U-S House

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Democrats meet tomorrow in Minneapolis on Father’s Day to endorse a new candidate for 5th District U-S House — but whether they actually chose someone remains to be seen. Hamline University’s David Schultz says the special convention might winnow-out one or two people, but predicts a still-crowded field of Democrats in the August primary.  Schultz […]

HMOs say they’ll reduce premium on individual health insurance market

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H-M-Os in Minnesota’s individual market are planning to decrease health insurance premiums next year between seven and 12 percent. Republican Representative Greg Davids from Preston credits the “reinsurance” bill the legislature passed in 2017.  Davids says, “Now, we’ve got a long ways to go. I’m not saying everything is fine and wonderful, because it’s not […]