Minnesota Today

A sentencing date is pending for Vance Boelter after he pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges stemming from last June’s attacks on Minnesota lawmakers and their families. That includes the killings of former DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well the attack on DFL state Senator John Hoffman, his wife, Yvette, and their daughter, Hope. Under terms of the plea deal, Boelter will spend the rest of his life in prison.More than a hundred men serving time at Rush City prison are boycotting the canteen to protest prison conditions. A federal judge has denied a request from independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort to release grand jury transcripts in their case. Target Field food and beverage workers announced they will strike on June 22 — during a game between the Twins and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Vance Boelter today admitted killing a top DFL lawmaker and her husband during an early morning shooting rampage last year. Boelter’s plea means federal prosecutors will not seek the death penalty. And the Minneapolis City Council voted today to waive a special tax assessment for property owners in George Floyd Square.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minneapolis city officials say a new report on the economic effects of the federal immigration enforcement surge can help provide a roadmap for how to direct relief efforts. The city estimates the surge caused nearly $700 million in economic harm, most of that due to lost wages and business revenue.Additionally, the Minneapolis City Council is set to take up two measures this morning related to George Floyd Square. One is whether to approve a special tax assessment on property owners at the square to help cover the cost of a street reconstruction project that just started.Minnesota lawmakers want to memorialize a peer lost to political violence and prevent future threats. Almost one year ago, a gunman shot and killed House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home. The gunman also shot Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, who both survived. The shootings rocked the state. And in the months since, lawmakers sought to remember the Hortmans by renaming a highway, bike trail and Capitol garden.The man charged with killing Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark is expected to plead guilty this morning.A Feeding Our Future defendant who fled to Kenya is back in Minnesota to face charges after surrendering to authorities.Minneapolis estimates Operation Metro Surge cost the city $700 millionMinneapolis City Council to weigh two measures related to George Floyd SquareSteps to honor Hortman, prevent future tragedies take root in year since her assassinationBoelter expected to plead guilty in lawmaker attacks

The city of Minneapolis now estimates that the federal immigration enforcement surge caused nearly $700 million in economic damage.And clean-up is underway after about 20 rail cars were knocked off the tracks in western Minnesota early this morning as severe storms swept through. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A line of severe storms raced across Minnesota overnight, bringing wind gusts of more than 80 mph and knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses. More severe storms are possible Wednesday afternoon and evening, especially across eastern Minnesota and into western Wisconsin.City leaders in Minneapolis will release an updated impact assessment for Operation Metro Surge on Wednesday. The city now estimates that the federal immigration surge from December to April had a $700 million impact on the city, residents and businesses.And the Department of Justice is not seeking the death penalty for the man accused of killing former DFL Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark.Severe storms knock out power to thousands across MinnesotaMinneapolis estimates Operation Metro Surge cost the city $700 millionDeath penalty off the table for alleged Hortman killer

Air quality in the Twin Cities and much of central Minnesota may reach unhealthy levels this afternoon and evening. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an air quality alert from noon to 9 p.m. for the Twin Cities metro area extending northwest to St. Cloud, Sauk Centre and Little Falls.Like other alerts the past couple weeks, the concern is for ground-level ozone that forms on warm, dry days when sunshine reacts with pollutants in the air. Conditions should improve after sunset.Fargo voters are choosing a new mayor and two other city commissioners Tuesday. And the city is changing up the method of voting after North Dakota lawmakers banned approval voting last year. And DFL governor candidate Amy Klobuchar is out with a proposal aimed at addressing Minnesota's housing shortage. Klobuchar says the state should work with cities and counties to lift requirements that can add time and project expenses. The plan would also create incentives for communities that build more multi-family housing.Lawmakers scrapped Fargo’s novel voting system. Tuesday's mayoral election goes back to basics

An Annunciation family is condemning the gaming platform Roblox for a game modeled after the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Leah and Harry Kaiser said it’s “heartbreaking and unacceptable” to see tragedies like the one that critically injured their daughter recreated on the platform. They sent a letter to Roblox calling for stronger safeguards against violent content. The company said on social media the simulation was removed in early February.The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled the city of Faribault erred when it decided a proposed data center did not require a more in-depth environmental study. The nonprofit Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy appealed the decision, arguing the city did not have enough information about the project’s potential air and noise pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. A new congressional report dissects internal problems that could have allowed fraud to fester in Minnesota-run programs. The 200-page report by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform retraces fraud in nutrition and Medicaid programs and what was done about it. It’s shaping up to be a hot, humid and stormy few days across Minnesota, with chances for severe weather. After scattered storms through tonight, highs are expected to climb into the upper 80s to low 90s across much of the state Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Department of Homeland Security has posted a proposed contract for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use a private prison facility in western Minnesota to hold up to 1,600 immigrant detainees. That’s according to a contract proposal issued Thursday that seeks to use Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, owned by CoreCivic. Gov. Tim Walz has requested the extradition of a Texas ICE agent to Minnesota to face assault charges related to the shooting of a man in Minneapolis during the federal enforcement surge.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minnesota lawmakers failed to add protections to an obscure discount drug program this year, amid complaints from the pharmaceutical industry that some large hospitals abuse the so called 340B program.Republican-endorsed governor candidate Kendall Qualls says the campaign focus this year shouldn't be on President Donald Trump. Qualls is one of several candidates in a GOP primary race to determine the party nominee.An ICE detainee from Burnsville with serious health problems was released Wednesday. Andrea Pedro-Francisco is a twenty three year old asylum seeker who has lived in Burnsville with her family since 2019. She was detained by ICE in February and sent to Texas just before a planned surgery to remove an ovarian cyst.

Forest Service officials say the Birch Bay wildfire burning a few miles northwest of Ely is now 30 percent contained.The Minnesota Department of Human Services has disenrolled sixty percent of providers from 14 high-risk Medicaid programs.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The Catholic Diocese of St. Cloud is proposing to reduce its number of parishes and close some churches.Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced yesterday that Bill Peterson will be interim police chief while the city conducts a national search for a new leader.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

House Speaker Lisa Demuth says she opted to enter the GOP primary race for governor after party leaders deflated the endorsement in that contest. And Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has named an interim police chief as the city looks to replace Brian O'Hara, who resigned last week. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Republicans gather in Duluth Friday to begin winnowing their field of U.S. Senate candidates. An endorsement contest could bring some to drop out of the race, but an August primary will determine the nominee for the general election.For Democrats, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan heads into this weekend's DFL state convention with a victory already in hand. Her opponent in the DFL Senate race, U.S. Rep Angie Craig, decided Wednesday to skip the convention, with the delegate math showing a strong advantage there for Flanagan. The two will instead battle it out in the August primary.Four Twin Cities leaders will accept the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation Profile in Courage Award this Sunday on behalf of the people of the Twin Cities.

Some members of the Minneapolis City Council are questioning Mayor Jacob Frey's handling of investigations into former police Chief Brian O’Hara, who resigned on Tuesday.Attorneys for independent journalist Don Lemon are renewing their push for access to grand jury transcripts in the case of Lemon and 37 others charged in connection with a protest at a St. Paul church in January.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Following Minneapolis police Chief Brian O'Hara's resignation Tuesday, Mayor Jacob Frey appointed assistant Minneapolis police Chief Katie Blackwell — who has been at the department for over 25 years — as acting police chief effective immediately. Minnesota is celebrating the completion of a major milestone in the ongoing cleanup of the St. Louis River. The river forms the headwaters of Lake Superior. There's been a major effort to clean up the river since 1987.The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is one step closer to getting land back from the University of Minnesota. Gov. Tim Walz signed legislation paving the way for the university to return the land on which its Cloquet Forestry Center is situated.Traffic is now down to a single lane in each direction through fall along two stretches of Interstate 94 in central Minnesota. MnDOT says crews are repairing and resurfacing two bridges along eastbound I-94 between Sauk Centre and Melrose.

U.S. Rep. Angie Craig says she'll skip the DFL convention in Rochester and head straight to a Senate primary.Minneapolis city leaders are searching for a new police chief after Brian O'Hara resigned Tuesday.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minneapolis police chief Brian O'Hara resigned Tuesday amid allegations that he interfered with an internal investigation. The investigation explored allegations that the chief had sexual relationships with city employees. According to investigators, there was sufficient evidence that O’Hara intentionally deleted data on his city-issued cell phone that was related to the investigation. At the DFL convention this weekend, the endorsement that will garner the most attention is in the U.S. Senate race. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and U.S. Rep. Angie Craig are seeking their party's endorsement.The temporary closure of one of the state’s few marijuana testing labs could spell trouble for the budding industry. Last week, Minnesota's Office of Cannabis Management froze testing at Legend Technical Services for failing to meet security and testing requirements. State law requires testing, but Minnesota already faces a backlog with demand spiking.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals won't reinstate a law to ban certain gun trigger mechanisms. And gas prices were down slightly today after hitting a four-year Memorial Day high yesterday.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A statewide summer traffic enforcement campaign is now underway with officers, deputies and troopers across Minnesota placing extra attention on speeding drivers. The campaign is also targeting distracted and impaired driving, as well as seat belt use.Minnesota is commissioning a study on nuclear energy after state lawmakers recently approved funding.Minnesota lawmakers approved $3 million to help colleges fight student enrollment fraud. College administrators call the fake enrollments “ghost students.”The head of the Native American Community Clinic says a new affordable housing and health center project currently under construction in south Minneapolis is designed as an indigenous space. Players of the unique Hmong sport tuj lub hope more people give the time-honored sport a spin.

An attorney for an ICE agent charged in a February road rage incident during “Operation Metro Surge” says there's more to the story than what's shown in a widely circulated video. Prosecutors allege Gregory Morgan pointed a handgun at another vehicle on Highway 62 after a traffic dispute. He faces two felony counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. He's set to make a first appearance in court Friday.The founder of a nonprofit that’s become synonymous with fraud in Minnesota was sentenced Thursday to nearly 42 years in prison. Aimee Bock, who founded and led Feeding Our Future, was also ordered to pay $243 million dollars in restitution.Federal law enforcement officials say they will continue to investigate allegations of fraud in the state of Minnesota and in other states. During a press conference Thursday, officials announced charges against 15 people who allegedly stole $90 million in taxpayer dollars.A federal judge has set a July 1 hearing on a possible injunction to stop Minnesota's ban on prediction markets. The new law bans the organization or advertising of prediction markets like Kalshi or Polymarket in Minnesota. For the first time in two years, visitors to a state park in northern Minnesota can once again travel nearly a half-mile underground into a historic mine. Crews have been working nonstop since then to get it reopened.The CBS News radio division is calling it quits Friday. WCCO in Minneapolis switched to being an ABC News affiliate on Thursday.Go deeper with the latest edition of the Minnesota Today newsletter.Feds say 15 charged with bilking Medicaid programs in MinnesotaAimee Bock sentenced to 500 months in Feeding Our Future fraud caseFollowing 2-year

Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock has been sentenced to 500 months in prison -- that’s nearly 42 years -- for orchestrating what investigators say was the nation’s largest COVID-era fraud scheme. Bock was also ordered to pay $243 million in restitution.And federal authorities announced today they’ve filed criminal charges against 15 Minnesotans accused of stealing millions from federal programs.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The Flanders wildfire in Crow Wing County is now 95 percent contained. Authorities say they believe it was sparked by a campfire. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said it has identified people of interest in connection with the case. Good financial news for Target today -- the Minneapolis-based retailer saw better-than-expected sales in the first quarter.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

State lawmakers are giving counties and tribal communities $90 million to upgrade the old and inefficient technology they use to administer SNAP and Medicaid benefits.Immigration advocates in Minnesota say fear, policy changes and longer processing delays are discouraging some eligible immigrants from applying for U.S. citizenship. Organizations that help immigrants apply for citizenship say applications have dropped over the past year.Red Lake Nation tribal band members will cast votes Wednesday in an election for leadership positions, including tribal chairman. Tribal secretary and district representative positions are also up for a vote this year. The tribal nation holds elections every four years. Results are expected to be announced Thursday.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says it has located the origin of the Flanders Fire near the north shore of Flanders Lake. The fire started early Saturday afternoon and grew to more than 1,600 acres. Crow Wing County Sheriff Eric Klang says individuals appear to have started a campfire near Flanders Lake on Saturday or the night before. Minnesota is being sued by a federal agency over a new state law banning prediction markets.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minnesota prosecutors on Monday charged an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent with assault in connection with the January shooting of a Venezuelan man. The Minneapolis City Council will revisit a proposal this week for a new emergency responder training center.Cooler temperatures and higher humidity have helped fire crews working to contain two wildfires burning in northern Minnesota. Authorities say the Flanders Fire in Crow Wing County was 60 percent contained as of Monday evening. Crews were also fighting the Stewart Trail Fire along the North Shore near Two Harbors. That fire has now been contained.Hundreds of millions of dollars will go to HCMC, the state’s busiest Level 1 trauma center and teaching hospital, after this year’s legislative session.

Minnesota prosecutors have charged an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in the January shooting of a Venezuelan man in north Minneapolis. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says ICE agent Christian Castro fired through the front door of a duplex, striking Julio Sosa-Celis in the leg. Authorities say a downed power line sparked the wildfire that's burning on the North Shore of Lake Superior and has destroyed more than 30 buildings.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

An oil analyst says refining issues in the nearby Great Lakes region has contributed to a gas price spike in Minnesota. The platform GasBuddy says the average price in the state as of today is about $4.45 a gallon, up nearly 30 cents from earlier this week. Minnesota Democratic lawmakers held a sit-in overnight at the Capitol.... demanding that Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth let a gun violence prevention bill face a House vote.

Legislators now have a financial framework from which to hammer out bills. An end-of-session deadline arrives this weekend given that lawmakers can’t pass bills after Sunday. Leaders agreed to help HCMC and hospitals around the state, give property owners tax relief and put more money into infrastructure projects. The deal also increases funding for security concerns as well as anti-fraud measures.There are still many details about the signed agreement that are not yet known, and a small window left for lawmakers to get bills ready for votes.

Gas prices jumped sharply at many Minnesota stations yesterday -- and that’s reflected in a spike in the statewide average price today.And advocates delivered a foot-high stack of petitions to Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth today demanding she let a gun control bill face a vote. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Legislators now have a financial framework from which to hammer out bills. An end-of-session deadline arrives this weekend given that lawmakers can’t pass bills after Sunday. Leaders agreed to help HCMC and hospitals around the state, give property owners tax relief and put more money into infrastructure projects. The deal also increases funding for security concerns as well as anti-fraud measures.There are still many details about the signed agreement that are not yet known, and a small window left for lawmakers to get bills ready for votes.

Travel bans, visa restrictions and fears of being arrested or detained are presenting challenges for students from other countries wanting to come to the U.S. to study here. And lawmakers have come together on a deal to dedicate $165 million to housing programs.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

How social media looks on the devices of young Minnesotans could be in for a major change. The Minnesota House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to require social media age verification and less addictive interfaces for kids.The Wisconsin Department of Justice has finished its investigation of a Superior police officer shooting and killing a 42-year old man in April. It's one of two police shootings in Superior in the past two months. A ban on prediction markets passed both the Minnesota Senate and House Tuesday, and now heads to the governor's desk.

The director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research said Sunday the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship does not pose a serious public threat.The Fargo City Commission will likely approve a new police chief Monday night. Interim Chief Travis Stefonowicz is the sole finalist in the search for Fargo’s Chief of Police. Stefonowicz would be replacing Dave Zibolski, who retired last month and drew criticism over the department’s use of artificial intelligence to identify and arrest a women for a crime even though she said she'd never been to Fargo. Minnesota is one of several states debating a proposal to allow for "plug-in solar" or "balcony solar." The bill allows people to quickly connect small scale solar systems to their homes or apartments.

U.S. Senator and past presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar says she wouldn't have run for Minnesota governor if she was contemplating another presidential run. And a preliminary report from federal investigators says a pilot radioed “abort” and started turning shortly after takeoff from Crystal Airport last month... before the plane crashed, killing both people aboard.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has nominated Police Chief Brian O'Hara to serve a second term. Now the city council gets a chance to weigh in.A proposal to create an independent watchdog over state government is nearing a signature from the governor. The proposal to create a new Office of the Inspector General overwhelmingly passed the House.White Earth Nation leadership shared program updates and priorities for the coming year at the annual State of the Nation Thursday in Mahnomen.A stretch of Highway 12 in the western Twin Cities will be closed again this weekend. That closure runs between Interstate 494 in Minnetonka and Central Avenue in Wayzata. It begins at 10 p.m. Friday and runs through 5 a.m. Monday. Traffic will be detoured to Highway 55.

Minnesota officials are forecasting air quality issues this summer due to wildfire smoke and high ozone levels. Meteorologists with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency say drought conditions are increasing the risk of wildfires and they're expecting 12 to 16 days of smoky air this summer. And a Minneapolis man pleaded guilty this morning to spraying vinegar on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar earlier this year. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The Minneapolis City Council is expected to cast a final vote on a bill that would ban assault weapons in the city. A man accused of spraying vinegar on U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar is due back in federal court Thursday morning where he’s expected to enter a guilty plea. One of a series of bills to curb fraud in state programs stalled in a Minnesota House committee Tuesday. The bill aims to stop fraudsters from getting more state money from another agency. Without Republican support, it got bogged down in a tie vote. Border Czar Tom Homan says mistakes were made in Minneapolis earlier this year during ICE's enforcement on immigration. Homan says the public will continue to see mass deportations, especially in sanctuary cities.

A Minnesota man who spent years in prison before his conviction for first-degree murder was vacated in 2023 may now receive several million dollars from the state. A judge found that faulty witness testimony was used in convicting Marvin Haynes for the 2004 killing of Harry Randy Sherer in Minneapolis.And local leaders and labor unions are urging Minnesota lawmakers to prioritize lead pipe replacement this year.Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The Hermantown City Council voted last night to table a vote on a massive Google data center. The tech giant wants to build a nearly $2 billion complex in the city near Duluth. And Minnesota's newly named temporary commissioner for the Department of Human Services is out on medical leave for at least the next month. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey will give his annual State of the City address Tuesday. It will be his first State of the City gathering since the federal immigration enforcement surge earlier this year.It is difficult for the courts to claw back public money stolen through fraud. So a group of Minnesota legislators are trying a new approach to create a tax on fraud. The U.S. Justice Department says it’s suing the state of Minnesota to stop a lawsuit that the state filed against the oil industry over climate change. At issue is a 2020 lawsuit filed by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison alleging ExxonMobil, Koch Industries and the American Petroleum Institute deceived and defrauded Minnesotans about climate change. The suit is still making its way through the courts.

The Legislature has two more weeks to complete its session work, and Capitol leaders are still in search of agreements on key issues. Gov. Tim Walz said he's hopeful for something on guns and school safety.The Minnesota Board of Pardons held an emergency meeting Monday to grant clemency to a man facing deportation to Laos because of a past conviction. At "Ricky" Chandee was convicted of second-degree assault more than 30 years ago. He received a deportation order after serving his sentence. Chandee is among several immigrants who have asked the state to pardon convictions that disrupted their status in the U.S. Also Monday, a federal judge heard arguments in a lawsuit over federal agents’ treatment of protesters and observers during increased federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota.