Midwest
'He ignored us': Local Minnesota school superintendent slams Walz's 'negative impact' on K-12 education
EXCLUSIVE: A local private school superintendent believes Gov. Tim Walz’s policies have had a “negative impact” on education in Minnesota, suggesting he “broke trust” with residents during the coronavirus pandemic.
“He’s ignored us,” Kim Friesen, who has lived in rural Minnesota for 21 years, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. “I think he’s broken trust with rural Minnesota because of education and how he hasn’t listened or visited or been out here.”
Friesen, who works as an administrator at Mountain Lake Christian School, detailed the effect she has seen Walz’s policies have on education in the state.
“The majority of the thinking that Governor Waltz did was all Metro. He didn’t consider some of the unique problems that we face in rural Minnesota, for example, connectivity,” Friesen said of rules enforced in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s been kind of hard to see the negative impact that has taken place under Governor Waltz’s leadership.”
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Kim Friesen, a Minnesota school administrator, spoke with Fox News Digital about education in the state. (Fox News Digital)
Friesen said that rural families faced roadblocks to online learning requirements during the pandemic, such as not having access to the internet.
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“Rural Minnesota really suffered during that time,” she added. “I don’t think he cared for all his people well. He cared for the center of our state. North, south, rural, east and west, we did not get his attention, and we deserved his attention.”
Friesen also said that she does not think Walz appears to want to connect with rural Minnesotans.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a campaign event at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Aug. 9, 2024. (Robyn Beck)
“I do believe that some of the things that he has said are very self-focused rather than people-focused. And I need a vice president that is going to be us focused,” she said. “He needs to know his people better. And if he’s not willing to do it in a state, how can he do it for the nation?”
When asked about a potential Harris-Walz administration, Friesen said that the policies enacted in Minnesota could be reflected at a national level – such as social issues and illegal immigration.
Walz signed an order making Minnesota a “trans refuge state,” where minors from out of state could receive transgender surgical procedures and hormone prescriptions.
“His ideas on allowing children or encouraging children from other states to come for transgender surgery or therapy, it just breaks my heart,” Friesen said of the order. “It rips parents’ authority away. And I don’t believe that’s God’s design. God gave children to parents, not to the government.”
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz were slammed on social media for sharing a “cringe” video of themselves interviewing each other. (RONDA CHURCHILL/AFP via Getty Images)
“Neither one of them are ready to lead a nation. Neither one. They don’t have the experience. They don’t have the wherewithal to fight for people who are here. And I think they have some distorted views on how to move forward. That would not better our state, nor our nation,” she said. “So that’s of concern.”
Before entering the political scene, Walz worked as a high school teacher in Minnesota.
One of Walz’s former students, who asked to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital that he was a “very belittling teacher.”
“He yelled at students constantly. He would treat conservative students poorly and he would one side his teaching. If you were liberal he liked you, and if you were conservative he treated you like garbage. He was not a kind person. I nicknamed him “Hitler” because he was so strict and was constantly yelling at kids down the halls,” the former student told Fox.
“Not to mention he was a traitor and left his crew behind during war. There is nothing honorable about that!”
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Michigan
Michigan Lottery: Woman wins $822K prize after buying ticket during lunch break
SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A Shelby Township woman stopped for some pizza and a Michigan Lottery ticket during her lunch break. Then, she won a $822,159 Club Keno The Jack prize.
Sue Strong, 65, matched her easy pick The Jack number, 10-26-33-50-56-58-60-67-70, to nine of the 20 Club Keno numbers that were drawn in draw 2569809, according to the Michigan Lottery.
“I regularly play Club Keno, and I always add The Jack to my ticket,” said Strong. “I went out and bought a Club Keno ticket and pizza on my lunch break and then watched the drawings on my phone while I ate. When I saw all my The Jack numbers come in and the jackpot reset to $10,000, I was shocked! It was nerve wracking and exciting, and to be honest, I’ve hardly slept since!”
The lucky player purchased her winning ticket at Party Palace Liquor Inc., at 49133 Schoenherr Road in Shelby Township.
She plans to share her prize money with her family, pay bills and then save the rest.
This is the largest The Jack prize a player has ever won on the Club Keno game.
The previous record was set in March 2025, when a player won $677,141 from a ticket purchased at JP’s Trolley Stop in Taylor.
The Jack is an optional add-on to a Club Keno ticket that costs $1 per draw.
When playing The Jack, participants receive nine quick-pick numbers and try to match them with the numbers drawn in Club Keno. Prizes range from $1 up to the jackpot, which begins at $10,000 and increases until claimed. To hit the jackpot, all nine numbers must be matched.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Missouri
See how much new unemployment claims in Missouri fell last week
Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Missouri dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 2,182 in the week ending February 21, down from 2,462 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims rose to 212,000 last week, up 4,000 claims from 208,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Rhode Island saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 132.0%. Michigan, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 49.9%.
USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.
Nebraska
Nebraska State Patrol troopers find 242 pounds of cocaine during commercial truck inspection
LEXINGTON, Neb. (KOLN) – Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested one person after finding more than 240 pounds of cocaine during a commercial vehicle inspection.
On Tuesday afternoon, an NSP Carrier Enforcement trooper conducted a commercial vehicle inspection on a semi tractor/trailer driven by Arwinderjit Singh, 30, of California, near mile marker 254 on Interstate 80.
During the inspection, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity. An NSP K-9 detected the odor of a controlled substance inside the cab of the semi, troopers said.
After searching the cab, troopers located 242 pounds of cocaine concealed underneath the sleeper bed, NSP said.

Singh was arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine, possession with intent to deliver, possession of an open alcohol container, no drug tax stamp and displaying a fictitious license plate.
Singh was lodged in Dawson County Jail, and his bond was set at 10% of $2 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 12.
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Copyright 2026 KOLN. All rights reserved.
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