Minnesota

St. Cloud State increases enrollment this fall, but at a lower rate than other schools

Published

1 year ago

October 15, 2024

St. Cloud State increases enrollment this fall, but at a lower rate than other schools

St. Cloud State University saw an enrollment increase in enrollment of roughly 1%, keeping its student population at roughly 10,000.

The school’s stabilized enrollment comes as the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system announced a system-wide enrollment increase.

St. Cloud State University’s 1% change wasn’t up to par compared to the other Minnesota State universities, which had an average increase of 4.5%. However, St. Cloud Technical and Community College saw a 13.6% increase, for a total enrollment of 4,000 students, above the Minnesota State colleges’ average increase of 9.3%.

Enrollment increases come after Minnesota launched its North Star Promise program to give students whose families have an adjusted gross income of less than $80,000 free college tuition. A Minnesota State Colleges and Universities release states that nearly 12,000 students are reaping the program’s benefits this fall.

“We believe the increase in enrollment was driven by a number of factors,” said Scott Olson, the chancellor of Minnesota State in a release. “Quality academic programs, keeping our colleges and universities the most affordable, most accessible higher education options in the state and outstanding relationships with the communities we serve were clearly among the keys.”

School board debate: Sartell School Board’s Larson, Smith oppose consequences for ethics violations

St. Cloud State University’s stabilized enrollment doesn’t come without consequences left by its enrollment decline from 2010 to 2024, going from 18,000 students to 10,000. The enrollment decline was a main contributor to the university’s economic hardship, resulting in the public institution cutting its program offerings.

Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@gannett.com.

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Minnesota

CBP employee in Minnesota charged after reportedly being found ‘covered in vomit’ in car

Published

1 hour ago

January 31, 2026

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CBP employee in Minnesota charged after reportedly being found ‘covered in vomit’ in car

A US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employee was recently arrested amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota after state troopers reportedly found him “covered in vomit” and unconscious in a car.

Alfredo Mancillas Jr, 31, faces charges of drunken driving after his arrest early Tuesday morning, jail records show.

The Sahan Journal, a non-profit Minnesota news site, first reported Thursday that Mancillas drew attention from state police after having parked a car in a no-parking zone on a St Paul road and slumping over in the vehicle. Troopers who approached Mancillas alleged that he smelled of alcohol and that his eyes were watery and bloodshot, so they administered to Mancillas a field sobriety test, the Sahan Journal wrote.

Mancillas failed, subsequently refused to submit to a breath test and was booked into a local jail on counts of third- and fourth-degree driving while intoxicated (DWI).

Custody records show Mancillas was released on his own recognizance shortly before noon Tuesday, and the native of Corpus Christi, Texas, was tentatively given a 24 March court date.

A spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – which oversees CBP – said in a statement that the agency’s professional responsibility office was reviewing Mancillas’s DWI arrest.

“CBP stresses honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission,” the DHS statement also said. “And the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe.”

Attempts to contact Mancillas were not immediately available.

His arrest occurred weeks after more than 3,000 federal immigration agents descended on St Paul and Minneapolisas part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign.

The so-called Operation Metro Surge invited widespread public backlash against the White House after agents fatally shot two 37-year-old US citizens in Minneapolis earlier in January: Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot Good to death on 7 January as she drove away from a confrontation. Then the border patrol killed Pretti having already disarmed and restrained him on 24 January.

On Tuesday, Trump administration officials demoted the border patrol’s Gregory Bovino from his role as the agency’s commander at large and sent him out of Minneapolis. Administration border chief Tom Homan was put in charge of the Minnesota operation and on Thursday said he “recognized that certain improvements could and should be made”, though he didn’t elaborate.

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Minnesota

#4 Iowa Wrestling vs #7 Minnesota Live Updates – FloWrestling

Published

13 hours ago

January 30, 2026

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#4 Iowa Wrestling vs #7 Minnesota Live Updates – FloWrestling

The #4 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes host the #7 ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers Friday night for another highly anticipated Big Ten dual meet. If you can’t watch the action live, bookmark this page and refresh often. We’ll be updating the article throughout the night.

If you’re reading this article before the dual and have a few minutes to spare, check out Jon Kozak’s in-depth preview. He included complete predictions. SPOILER ALERT: He thinks this one will be very close! By the way, six of the matchups in this dual were so compelling we had to make graphics about them!

Some BIG TIME matches are set to go down Friday night in the Iowa – Minnesota dual 🔥🔥🔥
Let’s hear your picks! pic.twitter.com/fNA9NLmGET
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) January 29, 2026
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— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) January 29, 2026

125 – #8 Jore Volk, Minnesota maj dec Joey Cruz, Iowa 8-0

First Period: Joey Cruz takes a deep attack. He elevates the single leg but Volk counters his attempt to finish, and the action ends up out of bounds half way through the period. In the final minute of the period, Volk drags to a single leg and finishes the takedown with a turk. He’s unable to earn nearfall but finishes the period up 3-0 with 37 seconds of riding time.

Second Period: Volk chooses bottom and escapes within 20 seconds to extend his lead to 4-0. Cruz pressures Volk to the edge, but Volk drops in on an attack and finishes quickly. He’s up 7-0 with riding time at 1:12 at the end of the second.

Third Period: Cruz chooses neutral. Lot of hand fighting that period, but no significant attacks. Volk gets the point for riding time and notches the major.

Minnesota 4, Iowa 0

133 – #9 Drake Ayala, Iowa tf Chris Cannon, Minnesota 21-6

First Period: Ayala hits a single then doubles off inside the first minute to earn the first three points of the match. They’re out of bounds. Cannon hits a reversal off the whistle to make it 3-2, but Ayala escapes. It’s 4-2 half way through the first. Ayala hits a knee pull single for his second takedown of the period to extend his lead to 7-2. Ayala ends the period with 58 seconds of riding time.

Second Period: Cannon selects bottom. Cannon escapes in three seconds. Cannon takes a shot after the escape and is now holding his head. The training staff is on the mat. Ayala chooses bottom after injury time. Ayala earns a reversal then cuts Cannon loose. It’s 9-4 in the second. He hits another single leg to extend his lead to 12-4. He ends the period with 1:24 of riding time.

Third Period: Ayala chooses neutral. He hits a slide by but can’t finish. Cannon is warned for stalling, and Ayala hits a quick single for a takedown. He cuts immediately then notches another takedown to make it 18-5. He cuts Cannon again. A go behind makes it a tech for Drake!

Iowa 5, Minnesota 4

141 – #9 Vance VomBaur, Minnesota maj dec #12 Nasir Bailey, Iowa 10-1

First Period: Nasir Bailey appears to have a dislocated finger 30 seconds into the match. Vombaur chooses bottom after the injury time. Bailey takes another injury time. They award VomBaur a point. He chooses bottom again and escapes. VomBaur leads 2-0 half way through the first. VomBaur takes a late attack at the end of the period but can’t score.

Second Period: Bailey defers and VomBaur chooses bottom. He escapes within the first 10 seconds of the period and leads 3-0. VomBaur hits a high crotch and earns the takedown near the Minnesota bench after and extended scamble. VomBaur finishes the period on top. Riding time is only at 18 seconds.

Third Period: Bailey chooses bottom. He earns an escape quickly. It’s 6-1. Bailey hand fights in pursuit of a takedown, but VomBaur drops in on a shot and finishes. He’ll end the match with a major decision.

Minnesota 8, Iowa 5

149 – #26 Drew Roberts, Minnesota dec #11 Ryder Block, Iowa 4-2

First Period: Not much action in the first half of the period. Roberts takes a nice single and finishes with a little over a minute to go. Block escapes in 17 seconds and dives in on an attack. His attempt to finish ends in a stalemate. That’s how the period will end.

Second Period: Roberts chooses bottom. Block rides hard, but Roberts eventually escapes. He’s up 4-1. Block has 46 seconds of riding time headed to the third.

Third Period: Block chooses bottom. Roberts rides hard through the first 35 seconds of the period, but Block eventually escapes. It’s 4-2. Block looks for an inside trip with 30 seconds to go, but he can’t finish. Roberts pulls off the upset.

Minnesota 11, Iowa 5

157 – #19 Charlie Millard, Minnesota maj dec #11 Jordan Williams, Iowa 13-3

First Period: Millard gets deep on a single in the second minute of the match and finishes. Williams reverses him quickly, and Millard escapes. It’s 4-2 half way through the period. That’s how the period will end.

Second Period: Williams chooses bottom. Millard gets a leg in and rides tough. Williams finally escapes, but Millard’s riding time is at 1:15 with 45 seconds to go in the second. Williams attacks, but Millard scrambles til the end of the period, and he takes a 4-3 lead to the third.

Third Period: Millard chooses bottom. He escapes immediately and leads 5-3 with 1:12 of riding time. Millard scrambles to another takedown and finishes with a Turk. Williams is on his back. He’ll end up with a major decision.

Minnesota 15, Iowa 5

165 – #3 Michael Caliendo, Iowa maj dec #14 Andrew Sparks, Minnesota 18-5

First Period: Several attacks from Caliendo result in a stall call against Sparks half way through the period. Caliendo hits a throw by for a takedown to take the lead with a minute to go. He cuts Sparks loose to look for another takedown. It’s 3-1. Caliendo drops in on a late single leg, but Sparks scrambles to a stalemate.

Second Period: Sparks chooses bottom. Sparks escapes, but Caliendo immediately attacks for another takedown. He cuts Sparks again and drops in on another shot for a quick finish. He’s up 9-3 in the second. A second stall call against Sparks makes it 10-3. Now Sparks escapes and drops in on a shot. The scramble results in a stalemate with 14 seconds to go. Caliendo takes another attack and finishes with 3 seconds to go in the period to extend his lead to 13-4

Third Period: Caliendo chooses bottom. He’s out right away. Sparks takes a deep attack, but Caliendo scrambles and ultimately stalemates the position with 58 seconds left. Sparks shoots, but Caliendo counters for another takedown. He cuts Sparks loose to look for the takedown. Caliendo’s in deep. Sparks scrambles and holds on. Caliendo earns the 18-5 major .

Minnesota 15, Iowa 9

174 – #22 Ethan Riddle, Minnesota vs #3 Patrick Kennedy, Iowa

First Period: Kennedy hits a quick strike single at the one minute mark and takes a 3-0 lead. He cuts Riddle loose to make it 3-1. Kennedy snaps to a second takedown as time expires and moves his need to 6-1 at the end of the first.

Second Period: Riddle chooses bottom. Kennedy extends his riding time to over 90 seconds, but Riddle eventually escapes. It’s 6-2 at the end of the period.

Third Period:

184 – #4 Max McEnelly, Minnesota vs Gabe Arnold, Iowa

197 – #25 Gavin Nelson, Minnesota vs Brody Sampson or Harvey Ludington, Iowa

285 – #12 Koy Hopke, Minnesota vs #10 Ben Kueter, Iowa

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Minnesota

Nationwide strike called Friday to protest ICE; Don Lemon arrested for Minnesota church protest

Published

1 day ago

January 30, 2026

Press Room

Nationwide strike called Friday to protest ICE; Don Lemon arrested for Minnesota church protest

14m ago

Journalist Don Lemon arrested by federal agents in LA

The attorney for journalist and former CNN host Don Lemon says he was arrested Thursday night in Los Angeles in connection to his presence at a recent protest inside in a St. Paul, Minnesota, church.

Attorney Abbe Lowell said Lemon was covering the Grammy awards when he was taken into custody.

“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing this work.”

Lemon was among a group that entered Cities Church off St. Paul’s Grand Avenue on Jan. 18, where one of its pastors, David Easterwood, leads the local ICE field office.

“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said. “This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand. Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”

[Full story]

14m ago

Richfield Public Schools says federal agents were on school bus route

Richfield Public Schools notified families Thursday of an incident involving federal agents.

The district says agents were on one of the school’s bus routes Thursday afternoon.

They say administrators were notified and leadership went to the bus to make sure students were safe. WCCO has reached out to school officials to learn more.

14m ago

Border czar, president take conflicting “drawdown” stances

Conflicting information from the top voices on the federal crackdown is causing some confusion.

On Thursday morning, border czar Tom Homan spoke for the first time since arriving in Minnesota. Homan says Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told him that county jails may notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the release dates for criminals so they can take custody of them when they get out.

Ellison, however, said no agreements were made.

“I did not negotiate with Mr. Homan, come to any agreement or offer any compromise on the goal of keeping Minnesotans safe,” Ellison said.

Then later Thursday, President Trump shared a different message when it comes to the possibility of drawing back.

“We will keep our country safe, we’ll do whatever we can to keep our country safe. So not pulling back? No, no not at all,” Trump said.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who announced her Minnesota gubernatorial campaign early Thursday, appeared on CNN Thursday night to share her thoughts on the Trump administration’s mixed signals.

“I literally could not believe that the president said this tonight after trying to change the tone, trying to deescalate,” Klobuchar said. “But maybe I should believe it, because this shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

14m ago

Trump calls Pretti “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist”

President Trump commented early Friday on the video showing Alex Pretti confronting federal immigration officers on a Minneapolis street 11 days before he was fatally shot in another encounter with Customs and Border Protection agents.

On his Truth Social platform, Mr. Trump described Pretti as an “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist.”

The president said Pretti’s “stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer, and then crazily kicking in a new and very expensive government vehicle, so hard and violent, in fact, that the taillight broke off in pieces. It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control. The ICE Officer was calm and cool, not an easy thing to be under those circumstances!”

14m ago

Some businesses that closed for Minnesota strike won’t for national one

A nationwide strike is planned for Friday to stand with immigrant communities and protest ICE activity, but some Minnesota businesses may not be as involved this time around.

Minnesota showed up for a massive anti-ICE protest last week. Thousands took to the streets and an estimated more than 300 businesses closed.

Some, however, say another shutdown is not possible.

“This has been not just my reality, but this has been my worst nightmare,” said Daniel Hernandez, the owner of Colonial Market.

[Full story]

14m ago

Report: Memo orders ICE agents not to engage with protesters

After weeks of chaotic clashes, a top Immigration and Customs Enforcement official has reportedly sent a memo ordering agents not to engage with protesters.

Thursday morning, Border Czar Tom Homan discussed the ongoing crisis between ICE and protesters, saying the agency is working to alter how it operates.

“I do not want to hear that everything’s been done here has been perfect. Nothing’s ever perfect. Anything can be improved on. And what we’ve been working on is making this operation safer, more efficient by the book,” Homan said.

Reuters reports one of those changes is a memo headlined “DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS.”

“It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation. No one is going to convince the other. The only communication should be the officers issuing commands,” the memo reportedly reads.

[Full story]

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