(KNSI) — Minnesota has a mix of good news and concerning metrics in the latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Economic wellbeing shows strength, but like many other states, fourth grade reading proficiency is down.

The report shows Minnesota ranks fifth nationally in overall child wellbeing, placing it in the top tier of states and making it the highest-ranking state in the Midwest. Despite this high standing, Minnesota is identified as one of the states where children’s overall wellbeing worsened between 2019 and 2024, experiencing the fifth-steepest decline in the country during that period.

Minnesota’s performance is exceptional for economic wellbeing, ranking second nationally, up two spots from 2025.

Children in poverty: 10% (121,000 children)
Parents lacking secure employment: 20% (251,000 children)
High housing cost burden: 20% (257,000 children)
Teens not in school and not working: 4% (14,000 teens)

The state ranks fifth for health, down one spot from last year.

Low birth-weight babies: 7.5%
Children without health insurance: 4%
Child and teen death rate: 24 per 100,000
Overweight or obese children and teens: 25%

Child and teen deaths rose 8% between 2019 and 2024. Low birth-weight babies ticked up slightly. Youth obesity improved slightly after spiking during the pandemic. Health insurance coverage held steady at 94%. On the mental health front, nearly one in five high schoolers experienced major depression in 2023.

The state ranks fourth in family and community, with kids growing up in strong, supportive environments, up from seventh last year.

Children in single-parent families: 28%
Household heads lacking a high school diploma: 6%
Children living in high-poverty areas: 3%
Teen birth rate: 7 per 1,000

The state falters in education, ranking 21st, down from 17th last year.

Young children (ages 3 and 4) not in school: 55%
Fourth graders not proficient in reading: 69%
Eighth graders not proficient in math: 66%
High school students not graduating on time: 16%

Overall, proficiency levels declined dramatically, essentially undoing a decade of progress. Nationally, fourth graders not proficient in reading rose from 66% to 70%, while eighth graders not proficient in math jumped from 67% to 73%. These indicators are closely tied to future workforce readiness and economic success.

Despite significant pandemic disruptions, the national rate of high school students graduating on time was the only education measure that did not lose ground, improving slightly from 86% to 87%.

The Kids Count Data Book ranks Minnesota among the top states for child wellbeing, but education remains an area where the state continues to lose ground.

The full report is available here.

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NEW MADRID COUNTY, Mo. (KAIT) – An 18-year-old Paragould woman was flown to a Memphis hospital following an early morning crash.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the crash occurred at 12:45 a.m. June 9 on State Highway 153 north of Gideon in New Madrid County.

The victim was southbound when her 2026 Kia K5 ran off the road and overturned, the crash report stated.

The woman, who was not wearing a seatbelt according to MSHP, was flown to Regional One Medical in Memphis with serious injuries.

Editor’s Note: As of Nov. 1, 2024, the Missouri State Highway Patrol no longer includes the names of those involved in traffic and boating crash reports.

To report a typo or correction, please click here.

(Nebraska Examiner) – With a national spotlight and economic impact set to hit Omaha this week with the start of the men’s College World Series, a lineup of Nebraska officials met Monday at the baseball stadium to underscore the underbelly of such crowd-drawing events: human trafficking.

Leaders, including Gov. Jim Pillen, Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. and FBI Special Agent in Charge Gene Kowel, said the two-week NCAA tournament that begins Friday is intended as a fun-filled and family event for the throngs of fans that come to watch top-notch athletic play at downtown Omaha’s Charles Schwab Field.

But they and the state’s highest-level law enforcement agents also issued warnings about predators exploiting the circumstances. They asked spectators to be on the alert and to report strange behaviors to protect against forced labor and commercial sexual assault trafficking.

“The hard core reality is that … there are some bad people that come here,” said Pillen, while also praising the general safety of the state’s most populous city set to host its 76th men’s CWS.

“Criminals come to do trafficking and bad activities,” the governor said.

Hotels near full capacity

He and others in the group echoed similar concerns shared by officials in host cities of another huge sporting event, the FIFA World Cup. Matches are taking place across cities in North America as the soccer tourney runs this week through mid-July.

Andrew Caggiano, president of the New Jersey police chiefs association, in an opinion piece for the New Jersey Monitor, said traffickers depend on public indifference. Caggiano wrote that one of the most powerful anti-trafficking tools is public attention by hotel housekeepers, ride-share drivers, restaurant servers and dog walkers.

In Omaha, the CWS last year not only lured a record-breaking crowd, it generated a record $147.6 million in economic impact for the Omaha metropolitan area and $136.4 million for the State of Nebraska, according to a study by Goss & Associates Economic Solutions, LLC.

Economist Ernie Goss called the series a “grand slam” that in 2025 drew roughly 370,000 fans and athletes over the 10-day event, with nearly 71% traveling from outside Nebraska, “driving hotels to near-full capacity.” Top industries that benefited were restaurants, lodging, amusement and recreation, car rentals and real estate.

It is in the commotion of celebration, full hotels and other venues that human traffickers can exploit and try to operate furtively, the officials said.

Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, who previously served as a U.S. attorney for Nebraska, the county attorney in Lancaster County and as criminal bureau chief for the Nebraska Attorney General, said Monday he is often asked whether sex and human trafficking have increased over the years. He said he answers by saying officials are better today at detecting the crimes.

Col. Bryan Waugh, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol and former police chief in Kearney, said the public is more aware, and tips to law enforcement are more plentiful.

He said the Nebraska Information Analysis Center today fields about 30,000 human trafficking-related tips a year, compared to a few thousand annually decades ago. Known as a fusion center, the NIAC hub shares information between law enforcement agencies and private sector partners to help protect the public.

Problem signs to look for, said Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, include controlling behavior, untreated medical issues and “things that don’t make sense.”

“Without a doubt, human trafficking is modern day slavery,” Hilgers said.

Drones, dark web, task forces

Mayor Ewing urged fans and others not to “second guess” themselves and instead report suspicious activity to trained professionals. He noted he is a retired Omaha deputy police chief and former commander of the special victims unit.

“There is nothing more personal and important for me than keeping our young people and women of this community and other communities safe as they come into Omaha,” Ewing said.

Meanwhile, the officials said drones will be in action over the next couple of weeks, along with additional surveillance. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said his department will be on the dark web monitoring for human traffickers in Omaha for the national baseball tourney.

The speakers said law enforcement will be tough on human traffickers. “We’ll get them locked up and will throw the keys away,” Pillen said.

Omaha police did not have any statistics readily available from similar CWS anti-trafficking efforts for last year’s tournament.

Omaha City Council member LaVonya Goodwin said it was paramount that families and visitors are safe. “And our most vulnerable populations aren’t exploited.”

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