Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis to Duluth train awaits decision on federal funds

Published

1 year ago

November 30, 2023

Minneapolis to Duluth train awaits decision on federal funds

Mpls to Duluth train hinges on federal funds

Any day now Minnesota state officials could learn whether the Northern Lights Express will secure key federal funding. When Minnesota approved $195 million in state dollars, that unlocked the ability to apply for federal grants. As the Minnesota Department of Transportation awaits the feds’ decision, it has started negotiating with BNSF Railway, which owns the line where the train would operate.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Any day now, Minnesota state officials could learn whether the Northern Lights Express will secure key federal funding.

When Minnesota approved $195 million in state dollars, that unlocked the ability to apply for federal grants. As the Minnesota Department of Transportation awaits the feds’ decision, it has started negotiating with BNSF Railway, which owns the line where the train would operate.

“We’re pushing for the Northern Lights Express because it would connect two of the largest Minnesota cities,” said Brian Nelson, the president of All Aboard Minnesota.

The non-profit All Aboard Minnesota pushes for the expansion of rail transportation, so Nelson is saying ‘full steam ahead’ to the proposed passenger train from Target Field to Duluth.

“We feel that it’s important to provide other transportation alternatives to driving and flying because there’s a lot of people – college students, families, elderly, people with disabilities – that can’t or don’t want to drive or fly,” Nelson said.

MnDOT has said a one-way ticket from Minneapolis to Duluth is expected to cost between $30 and $35.

Earlier this week, elected officials and MnDOT provided an update on the project, explaining that they’re waiting on two federal grants, which would pay for 80 percent of the cost. If the funding is turned down, MnDOT officials said they would reapply in the future.

Even if the project secures federal funding, the train is likely still several years away from becoming a reality, but supporters said the project is unique in that it already has state support.

“There still remain a lot of questions about the project as we’re waiting for word from the feds. And we’ve done our part as best we can here in the state of Minnesota and locally. We’ll keep doing that,” said Sen. Jen McEwen, DFL-Duluth.

The train would make four round trips a day on existing BNSF tracks with stops in Coon Rapids, Cambridge, Hinckley and Superior.

But not everyone is on board this train.

“It’s not a project, I think, that really should be a top priority,” Matt Look, the chair of the Anoka County Board of Commissioners, told FOX 9. “In 2012, Anoka County took a position where they’re opposing any further work with NLX.”

Look questions why resources are being put toward what he calls a “heavily subsidized line.”

Ridership is expected to bring in $12 million annually, which would cover 63 percent of the operating costs, according to MnDOT.

“We will not participate in funding. If they want to place a station in Coon Rapids, they can go ahead and do whatever they want to do,” Look said.

The Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce told FOX 9 it supports the project.

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Minneapolis, MN

Today's special election for a Minneapolis seat will decide Senate majority

Published

4 hours ago

January 28, 2025

Press Room

Today's special election for a Minneapolis seat will decide Senate majority

ST. PAUL — A special election for Minnesota Senate District 60 in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Jan. 28 is set to decide who will take control of the Senate.

The Minneapolis Senate seat opened after the Dec. 28

death of Sen. Kate Dziedzic

, DFL-Minneapolis, leaving the Senate in a temporary 33-33 tie. The seat is expected to return to blue on Tuesday, Jan. 28, as it has been since 1970.

During its tie, the Senate has been operating under a

temporary power-sharing agreement

that passed on the session’s opening day and includes the establishment co-presidents and equal control of committees.

In a primary for the Minneapolis Senate seat on Tuesday, Jan. 14, Abigail Wolters won the Republican race with 72% of the vote and Doron Clark won the DFL candidacy with 38% of the vote. Voters of District 60 will decide between Wolters and Clark Tuesday.

Voter Information

Republican candidate Wolters is a lifelong Minnesotan, software engineer a 2021 graduate from the University of Minnesota. Some of her top priorities are public safety, fiscal responsibility and investments in education and the economy, according to

her campaign website

DFL candidate Clark lives in Northeast Minneapolis working full time in ethics and compliance at Medtronic. He served as Senate D60 DFL Chair in 2022. Some of his top priorities are public education, healthcare and housing for all, according to

his campaign website.

The Minnesota Secretary of State website

advises those with absentee ballots to drop them off in person on election day because of the tight deadline. Voters can do so at either the Hennepin County Government Center or the Elections and Voter Services office in Minneapolis. More information on locations for in-person voting and drop-off can be found on the

Secretary of State’s website.

Mary Murphy joined Forum Communications in October 2024 as the Minnesota State Correspondent. She can be reached by email at mmurphy@forumcomm.com.

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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis woman charged with murder, arson in apartment fire

Published

16 hours ago

January 28, 2025

Press Room

Minneapolis woman charged with murder, arson in apartment fire – CBS Minnesota

Watch CBS News

A 35-year-old woman is accused of intentionally setting a downtown Minneapolis apartment on fire last August, killing two people, according to Hennepin County court documents.

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Minneapolis, MN

Woman charged with murder, arson for apartment fire that killed 2 in Minneapolis

Published

1 day ago

January 27, 2025

Press Room

Woman charged with murder, arson for apartment fire that killed 2 in Minneapolis

A woman has been charged in connection with a fire that killed two people in August.

Deonna Marie Presbury, 35, faces two counts of second-degree murder and three counts of first-degree arson.

As previously reported, 59-year-old Debbie Leshelle Allen of New Richmond, Wisconsin, and 66-year-old Kerry Sims of Minneapolis were killed in the apartment fire.

According to a criminal complaint, several people reported a fire at an apartment building at 1501 11th Avenue South in Minneapolis on Aug. 13. Allen and Sims were later found deceased in the building.

Two other people were seriously injured in the fire and needed to be hospitalized.

Arson investigators found two points of origin for the fire. The first was at the rear stairway of the second floor and the other was in the second-floor hallway, originating from a pair of pink rollerblades.

Court documents state that a witness said Presbury was in the hallway of the building with her daughter and was arguing with him before the fire was set. Presbury had demanded that her belongings be returned. The witness said he gave Presbury her items, which included clothing, a bicycle and pink rollerblades.

Another witness in the apartment told police that she heard Presbury say, “I’m gonna burn this [expletive] down…You got me messed up…I’m gonna kill this [expletive].”

The witness said she smelled smoke coming from the hallway a few minutes after Presbury left with her belongings.

The first witness called Presbury on speakerphone while being interviewed by police. When he told her that the fire had killed two people and suggested she was responsible, Presbury reportedly responded, “Love will [expletive] you up anytime.”

A third witness told police that before the fire, he heard a woman arguing in the hallway and threatening to “burn this place down” if she didn’t get her stuff back.

Court documents state that motion-activated security images showed Presbury leaving the apartment with her daughter. Presbury reportedly left behind the pair of pink rollerblades determined to be the point of origin for the second fire.

Presbury and her daughter were then seen walking toward the location of the first fire’s origin, according to court documents. The two are then seen leaving — Presbury reportedly had a lit cigarette and was wearing a blue rubber glove moments before the fire.

Investigators then learned that Presbury is a person of interest in other intentional fires involving the male witness’ property and is known to carry a torch lighter with her. Arson investigators believe the fires at the apartment building could have been started with a torch lighter.

Presbury was arrested and, in an interview with investigators, denied being at the apartment building that day. Police asked again if she was at the building and she promised she wasn’t.

When shown the photos of her and her daughter getting her belongings from the man’s apartment, Presbury admitted to being at the building. She denied speaking to the man about the fire and said she heard about it from the news.

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