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Minnesota Dems disavow endorsement of candidate accused of stalking opponent

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Minnesota Dems disavow endorsement of candidate accused of stalking opponent
  • The Minnesota Democratic Party has disavowed a local chapter’s endorsement of Judd Hoff, a state House candidate with a troubling criminal past.
  • Hoff is also accused of digging through his Republican opponent’s garbage and moving into a house across the street from hers.
  • Republican state Rep. Josh Heintzeman also noted Hoff’s harassment of Rep. Mary Franson has gone as far as “publishing her address and contact information, filming her at her private residence, and relentlessly sending rude and threatening messages online.”

Minnesota Democrats have disavowed a local party chapter’s endorsement of a state House candidate who has a violent criminal history and is accused of stalking and harassing the Republican lawmaker he is challenging.

Judd Hoff was endorsed this month by Democrats in District 12 to run for a central Minnesota seat that has been represented by Republican Rep. Mary Franson of Alexandria since 2011. Republicans were quick Monday to demand that Democrats rescind their backing of Hoff.

“Democrats must withdraw their endorsement of this repeat criminal,” GOP Rep. Josh Heintzeman, of Nisswa, said in a statement. “For years he has harassed and stalked Rep. Franson by digging through her trash, publishing her address and contact information, filming her at her private residence, and relentlessly sending rude and threatening messages online.”

MINNESOTA SCHOOL DISTRICT SEEKS TO HIRE $100-200K ‘ANTI-RACIST’ OFFICIAL WHO CAN EXAMINE ‘WHITENESS’

Franson’s district is heavily Republican and is not considered competitive. She won reelection in 2022 with nearly 70% of the vote. She tweeted that she considered Hoff to be dangerous and asked, “Why is this the guy they want as a candidate?”

Ken Martin, chairman of Minnesota’s Democratic Party, said in statement later Monday that the party “strongly disavows this endorsement,” and he asked the local party unit to withdraw its endorsement immediately. He said the state party won’t spend any of its resources to support Hoff.

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The Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul is photographed. (Google Earth)

“We all have a responsibility, regardless of party or ideology, to reject violence in our politics — we can and should expect better from candidates for elected office,” the Democratic leader said.

Hoff’s criminal history includes a felony second-degree assault conviction for wielding a 23-inch machete during an argument in 2020. He was sentenced to 13 months and spent about eight months in jail. Court records show the judge gave him a break over the prosecution’s objections because the victim was the initial aggressor.

In a video posted to YouTube, first surfaced by former GOP operative Michael Brodkorb, Hoff admitted to digging through Franson’s garbage and acknowledged moving into a home across the street from Franson.

The chair of the district and county party committee, Bonnie Bina, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Hoff was the only candidate who came forward to run for the seat. She acknowledged that it’s hard to recruit Democratic candidates to take on incumbents in such a heavily Republican area.

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Bina also acknowledged that delegates knew that Hoff had a criminal record and had spent time in prison. But she said he told them he was past that and had become active in the community. She declined to comment on whether they were aware of the allegations that he harassed Franson.

The local party committee will decide its next steps after getting more information from the state party office and reviewing party rules, she said, adding that she didn’t know how long that would take.

Hoff did not immediately respond to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

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North Dakota

North Dakota Rep. Liz Conmy dies in Brooklyn Park plane crash near Crystal Airport

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North Dakota Rep. Liz Conmy dies in Brooklyn Park plane crash near Crystal Airport


A small plane crashed near Crystal Airport, killing both people on board and drawing a swift response from emergency crews and neighbors.

READ MORE: Fiery plane crash near Crystal Airport leaves 2 dead

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Emergency response and community reaction after crash

What we know:

Investigators say the crash happened shortly after takeoff, with the plane identified as a Beech F33A. The Brooklyn Park Fire Department arrived within minutes and put out the fire. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed there were two people on the plane and local authorities said there were no survivors.

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Neighbors living near the crash site described hearing a loud boom and seeing flames. 

“I was in the house, in my bedroom, and my daughter was eating cereal at the kitchen table, and there was a really loud boom,” said Ashley Capp, who lives across the street. 

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Kim Clark, another neighbor, said, “It was scary because it was like, it’s really close to my home, and my family stays here.”

Clark captured video of the plane engulfed in flames just after the crash. 

“We look across the street, and it was a huge flame, huge fire. And then everybody started calling 911, and some people were getting close to see if there were anybody alive. But then it kind of started to spark, and the flames started to get bigger,” said Clark.

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Police arrived quickly, but neighbors said the fire made it impossible to help those inside the plane. 

“The police got here in a few minutes, but it was kind of sad to watch them. You could almost tell on their faces that there was a person in there, and they were kind of circling the plane; they couldn’t do anything without fire,” said Capp.

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The crash marks the second deadly plane crash in Brooklyn Park in more than a year. 

“It’s getting more and more worrisome because we’re kind of in the line of the airport there,” said Clark.

North Dakota Rep. among those killed

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Dig deeper:

North Dakota State Rep. Liz Conmy was confirmed as one of the two people killed. North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong released a statement saying, “Kjersti and I are saddened by this tragic loss and offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends and fellow legislators. We ask North Dakotans to join us in keeping them in our prayers.”

North Dakota State Senator Tim Mathern also released a statement saying, “Rep. Liz Conmy was my running mate and friend. She had a zest for life and a strong work ethic. Our democracy needs more like her. She will be missed by Democrats and Republicans alike. Her family has our love and support.”

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to arrive on scene either Monday night or early Tuesday morning to begin a closer investigation of the wreckage. More details could become available once investigators have examined the site.

What we don’t know:

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The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Investigators have not released the identity of the second person on board or additional details about what led to the crash. 

Brooklyn Park



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Ohio

Renters react after Ohio Supreme Court rules on submetering

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Renters react after Ohio Supreme Court rules on submetering


COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — An Ohio Supreme Court ruling could lead to some relief for Ohioans’ electric bill.

The court ruled that submetering companies must be regulated like all traditional utilities. Advocates say the move is a victory for customers who may have been stuck with high bills and few protections. 

Columbus renter Mitchell Bienvenue shared his experience on social media after receiving electric bills well over $300 for his two-bedroom apartment and couldn’t get a clear explanation as to why. 

“My parents live in a four-bedroom house down the street, and their bill was less than half of ours, and I thought that was wild,” Bienvenue said. “It got me questioning it. It got me looking into it.”

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Bienvenue’s research led him to find out that his new apartment complex’s utilities are through a submetering company, American Power & Light. 

Submetering is the practice in which a third party buys electricity and gas from a public utility and resells it to consumers, often leading to unexplained higher costs and excessive fees. It’s a common practice at many apartments and condos. 

“I wasn’t told any of this before signing the lease,” Bienvenue said. “I don’t think it’s right that a submetering company can just charge whatever to apartment renters when they have no control and no say in what happens.”

The long-standing practice has gone unregulated, but the Ohio Supreme Court’s decision changes that. The ruling says the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has the authority to regulate submetering companies.

In this case, the court found that Nationwide Energy Partners (NEP) is subject to PUCO’s jurisdiction because “jurisdictional statute defines a public utility to include an entity ‘engaged in the business of supplying electricity … to consumers within this state,’” Justice Patrick DeWine wrote in the opinion. “The record in this case shows that NEP does exactly that.”

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“The law is the law,” Maureen Willis, with the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, said. “If they’re providing essential utility service, they have to abide by that law and follow the rules.”

The Ohio Consumers’ Council applauded the decision. Willis says it gives critical protections to consumers, but there’s still work that needs to be done. 

“We’d like to see immediate compliance, and we’d like to see real oversight by the Public Utilities Commission,” Willis said. “That may take some time, but it is something that has been long overdue.”

State leaders plan to work with the PUCO to ensure the ruling is implemented and that submeter consumers get full protection as soon as possible.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for April 25, 2026

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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at April 25, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from April 25 drawing

04-30-36-52-57, Powerball: 02, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from April 25 drawing

03-15-23-32-36, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 03

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Dakota Cash numbers from April 25 drawing

07-14-15-17-19

Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 25 drawing

03-22-26-44-47, Bonus: 02

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Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
  • Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
  • Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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