Minnesota

As COVID spread, so did fraud. Minnesota saw a lot of it.

Published

1 year ago

March 29, 2025

As COVID spread, so did fraud. Minnesota saw a lot of it.

Champion and Hamilton double-charged the county and the business owners for their services, according to the government. They also recruited them to craft fraudulent applications to defraud the county’s pandemic program along with PPP and EIDL.

Businesses receiving services through Futuristic Management overstated income, expenses, taxes and lease records. In one case, Champion helped a boxing coach obtain a $100,000 loan by falsely claiming a business earned $405,000 in 2019. The coach made less than $1,000 and had no employees or expenses.

Champion and Hamilton await sentencing after each pleaded guilty to felony offenses last month.

Even now, prosecutors are still “trying to play catch-up” with the volume of fraud, Galdo said.

Jeffrey Meitrodt of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.

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Minnesota

Jarren Duran directs obscene gesture toward fan at Minnesota and says fan told him to kill himself

Published

40 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Press Room

Jarren Duran directs obscene gesture toward fan at Minnesota and says fan told him to kill himself

MINNEAPOLIS — Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran directed an obscene gesture toward a fan at Target Field as he returned to the dugout after a fifth-inning groundout in Boston’s 6-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.

Duran, who has spoken about his past struggles with mental health, said a fan made a personal comment that crossed the line.

“Somebody just told me to kill myself,” Duran said. “I’m used to it at this point, you know? I mean, (expletive) happens. I mean, I’m gonna flip somebody off if they say something to me, but it is what it is. I shouldn’t react like that, but that kind of stuff is still kind of triggering.”

Duran discussed bouts with severe depression and a suicide attempt in a Netflix series that debuted last year.

“Honestly, it’s my fault for talking about my mental health because I kind of brought in the haters. So I’ve just got to get used to it,” Duran said. “I was just trying to hold it in and not really bring that up to the team. I mean, we’re trying to win a game. I shouldn’t even bring that up to anybody. … It just happens.”

Boston manager Alex Cora said he didn’t witness the incident and hadn’t reviewed video of it.

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Minnesota

AJR Brings Their Catchy Pop Hits To The Minnesota State Fair in 2026

Published

13 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

AJR Brings Their Catchy Pop Hits To The Minnesota State Fair in 2026

ST. PAUL (WJON News) — A multiplatinum indie pop trio will grace the stage of the Great Minnesota Get Together this summer. AJR will hit the stage at the Minnesota State Fair on Wednesday, September 2nd. The trio has generated billions of streams and four platinum singles, along with being one of the 500 most listened to artists on Spotify.

AJR will be joined by Quinn XCII (92) and Avery Cochrane. Quinn XCII (92) blends pop, alternative, and genre-bending storytelling and has garnered multiple platinum singles like “Straightjacket.” Tickets for AJR go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Friday.

9 grandstand shows have now been announced for the 2026 state fair.

AJR joins Bonnie Raitt, “Weird” Al Yankovic, Sierra Ferrell, Tommy James & The Shondells with special guest Herman Hermit’s Peter Noone, Rod Stewart with Richard Marx, Brad Paisley, and the It’s Iconic tour with TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, and En Vogue as acts announced for the 2026 state fair.

Minnesota State Fair

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2025 Minnesota State Fair

The Great Minnesota Get Together is a rite of passage, and the first sign that summer is coming to an end. 2025 saw perfect weather for the entire 12-day run of the Minnesota State Fair.

Gallery Credit: Paul Habstritt

Kansas and Jefferson Starship at The Ledge

Two classic rock legends in Kansas and Jefferson Starship brought down the house at the Ledge Amphitheater in 2025.

Gallery Credit: Paul Habstritt

Turnpike Troubadours at the Ledge

The American Country Band Turnpike Troubadours took the stage at the Ledge Amphitheater in Waite Park with their “Wild America” tour and special guest Old Crow Medicine Show.

Gallery Credit: Paul Habstritt

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Minnesota

What a University of Minnesota grad has done for space exploration

Published

1 day ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

What a University of Minnesota grad has done for space exploration

The successful Artemis II mission around the moon is a reminder that space exploration is built on decades of groundwork. Photojournalist Joe Van Ryn and Frankie McLister show how a University of Minnesota graduate helped pave the way for spaceflight.

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