Minnesota
First responders emphasize water safety during Memorial Day weekend
MINNETONKA, Minn. — For many Minnesotans, Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of boating season.
At Lake Minnetonka, first responders are preparing for crowds of thousands to hit the water.
This week, however, the U.S. Coast Guard is emphasizing the importance of water safety, sharing data showing the prevalence of accidents and injuries while boating.
In 2022, the USCG says, 636 people died nationally in boating accidents – and another 2,222 people were injured. Moreover, boating accidents caused $63 million dollars in property damage.
“It’s a lot of people’s first time out on a lake — they might not know how to ride a boat as well — driving, could be a little more careless, not aware of the dangers as much,” said Brent Anderson, a paramedic with Hennepin Healthcare who spent Saturday riding along with Hennepin County Sheriff’s Water Crews on Lake Minnetonka.
Anderson says boaters early in the season are still at risk for hypothermia – even if outdoor temperatures are hot.
“If you get hypothermia, you’re not thinking clearly. You could think you’re warm. You’re just not functioning properly -you’ve got to be careful with it,” Anderson said.
New research from the Centers for Disease Control also reveals a startling rise in the number of drownings across America since the pandemic. Between 2020 and 2022, 4,500 people drowned each year in the U.S., which is roughly 500 more drowning deaths each year compared to 2019.
It’s also the leading cause of death among children ages 1-4, and drowning increased by 28% in that age group in 2022 compared to 2019.
“CDC’s drowning prevention experts collected high-quality drowning data to better understand how we can protect people in communities across the United States,” said Debra Houry, the CDC’s Chief Medical Officer. Understanding the barriers people face to accessing basic swimming and water safety skills training can help us better understand how to address those barriers, decrease drowning rates, and save lives.”
More than a third of Black adults reported not knowing how to swim compared to 15% of all adults, and 72% of Hispanic adults reported never taking a swimming lesson, according to CDC data.
In Minneapolis, the Park Board is offering swim lessons for kids ages 3-17 at five different locations starting June 17. There are scholarships available to help improve access and affordability.
Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault accusing him of involvement in a February road-rage incident.
Trump administration ends Minnesota immigration operation
Border Czar Tom Homan announced the end of Minnesota’s immigration operation after fatal shootings heightened tension and community backlash.
Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault, saying the agent was involved in a February road-rage incident during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., 35, faces two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, according to April 16 Hennepin County court records. He has a nationwide warrant for his arrest.
On Feb. 5, prosecutors said Morgan allegedly drove illegally on the shoulder of a congested Minnesota highway in an unmarked SUV and pointed his weapon at two people in another car.
Morgan is the first agent charged in Operation Metro Surge, the controversial Minneapolis-area federal immigration operation that resulted in two American citizens fatally shot by federal officials, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
The charges “reflect an important milestone in our efforts to seek accountability for the harms inflicted on our community during Operation Metro Surge,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in an April 16 video statement.
Second-degree assault with a gun has a presumptive sentence of 36 months in prison if convicted, she said.
“Mr. Morgan’s conduct was extremely dangerous,” she said, adding his actions could have led to “another disastrous incident” in the community.
Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to email requests for comment. A cell phone listed for Morgan, identified as a Maryland resident, didn’t immediately respond to a call or text message.
The incident came less than two weeks after two Customs and Border Protection officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, during a protest in Minneapolis. Pretti would be the second American killed during Metro Surge after an ICE agent in early January fatally shot Renee Good, 37, while she drove her SUV in Minneapolis near an immigration operation.
Later in February, the Trump administration drew down Metro Surge, which officials called the largest immigration operation in modern American history.
Investigators said they interviewed Morgan, who identified himself as the driver. Morgan told investigators he and the other ICE employee were returning from a surveillance shift. Morgan said he feared for his life and others’ safety, so he pulled up alongside the vehicle and drew his Glock 19 firearm. He said he identified himself as police.
State investigators said neither Morgan nor the other ICE agent reported the incident to an ICE supervisor.
The April 16 warrant, signed by District Court Judge Paul Scoggin, said there was a “substantial likelihood” Morgan would fail to respond to a summons, and officials couldn’t locate him.
On April 18, Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the county attorney’s office, said there is no knowledge of Morgan being arrested yet.
Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
Reds’ Brandon Williamson talks Minnesota homecoming, beating Twins
Cincinnati Reds lefty Brandon Williamson pitched into the sixth inning to beat his home-state Minnesota Twins 2-1 in his first pro start in Minnesota.
MINNEAPOLIS – Brandon Williamson came to this ballpark as a kid, rooted for Joe Mauer and the Twins, maybe even dreamed a little of playing there one day.
“Oh, yeah. Joe Ma,” Williamson said. “That’s my guy.”
By the time that day came, Mauer had a statue outside the stadium, and Williamson had 29 career starts across three big-league seasons for the Cincinnati Reds.
And then the kid from tiny Trimont, Minnesota, came up big enough to beat the Twins in his first professional start in his home state – a 2-1 victory Friday in front of 200 or more personal friends and family from Trimont. And about 31,000 other people.
“It was awesome,” said Williamson, whose personal contingent at the game represented close to one-third of greater Trimont (pop. 705). “It was everything I thought it would be.”
The left-hander didn’t pitch especially deep into the game, getting two batters into the sixth. But on a night made for native Minnesotans, with a game-time temperature of 43 degrees, Williamson looked right at, well, home, pitching to the conditions and setting down the first six batters he faced – and eight of the first nine.
As one local press box wag quipped during the second inning, “These Minnesota boys know how to pitch in the cold.”
A pair of one-out runs in the fourth inning provided the scoring for a Reds team lineup still trying to break free from its early season woes – albeit with the twin obstacles of the weather and All-Star starter Joe Ryan’s presence on the mound for the Twins for the first six innings.
The only two hits off Ryan were doubles in the fourth by Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suárez, sandwiched around a throwing error by third baseman Ryan Kreidler. Suárez’s hit drove in two.
The only run against Williamson scored after he inexplicably followed four strong innings with three consecutive walks to open the fifth, including a four-pitch walk to No. 8 hitter Brooks Lee leading off the inning.
Austin Martin followed the three freebies with a sacrifice fly on a dying liner to the gap in right that Will Benson caught with a slide.
Williamson then rallied to get Luke Keaschall on an inning-ending, 5-4-3 double play started by Suárez, who got the rare start at third base.
“I thought he handled himself really good,” manager Terry Francona said. “He looked like he was having fun pitching. I know he didn’t like walking the bases loaded. But he looked like he was enjoying himself out there. I like that when guys are enjoying competing; then we’re OK.”
Williamson also left the bases loaded in the third after a hit batter and two-out single followed by a walk. He struck out Keaschall on a called third strike that was confirmed after Keaschall challenged.
“I could have kissed whoever was running the ABS,” Williamson said.
The Reds improved to 12-8 and remained tied for first place in the National League Central after their third win in four games – the second in that stretch by a 2-1 score.“That was cool,” said closer Emilio Pagán, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the save in his first outing since experiencing hamstring tightness Tuesday.
“I don’t have a team in my home state (of South Carolina),” Pagán said, “so I don’t know what that feels like. But to pitch against probably his favorite team growing up in front of that many friends and family had to be a surreal feeling. And he handled it great.”
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has recalled goaltender Cal Petersen from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Petersen, 31 (10/19/94), is 13-16-2 with a 2.73 goal-against average (GAA), a .896 save percentage (SV%) and four shutouts in 33 games with Iowa this season. He ranks T-3rd in the AHL in shutouts. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound native of Waterloo, Iowa, owns a 105-114-21 record with a 3.07 GAA, a .901 SV% and 15 shutouts in 248 career AHL games in parts of seven seasons with the Ontario Reign (2017-23), Lehigh Valley (2023-25) and Iowa (2025-26), earning AHL All-Star game selections in 2017-18 and 2019-20. In 15 career Calder Cup Playoff games, he is 5-10 with a 2.94 GAA, a .884 SV% and one shutout. He has also recorded a 46-44-10 record with a 2.96 GAA, a .903 SV% and four shutouts in parts of six NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings (2018-23) and Philadelphia Flyers (2023-24).
Petersen has represented the United States at three IIHF World Championships (2017, 2021, 2023), notably posting a 5-2-0 record with two shutouts and a tournament-leading 1.29 GAA and .953 SV% in 2021 when he was named the tournament’s Best Goaltender and Team USA earned a bronze medal. He played three seasons (2014-17) at the University of Notre Dame and posted a 55-39-15 record with a 2.30 GAA, a .924 SV% and 11 shutouts in 110 games. Petersen was named to the Hockey East First All-Star Team as a junior in 2016-17 and to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in 2014-15.
He was originally selected in the fifth round (No. 129 overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. Petersen signed a one-year contract with Minnesota on July 2, 2025, and wears sweater No. 40 with the Wild.
Minnesota plays at the Dallas Stars on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in Game 1 of its First Round Stanley Cup Playoff series on FanDuel Sports Network, ESPN and KFAN FM 100.3.
Single-game tickets for the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Grand Casino Arena are on sale now at wild.com and www.ticketmaster.com. For more information and updates, please visit wild.com/playoffs.
The Minnesota Wild will host a Playoff Watch Party at Grand Casino Arena on Saturday for Game One of the First Round. This event is free and open to the public – a valid ticket is required for entry. Gate 1 will open at 4 p.m. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a complimentary Wild LED rally towel. The Hockey Lodge and select concessions will be open.
Ticket availability for all 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff games at Grand Casino Arena is expected to be limited due to demand and priority access given to Minnesota Wild Season Ticket Members. The best way to secure 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff tickets is to become part of the Season Ticket Member Community. For more information visit tickets.wild.com. Fans are also encouraged to join our Ticket Alert/Text notification list at wild.com/stayconnected, designed to help fans get last-minute tickets to Wild home games that have limited availability.
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