Minnesota
Midday Headlines – April 16th, 2024 – Minnesota News Network
>>MN 1st Lady Walz, Lawmakers, Advocates Rally for Gun Safety
(St. Paul, MN) — Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz, lawmakers, gun violence survivors, and more are gathering at the State Capitol this morning (TUES, 9 a.m.) to advocate for gun safety. Led by Moms and Students Demand Action, the group will rally for current legislation being considered by Minnesota lawmakers, including bills requiring improved secure firearm storage, gun owners to report Lost and Stolen guns to law enforcement, and a reduction in gun trafficking. Other rally speakers include Senator Bonnie Westlin of Plymouth, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, and Red Lake School shooting survivor Fran Mendoza.
>>NWS Issues Red Flag Warning in Northeast MN for Extreme Fire Risk
(Undated) — The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Red Flag Warning for several northeast Minnesota counties effective immediately through 9:00 p.m. due to extreme fire risk conditions. Affected counties include Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis. No burning is allowed when the warning is in effect, and residents should check any recent burning piles to ensure the fire is completely out.
>>U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear Mike Lindell’s Petition on Cell Phone Seizure
(Washington, DC) — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a petition from MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell that the FBI violated his constitutional rights when agents seized his cell phone at a fast food drive-thru in Mankato two years ago. The high court discussed the issue in late March and issued their decision Monday without comment. Lindell says the U.S. government has been “weaponized” against him, and he’ll return to court to try to get his cell phone back. Lindell is the subject of a federal investigation into a security breach in the 2020 election in Colorado.
>>Twin Cities Felons Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm
(Minneapolis, MN) — A Twin Cities man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm. Court documents say 45-year-old Salvador Pachecho was stopped by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper on October 7th, 2022, for multiple traffic violations. Troopers smelled marijuana in the car, and a drug-sniffing dog located additional drugs in Pachecho’s vehicle. A search of the car turned up a Kahr .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol inside a backpack. Pachecho is set to be sentenced at a later date.
>>Wadena Man Sentenced to Over 13 Years in Prison in Connection with Vehicular Homicide
(Stillwater, MN) — A Wadena man has been sentenced to over 13 years in prison for his role in killing 80-year-old Shirley Bilden of Maplewood in 2021. 36-year-old Scott Hardy pleaded guilty in February to a plea deal convicting him of the charge of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, resulting in death. Court documents say police responded to a call that a Chevrolet Tahoe parked outside a Cub Food in Oakdale was stolen around 4 p.m. July 10th, 2021. When officers arrived and asked Hardy to leave the car, he fled quickly. Police eventually found Hardy had run a red light, which caused a crash between two other vehicles. Three people were injured in the crash, including Bilden, who died from her injuries four days later at the hospital. Hardy was arrested shortly after fleeing the collision, attempting to steal another car at a nearby cemetery.
>>Nearly 100 MN Farms Recognized As Century Farms
(Minneapolis, MN) — Almost 100 farms in Minnesota are receiving recognition for being family-owned and operated for over a century. The Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau have announced this year’s Century Farms list. One family has continuously owned each of the 97 farms on the list for at least 100 years, is still being used for farming, and covers a minimum of 50 acres. This year’s list includes several farms that date back to the 1800s, the oldest being the Berquam-Krogstad Family Farm in Houston County, originally purchased in 1855.
>>Minnesota Lotto Winner
(Roseville, MN) — Someone playing the lottery in southwestern Minnesota is nearly two million dollars richer. A Gopher 5 ticket sold at Food N Fuel in Worthington is worth $1,911,615. The game is played on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The prize now resets to $100,000 for the next drawing.
>>Ludacris and T-Pain Coming to the 2024 Minnesota State Fair
(Falcon Heights, MN) — Hip-hop artists Ludacris and T-Pain will perform at the Minnesota State Fair on August 27th. Ludacris has sold over 24 million rap albums and is an actor in the Fast & Furious movie franchise. T-Pain is an award-winning rapper, singer, and producer known for using the auto-tune effect on his vocals. Tickets for the August 27th show go on sale this Friday.
Minnesota
Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com
Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who are the No. 3 seed in the Central Division. Wallstedt made 27 saves in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut, and Zuccarello had three assists.
“I was definitely nervous,” said Wallstedt, a rookie. “I think it shows that it means something to you. I like a little bit of nerves. I think it’s something good. There were definitely some nerves throughout the day and then a little bit extra rolling into the game. But after the national anthem was over and the first couple pucks started coming, you’re good.
“I wanted to play and I felt like I have been going good. I was a little surprised (to get the start). But I was very excited as soon as I got the news. I just wanted to make sure I was ready today.”
Jason Robertson scored, and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for the Stars, who are the No. 2 seed in the Central.
“We didn’t deserve to win,” Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen said. “I think two power-play goals for them, two a little-bit bounces for them where we had guys in the right spot. Just even keel. Playoffs are like this. Sometimes you lose a game, you can feel like you’re done. But that’s the mentality you need to have, you’ve got to reset and learn from mistakes.
“First 30 minutes, we didn’t win enough battles. They were just that little bit stronger in the battles and that’s why they were able to make us defend more than we want to. Just got to be stronger.”
Game 2 is here on Monday (9:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, Victory+, ESPN, TVAS2, SN360).
“We prepped for a couple days coming into this one. Now, we will gather information from this game and continue to move forward,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “For me, it’s game to game and day to day. We want to continue to get better. We won and they [Dallas] lost. It’s not so much being satisfied where you’re at or that’s what it is. We need to continue to find ways to get better.”
Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 5:35 of the first period on the power play. He scored on a one-timer from the left hash marks to finish a tic-tac-toe passing play with Zuccarello and Boldy, who found an open Eriksson Ek with a pass from the goal line.
“I think every team in the playoffs talks about not getting too high or too low. Just enjoy every day and each game and then we will go from there,” Eriksson Ek said. “I think we played pretty good today. The next game is a new game, so we just have to do it over and over every game. We know they are probably not the happiest with that game, so I am sure it’s going to be hard next game.”
Minnesota
ICE agent assault charge marks a ‘milestone’ for Minnesota prosecutors
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.
Minnesota
Reds Brandon Williamson beats Twins in first Minnesota homecoming
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.”
-
News13 minutes agoReal estate investors are buying up long-term care facilities. Residents can suffer
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoFormer Piston shows Detroit what they’re missing as he dominates next to LeBron
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoEastbound I-80 closure in San Francisco snarls traffic, slows business
-
Videos2 hours agoCan Keir Starmer survive the latest Mandelson revelations? | BBC News
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoPetar Musa’s Brace Not Enough as FC Dallas Draws LA Galaxy 2-2
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoMLS: Messi double helps Inter Miami slay Rapids in front of huge crowd
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoFrom across Boston they flock to play for Latin Academy boys’ tennis, a co-op of 29 schools – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO3 hours agoDale Kistler Obituary | The Denver Post