>>Walz, Gun Safety Advocates Cheer State’s New Red Flag Law

(St. Paul, MN) — Governor Tim Walz and gun safety advocates are celebrating Minnesota’s new ‘red flag’ law. It allows family or law enforcement to request an extreme risk protection order, banning someone from temporarily possessing firearms. Walz told reporters, “and this is smart. And I say this as a gun owner, as a veteran, as a lifelong hunter. None of these things infringe upon your constitutional rights to safe usage of firearms. What they do do is they save lives, and they make our cities and our homes a little bit safer.” Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan says this law is different and will save lives. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said in a statement, “the impact of these laws will only be felt by peaceable gun owners.”

>>Reinert Sworn in as 40th Mayor of Duluth

(Duluth, MN) — Former state Senator Roger Reinert (RINE’-ert) is now the new mayor of Duluth. Reinert was sworn in during a ceremony Tuesday as the city’s 40th mayor. He defeated two-term incumbent Mayor Emily Larson in the November election. The new mayor says he plans to focus on improving city services, housing and infrastructure. Reinert served in the Minnesota House from 2009 to 2011 and the Minnesota Senate from 2011 to 2017. He’s also a commander in the U-S Navy and a former Duluth City Councilor and teaches at the College of St. Scholastica.

>>Organizers Postpone John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon

(Duluth, MN) — This winter Minnesota has seen unseasonably warm temperatures resulting in several events and activities being put on hold or canceled. The latest is the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon along the North Shore. Organizers announced Tuesday they are postponing the event until January 2025. The board of directors was discussing pushing it back to a later date this winter, but said the weather was too unpredictable to reschedule this year. The marathon runs 300 miles from Duluth to Grand Portage John Beargrease and his brothers delivered mail between Two Harbors and Grand Marais from 1879 to 1899.

>>First Residents Moving into New Minnesota Veterans Home Preston

(Preston, MN) — This is “move-in” day (Wed) at the new Minnesota Veterans Home in Preston. The first residents are moving in today to the latest state veterans home with 18-resident households in southeastern Minnesota. The family of longtime Preston resident Walter Hanson is helping him get settled in on his 91st birthday. The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs say the state veterans homes in Fergus Falls and Luverne were both recognized as “Best Nursing Homes” for 2024 by U-S News & World Report magazine.

>>Meeker County Man Appears in Court for Alleged Fatal Shooting of Wife

(Litchfield, MN) — Bail is set at three-million dollars for a rural Dassel man accused of fatally shooting his wife in Meeker County last week. Prosecutors charged 35-year-old Bryan Demarais with second-degree murder and two counts of child endangerment. Demarais made his first court appearance Tuesday and his next hearing is set for March 25th. The criminal complaint says Demarais shot his 29-year-old wife Kayla last Thursday morning because she was having an affair.

>>Man Pleads Guilty to Killing Priest on Bicycle in Dakota County

(Hastings, MN) — A Minneapolis man is pleading guilty to criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the death of Reverend Dennis “Denny” Dempsey in Dakota County. Police say a vehicle driven by 28-year-old Trejean Curry struck 73-year-old Dempsey while he was riding his bike on October 25th, 2021 in Rosemount. Dempsey was a priest at the Church of the Risen Savior in Burnsville. A judge ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set the sentence hearing for February 15th.

>>Beginning Farmer Tax Credits

(St. Paul, MN) — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the 2024 Beginning Farmer Tax Credit. Owners of farmland, livestock, or other agricultural assets who sell to a beginning farmer are eligible for tax credits up to $32,000. A beginning farmer is defined as a Minnesota resident with a desire to start farming who has been farming for less than 10 years. They must provide earning statements, have a net worth of less than $979,000, and enroll in, or have completed, an approved farm business management program. The total funding for the program is $4 million, and credits are funded on a first-come first-served basis.

>>Iron Ore Shipments Up in 2023

(Cleveland, OH) — Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 4.8 million tons in December, an increase of 19.8 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments were just slightly above the 5-year average for the month. The year-end total for the iron ore trade stands at 51.1 million tons, an increase of 20.7 percent compared to 2022.

>>State Officials Warn Consumers of Salmonella Cases from Charcuterie Sampler

(St. Paul, MN) — The state Departments of Health and Agriculture are warning Minnesotans to not eat or buy Busseto brand Charcuterie Sampler due to recent salmonella cases. One Minnesotan reported becoming ill in December, and when an unopened package in the home was tested, it came back positive for salmonella. The sampler to stay away from contains prosciutto, sweet sopressata, and dry Coppa, It has an expiration date of April 27th, 2024, and can be found at Sam’s Club or other retailers.