Minnesota
Ones to watch: These Minnesota men are running for Liberia at the Paris Olympics
Last week, Jabez Reeves, a sprinter at Minnesota State University – Mankato, stretched by himself on the end of the school’s track. He then ran three full-speed sprints, as his coach at Mankato watched on.
Three days later, Reeves was on a flight to Paris, where he’ll compete on the Liberian Olympic men’s 4×100 meter relay team.
While the team members are clearly tied to Liberia, they also share a strong connection to Minnesota.
“I have a lot of family toward the Coon Rapids, Brooklyn Park area. So for them, just having people that are from Minnesota, putting on and trying to take our name internationally is pretty huge for them,” Reeves said. “It’s just more like an honor thing, just being grateful that I’m allowed to be in this position now.”
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Reeves grew up in Woodbridge, Va., but transferred to MSU when another Liberian sprinter — Emmanuel Matadi — recruited him.
Matadi is also the veteran of the Liberian relay team. He ran at Johnson High School in St. Paul. Akeem Sirleaf was a sprinter at North St. Paul High School and now runs for North Carolina A&T State University. And then there’s Joseph Fahnbulleh, who ran for Hopkins High School in Minnetonka and then raced for the University of Florida.
Jabez Reeves in Mankato before heading to Paris for the Olympic Games.
Kerem Yücel | MPR News
All three of them have state high school championships under their belts.
“When we all talk, we’re all like ‘Yeah, I’m from this part of Minnesota, I’m gonna do what I gotta do to represent this part of Minnesota,’” Sirleaf said. “But when we all come together on that relay, none of that matters. We just focus on the goal, which is to make it to the final and get a medal.”
While the team has a strong Minnesota connection, they rarely get to run together. Getting timing down and baton passes right will be something they’ll work on in Paris before their first race.
But at Olympic Qualifiers in May in the Bahamas, the team looked like a well-oiled machine.
The top two teams in each heat get automatic bids. Liberia was in fifth place as the last leg of the race came, but Fahnbulleh exploded in the anchor leg, pulling his team into second, edging out Switzerland by a hundredth of a second.
The ecstatic team ran to each other on the track, hugging each other.
“That whole relay was just amazing,” Sirleaf said. “I feel like it was a steppingstone for us to put our name out there to the world, to let the world know that, yeah, we’re a small country, but we’re coming.”
Gallery
Sirleaf is nursing an injury and will be an alternate in Paris. John Sherman, a 19-year-old from Middle Tennessee State University, will run in place of Sirleaf.
As the Olympic ceremonies open Friday in Paris, the team will come out waving the Liberian flag, a celebration both of their journey and Liberia’s Independence Day, which is the same day.
In 1991, the U.S., and specifically Minnesota, began resettling refugees from Liberia, who were fleeing civil war. Today, Minnesota is home to one of the largest Liberian populations in the U.S., estimated at around 30,000 people.
“The Minnesota connection is really strong,” said Momodou N’Jie, Joseph Fahnbulleh’s cousin and manager. N’Jie grew up with him in the Hopkins area. He says the community is excited to watch the Liberian-Minnesotans compete in Paris.
“There’s a lot of different watch parties, not only obviously here in Minnesota … Rhode Island’s another big place and obviously in Liberia,” he said. “I think it’ll be very cool to see all these different watch parties.”
As of Thursday, the exact location of those watch parties hasn’t been announced.
Many families will also be traveling to Paris, which wasn’t a possibility at the Tokyo Olympics because of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
“I feel like it’s big, because my mom is going to be there. Because [Liberia’s] her native country. So for her seeing me there in Liberia gear, and us on the stage and being the flag bearer and things like that. It’s kind of just huge for her.”
He said racing for the team, representing the country his mother grew up in, will be an honor.
“I grew up around so many Liberians that it almost feels like a duty,” Reeves said. “I kind of felt like I had to run for Liberia just because of where I’m from. And it’s kind of like my birthright, kind of like something that I feel had to be done.”
Jabez Reeves warms up at Myer’s Field House in Mankato.
Kerem Yücel | MPR News
He said it’s not only his family that’s excited, but the broader Liberian-American community.
“The very first time we qualified, I had almost 1,000 messages, just about ‘Congratulations. We’re so proud of you,’” he said. “I’ve had a couple of run-ins at the airport, like MSP, where people are like, ‘Oh, you’re the Liberian guy!’ It’s super cool to see people happy and excited that we’re doing something for not just ourselves, but for them as well.”
The first race for the relay team will be on Thursday Aug. 8. Fahnbulleh will run the first round of the 200 meters on Aug. 5. Matadi will run the first round of the 100 meters on Aug. 3.
Minnesota
Iran conflict: 250 Minnesota National Guard member serving in Middle East
(FOX 9) – The Minnesota National Guard tells FOX 9 there are currently 250 guard members on regularly scheduled deployment at the United States Central Command areas of responsibility as the United States leads strikes in Iran.
Guardsman in Middle East
What we know:
The Minnesota National Guard says the deployed airmen and soldiers are serving from Duluth’s 148th Fighter Wing, the Marshall-based 1-151 Artillery, and the Stillwater-based 34th Military Police Company.
What they’re saying:
“While their missions and duty locations vary, all are grateful for the strong support of those back home,” writes Army Maj. Andrea Tsuchiya, State Public Affairs Officer for the Minnesota National Guard.
What we don’t know:
The guard did not disclose the exact bases or countries where the soldiers and airmen are serving.
CENTCOM covers 21 countries including: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
Pres. Trump says Iran operations likely to last 4 to 5 weeks
Big picture view:
In his first public remarks since the launch of the attack on Iran, President Trump said he expected operations to last four to five weeks, but he was prepared “to go far longer than that.”
The president also laid out his objective for the mission: to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, to “annihilate” their navy, to ensure the country doesn’t obtain a nuclear weapon and that the regime “cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders.”
Minnesota
U.S.-Israeli strikes spark dueling rallies in Twin Cities
Iranians in Minnesota react to Khamenei death
Iranians in the Twin Cities gathered in downtown Minneapolis on Sunday to celebrate major developments in the Middle East following the death of Supreme Leader Khamenei. While many Iranian-Americans expressed hope for regime change, anti-war protesters also took to the streets to condemn the military strikes, with some members of Minnesota’s DFL delegation calling the operation “unlawful” and “illegal.”
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Iranians in the Twin Cities gathered in downtown Minneapolis Sunday to celebrate major developments in the Middle East. Anti-war protesters also took the streets of Minneapolis Saturday.
Plus, Jewish communities say they are on high alert over concerns of potential retaliatory acts in major cities across the U.S.
‘Massive moment’
What we know:
Following a joint U.S. and Israeli military operation in Iran, Khamenei was killed in an attack, Iranian state media confirmed early Sunday.
What they’re saying:
Iranian community groups rallied at Nicollet Mall and 11th Street on Sunday to express hope for regime change.
Dozens of Iranian-Americans said they are celebrating the news.
“We are here to support Iranian people. Today, everybody is happy, very happy,” said Beheshteh Zargaran, an Iranian-American.
“Killed Khamenei, which was the supreme leader, and hopefully they will continue this action and help Iranians finally topple the Islamic regime,” said Faraz Samavat, an Iranian-American.
“That means a lot. We are fighting for almost half a century to destroy this cruel regime against people of Iran,” said Ali Mohammad, an Iranian-American.
Iranians in MN celebrate strikes by Pres. Trump
Iranians in the Twin Cities are gathering in downtown Minneapolis to celebrate major developments in the Middle East following a joint U.S. and Israeli military operation. Community groups rallied at Nicollet Mall and 11th Street to express hope for regime change after news that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, was killed in Saturday’s airstrikes.
The other side:
Protesters also took to the streets in the Twin Cities over the weekend condemning the strikes.
Some people are criticizing the military operation including members of Minnesota’s DFL delegation. Congresswoman Betty McCollum called the strikes “unlawful” and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar called the war “illegal and unjustified.”
Heightened security:
Jewish communities in Minnesota say they are also on high alert following security guidance across the country to prevent potential retaliatory violence.
“A heightened sense of vigilance making sure that everybody is aware of their surroundings and that all of the protective measures are in place,” said Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
There are currently no known specific threats against local Jewish communities.
Minnesota
Here’s how much snow parts of Minnesota got on Saturday, Feb. 28
Storm reports in from Minnesota on Saturday, Feb. 28.
LANESBORO, Minn. (FOX 9) – Impressive snow totals were reported in parts of Minnesota after a narrow band of heavy snowfall worked its way across the state.
Minnesota snow totals for the last day of February 2026
Snow totals for Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (FOX 9)
By the numbers:
Many areas saw more snow than was expected before temperatures warm up in the coming days.
The following snow totals were reported across Minnesota:
- Lanesboro: 10 inches
- Preston: 10 inches
- St. Peter: 7 inches
- Stewartville: 7 inches
- Caledonia: 6 inches
- Nicollet: 6 inches
- New Ulm: 5.5 inches
- Rochester: 4.9 inches
- Mankato: 4.5 inches
The Source: This story uses information from the FOX 9 weather forecast and the National Weather Service.
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