Minnesota

Rep. Zack Stephenson reflects on new role as Minn. House DFL leader after loss of friend and mentor Melissa Hortman

Published

2 months ago

September 10, 2025

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Rep. Zack Stephenson reflects on new role as Minn. House DFL leader after loss of friend and mentor Melissa Hortman

September 10, 2025 / 8:14 PM CDT
/ CBS Minnesota

For House DFL Leader Zack Stephenson, his new role brings with it mixed emotions.

It’s an honor, he says, to be chosen by his peers. But it’s a reminder of why he is even in this position in the first place.

“I would give anything to not have this job and have Melissa Hortman back doing this job,” Stephenson, who represents Anoka and parts of Coon Rapids, said in an interview Wednesday, less than 48 hours after his caucus elected him to steer their members going forward.

The moment is bittersweet and was emotional for Democrats who are still mourning Hortman, their longtime and beloved leader who was assassinated in her home along with her husband Mark in June. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and wounded.

“One of the difficulties about having this job right now these last 48 hours is I can’t count the amount of times I wanted to reach for my phone and call her and ask her for advice because she would know what to do, right? She was the person who I would turn to for a lot of stuff,” he said.

Stephenson, 41, was an ally of Hortman, whom he met at 17 and soon worked as her campaign manager in 2004, the year she was first elected to the Minnesota House after trying twice before. He called her both a mentor and friend, and served as pallbearer at her funeral.

He said her leadership will shape how he steps into this role succeeding her.

“There’s a lot of things that we talked about that I watched her do that can still guide me today. Her kids have talked a lot about her focus on the golden rule and treating everyone with respect and trying to listen,” he explained. “That first campaign, we had a motto: ‘It’s not about you, it’s about the voter’— trying to keep the vote focus on the people that you serve, not on yourself. Those are things that I’ll keep with me.”

There is little time to settle into the job. The day after his caucus chose him in a closed-door meeting, he was inside Gov. Tim Walz’s cabinet room for a discussion with other legislative leaders about an imminent special session.

Walz wants lawmakers back in St. Paul to take action on gun policies in wake of the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting two weeks ago that left two children dead and injured 21 more.

Democrats want to ban assault weapons while Republicans are floating proposals like increased funding for mental health beds and grants for school security. No matter what they do, legislation will need bipartisan support to advance in the closely divided capitol and it’s unclear what would have the requisite number of votes to pass.

In 2023, when Democrats controlled both chambers, they approved expanding background checks and a “red flag” law that enables a judge to temporarily suspend someone’s access to firearms if determined to be a harm to themselves or others.

Additional proposals like a safe storage law and reporting of missing or stolen firearms to law enforcement passed the House, but failed to clear the DFL-led Senate.

Legislative leaders are meeting to find some agreement, though Walz said he would call a special session regardless of if they set the parameters ahead of time.

“As a prosecutor, as a representative, I just fundamentally believe in accountability. If you have the view that there should be weapons of war on the streets of Minnesota and you want to take that vote then do it. Then stand behind it. Say that to the public if that’s what you believe.”

Caroline Cummings

Caroline Cummings is an Emmy-winning reporter with a passion for covering politics, public policy and government. She is thrilled to join the WCCO team.

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Minnesota

As deer season opens, CWD cases in Minnesota continue slow rise

Published

6 hours ago

November 8, 2025

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As deer season opens, CWD cases in Minnesota continue slow rise

Chronic wasting disease, a neurodegenerative disease that affects deer and other hooved mammals like elk, causes lethargy and weight loss. It is always fatal.

Infected animals spread prions, the infectious agent, through saliva, urine, feces, blood, antler velvet and from the carcass after death, but the spread is not fully understood. Prions are resistant to heat, disinfectants and decomposition.

One recent study by Minnesota and Wisconsin researchers suggested that infected deer ticks swallowed by deer during social grooming may be one way that the disease jumps from animal to animal, according to a 2023 Minnesota Star Tribune report.

The first case of CWD in Minnesota was in a farmed elk in 2002 in Aitkin County. Incidents of the disease began appearing in wild whitetail deer in 2010.

The Minnesota DNR’s deer permit areas govern rules on tracking CWD into two types of zones, designed to track the progression of the disease in deer herds.

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Minnesota

Minnesota Hunter Terry Brisk’s murder remains unsolved after 9 years

Published

24 hours ago

November 7, 2025

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Minnesota Hunter Terry Brisk’s murder remains unsolved after 9 years

(FOX 9) – Friday marks nine years since Terry Brisk was found fatally shot in rural central Minnesota, and the sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s help in solving the case.

Unsolved murder case

The backstory:

Terrance “Terry” Brisk was fatally shot with his own rifle on his family’s property near Little Falls, Minnesota, on Nov. 7, 2016. Despite the work of investigators, no arrests have been made.

The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office believe that Brisk and the individual would have previously interacted prior to the fatal shooting. They continue to work to find the person responsible for the killing.

What they’re saying:

“Nine years have passed since this tragic incident, but time has not lessened our determination to find justice,” Morrison County Sheriff Shawn Larsen said in a statement. “Our investigators, along with our state and federal partners, continue to actively pursue every lead and explore new forensic opportunities. We owe it to Terry, his family, and his friends to keep pushing forward.”

Law enforcement using advanced technology to retest evidence in Terry Brick’s murder case

What you can do:

In a media release issued on Friday, investigators are asking for anyone who may have information about the case to come forward.

A $30,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Anyone with information or a tip about the case can contact the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office at 320-632-9233 or submit an anonymous tip to CrimeStoppers here.

The Source: This story uses previous FOX 9 reporting and a Morrison County Sheriff’s Office press release.

Crime and Public SafetyMinnesota

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Minnesota

Revived Ravens make 1st visit to Minnesota with Lamar Jackson in latest test for Vikings defense – WTOP News

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2025

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Baltimore (3-5) at Minnesota (4-4) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox. BetMGM NFL Odds: Ravens by 4½. Against the spread: Ravens…

Baltimore (3-5) at Minnesota (4-4)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Ravens by 4½.

Against the spread: Ravens 3-5, Vikings 4-4.

Series record: Ravens lead 4-3.

Last meeting: Ravens beat Vikings 34-31 in OT in Baltimore on Nov. 7, 2021.

Last week: Ravens beat Dolphins 28-6 in Miami on Thursday; Vikings beat Lions 27-24 in Detroit on Sunday.

Ravens offense: overall (20), rush (6), pass (28), scoring (12).

Ravens defense: overall (27), rush (21), pass (28), scoring (26).

Vikings offense: overall (26), rush (23), pass (26), scoring (18).

Vikings defense: overall (14), rush (20), pass (8), scoring (20).

Turnover differential: Ravens minus-3, Vikings minus-4.

Ravens player to watch

RB Derrick Henry. The five-time Pro Bowl pick had 119 yards on 19 carries against the Dolphins for a season-best average of 6.3 yards per attempt as the Ravens won their second straight game after a 1-5 start. Henry is the eighth player in league history with 12,000-plus rushing yards and 100-plus touchdowns. The Vikings have allowed 200-plus rushing yards twice this season, but last week they held Jahmyr Gibbs and the Lions to a net of 65 yards on 20 carries and three weeks ago against Saquon Barkley and the Eagles they allowed only 45 yards on 23 yards.

Vikings player to watch

LB Blake Cashman. Having missed four games earlier this season with a hamstring injury, Cashman has provided another reminder of how impactful his smarts, toughness and speed in the middle of the defense can be. He had 14 tackles against the Lions, his most in two years with his hometown team, including one for loss and one that forced a fumble recovered by the Vikings to set up a third-quarter touchdown. Cashman will likely be on spy duty against Lamar Jackson, whose running ability among NFL QBs is second to none.

Key matchup

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy vs. Ravens pass defense. McCarthy returned last week after a five-game absence with a sprained ankle and showed little rust, other than a few inaccurate throws among the moments his inexperience showed. Playing at home with his offensive line as collectively healthy as it’s been all season, McCarthy has a favorable opportunity to find a rhythm against a defense that has been atypically near the bottom of the league in several key statistical categories this season. The Ravens have the NFL’s third-worst sacks-per-pass-attempt rate and only three interceptions, though they haven’t allowed a passing touchdown in either of their past two games.

Key injuries

Ravens: Not a single player on the active 53-man roster appeared on the initial injury report on Wednesday, after the team was decimated by absences at times last month. … OLB Tavius Robinson (foot) is on injured reserve after getting hurt three weeks ago. Two-time Pro Bowl DT Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) is done for the season. DT Broderick Washington (Achilles tendon) is also on IR and will miss his sixth straight game.

Vikings: RB Aaron Jones (shoulder/toe) didn’t practice on Wednesday, along with TE Josh Oliver (foot), S Theo Jackson (concussion) and backup CB Jeff Okudah (concussion). Jones and Jackson were injured against the Lions. Oliver and Okudah were inactive for that game. … FB C.J. Ham (hand) was a limited participant on Wednesday after missing the past two games. … C Ryan Kelly (concussion) is on injured reserve, eligible to return but with no timetable yet.

Series notes

The Ravens, who are in their 30th season in Baltimore, will make only their third trip to Minnesota. They lost to the Vikings at the Metrodome in 2009 and at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2017. … The home team has won the past six games in the series since the Vikings won the first matchup in Baltimore in 1998. … Jackson, who has never played at Minnesota, ran 21 times for 120 yards in the overtime victory over the Vikings in 2021.

Stats and stuff

Jackson, who missed three games with a hamstring injury, will make his 100th regular-season start for the Ravens. His record is 72-27. … Jackson had his seventh career game last week in his return from injury against the Dolphins with four-plus TD passes and a 140-plus passer rating. His 136.7 passer rating is the highest through Week 9 in NFL history among QBs with a qualifying amount of playing time. … TE Mark Andrews, who had two TD catches last week, is 18 yards from passing Derrick Mason as the career leading receiver for the Ravens. … The Ravens lead the league with 10 TDs of 20-plus yards. … The Ravens have allowed an average of only 13 points over the past three games. They gave up 37-plus points in each of their first four losses. … Ravens LB Roquan Smith had 12 tackles in each of the past two games. … Jordan Stout has landed four punts inside the 5-yard line for the Ravens, tied for the most in the NFL. He leads the league in net average at 46 yards per punt. … McCarthy is the first player in NFL history with two or more TD passes and one or more rushing TD in at least two of his first three career games. … Jones had a season-high 98 yards from scrimmage last week. … Vikings WR Justin Jefferson, who’s fifth in the NFL with 649 receiving yards and has 8,081 for his career, will pass Torry Holt with 76 more yards for the second most in league history through a player’s first six seasons. Randy Moss (8,375) has the most. … The Vikings had a season-high five sacks last week and have the longest active streak in the league with multiple sacks in 12 straight games. … Vikings LB Eric Wilson had two sacks last week, while playing 56 of 64 snaps on defense and 21 of 30 on special teams. … Vikings OLB Jonathan Greenard has 10 tackles for loss, fourth most in the league. … Will Reichard has made 14 field goals from 50-plus yards for the Vikings, tied for the second most through a player’s first two seasons with Evan McPherson. Brandon Aubrey had 24.

Fantasy tip

Baltimore’s three tight ends — Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar — combined for seven catches for 105 yards and three touchdowns against the Dolphins. Lions tight end Sam LaPorta had six receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown against Minnesota last week, and Oronde Gadsden had five catches for 77 yards and a touchdown the game before that against the Vikings.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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