MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The family of a 5-year-old boy who survived after being thrown from a third-story balcony at the Mall of America in Minnesota says he will undergo further medical procedures. The Woodbury family posted Thursday evening on a GoFundMe page that the procedures are “non-life threatening complications” related to the fall. The boy, named Landen, plunged 40 feet…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A Minnesota academic official is the new chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The UW System Board of Regents announced Thursday that they have given the job to Dwight Watson, provost and vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at Southwest Minnesota State University. He replaces former Chancellor Beverly Kopper, who resigned in December after her…
(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Tim Walz and top legislative leaders have now reached agreement on all nine of their major budget bills, and lawmakers are now waiting on the governor to call a special session so they can finish their work for the year. Aides say the last piece of the two-year budget fell into place…
(AP Photo/Jim Mone)ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Gov. Tim Walz has signed a bipartisan bill aimed at fighting the opioid epidemic in Minnesota. Walz says the compromise bill “will help more families access the treatment they need and prevent addiction in the first place.” The bill imposes sharply higher registration fees on drugmakers and distributors to raise around $21 million…
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say the Pentagon will present plans to the White House to send up to 10,000 more American troops to the Middle East to beef up defenses against potential Iranian threats. The officials say no decision has been made and it’s not clear if the White House will approve sending all or just some of the…
ELK RIVER, Minn. (AP) – A man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a resident of a St. Cloud senior living facility has been sentenced to nearly six months in jail and faces deportation. Jesus Manzanilla Alvarado of Big Lake was sentenced earlier this month in Sherburne County. The 23-year-old Alvarado pleaded guilty May 1 to criminal sexual abuse of…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Kwik Trip has removed some vegetable trays from its convenience stores after several reported illnesses in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Health officials say the Del Monte vegetable trays, which included broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and dill dip, have been linked to salmonella bacteria which has, so far, sickened three people in Wisconsin and one in Minnesota. Symptoms of…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Advocates for K-12 schools and the University of Wisconsin System say they think Republicans will want to spend more money on education, but they don’t anticipate it will be as much as Democratic Gov. Tony Evers proposed. Education advocates and the lobbyist for the state chamber of commerce spoke Tuesday at an event organized by the…
NEW YORK (AP) – Nearly two dozen states and municipalities are suing the federal government to stop a new rule letting health care clinicians object to providing abortions and other services that conflict with their moral or religious beliefs. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court asks a judge to block a rule by the Department of Health and…
OSHKOSH, Wis. (AP) – Oshkosh police say a body has been recovered from a vehicle submerged in Lake Winnebago. Police say they were notified Monday that there was damage to the railing at the Bowen Street fishing dock, indicating a vehicle may have plunged into the lake. Oshkosh Fire Department divers did an initial search, but didn’t find anything. The…
WALKER, Minn. (AP) – Cass County sheriff officials are investigating an apparent drowning in Leech Lake. Sheriff Tom Burch says deputies were called to Woodland Resort on the lake’s Kabekona Bay in Shingobee Township Monday afternoon. An adult female was found unresponsive in the water near a dock. Individuals at the scene began CPR until first responders arrived, but the…
DULUTH, Minn.-Dressbarn, the women’s clothing chain that’s been around for nearly 60 years, is closing all 650 of its stores. The company’s chief financial officer, Steven Taylor, said Dressbarn has not been operating at an “acceptable level of profitability in today’s retail environment.” Its owner, Ascena Retail Group Inc., says it wants to focus on its more profitable brands. Ascena…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Legislature is headed into overtime. Legislators adjourned their regular session at midnight, but so much work remains that they’ll need to come back in special session in the days ahead. It’s just not clear when. Gov. Tim Walz and leaders of the House and Senate struck and overall budget agreement Sunday evening, but…
(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate is prepared to pass a measure to prevent a state government shutdown if legislative leaders and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz can’t agree on a budget deal. Senate Republicans launched the gambit Thursday evening as talks bogged down among the governor and leaders of the Senate GOP and House Democratic…
MORRISTOWN, Ariz. (AP) — Grumpy Cat, whose sourpuss expression entertained millions on the internet, has died at age 7. Her owners wrote on social media Friday that she experienced complications from a urinary tract infection and “passed away peacefully” Tuesday “in the arms of her mommy.” Her owners said “Grumpy Cat has helped millions of people smile all around the…
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate has voted to confirm Jeffrey Rosen as deputy attorney general, the second-ranking official at the Justice Department. The vote was 52-45. Rosen replaces Rod Rosenstein, who left the department last week. Rosentein appointed special counsel Robert Mueller and had overseen his investigation. Rosenstein’s departure was expected after William Barr became attorney general this year. Rosen…
(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Senate and House have approved the final version of a bill for greater oversight over pharmacy benefit managers – the middlemen between insurers and patients that are supposed to hold down drug expenses. The Senate passed it unanimously Thursday, 67-0. The House then passed it 130-2 and sent it to Gov….
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Republicans on the Legislature’s budget-writing committee have approved more money for Wisconsin’s technical colleges, but fell $11 million short of how much Gov. Tony Evers and Democrats wanted. The Joint Finance Committee is working Thursday on making changes to Evers’ budget before the full Republican-controlled Legislature votes on the two-year spending plan, likely sometime in June….
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is suing Oxycontin maker Purdue Pharma over its opioid marketing practices. Kaul filed the lawsuit in state court Thursday. It alleges Purdue Pharma downplayed the addiction risks of opioid pain medication Oxycontin and the company’s former president, Richard Sackler, approved the strategy. The lawsuit alleges the practices amount to a public…
APPLETON, Wis. (AP) — A firefighter responding to a medical emergency was killed in a shooting at a Wisconsin bus station that left three others injured, officials said. The shooting happened after police and firefighters responded to a medical emergency around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Valley Transit in downtown Appleton, fire and police officials said. Appleton Officer Meghan Cash said…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The state Assembly has passed a so-called “born alive” anti-abortion bill that would require physicians care for babies who survive abortion attempts or face prison. The chamber passed the Republican-authored measure 62-35 on Wednesday, sending it on to the state Senate. GOP leaders in that house expect to vote on the bill next month. Democratic Gov….
Keith EllisonST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Attorney General Keith Ellison says Minnesota school districts cannot block students from graduation ceremonies over unpaid lunch debt. Ellison on Wednesday issued a written opinion citing two state laws governing school lunches and lunch aid. He says participation in a graduation ceremony “cannot be restricted by your ability to afford your life.” Ellison says…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin state budget will have $753 million more than originally expected, thanks largely to a one-time spike in tax collections due to federal tax law changes. The money now becomes available for the Legislature as it’s working on the two-year spending plan. But Republican leaders don’t appear to be on the same page Wednesday about…
MADISON, Wis. – Jayme Closs is being honored by the Wisconsin Assembly as a “hometown hero.” The 13-year-old Closs appeared with family members and friends to receive her honor in the Assembly chamber on Wednesday. It was the most public appearance to date for Closs, who escaped her kidnapper in January after being held captive in a remote northwestern Wisconsin…
DETROIT (AP) — Ford is adding 270,000 vehicles to a recall in North America to fix a gearshift problem that could cause them roll away unexpectedly. The addition covers certain 2013 through 2016 Fusion midsize cars with 2.5-liter engines. The company is urging drivers to always use the parking brake until repairs are made. Ford says a bushing that attaches…
(AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — There’s no deal yet, but budget talks will continue at the Minnesota Capitol. Negotiators for Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s office, House Democrats and Senate Republicans held a marathon session that lasted until 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. Walz spokesman Teddy Tschann says they’ll reconvene at 10 a.m. None of the sides said much in public…
MINNEAPOLIS-The man accused of throwing a 5-year-old boy from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America has pleaded guilty to attempted premeditated first-degree murder and faces 19 years in prison. Emmanuel Aranda, of Minneapolis, admitted his guilt as part of a plea agreement Tuesday. As part of the deal, prosecutors agreed not to pursue an aggravated circumstances component to…
FRANKFORT, Mich.-Authorities say searches haven’t turned up signs of a small plane that went missing while flying over Lake Michigan. The Benzie County sheriff’s office says the plane dropped off radar on Sunday night off of northern Michigan, about 4 miles west of Frankfort, and two people were believed to be aboard. The sheriff’s office says the plane was reportedly…
BOSTON (AP) – Felicity Huffman has pleaded guilty to participating in the college admissions cheating scheme. The 56-year-old actress entered the plea Monday to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. Huffman stood with her hands clasped in front of her and responded, “Yes, your honor,” when asked whether she understood the charges. Her…
EMILY, Minn. (AP) – Authorities are investigating a residence in the Emily area after a man suffered an explosives-related hand injury. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident about 5 p.m. Sunday. The man had suffered what authorities described as “extensive” injuries to his left hand and was flown to a St. Cloud hospital. The sheriff’s office…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – More people are dying in Wisconsin, but the state’s growing elderly population is living longer. Those are two findings of the annual death report from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The latest report released Monday looks at deaths in 2017. It found that deaths were up 15% compared with a decade ago. But the death…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Budget negotiations between Gov. Tim Walz and state House and Senate leaders have broken off again amid an ongoing clash over taxes. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports the failure to reach a deal Sunday evening leaves lawmakers just one week to bridge major divides and pass a two-year state spending plan expected to top $45…
WASHINGTON-The Pentagon says the U.S. will move a Patriot missile battery into the Middle East region to counter threats from Iran. The department provided no details, but a defense official says the move comes after intelligence showed that the Iranians have loaded military equipment and missiles onto small boats. The official was not authorized to discuss the information publicly so…
ST. PAUL, Minn.-Minnesota lawmakers are trying to get their hands around skyrocketing drug costs and the pharmaceutical industry that sets the prices. Bills are moving to tackle the problem, from anti-price gouging efforts to new reporting requirements for drug companies when prices spike. Minnesota Public Radio reports that nearly all those bills have been tucked into House and Senate budget…
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – Authorities in Minnesota say skeletal remains found in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness are human. The remains were found in late April at a campsite belonging to a New Mexico man who planned to spend the winter in the woods. Jordan Grider of Moriarty, New Mexico, an experienced outdoorsman, gave his family the general location…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Republicans have voted to reject Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ proposals to accept federal Medicaid expansion, legalize medical marijuana and increase the state minimum wage. The Legislature’s GOP-controlled budget committee on Thursday voted along party lines to kill those proposals and dozens of other Evers initiatives. The vote came on the first meeting day of the…
(AP Photo)MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin’s Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is urging voters to pressure Republican lawmakers not to kill his Medicaid expansion plan. The Republican-controlled budget committee was to vote Thursday on removing Medicaid expansion and a host of Evers’ other priorities from his two-year spending plan. The vote would kill those priorities for now, but they could be…
SHAWANO, Wis. (AP) – A man was arrested after authorities say he came to the police department to claim a methamphetamine-filled backpack he had left at a northeastern Wisconsin library. A staffer at Shawano County Library found the backpack Monday and turned it over to police. Prosecutors say there were three small bags of meth inside, along with a martial…
CARLTON, Minn.-Authorities are searching for a small plane that went missing in eastern Minnesota. The Carlton County Sheriff’s Office says the Mooney M20J single-engine plane filed a flight plan with the Federal Aviation Administration for a Wednesday trip from the Moose Lake Carlton County Airport to the Crystal Airport in the Twin Cities. The plane was scheduled to land in…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate intelligence committee has subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr., calling him in to answer questions about his 2017 testimony. That’s according to a person familiar with the subpoena who discussed it on condition of anonymity. The committee has renewed interest in talking to President Donald Trump’s eldest son after Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, testified earlier this…
WASHINGTON (AP) -The House Judiciary Committee has voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress, escalating the legal battle with the Trump administration over access to special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. The committee voted 24-16 to hold Barr in contempt after the Justice Department rejected House Democrats’ demands for the full Mueller report and the underlying evidence….
(DNR) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Officials say seven deer tested positive for a fatal brain disease at a central Minnesota farm where a herd of whitetails was euthanized. But the Minnesota Board of Animal Health says officials found 13 decomposed deer at the Crow Wing County farm when they arrived to euthanize the captive herd last month. The Star…
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, file)MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Assembly Republicans with prisons in their districts are complaining about Democratic Gov. Tony Evers decision to grant temporary raises at only six institutions. Nineteen Republicans sent a letter Wednesday to Evers on Wednesday saying the raises aren’t fair and compensation should be addressed through the state budget. Evers’ state budget calls for…
LONDON (AP) — Tired but beaming, Meghan and Prince Harry showed the public their baby son’s face for the first time on Wednesday, and also revealed his name: Archie. The royal couple said their son, seventh in line to the British throne, is named Archibald Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. They have not chosen a grander title for the baby, who is not…
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) – A mistrial has been declared in the case of a Rochester man accused of fatally shooting a 17-year-old boy in a confrontation over a traffic accident. Twenty-six-year-old Alexander Weiss was on trial for second-degree murder in the death of Muhammed Rahim on Jan. 14, 2018. Weiss claimed self-defense, saying Rahim confronted him following the collision. The…
(Dominic Lipinski/Pool via AP) LONDON (AP) — Two tired but beaming parents and one blissfully sleeping baby posed for the cameras Wednesday as Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, helped satisfy a huge global appetite for images and details about their newborn son. Standing in the vast, red-carpeted St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, Meghan declared the baby…
MINNEAPOLIS-Fire crews are evacuating a residential building near the University of Minnesota because of a suspected hazardous materials incident. Authorities say the evacuation Tuesday in the Dinkytown area involves an “unconfirmed report of ricin,” a deadly toxin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans, but it “would take…
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo.-Authorities say a shooting at a suburban Denver school has injured two people. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says deputies are trying to find the shooter or shooters, calling it an “active and unstable scene.” The shooting occurred at STEM School Highlands Ranch, a public charter school with more than 1,850 students in kindergarten through 12th grades. The…
MINNEAPOLIS-White House officials say Vice President Mike Pence plans to visit Minnesota to talk with farmers and steelworkers about the status of a trade deal with Mexico and Canada. Pence is scheduled to begin his day Thursday at R & J Johnson Farms in Glyndon, located about 10 miles east of Fargo, North Dakota. Officials say he will tour the…
HAYWARD, Wis.-U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy has announced that he and his wife are expecting their ninth child. In a post late Monday on his official U.S. House website, Duffy wrote: “God isn’t done with our family yet! Baby number nine coming to the crew this fall!” He wrote that he and his wife aren’t crazy, just full of hope for…
