DETROIT – Experts are predicting higher-than-normal water levels on the Great Lakes this summer, some of which may set records. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office in Detroit recently issued its latest six-month forecast for the lakes. The Detroit News reports that Lake Superior is unusually high and by May could reach a record set in the mid-1980s. Lake…
MENOMONIE, Wis. – Five people have died in weekend snowmobile crashes in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the crashes happened Friday and Saturday in Calumet, Dunn, Langlade, Iron and Forest counties. In western Wisconsin, a 28-year-old rural Boyceville man died when he apparently lost control of his snowmobile and crashed on a Dunn County trail Saturday. A…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Faith leaders gathered at the Capitol to urge Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to oppose Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 oil pipeline replacement, while a mostly Republican group of lawmakers urged him to let the project move forward. Around 100 clergy and laypeople from Interfaith Power and Light held a prayer gathering in the governor’s office Friday, and…
MADISON, Wis. – University of Wisconsin System regents have approved raising graduate tuition at eight schools and out-of-state undergraduate tuition at six schools. Resident graduate tuition will increase at Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Parkside, Stevens Point, Stout and Whitewater. Green Bay will see the biggest increase, from $7,793 to $7,996. Nonresident graduate tuition will increase at all…
NEW YORK – Subaru, Tesla, BMW, Volkswagen, Daimler Vans, Mercedes and Ferrari are recalling about 1.7 million vehicles to replace potentially deadly air bag inflators made by Takata Corp. of Japan. The inflators can hurl shrapnel into drivers and passengers. At least 23 people have died from the problem worldwide and hundreds more were injured. The moves, announced Friday by…
MINNEAPOLIS – Prosecutors allege a 31-year-old Minnesota man fired five shots at a school bus windshield, wounding the bus driver, after a minor accident on a snowy interstate near downtown Minneapolis. Kenneth Lilly, of St. Paul, was charged Thursday with attempted second-degree murder and second-degree assault. He’s expected in court Friday. According to the complaint, the bus was trying to…
(Dane County Jail via AP)MILWAUKEE — A Wisconsin man told a 14-year-old Tennessee girl he met online that he’d help her run away when she told him her adoptive father had been raping her, but only if she sent him video proof of an assault, federal prosecutors allege. Prosecutors said in a complaint filed this week against 31-year-old Bryan Rogers…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minnesota House committee has approved a bill to strengthen the state’s laws against sexual harassment. The judiciary committee sent the bill to the floor on a 16-0 vote Thursday. Democratic Rep. Kelly Moller, of Shoreview, and other witnesses told the panel the legislation is necessary because Minnesota courts have set the legal standard too high…
(Consumer Product Safety Commission via AP)WASHINGTON — Fisher-Price is voluntarily recalling about 44,000 Children’s Power Wheels Barbie Dream Campers because they can keep running after the foot pedal is released. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says Fisher-Price has received 17 complaints. No injuries have been reported. The model FRC29 battery-operated vehicles are hot pink with blue accents and have the…
(Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP File)ST. PAUL, Minn. – A House Republican says he hopes a decision by the Minnesota Court of Appeals prompts Gov. Tim Walz to decide quickly that his administration should drop a challenge to the approval of Enbridge Energy’s proposal to replace its Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. The Commerce Department filed the…
UPDATE: Authorities have discovered what is believed to be human remains of two people at an apparent crime scene in Eckles Township. According to a recent press release, authorities discovered the remains after a concerned family member contacted the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office to report a possible missing person on February 4. The caller told authorities they had not had…
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed the death of a Milwaukee police officer who was shot while serving a warrant on the city’s south side. The medical examiner says the officer was pronounced dead after being rushed to Froedtert Hospital following the shooting in a residential neighborhood late Wednesday morning. Details about the shooting haven’t been released….
BARRON, Wis. – A man accused of kidnapping a 13-year-old Wisconsin girl and killing her parents has been ordered to stand trial after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson gave brief answers to the judge Wednesday. He acknowledged he was giving up his right to a hearing at which prosecutors would have had to show they…
BARRON, Wis. – A man accused of kidnapping a 13-year-old Wisconsin girl and killing her parents is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing. Jake Patterson is accused of killing James and Denise Closs on Oct. 15 and kidnapping their daughter , Jayme Closs, from their Barron home. Jayme escaped on Jan. 10, after 88 days . Patterson…
MINNEAPOLIS-Minneapolis police say the driver of a school bus was shot following an apparent crash. Police spokesman John Elder says a suspect is in custody and the driver’s injuries are not life-threatening. The incident happened Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 35W south of the city. It’s unclear if children were on the bus at the time of the shooting, but Elder…
PHOENIX-A lawyer representing a man accused of raping an incapacitated woman who later gave birth at a long-term care facility in Phoenix says his client will present a full legal defense. Attorney David Gregan made a brief statement to reporters after 36-year-old Nathan Sutherland pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of sexual abuse and abuse of a vulnerable adult. Gregan…
HASTINGS, Minn.-Sheriff’s officials say a house explosion in Dakota County has killed a woman and severely burned a man. Firefighters and deputies were dispatched to a house south of Hampton about 6:15 a.m. Tuesday. Deputies found a man wandering the scene of the blast with severe burns over much of his body. The man said he was looking for his…
WASHINGTON-President Donald Trump is expected to call for optimism and unity in his State of the Union address, but skeptics are likely to question whether he can be successful in pursuing such a reset after two years of bitter partisanship and personal attacks. Ahead of Trump’s prime-time Tuesday speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she hopes to hear a commitment…
DULUTH, Minn.-A Grand Rapids physician is among seven men arrested and suspected of soliciting a minor for sex. Authorities conducted an undercover sting operation and placed ads on various sites know for soliciting sex. Prosecutors say Dr. Ogechukwu Adekweh was among those who responded to an ad and was arrested when he arrived to meet a juvenile female at a…
ST. PAUL, Minn.-Voters in northern Minnesota take part in a special Senate election Tuesday with a little more at stake than usual. Republicans had just a one-seat majority in the Senate before newly elected Gov. Tim Walz appointed Democrat Tony Lourey to his cabinet. Now the GOP is hoping to flip the seat Lourey vacated to give themselves a bit…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn.-Activists from the Catholic Worker movement say four protesters have been arrested in an attempt to shut down an Enbridge oil pipeline in north-central Minnesota. Spokeswoman Diane Leutgeb Monson says the four broke into an area containing shut-off valves for three Enbridge pipelines around noon Monday, then called to warn the company of their plans to turn off…
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – A top administration official for Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam says the governor is meeting with staff to hear their assessment of whether it’s viable for him to stay in office. The official spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the official was not authorized to speak about the matter publicly. Northam has rebuffed widespread calls for…
MADISON, Wis.-Conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brian Hagedorn is defending blog posts he wrote more than a decade ago where he said a landmark gay rights court ruling could lead to legalized bestiality and labeled Planned Parenthood a “wicked organization.” Hagedorn spoke Monday about the blogs to conservative talk radio host John Muir on WTAQ-AM. He wrote the blogs while…
MINNEAPOLIS-Minnesota officials, local governments and nonprofits are coordinating efforts to count every resident in the state for the 2020 Census. State demographer Susan Brower tells the St. Paul Pioneer Press that ensuring an accurate tally is “a tremendous undertaking.” Brower is holding workshops to help prepare cities and counties, which are forming their own committees to alert residents about the…
MADISON, Wis.-Five unions and a Democratic lawmaker have filed another lawsuit challenging measures Wisconsin Republican approved in a lame-duck session. The laws block Democratic Gov. Tony Evers from withdrawing from lawsuits without legislative approval, give lawmakers the power to decide how to spend money obtained from legal settlements and allow them to intervene in cases and hire their own attorneys…
MADISON, Wis.-Foxconn Technology Group says after speaking with President Donald Trump the Taiwan company plans to proceed with plans to construct a plant in Wisconsin that will make screens that can be used for small electronic devices. The news Friday comes after a week of confusion about Foxconn’s plans in Wisconsin. The company had said last year that it was…
SEARLES, Minn. – A Minnesota man is accused of removing his ailing wife from a care center, taking her home and holding what is described as a “death party” with methamphetamine before she died. Duane Johnson is charged with criminal neglect. Prosecutors say he failed to provide proper care for 69-year-old Debra Lynn Johnson who died at their home in…
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The former superintendent of the Rocori School District won’t serve any jail time after pleading guilty to indecent exposure, unless he violates terms of his probation. The attorney for Scott Staska told a judge in Stearns County District Court Thursday that the superintendent’s actions were the result of trauma and stress, including the 2003 school shooting…
DETROIT – Much of the Midwest was preparing for a rapid thaw after this week’s polar vortex sent wind chill temperatures plummeting below minus-50 in some places. But the transition to warmer conditions threatens a new set of problems. Ruptured water mains, leaky pipes and gutters, an influx of potholes and flooding of roads and bridges are among the potential…
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced that the U.S. is pulling out of a treaty with Russia that’s been a centerpiece of arms control since the Cold War. The American withdrawal had been expected for months. It follows years of unresolved dispute over Russian compliance with the 1987 pact, which bans certain ground-launched cruise missiles….
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Two state senators want to protect the right of Minnesota kids to operate lemonade or hot dog stands without fear of the police. Republicans Roger Chamberlain and Linda Runbeck have authored a bill to allow kids 14 and under to operate temporary stands without permits. It passed a Senate committee last week and awaits floor action….
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal judge in Minnesota has lifted a hold that had been placed on four lawsuits challenging the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota. Thursday’s decision by U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen doesn’t list next steps, but her decision to lift the stay means the cases can proceed. The lawsuits filed by environmental groups seek to block…
(David Joles/Star Tribune via AP) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Dangerously cold weather is creating added pressure on emergency responders in Minnesota, where three times the number of firefighters were needed to battle a house fire. A house in St. Paul was covered in heavy ice as firefighters hauled hoses through the snow as temperatures plunged Wednesday to nearly negative…
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office says it’s investigating the death of a woman found frozen in her unheated apartment. The medical examiner says the 38-year-old woman was pronounced dead about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities say an investigation revealed the thermostat in her apartment had malfunctioned. An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday. Another day of dangerously cold weather…
CHICAGO (AP) -United Parcel Service says it has halted deliveries in about 250 zip codes in the Midwest and western New York because of concerns for the safety of those making deliveries in the extreme cold. UPS Chief Operating Officer Jim Barber said Thursday that most of the routes that won’t receive deliveries are in rural areas. He says drivers…
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Police say a 60-year-old man was found dead outdoors in East Lansing. An autopsy will determine the cause of death, although foul play is not suspected. The deaths of at least two other Michigan residents have been connected to the extreme cold weather. Police say the man’s body was discovered Wednesday. In Ecorse, police identified a…
(AP) – A new report estimates that nearly half of all U.S. adults have some form of heart or blood vessel disease, a medical milestone that’s mostly due to recent guidelines that expanded how many people have high blood pressure. The American Heart Association said Thursday that more than 121 million adults had cardiovascular disease in 2016. Taking out those…
CHICAGO – The body of a University of Iowa student has been found on the campus in Iowa City, and officials say they believe his death was weather-related. Television station KCRG reports that the body of 18-year-old Gerald Belz was found behind an academic hall just before 3 a.m. Wednesday by campus police. He was taken to a hospital, where…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (AP) — A look at how this week’s snowstorm and bitter cold have affected the United States, by the numbers: 22 – Number of states that recorded sub-zero temperatures Wednesday. Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York all saw temperatures that were below zero. New…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota lawmakers and activists are making a push to require drug companies to pay more of the costs of dealing with the opioid crisis. A House health and human services committee had its first hearing scheduled Wednesday on a bill to require manufacturers and wholesalers that sell or distribute opioids in Minnesota to pay registration fees…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Human Services says a data breach potentially exposed personal information on up to 3,000 people. Commissioner Tony Lourey tells legislative leaders it happened Sept. 28 when an employee fell for a phishing scam and clicked on a malicious link that caused the employee’s email account to send spam. Lourey says technicians could…
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Foxconn Technology Group said Wednesday it is shifting the focus of its planned $10 billion Wisconsin campus away from blue-collar manufacturing to a research hub, while insisting it remains committed to creating 13,000 jobs as promised. The much-ballyhooed facility was heralded by President Donald Trump and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as…
(AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Tyson Foods is recalling some chicken nuggets after customers said they found pieces of “soft, blue rubber” inside. The U.S. Agriculture Department said the 5-pound bags should be thrown away or returned. The agency says there are no confirmed reports of anyone getting sick from the rubber. The recall is for more than 36,000…
MINNEAPOLIS – Xcel Energy says the extreme cold has caused some customers to lose natural gas service in the Princeton area and has the utility issuing an appeal to other customers to turn down their thermostats. Utility spokesman Matt Lindstrom says about 150 customers lost heat as temperatures dipped into the negative 20 range Tuesday night. Lindstrom says the weather is…
CHICAGO – The Minnesota Department of Transportation pulled snowplows off the roads in nearly a dozen southeastern counties because of the extreme cold , while Wisconsin added state offices and agencies to its long list of closures. Minnesota transportation officials say some snowplows were experiencing mechanical problems because of subzero temperatures Tuesday, so officials decided to idle all plows overnight….
You may have heard that “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night …” will prevent mail carriers from completing their appointed rounds. But the unofficial motto of the U.S. Postal Service apparently doesn’t include the cold. Wednesday, the federal service says it will not deliver mail in all or parts of five Midwest states because of a…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A “bipawtisan” group of lawmakers has introduced a bill to designate the Labrador retriever as the official dog breed of Minnesota. The legislation is named “Raven’s Bill” after the mascot of outdoor writer Ron Schara’s TV show “Minnesota Bound.” Raven III was one of several black labs wagging their tails through Tuesday’s news conference. While…
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Donald Trump’s longtime friend Roger Stone has pleaded not guilty to charges in the special counsel’s Russia investigation. Stone appeared Tuesday for his arraignment at the federal courthouse in Washington after spending the weekend blasting special counsel Robert Mueller’s case against him as politically motivated. The self-proclaimed dirty trickster was arrested last week during a pre-dawn raid at his…
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to give his State of the Union speech on Feb. 5. Trump said in a letter to Pelosi on Monday that it is his “great honor” to accept her invitation to speak before a joint session of Congress next week. He writes, “We have a great…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz won’t close schools statewide despite the extremely cold temperatures forecast for Tuesday through Thursday. The governor’s office said Monday that he’ll defer instead to local school districts to decide about closures. But he says parents and students should pay close attention to the local news and messages from their school districts on…
