Author: The Associated Press

Video Shows Cop Kneeling on Wisconsin Student’s Neck While Breaking Up Fight

The girl’s father has called for criminal charges against the officer for using a type of restraint that was banned for Wisconsin law enforcement officers last year.

KENOSHA, Wis. – School officials in Kenosha, Wisconsin, released surveillance footage that shows an off-duty police officer putting his knee on a 12-year-old girl’s neck to restrain her amid a lunchtime fight. The Kenosha Unified School District released redacted footage of the March 4 fight on Friday. It shows Kenosha officer Shawn Guetschow intervening in the fight and then scuffling…

Canada To Drop COVID Tests For Vaccinated Visitors: Official

TORONTO (AP) — Canada will no longer require a pre-arrival COVID-19 test for vaccinated travelers as of April 1.A senior government official confirmed the change Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly ahead of the announcement this week.Last month, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced that travelers coming to Canada would be able to present a…

Minneapolis Revises Policy on Warrants After Locke Killing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says the city is changing policy for search warrants following the police shooting of a Black man in a downtown apartment so that officers must knock and wait a certain length of time before entering a residence. Police would have to wait 20 seconds before entering a residence while serving a daytime warrant,…

Minnesota-Native Musher Brent Sass Wins his 1st Iditarod Race Across Alaska

Photo: Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Musher Brent Sass won the arduous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across Alaska on Tuesday as his team of 11 dogs dashed off the Bering Sea ice through a crowd of fans in downtown Nome. Sass mushed down Front Street and across the finish line just before 6 a.m….

Carnahan Enters Race for Husband Hagedorn’s Seat in Congress

(courtesy: Fox News) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Former Minnesota Republican Party chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan is jumping into the race to replace her husband Jim Hagedorn in Congress. Carnahan said Monday she is running in the special election to finish Hagedorn’s term representing southern Minnesota’s 1st District after he died of cancer last month. “Though my heart is still heavy…

Tom Brady Is Returning To Tampa To Play 23rd Season In NFL

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady’s retirement lasted 40 days. Brady said Sunday he’s returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 23rd NFL season. The seven-time Super Bowl champion announced his decision on Twitter and Instagram, saying he has “unfinished business.” The news stole the spotlight from the NCAA’s Selection Sunday. “These past two months I’ve realized my place…

Snapshots Of 4 Men Charged In Whitmer Kidnapping Plot

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — After more than two days of testimony, jurors have unflattering snapshots of four men who are charged with planning to strike back against government by kidnapping Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer from her weekend home. Prosecutors introduced videos, messages and secretly recorded conversations full of antigovernment screeds, mostly expressed by Barry Croft Jr. and Adam Fox, who are described…

Liberal US Cities Change Course, Now Clearing Homeless Camps

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Makeshift shelters abut busy roadways, tent cities line sidewalks, tarps cover broken-down cars, and sleeping bags are tucked in storefront doorways. The reality of the homelessness crisis in Oregon’s largest city can’t be denied. “I would be an idiot to sit here and tell you that things are better today than they were five years ago…

Coast Guard Cutter Spar Headed to New Home in Duluth

The Coast Guard Cutter Alder left Duluth for Baltimore in mid-June 2021 and is expected to move to its new homeport in San Francisco this summer.

Photo: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter SPAR Facebook Page DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Spar is traveling from Baltimore to its new homeport in Duluth. The crew’s duties will include maintaining aids to navigation, domestic icebreaking, search and rescue, and law enforcement. The Spar was commissioned in 2001 and originally based in Kodiak, Alaska. The 225-foot buoy…

Evers Authorizes Pay Raises for Wisconsin Prison Workers

(Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Tony Evers’ administration is giving prison workers a temporary pay raise. The governor announced Friday that prison guards, psychiatrists and supervisors will be getting a $3-an-hour raise beginning Sunday. The governor said the corrections system faces high vacancy rates and the pay increase will help retain and attract workers….

US Slashes Russia Trade Status, Bans Alcohol and Seafood

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden announced Friday that along with the European Union and the Group of Seven countries, the U.S. will revoke “most favored nation” trade status for Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. He said the U.S. will also ban imports of Russian seafood, alcohol, and diamonds. The action on the most favored nation status will allow…

Jussie Smollett Sentenced To 150 Days In Jail In Fake Attack

CHICAGO (AP) — Jussie Smollett maintained his innocence during his sentencing hearing Thursday after a judge sentenced the former “Empire” actor to 150 days in jail for lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack that he orchestrated himself. Cook County Judge James Linn sentenced Smollett to 30 months of felony probation, including 150 days in the county jail….

State Public Defenders Poised To Strike Over Pay, Staffing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – More than 700 workers involved in defending people who in most cases can’t afford to hire a private attorney have authorized what would be an unprecedented strike in Minnesota. The public defenders and staff, represented by Teamsters Local 320, rejected the latest contract offer from the Minnesota Board of Public Defense. The union and board now have…

Judge Denies Motion To Dismiss Jussie Smollett Conviction

CHICAGO (AP) – A judge has denied a motion to dismiss the conviction of actor Jussie Smollett for lying to Chicago police about a racist and homophobic attack he staged himself. Cook County Judge James Linn on Thursday upheld the jury’s verdict from December that found Smollett, who is Black and gay, guilty of five felony counts of disorderly conduct….

Russian Attack on Hospital Stirs Outrage as Talks Stall

(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) MARIUPOL, Ukraine (AP) – A Russian airstrike on a Mariupol maternity hospital that killed three people is stirring outrage, with Ukrainian and Western officials branding it a war crime. As talks to reach a broad cease-fire failed Thursday, emergency workers renewed efforts to get vital food and medical supplies into besieged cities and get traumatized residents out….

3M Joins Others in Suspending Russian Business Operations

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (AP) – 3M is joining the growing list of multinational companies that have suspended business operations in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The Maplewood-based company has a corporate office in Moscow and two production plants in the country. 3M’s announcement comes as companies across a variety of industries have suspended some or all of their Russian operations…

Man Who Received 1st Pig Heart Transplant Dies After 2 Months

(University of Maryland School of Medicine via AP) (AP) – The first person to receive a heart transplant from a pig has died, two months after the groundbreaking experiment, the Maryland hospital that performed the surgery announced Wednesday. David Bennett, 57, died Tuesday at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Doctors didn’t give an exact cause of death, saying only…

Viking Mississippi Cruise Ship Touches Water for First Time

HOUMA, La. (AP) – A Swiss company’s cruises along the length of the Mississippi River are a step closer to reality – its new 386-passenger ship has touched water for the first time. Viking River Cruises of Basel celebrated the “float out” of the Viking Mississippi on Monday at Edison Chouest Offshore’s LaShip shipyard in Houma, Louisiana. Two U.S. companies…

Lawyer: Man Charged in Whitmer Plot Swayed by FBI Informant

(Michigan Office of the Governor via AP File) GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) – A lawyer for one of the men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 has told jurors he was a near-homeless, pot-smoking “misfit” who was influenced by an FBI informant whom he met at a protest. Defense attorney Christopher Gibbons on Wednesday refuted…

‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Passes in Florida, Goes to Governor

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida lawmakers have passed a bill to forbid instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The proposal, which opponents have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, now moves to the desk of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it into law. Since its inception, the…

AP Source: Biden to Ban Russian Oil Imports Over Ukraine War

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to U.S. and Western officials to cut off the imports. Energy exports have kept a steady influx…

Minneapolis Teachers Strike After Failing To Reach Contract

(Hannah Hobus/Pioneer Press via AP) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Teachers in the Minneapolis School District have gone on strike after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract. Tuesday’s move idles some 29,000 students in one of Minnesota’s largest school districts. Meanwhile, the teachers in neighboring St. Paul reached a deal late Monday to avert their own strike….

Last-Ditch Talks Seek To Avert Teacher Strikes in Minnesota

(courtesy: Fox 9) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Last-ditch talks are underway in the Minneapolis and St. Paul public school districts. Teachers could strike as soon as Tuesday morning over wages, class sizes, and mental health services for a collective 63,000 students. State mediators were trying Monday to facilitate the negotiations in both districts. The teachers’ union in Minneapolis has…

Hundreds Rally at State Capitol in Support of Ukraine

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Hundreds of Minnesotans rallied at the state Capitol to show support for Ukraine where more than 1.7 million people have been forced from their country because of Russia’s invasion nearly two weeks ago. Luda Anastazievsky, chairman of the Minnesota Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee, called on the state Legislature Sunday to divest of any funds benefiting…

Putin says Ukraine’s Future in Doubt as Cease-Fires Collapse

(Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) LVIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and pinned the blame on that country’s leaders. Putin also said Saturday that Western sanctions are akin to “declaring war,” but added, “But thank God, we haven’t got there yet.” The Russian leader’s tough talk came as…

Man Accused of Video Taping Hundreds of Victims in Athletic Clubs’ Locker Rooms

MILWAUKEE (AP) – A Milwaukee man is accused of secretly videotaping hundreds of people inside locker rooms at Wisconsin Athletic Club locations. An arrest warrant has been issued for 33-year-old Peng Dong who is charged in Milwaukee County with 15 felonies which involve clubs in Wauwatosa and Glendale. He also faces a felony charge in Waukesha County involving the Wisconsin…

US Added 678,000 Jobs in February in Sign of Economic Health

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. employers added a robust 678,000 jobs in February, another gain that underscored the economy’s solid health as the omicron wave fades and more Americans venture out to spend at restaurants, shops, and hotels despite surging inflation. The unemployment rate dropped from 4% to a pandemic low of 3.8%, extending a sharp decline in joblessness as the…

Fewer Americans Apply for Jobless Benefits Last Week

WASHINGTON (AP) – Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week reflecting a low level of layoffs across the economy. Jobless claims fell by 18,000 to 215,000 for the week ending February 26, from 233,000 the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, fell by 6,000 to 230,500. In total,…

Fitbit Recalls 1 Million Ionic Watches After Burn Injuries

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Google-owned Fitbit has recalled 1 million of its Ionic smartwatches after dozens of users reported burn injuries after the battery overheated. The fitness gadget maker says anyone who bought the $299 watch with the model number FB503 should immediately stop using the product and contact Fitbit for packaging to return it. Customers will receive a…

State of the Union: Biden Vows to Halt Russia, Hit Inflation

(Saul Loeb, Pool via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) – Addressing a concerned nation and anxious world, President Joe Biden has vowed in his first State of the Union address to check Russian aggression in Ukraine, tame soaring U.S. inflation, and deal with the fading but still dangerous coronavirus. Biden declared Tuesday night that he and all members of Congress, whatever political…

Justices Weigh if Trafficking Defense Applies to Homicide

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Supreme Court is grappling with whether to allow a woman accused of killing a man to argue at trial that the homicide was justified because she was a sex trafficking victim. The case could help define how far immunity extends for trafficking victims across the country. Prosecutors allege Chrystul Kizer shot Randall Volar in…

Russia Kills 5 in Attack on Kyiv TV Tower

(AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (AP) – Ukrainian officials say Russian forces have fired at the Kyiv TV tower and Ukraine’s main Holocaust memorial, among other civilian sites. Ukraine’s State Service for Emergency Situations said the strikes on the TV tower Tuesday killed five people and left five more wounded. The head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said on Facebook that…

Scientists Take Rare Look Under Great Lakes’ Frozen Surfaces

STANDISH, Mich. (AP) – Scientists have fanned out across the Great Lakes’ frozen surfaces to learn what happens underwater during winter. U.S. and Canadian teams have visited all five lakes in recent weeks. They’ve drilled into the ice to take samples and gather data. Researchers have long done such fieldwork at other times of the year, assuming not much is…

President Biden to Speak at UWS on Wednesday

SUPERIOR, Wis. – On Wednesday, the President and the First Lady will travel to Superior to discuss how the $1 trillion infrastructure law will improve the State’s roads and bridges, among other things, and create jobs. This planned stop comes the day after delivering his State of the Union speech in Washington. The UW-Superior website says the President will speak…

Minnesota Already-Huge Budget Surplus Grows to $9.25 Billion

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota’s already-huge budget surplus has become even more enormous, growing to a projected $9.25 billion, the Walz administration announced Monday. The updated forecast was $1.5 billion more than the whopping $7.7 billion surplus that Minnesota Management and Budget projected in December for the current two-year budget period. The budget agency cited higher incomes, consumer spending,…

Ukraine Seeks To Join EU as Round of Talks With Russia Ends

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – A top adviser to Ukraine’s president says the first round of talks with Russia about ending the fighting in Ukraine has concluded, and more talks could happen soon. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s president has signed an application for his country to join the European Union, in a bid to solidify its bond with the West. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has…

Target Seeks To Entice Workers With Pay of up to $24 an Hour

NEW YORK (AP) – Workers at Target stores and distribution centers in places like New York, where competition for finding and hiring staff is the fiercest, could see starting wages as high as $24 an hour this year. The Minneapolis-based discount retailer said Monday that it will adopt minimum wages that range from $15 to $24 an hour, with the…

Minnesota House Democrats Propose Summertime Gas Tax Holiday

(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Several Democrats in the Minnesota House have proposed a gasoline tax holiday from Memorial Day until Labor Day to help lessen the burden of rising gas prices on motorists. Rep. Stephenson, of Coon Rapids, said the proposal is an effort to combat rising inflation. GOP Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, of Winona, said the…

Minnesota Senate GOP Unveils Massive $8.5B Tax Cut Proposal

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota Senate Republicans on Thursday announced a tax cut proposal that would cost more than $8.5 billion over the next three years. Republican lawmakers say the proposal is the largest tax cut in the state’s history. It would reduce the lowest-tier income tax rate from 5.35% to 2.8% and eliminate taxes on all Social Security…