US & World News

Appeals Court Sides With Trump in Transgender Military Case

Trump Administration has Asked Supreme Court to Weigh in

(AP)WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court is siding with the Trump administration in a case about the Pentagon’s policy of restricting military service by transgender people. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Friday that a lower-court judge was wrong to block the Pentagon from implementing its preferred policy. The unsigned ruling will…

House elects Pelosi speaker as Dems take control

Only Woman Ever to Hold the job

(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)WASHINGTON — The House has elected Nancy Pelosi as its speaker as Democrats take command of the chamber for the new Congress. The near party-line majority vote makes her the country’s most powerful Democrat as the party begins two more years of confronting President Donald Trump. Except now, Pelosi’s Democrats will be able to set the House’s legislative…

MN Marine Shot, Killed, in DC Barracks in Apparent Accident

The Shooting Remains Under Investigation

WASHINGTON – A U.S. Marine has been shot and killed at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C. Police say the Marine was shot early Tuesday in an apparent accident. Marine Corps spokesman Chief Gunnery Sgt. John Jackson said the man did not shoot himself. The U.S. Marine Corps said in a statement that the shooting was under investigation and that…

More US Police Officers die on Duty Than Before

144 Federal, State and Local Officers Have Died so far in 2018

WASHINGTON — More police officers have died in the line of duty this year in the United States than in 2017, according to data released Thursday. The most common cause of death was gunfire, and vehicular accidents claimed nearly as many officers’ lives. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund said in a report that 144 federal, state and local…

Wells Fargo Pays $575 Million to Settle State Investigations

Minnesota Will Receive $9.3 Million

NEW YORK – Wells Fargo will pay $575 million in a settlement with attorneys general from all 50 states and the District of Columbia that are investigating its banking practices, which have included phony accounts and manipulative sales practices. Under the agreement announced Friday, the bank will also be required to create teams to review and respond to customer complaints…

Trump Says Defense Secretary Mattis Will Retire in February

The Announcement was Made Thursday

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is stepping down from his post, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, after the retired Marine general clashed with the president over a troop drawdown in Syria and Trump’s go-it-alone stance in world affairs. Mattis, perhaps the most respected foreign policy official in Trump’s administration, will leave by the end of February after two…

Trump Foundation Reaches Deal to Dissolve Amid Lawsuit

A Judge Must Still Sign off on the Agreement

NEW YORK – President Donald Trump’s charitable foundation has reached a deal to dissolve amid a legal battle with New York’s attorney general. Attorney General Barbara Underwood and the foundation filed a joint stipulation with the court Tuesday laying out a process for shutting down the charity and distributing its remaining assets to other nonprofit groups. New York filed a…

Minnesota Climber Preps for Solo Mt. Hunter Climb; First Winter Ascent of Mt. Luciana

Dupre Will Make his Second Attempt in January

DULUTH, Minn. – Grand Marais native, Lonnie Dupre, is preparing to tackle a solo ascent of Mount Hunter in January 2019. Mount Hunter is hailed as the steepest and most technical of the three peaks in Denali National Park and this will be Dupre’s second attempt at a solo ascent of the mountain. Dupre will also take on his second…

Trump Administration Moves to ban Bump Stocks

It Will Take Effect in Late March

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is moving to officially ban bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic weapons to fire rapidly like automatic firearms. A senior Justice Department official says bump stocks will be banned under the federal law that prohibits machine guns. It will take effect in late March. After that, it will be illegal to possess bump stocks. The…

Del Monte Recalls Canned Corn due to Botulism Risk

Botulism is a Life-Threatening Illness

DULUTH, Minn. – Del Monte is recalling more than 64,000 cans of “fiesta” corn seasoned with red and green peppers. Del Monte says the reason for the recall is the canned corn is under-processed and could be contaminated, possibly leading to botulism if eaten. Botulism is a life-threatening illness that can cause, among other symptoms, muscle weakness and paralysis. If…

Judge Gives Michael Cohen Three Years in Prison

Cohen's Crimes Included Evading $1.4 Million in Taxes

NEW YORK – President Donald Trump’s former lawyer has been sentenced to three years in prison. U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III said Wednesday that Michael Cohen deserved a harsh punishment for crimes including tax evasion, lying to Congress and arranging illicit payments to silence women who posed a risk to Trump’s presidential campaign. The judge rejected arguments by…

‘Guardians and War on Truth’ Time’s ‘Person of the Year’

Four Journalists and a Newspaper Make up Time's Person of the Year

(Time Magazine via AP)NEW YORK (AP) – Time magazine’s 2018 person of the year are the “guardians and the war on truth.” The group is made up of four journalists and a newspaper that Time says “are representatives of a broader fight by countless others around the world. Time’s editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal made the announcement Tuesday on NBC’s “Today” show….

Shopko Closing 39 Stores in 19 States

Sales Begin Friday

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. – Wisconsin retailer Shopko is closing 39 stores in 19 states. Shopko spokeswoman Michelle Hansen says each store employs 10 to 25 employees, putting the scope of job cuts at about 400 to nearly 1,000 positions. Liquidation sales begin Friday with the stores closing by the end of February. The Green Bay area department store chain operates about…

USA Gymnastics Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

USA Gymnastics Faces 100 Lawsuits Representing 350 Athletes

(AP) – USA Gymnastics is turning to bankruptcy in an effort to ensure its survival. The embattled organization filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on Wednesday as it attempts to reach settlements in the dozens of sex-abuse lawsuits it faces and to forestall its potential demise at the hands of the U.S. Olympic Committee. USA Gymnastics filed the petition in…

Federal Government to Close Wednesday out of Respect to Bush

USPS Will Suspend Regular Mail Deliveries

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has proclaimed Wednesday as a National Day of Mourning in remembrance of former President George H.W. Bush. Out of respect for the 41st president, the federal government will be closed, and the United States Postal Service will suspend regular mail deliveries, retail services and administrative office activity. Additionally, the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq…

JBS Tolleson Recalling More Than 12 Million Pounds of raw Beef

Products Were Packaged Between Late July and September

NEW YORK – More U.S. beef is being recalled because it may be contaminated with salmonella. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday a unit of Brazil’s JBS is now recalling a total of more than 12 million pounds of raw beef that was shipped around the U.S. JBS Tolleson in Arizona already recalled about 7 million pounds of beef…

Former President George H.W. Bush Passes Away

41st President Dies in Houston

HOUSTON (CNN)- According to his spokesperson, former President George H.W. Bush has died in Houston Friday night. The 41st President was born into privilege and a tradition of service. Bush was a son of a senator, celebrated World War II combat pilot, student athlete, Texas oilman, Republican congressman, national party chairman, pioneering diplomat and spy chief. After his own 1980…

Tsunami Alert for Southern Alaska After Quake

The Quake was a 6.6 Magnitude

photo courtesy: Twitter/NWSUPDATE: Officials have canceled a tsunami warning for coastal areas of southern Alaska following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that shook Anchorage. National Tsunami Warning Center senior technician Michael Burgy said the tsunami warning was automatically generated, Officials monitored gauges to see if any underwater landslides would generate tsunami waves. Because there were none, the warning was canceled. Police had…

Minnesota Exports Continue Growth Trend in Third Quarter

The Largest Export Market was Canada

ST. PAUL, Minn. – State officials say Minnesota’s agricultural, mining and manufacturing exports grew 6 percent to $5.7 billion between July and the end of September. It marks the seventh consecutive quarter of growth. The Department of Employment and Economic Development says the state is on track to see an overall increase in exports for 2018. Exports have remained strong…

Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty to Lying to Congress

He Admitted to False Statements Made in 2017

(AP Photo/Richard Drew)NEW YORK – Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about work he did on a Trump real estate project in Russia. Cohen made a surprise appearance Thursday in a New York courtroom to enter the plea. He admitted making false statements in 2017 to a Senate intelligence committee about a…

Update: Officials: ‘No Indication’ of Active Shooter at Walter Reed

The 'All-Clear' has Been Given on the Campus

courtesy: Fox NewsBETHESDA, Md. – Officials say they’ve seen “no indication” of an active shooter after clearing the basement of a building at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington. Naval Support Activity Bethesda tweeted Tuesday afternoon that an active shooter had been reported in the basement of a building at the Maryland base. About 40 minutes later, NSAB…

Postal Service Site Exposed Data of 60 Million Users

USPS Says the Glitch has Been Corrected

(AP) – The US Postal Service says it’s fixed a security flaw on its website which may have exposed the personal information of more than 60 million customers. The flaw affected usps.com and allowed anyone to see, and even possibly change, the personal account information of its users. According to ‘Krebs on Security’, an anonymous researcher says he told USPS…

NASA Spacecraft Lands on Mars to dig Deep

NASA Satellits Will Provide Updates

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A NASA spacecraft has landed on Mars to explore the planet’s interior. Flight controllers announced that the spacecraft InSight touched down Monday, after a perilous supersonic descent through the red Martian skies. Confirmation came via radio signals that took more than eight minutes to cross the nearly 100 million miles between Mars and Earth. There was…

GM to Slash 14,700 Jobs in North America

Five Plants Facing Possible Closure

(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP, File)DETROIT – General Motors will lay off 14,700 factory and white-collar workers in North America and put five plants up for possible closure as it restructures to cut costs and focus more on autonomous and electric vehicles. The reduction includes 8,100 white-collar workers, some of whom will take buyouts and others who will be…

Disabled American Veterans Serve Thanksgiving Meal

Free dinner was available to everybody in the community

CLOQUET, Minn. – The Disabled American Veterans organization hosted a free Thanksgiving dinner at the Zion Lutheran Church in Cloquet. They hoped to serve about three-hundred at the meal and deliver another two-hundred take out orders. Since the DECC stopped providing satellite Thanksgiving feasts, the Disabled Veterans thought one was needed in Cloquet. “It’s very important because we can’t expect…

Citing E. Coli Outbreak, US Officials say Don’t eat Romaine

No Deaths Have Been Reported

NEW YORK – U.S. health officials are telling people to avoid eating romaine lettuce because of an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 32 people in 11 states. The Food and Drug Administration says it’s working with officials in Canada, where people are also being warned to stay away from romaine lettuce. The strain identified is different than the one…

Suspect Dead, Four Critically Injured After Hospital Shooting

Authorities Continue to Investigate the Incident

CHICAGO – Police say the suspected gunman is dead and four people are in critical condition following a shooting at a Chicago hospital. Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says a police officer and at least one hospital employee are among those hospitalized in critical condition following the Monday afternoon shooting at Mercy Hospital. Guglielmi says the gunman was killed, but…

Man who Strangled Wife, Killed his two Girls Sentenced to Life

Watts Will Have no Chance at Parole

?????????????????????????????????????????DENVER – Prosecutors say a Colorado man strangled his pregnant wife and smothered their two young daughters. Christopher Watts received three consecutive life sentences without a chance at parole on Monday, nearly two weeks after pleading guilty to avoid the death penalty. Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke’s comments on how Watts killed his family are the first time authorities…

House Passes Bill to Drop Legal Protections for Gray Wolves

Proctections Were Secured in the 1970s

WASHINGTON – The Republican-controlled House has passed a bill to drop legal protections for gray wolves across the lower 48 states, reopening a lengthy battle over the predator species. Long despised by farmers and ranchers, wolves were shot, trapped and poisoned out of existence in most of the U.S. by the mid-20th century. Since securing protection in the 1970s, wolves…

Judge: White House Must Return CNN’s Jim Acosta’s Credential

The Order was Made on Friday Morning

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to immediately return the White House press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly, an appointee of President Donald Trump, announced his decision following a hearing in Washington. The judge said Acosta’s credentials would be returned immediately and reactivated to allow him access to…

Couple, Homeless man Charged in Charitable Scam

The Couple Raised Over $400,000 on Go Fund Me

MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. – A feel-good tale of a homeless man using his last $20 to help a stranded New Jersey woman buy gas was actually a complete lie, manufactured to get strangers to donate more than $400,000 to help the down-and-out good Samaritan, a prosecutor said Thursday. Burlington County prosecutor Scott Coffina announced criminal charges against the couple who…

FDA to Crack Down on Menthol Cigarettes, Flavored Vapes

Flavored E-Cigs Have Been Blames for Increased Teen Vaping

NEW YORK – A top U.S. health official is pledging to try to ban menthol from regular cigarettes, outlaw flavors in all cigars and tighten rules regarding the sale of most flavored versions of e-cigarettes. Scott Gottlieb of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration disclosed the plans on Thursday. The move represents a major step to further push down U.S….

Sheriff Asks Hunters to Look for Evidence in Disappearance

Closs has Been Missing Since October 15

BARRON, Wis. – The Wisconsin sheriff leading the investigation into the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl and the fatal shootings of her parents is asking hunters for help. The state’s nine-day gun deer hunt begins early Saturday and runs through Nov. 25. Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald asked deer hunters Wednesday to report anything suspicious, such as clothing or weapons…

CNN Sues Trump, Demanding Return of Acosta to White House

The Lawsuit was Filed on Tuesday

NEW YORK – CNN is suing the Trump administration, demanding that correspondent Jim Acosta’s press credentials to cover the White House be returned. The administration revoked them last week following President Trump’s contentious news conference, where Acosta refused to give up a microphone when the president said he didn’t want to hear anything more from him. The lawsuit was filed…

Students Pledge To Not Text & Drive

"It Can Wait Campaign" Focuses On Texting While Driving, With A Distracted Driving Simulator At Marshall School

DULUTH, Minn. — “It can wait” campaign highlighted the dangers of distracted driving to the students of Duluth Marshall School. About 250 attended and watched a video telling the true stories of Caleb and Forrest, who were killed by smartphone distracted driving. After the presentation students were encouraged to try out the distracted driving simulator and put their skills to…

Firing of Sessions Sparks Protest in Duluth

Group Protests Outside Courthouse

DULUTH, Minn.- Anti-Trump protesters took to the steps outside the St. Louis County Courthouse. The group was not happy about President Trump’s firing of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Overall, the protesters were making their voices heard because they say the Trump Administration is not above the law. Thursday night’s cold weather didn’t stop more than a dozen men and…

Subaru Recalls Nearly 400K Vehicles to fix Stalling Problems

DETROIT – Subaru is recalling nearly 400,000 vehicles in the U.S. to fix two problems that can cause them to stall. The first recall covers about 229,000 Outback and Legacy vehicles from the 2018 model year. Government documents say a software problem can stop the low-fuel warning light from illuminating and make the miles-to-empty display inaccurate. The problem can cause…

Ginsburg, 85, Hospitalized After Fracturing Three Ribs in Fall

The Fall Occurred Wednesday Evening

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs in a fall in her office at the court and is in the hospital. The court says the justice went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. The court says the fall occurred Wednesday evening. Ginsburg was admitted to the…

Thirteen Dead Including Gunman in Shooting at California bar

The Shooting Happened on College Night at a Country Music bar

(RMG News via AP)THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Using a smoke bomb and a handgun, a hooded gunman dressed all in black opened fire during “college night” at a country music bar in Southern California, killing 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing in terror, authorities said Thursday. The gunman was later found dead. Authorities said the motive for the attack Wednesday…

Radinovich: Many More Precincts to Go

DFL Candidate Not Conceding

BAXTER, Minn.- Despite falling behind in votes, DFL Candidate for Minnesota’s 8th District, Joe Radinovich, announces in a speech that he is not conceding the race. As of 11:30pm, Radinovich’s 83,111 votes trail behind Stauber’s 106,026. The DFL Candidate said in his speech that there still many more precincts to go, and that he will continue fighting for working families….

Wisconsinites Head To The Polls To Deliver Their Verdict On The Midterms

Election Day In Wisconsin Brings Quick Lines With Numerous Volunteers Helping

SUPERIOR, Wisc. — The race is on to the polls! The main concern for Wisconsin polling places are to keep the lines short to increase voter turnout. Superior election officials are dividing the tasks of election registrations at breakneck speed as numerous volunteers are helping out. The Chief Inspector in Douglas County Pamela Brokaw said, “It’s been very busy, there’s been…

Minnesotans Waste No Time And Hit The Polls Early

The Secretary of State says more than 600,000 ballots have already been cast in Minnesota through the absentee process, putting Minnesota on pace to have the highest voter participation rate in the country.

DULUTH, Minn. — It’s finally election day and Minnesotans wasted no time in hitting the polls early! The Secretary of State says more than 600,000 ballots have already been cast in Minnesota through the absentee process, putting Minnesota on pace to have the highest voter participation rate in the country. But that didn’t stop many Northlanders’ from voting the old…

USOC Moves to Shut Down USA Gymnastics After Nassar Scandal

The Organization has Made Repeated Mistakes

(AP) – The U.S. Olympic Committee is moving to revoke USA Gymnastics’ status as the governing body for the sport at the Olympic level, meting out the nuclear option to an organization that has botched its own reorganization in the wake of a sex-abuse scandal involving former team doctor Larry Nassar. In an open letter to the gymnastics community Monday,…

Trump Says State Spokeswoman Might be Next UN Ambassador

Trump may Make a Decision Next Week

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump says State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert is “under very serious consideration” to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Trump says he will “probably” make a decision on the nomination next week. Nauert was a reporter for Fox News Channel before she became State Department spokeswoman under former secretary Rex Tillerson. She would…

Synagogue suspect pleads not guilty as more funerals planned

Bowers was Issued a 44 Count Indictment

PITTSBURGH (AP) — With two more funerals set for Thursday, the anti-Semitic truck driver accused of gunning down 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue pleaded not guilty to federal charges that could put him on death row. Robert Bowers, 46, was arraigned one day after a grand jury issued a 44-count indictment that charges him with murder, hate crimes, obstructing…

US Home Price Gains Weaken for Fifth Straight Month

There is a Broad Weakening in the Housing Market

WASHINGTON – U.S. home price gains slowed for the fifth straight month in August as higher mortgage rates have lowered home sales. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city home price index increased 5.5 percent in August compared with a year earlier, down from a 5.9 percent gain in the previous month. The deceleration reflects a broader weakening in the nation’s housing…

FBI Says Package was Intended for CNN in Atlanta

All Maill to CNN has Been Screened Offsite Since Last Week

MIAMI (AP) – The FBI has confirmed that a suspicious package recovered at a post office in Atlanta was addressed to CNN and was “similar in appearance to others.” The statement sent via the agency’s Twitter account confirms the announcement earlier in the day by CNN President Jeff Zucker, who said a suspicious parcel being sent to the network had…

Male Student Shot at NC high School by Fellow Student has Died

A Student Shot a Fellow Student Monday Morning

MATTHEWS, N.C. – North Carolina police say a male student shot by another student at a high school has died. Capt. Stason Tyrrell of the Matthews Police Department announced the news late Monday morning. Officials said earlier in the day that the Butler High School student had been brought to a hospital in critical condition. Tyrrell didn’t release the victim’s…