Case continued after attorney doesn’t appear
By Anna Jauhola The case regarding a killing in Hallock was once again continued last week due to miscommunication and lack of information. In March 2025, Jordan Hanson was arrested for the shooting death of Justin Esparza at a Hallock residence. She has been incarcerated at Pennington County Jail in Thief River Falls ever since.…
Read MoreCitizen voices concern about rented watershed land, bid process
By Anna Jauhola Kris Folland, of Karlstad, addressed the Kittson County Commissioners during public comment on Tuesday, March 17. He brought up a concern regarding the Two Rivers Watershed District’s approval of a recreational land lease. Folland had previously served on the watershed district’s board, and noted that because the commissioners appoint those board members,…
Read MoreKennedy water bids in, awaiting USDA approval
By Anna Jauhola There is a positive outlook for the water project at Kennedy. On Wednesday, March 18, Bollig Engineering – the city’s engineer – opened three bids at their office in Fargo. City Clerk/Treasurer Melissa Woinarowicz said the apparent low bid came in at $34,000 under the engineer’s estimate of $1,580,000. There are hurdles…
Read MoreMinnesota won’t adopt safety net for people losing SNAP under ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
By Winter Keefer House Public Information Service Tamera Walter is afraid she and her children will lose food access when changes to SNAP benefits included in the federal “Big Beautiful Bill” go into effect later this year. A single mother of two, Walter has Type 2 diabetes and her children have Type 1 diabetes and…
Read MoreCryptocurrency kiosk ban heads to House Floor as part of commerce package
By Lisa Kaczke House Public Information Service A prohibition on virtual currency kiosks in Minnesota is on its way to the House Floor. It’s included in HF4188 that, as amended, is the omnibus commerce policy bill approved by the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee Wednesday. The ban calls for all virtual currency kiosks to be removed from…
Read MorePublic safety policy package bill sent to House Floor
By Tim Walker House Public Information Service A public safety policy package bill is headed to the House Floor. The final policy package bill, HF3990, contains the language of public safety bills that were previously heard by the committee and laid over for consideration to be included in the policy package bill. A dozen of those bills making…
Read MoreCommerce committee defeats omnibus cannabis policy bill – for now
By Lisa Kaczke House Public Information Service A disagreement over whether an agreement had been reached on a provision in a 12-bill package led to the defeat of the omnibus cannabis policy bill Wednesday. Different bills within the package are moving through committees this week as negotiations between Rep. Jessica Hanson (DFL-Burnsville) and Rep. Nolan West (R-Blaine) continue, with…
Read MoreTeachers may be required to complete dyslexia training for licensure
By Graham Johnson House Public Information Service School was incredibly difficult for Kimberly Zitek. “My dyslexia was never identified, and like many dyslexic students, I learned ways to hide my struggles and fell through the cracks of the school system,” she told the House Education Policy Committee Wednesday. But when her daughter showed signs of…
Read MoreVoters could receive statewide general election official voting guides by 2027
By Graham Johnson House Public Information Service Thirty-two states send out some form of voting guide to residents that detail how to vote, where to vote, and who will be on the ballot. The House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee laid over a bill Wednesday that would make Minnesota the 33rd. Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL-Golden…
Read MoreMedical Assistance coverage of weight loss drugs can continue for now
By Winter Keefer House Public Information Service What costs more money: Medical Assistance coverage of weight loss drugs or future coverage for comorbidities that stem from obesity? As names like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have gained popularity in recent years, Minnesota’s cost per Medical Assistance patient using these drugs surged, now costing $12,000 per person per…
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