Minnesota Today

The Minnesota Court of Appeals won't reinstate a law to ban certain gun trigger mechanisms. And gas prices were down slightly today after hitting a four-year Memorial Day high yesterday. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A statewide summer traffic enforcement campaign is now underway with officers, deputies and troopers across Minnesota placing extra attention on speeding drivers. The campaign is also targeting distracted and impaired driving, as well as seat belt use. Minnesota is commissioning a study on nuclear energy after state lawmakers recently approved funding. Minnesota lawmakers approved $3 million to help colleges fight student enrollment fraud. College administrators call the fake enrollments “ghost students.” The head of the Native American Community Clinic says a new affordable housing and health center project currently under construction in south Minneapolis is designed as an indigenous space. Players of the unique Hmong sport tuj lub hope more people give the time-honored sport a spin.

An attorney for an ICE agent charged in a February road rage incident during “Operation Metro Surge” says there's more to the story than what's shown in a widely circulated video. Prosecutors allege Gregory Morgan pointed a handgun at another vehicle on Highway 62 after a traffic dispute. He faces two felony counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. He's set to make a first appearance in court Friday. The founder of a nonprofit that’s become synonymous with fraud in Minnesota was sentenced Thursday to nearly 42 years in prison. Aimee Bock, who founded and led Feeding Our Future, was also ordered to pay $243 million dollars in restitution. Federal law enforcement officials say they will continue to investigate allegations of fraud in the state of Minnesota and in other states. During a press conference Thursday, officials announced charges against 15 people who allegedly stole $90 million in taxpayer dollars. A federal judge has set a July 1 hearing on a possible injunction to stop Minnesota's ban on prediction markets. The new law bans the organization or advertising of prediction markets like Kalshi or Polymarket in Minnesota. For the first time in two years, visitors to a state park in northern Minnesota can once again travel nearly a half-mile underground into a historic mine. Crews have been working nonstop since then to get it reopened. The CBS News radio division is calling it quits Friday. WCCO in Minneapolis switched to being an ABC News affiliate on Thursday. Go deeper with the latest edition of the Minnesota Today newsletter. Feds say 15 charged with bilking Medicaid programs in Minnesota Aimee Bock sentenced to 500 months in Feeding Our Future fraud case Following 2-year hiatus, Soudan underground mine tours to resume on the Iron Range Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock has been sentenced to 500 months in prison -- that’s nearly 42 years -- for orchestrating what investigators say was the nation’s largest COVID-era fraud scheme. Bock was also ordered to pay $243 million in restitution. And federal authorities announced today they’ve filed criminal charges against 15 Minnesotans accused of stealing millions from federal programs. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The Flanders wildfire in Crow Wing County is now 95 percent contained. Authorities say they believe it was sparked by a campfire. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said it has identified people of interest in connection with the case. Good financial news for Target today -- the Minneapolis-based retailer saw better-than-expected sales in the first quarter. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says it has located the origin of the Flanders Fire near the north shore of Flanders Lake. The fire started early Saturday afternoon and grew to more than 1,600 acres. Crow Wing County Sheriff Eric Klang says individuals appear to have started a campfire near Flanders Lake on Saturday or the night before. Minnesota is being sued by a federal agency over a new state law banning prediction markets. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

State lawmakers are giving counties and tribal communities $90 million to upgrade the old and inefficient technology they use to administer SNAP and Medicaid benefits. Immigration advocates in Minnesota say fear, policy changes and longer processing delays are discouraging some eligible immigrants from applying for U.S. citizenship. Organizations that help immigrants apply for citizenship say applications have dropped over the past year. Red Lake Nation tribal band members will cast votes Wednesday in an election for leadership positions, including tribal chairman. Tribal secretary and district representative positions are also up for a vote this year. The tribal nation holds elections every four years. Results are expected to be announced Thursday.

Minnesota prosecutors on Monday charged an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent with assault in connection with the January shooting of a Venezuelan man. The Minneapolis City Council will revisit a proposal this week for a new emergency responder training center. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity have helped fire crews working to contain two wildfires burning in northern Minnesota. Authorities say the Flanders Fire in Crow Wing County was 60 percent contained as of Monday evening. Crews were also fighting the Stewart Trail Fire along the North Shore near Two Harbors. That fire has now been contained. Hundreds of millions of dollars will go to HCMC, the state’s busiest Level 1 trauma center and teaching hospital, after this year’s legislative session.

Minnesota prosecutors have charged an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in the January shooting of a Venezuelan man in north Minneapolis. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says ICE agent Christian Castro fired through the front door of a duplex, striking Julio Sosa-Celis in the leg. Authorities say a downed power line sparked the wildfire that's burning on the North Shore of Lake Superior and has destroyed more than 30 buildings. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

An oil analyst says refining issues in the nearby Great Lakes region has contributed to a gas price spike in Minnesota. The platform GasBuddy says the average price in the state as of today is about $4.45 a gallon, up nearly 30 cents from earlier this week. Minnesota Democratic lawmakers held a sit-in overnight at the Capitol.... demanding that Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth let a gun violence prevention bill face a House vote.

Legislators now have a financial framework from which to hammer out bills. An end-of-session deadline arrives this weekend given that lawmakers can’t pass bills after Sunday. Leaders agreed to help HCMC and hospitals around the state, give property owners tax relief and put more money into infrastructure projects. The deal also increases funding for security concerns as well as anti-fraud measures. There are still many details about the signed agreement that are not yet known, and a small window left for lawmakers to get bills ready for votes.

Gas prices jumped sharply at many Minnesota stations yesterday -- and that’s reflected in a spike in the statewide average price today. And advocates delivered a foot-high stack of petitions to Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth today demanding she let a gun control bill face a vote. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

Legislators now have a financial framework from which to hammer out bills. An end-of-session deadline arrives this weekend given that lawmakers can’t pass bills after Sunday. Leaders agreed to help HCMC and hospitals around the state, give property owners tax relief and put more money into infrastructure projects. The deal also increases funding for security concerns as well as anti-fraud measures. There are still many details about the signed agreement that are not yet known, and a small window left for lawmakers to get bills ready for votes.

Travel bans, visa restrictions and fears of being arrested or detained are presenting challenges for students from other countries wanting to come to the U.S. to study here. And lawmakers have come together on a deal to dedicate $165 million to housing programs. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

How social media looks on the devices of young Minnesotans could be in for a major change. The Minnesota House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to require social media age verification and less addictive interfaces for kids. The Wisconsin Department of Justice has finished its investigation of a Superior police officer shooting and killing a 42-year old man in April. It's one of two police shootings in Superior in the past two months. A ban on prediction markets passed both the Minnesota Senate and House Tuesday, and now heads to the governor's desk.

The director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research said Sunday the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship does not pose a serious public threat. The Fargo City Commission will likely approve a new police chief Monday night. Interim Chief Travis Stefonowicz is the sole finalist in the search for Fargo’s Chief of Police. Stefonowicz would be replacing Dave Zibolski, who retired last month and drew criticism over the department’s use of artificial intelligence to identify and arrest a women for a crime even though she said she'd never been to Fargo. Minnesota is one of several states debating a proposal to allow for "plug-in solar" or "balcony solar." The bill allows people to quickly connect small scale solar systems to their homes or apartments.

U.S. Senator and past presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar says she wouldn't have run for Minnesota governor if she was contemplating another presidential run. And a preliminary report from federal investigators says a pilot radioed “abort” and started turning shortly after takeoff from Crystal Airport last month... before the plane crashed, killing both people aboard. Those stories and more in today’s evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.