WCCO-TV reports: “A line of dangerous storms blew through Minnesota and Wisconsin Wednesday night, dropping possible tornados and heavy rain. In the peak of the mid-evening, the metro area saw drivers dealing with street flooding in the Uptown neighborhood in Minneapolis. Pedestrians were caught in the storm struggling to hang on to their umbrellas downtown. High winds dropped tree branches like one a viewer reported at a house in Richfield. There was also golf-ball sized hail pelting yards and homes in Apple Valley. Xcel Energy reported more than 75,000 customers were without power.”
Says Jeffrey Meitrodt of the Star Tribune, “Minnesota will become the only state in the nation to require the appointment of an outside attorney to advise judges on whether to approve the sale of structured settlement payments for anyone who appears to suffer from mental or cognitive impairments. The change is coming through legislation approved unanimously Wednesday by the Minnesota Senate. The House passed the same bill last week by a vote of 121-4. The new law is expected to be signed by Gov. Tim Walz and go into effect Aug. 1.”
Mara H. Gottfried writes in the Pioneer Press: “A teen agreed Wednesday to plead guilty in the fatal shooting of Otis R. Elder in St. Paul. Elder’s homicide drew widespread attention when, during the investigation, a police officer shot and killed Amir Locke in Minneapolis. Mekhi Camden Speed, who was a cousin of Locke’s, was 17 when the Ramsey County attorney’s office charged him in February in juvenile court and indicated they would seek to have him stand trial as an adult in Elder’s homicide. During a Wednesday hearing, Speed agreed to be certified to adult court and to plead guilty to aiding and abetting unintentional second-degree murder while committing a felony, according to the county attorney’s office.”
For the Sahan Journal, Joey Peters writes: “A federal jury on Tuesday convicted a campaign volunteer for state Senator Omar Fateh of lying about how he handled three absentee ballots in the August 2020 primary election. Hours later, the senator broke his silence about the case for the first time, confirming that the volunteer is his brother-in-law. Muse Mohamed, 33, was found guilty of two counts of lying to a federal grand jury for testimony he gave in October 2021.”
A Jeremy Olson story in the Star Tribune says, “Children who lash out in homes and protective placements are increasingly being dropped off at the M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, prompting the creation of a makeshift shelter in an ambulance garage. … Normally expecting one or two such cases a month, the Minneapolis pediatric hospital has taken in 145 children since September — with most staying about 15 days and one staying 97 days.”
Theo Keith reports for FOX 9: “The Minnesota House on Wednesday approved what would be the biggest changes in the state’s liquor laws since Sunday alcohol sales became legal five years ago. The measure, which passed 85-48, allows smaller brewers to sell six-packs and lets distillers open taprooms that sell larger bottles. Large brewers could sell 64-ounce growlers. … The Senate’s next step is unclear once the bill comes back over from the House. ”
Also in the Star Tribune: “A fox kit from Anoka County has tested positive for a deadly, highly contagious bird flu that has killed countless wild birds this spring to the concern of wildlife specialists. The positive case is the first confirmed of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, in a wild mammal in Minnesota, according to the Department of Natural Resources.”
This from Tommy Wiita at Bring Me The News, “Bonchon will next week open its new restaurant in Roseville, its sixth location in Minnesota. The South Korean-based fried chicken chain will open its doors at 2191 Snelling Avenue on Monday, May 16, and will provide the first 100 guests free chicken on its grand opening day. The fast-casual concept is best known for its Korean double-fried chicken.”
