Former DOC official pushes back on criticism, says allegations politically motivated

In the Pioneer Press, Dave Orrick reports, “An embattled former senior official at the Minnesota Department of Corrections fired back at her critics Tuesday, releasing a lengthy statement in which she defended herself but didn’t refute certain accusations against her. Sarah Walker resigned earlier this month as deputy commissioner of corrections while she was under internal investigation for two things: Improperly lobbying for her husband’s charity and releasing confidential information surrounding a sexual assault survivor ….”

At MPR, this from Tim Nelson: “Authorities say the shooting deaths of five people in a small Wisconsin town may have been tied to a kidnapping attempt with elements similar to last year’s abduction of western Wisconsin teenager Jayme Closs. Ritchie German Jr. allegedly killed his mother, brother and nephew on Saturday, then went to a home nine miles away, shot his way in to another family’s home, and shot 24-year-old Lailie Vang and her parents, fatally wounding her before he turned the gun on himself, Lake Hallie, Wis., police chief Cal Smokowicz and Chippewa County Sheriff James L. Kowalczyk said in an update on the case Tuesday afternoon.”

In the Star Tribune, Zoe Jackson tells us, “A man driving erratically in Chaska fled from police Tuesday, triggering a six-vehicle pileup that killed him and injured several others. The Carver County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint about a driver weaving across center and fog lines on Hwy. 212 at County Road 51. … The driver exited Hwy. 212 at Hwy. 41 and collided with the other vehicles, which were heavily damaged. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.”

Also in the Star Tribune, Jessie Van Berkel says, “Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is pushing to make lawmakers subject to the same open-records laws that cover the rest of state government, an idea the top Republican in the Legislature opposes. Walz raised the possibility of new legislation in a letter Monday to Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, while also highlighting concerns about a new Senate Republican Caucus web page soliciting ‘whistleblower’ complaints from state employees.”

WCCO-TV reports: “Airport police arrested a 37-year-old Delta pilot from Rosemount on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol Tuesday morning, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport said. Flight 1728 was set to fly from Minneapolis to San Diego around 11 a.m. Tuesday when police detained the pilot, who was on the plane. … The plane never left the gate and passengers were asked to leave the plane.”

The PiPress’ Dane Mizutani writes: “Wild owner Craig Leipold knew he made a mistake. He’d known for a while, like for months. The decision to hire Paul Fenton as general manager had been eating at him since April, when the Wild missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Finally, nearly four months later, he took the first step in correcting his error, abruptly firing Fenton after just 14 months in St. Paul.”

MPR reports: “Several hundred people partially blocked parking lot entrances near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling Tuesday. They were protesting Trump administration policies on immigration. No injuries were reported, even though vehicles and protesters were close together at times.”

A WCCO-TV story says, “With Minnesota’s new hands-free law comes a bump in sales for Best Buy’s tech accessories, according to a spokesperson. There are dozens of choices for drivers who want to stay connected safely and legally, ranging from Bluetooth headsets to car mounts to in-car systems. Bluetooth headsets sit over the ear and work best for people who don’t have or don’t like the Bluetooth connection to their cars.”

Also at MPR, Paul Huttner says, “Former Vice President of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Al Gore is coming to the Twin Cities this weekend. Regardless of your politics, the former Vice President is arguably the most important historical figure in bringing climate change awareness to the U.S. and world. … The three-day event features dozens of speakers on wide ranging aspects of climate change and climate solutions. The Climate Reality event speaker roster includes New York Times author and Foreign Affairs Columnist and Minnesota native Thomas Friedman, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter.”