The Associated Press, Author at Fox21Online

Minnesota DNR: Line 3 Work Harmed Groundwater More Than We Knew

The state Department of Natural Resources says Enbridge Energy crews ruptured three groundwater aquifers while building the 340-mile pipeline across northern Minnesota last year.

March 22, 2022

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Jim Mone, File) ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9/AP) – The damage to public groundwater resources in Minnesota from missteps during construction of the Line 3 oil pipeline is more severe than previously known, state environmental regulators said. Enbridge Energy crews ruptured three groundwater aquifers while building the 340-mile (550-kilometer) pipeline across northern Minnesota last year and the company faces…

U of M Asks Lawmakers for $30M for Scholarships

Each student would get $4,000 to $5,000 in their first year and $1,000 to $2,000 in each of their next three years.

March 21, 2022

The Associated Press,

DULUTH, Minn.- University of Minnesota officials are asking legislators to approve $30 million for scholarships for students who attend regional campuses. The Star Tribune reports the proposed Greater Minnesota Scholarship Program would go give money to Minnesota residents who enroll as freshmen at the university’s Duluth, Rochester, Crookston, and Morris campuses. Each student would get $4,000 to $5,000 in their…

Two Killed in Single-Vehicle Crash in Anoka County

March 21, 2022

The Associated Press,

EAST BETHEL, Minn. (AP) – Sheriff’s officials say two people have been killed in a single-vehicle crash in Anoka County. Authorities say a man and woman died when their vehicle crashed into a tree Sunday about 8:30 p.m. in East Bethel. First responders arrived to find the vehicle on fire. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene. They have…

‘No City Anymore’: Mariupol Survivors Take Train To Safety

March 20, 2022

The Associated Press,

LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — The heat on the train was as thick as the anxiety. Ukrainian survivors of one of the most brutal sieges in modern history were in the final minutes of their ride to relative safety. Some carried only what they had at hand when they seized the chance to escape the port of Mariupol amid relentless Russian bombardment. Some…

Man Shot Fending Off Catalytic Converter Thieves

March 20, 2022

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A man was shot Sunday trying to fend off a band of catalytic converter thieves in St. Paul, according to police. WCCO-TV reported the incident occurred about 2:40 a.m. when a man in his 20s confronted multiple people who were allegedly trying to steal a catalytic converter. The man was shot in the arm and in…

Video Shows Cop Kneeling on Wisconsin Student’s Neck While Breaking Up Fight

The girl’s father has called for criminal charges against the officer for using a type of restraint that was banned for Wisconsin law enforcement officers last year.

March 19, 2022

The Associated Press,

KENOSHA, Wis. – School officials in Kenosha, Wisconsin, released surveillance footage that shows an off-duty police officer putting his knee on a 12-year-old girl’s neck to restrain her amid a lunchtime fight. The Kenosha Unified School District released redacted footage of the March 4 fight on Friday. It shows Kenosha officer Shawn Guetschow intervening in the fight and then scuffling…

Canada To Drop COVID Tests For Vaccinated Visitors: Official

March 17, 2022

The Associated Press,

TORONTO (AP) — Canada will no longer require a pre-arrival COVID-19 test for vaccinated travelers as of April 1.A senior government official confirmed the change Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly ahead of the announcement this week.Last month, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced that travelers coming to Canada would be able to present a…

Minneapolis Revises Policy on Warrants After Locke Killing

March 15, 2022

The Associated Press,

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says the city is changing policy for search warrants following the police shooting of a Black man in a downtown apartment so that officers must knock and wait a certain length of time before entering a residence. Police would have to wait 20 seconds before entering a residence while serving a daytime warrant,…

Minnesota-Native Musher Brent Sass Wins his 1st Iditarod Race Across Alaska

March 15, 2022

The Associated Press,

Photo: Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News via AP ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Musher Brent Sass won the arduous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across Alaska on Tuesday as his team of 11 dogs dashed off the Bering Sea ice through a crowd of fans in downtown Nome. Sass mushed down Front Street and across the finish line just before 6 a.m….

Minnesota Senate Unanimously Approves Light Rail Audit

March 14, 2022

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The Minnesota Senate has voted unanimously to approve an audit of a more than $2 billion light rail project that’s been marred by delays and cost overruns. The bill allocates $200,000 to the Legislative Auditor’s office to conduct a special review of the Southwest Light Rail Transit project. The project is shaping up as one…

Carnahan Enters Race for Husband Hagedorn’s Seat in Congress

March 14, 2022

The Associated Press,

(courtesy: Fox News) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Former Minnesota Republican Party chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan is jumping into the race to replace her husband Jim Hagedorn in Congress. Carnahan said Monday she is running in the special election to finish Hagedorn’s term representing southern Minnesota’s 1st District after he died of cancer last month. “Though my heart is still heavy…

Tom Brady Is Returning To Tampa To Play 23rd Season In NFL

March 13, 2022

The Associated Press,

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tom Brady’s retirement lasted 40 days. Brady said Sunday he’s returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 23rd NFL season. The seven-time Super Bowl champion announced his decision on Twitter and Instagram, saying he has “unfinished business.” The news stole the spotlight from the NCAA’s Selection Sunday. “These past two months I’ve realized my place…

Snapshots Of 4 Men Charged In Whitmer Kidnapping Plot

March 13, 2022

The Associated Press,

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — After more than two days of testimony, jurors have unflattering snapshots of four men who are charged with planning to strike back against government by kidnapping Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer from her weekend home. Prosecutors introduced videos, messages and secretly recorded conversations full of antigovernment screeds, mostly expressed by Barry Croft Jr. and Adam Fox, who are described…

Liberal US Cities Change Course, Now Clearing Homeless Camps

March 13, 2022

The Associated Press,

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Makeshift shelters abut busy roadways, tent cities line sidewalks, tarps cover broken-down cars, and sleeping bags are tucked in storefront doorways. The reality of the homelessness crisis in Oregon’s largest city can’t be denied. “I would be an idiot to sit here and tell you that things are better today than they were five years ago…

Coast Guard Cutter Spar Headed to New Home in Duluth

The Coast Guard Cutter Alder left Duluth for Baltimore in mid-June 2021 and is expected to move to its new homeport in San Francisco this summer.

March 13, 2022

The Associated Press,

Photo: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter SPAR Facebook Page DULUTH, Minn. (AP) – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Spar is traveling from Baltimore to its new homeport in Duluth. The crew’s duties will include maintaining aids to navigation, domestic icebreaking, search and rescue, and law enforcement. The Spar was commissioned in 2001 and originally based in Kodiak, Alaska. The 225-foot buoy…

Missiles Target US Consulate in North Iraq, No Casualties

March 12, 2022

The Associated Press,

BAGHDAD (AP) – Iraqi security officials say as many as 12 missiles were fired Sunday toward the U.S. consulate in Iraq’s northern city of Irbil. A U.S. defense official says missiles were launched at the city from neighboring Iran. Officials in Iraq and the U.S. are giving different accounts of damage. A U.S. official says there is no damage and…

Evers Authorizes Pay Raises for Wisconsin Prison Workers

March 12, 2022

The Associated Press,

(Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Gov. Tony Evers’ administration is giving prison workers a temporary pay raise. The governor announced Friday that prison guards, psychiatrists and supervisors will be getting a $3-an-hour raise beginning Sunday. The governor said the corrections system faces high vacancy rates and the pay increase will help retain and attract workers….

Judge Sets October Trial for Man in Wisconsin Parade Deaths

March 11, 2022

The Associated Press,

(Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department via AP) WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — A judge set an October trial date Friday for a man accused of killing six people and injuring dozens of others by driving his SUV into a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee last year. Darrell Brooks Jr. has pleaded not guilty to more than 70 charges, including six homicide counts…

US Slashes Russia Trade Status, Bans Alcohol and Seafood

March 11, 2022

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden announced Friday that along with the European Union and the Group of Seven countries, the U.S. will revoke “most favored nation” trade status for Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. He said the U.S. will also ban imports of Russian seafood, alcohol, and diamonds. The action on the most favored nation status will allow…

Jussie Smollett Sentenced To 150 Days In Jail In Fake Attack

March 10, 2022

The Associated Press,

CHICAGO (AP) — Jussie Smollett maintained his innocence during his sentencing hearing Thursday after a judge sentenced the former “Empire” actor to 150 days in jail for lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack that he orchestrated himself. Cook County Judge James Linn sentenced Smollett to 30 months of felony probation, including 150 days in the county jail….

State Public Defenders Poised To Strike Over Pay, Staffing

March 10, 2022

The Associated Press,

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – More than 700 workers involved in defending people who in most cases can’t afford to hire a private attorney have authorized what would be an unprecedented strike in Minnesota. The public defenders and staff, represented by Teamsters Local 320, rejected the latest contract offer from the Minnesota Board of Public Defense. The union and board now have…

Judge Denies Motion To Dismiss Jussie Smollett Conviction

March 10, 2022

The Associated Press,

CHICAGO (AP) – A judge has denied a motion to dismiss the conviction of actor Jussie Smollett for lying to Chicago police about a racist and homophobic attack he staged himself. Cook County Judge James Linn on Thursday upheld the jury’s verdict from December that found Smollett, who is Black and gay, guilty of five felony counts of disorderly conduct….

Russian Attack on Hospital Stirs Outrage as Talks Stall

March 10, 2022

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) MARIUPOL, Ukraine (AP) – A Russian airstrike on a Mariupol maternity hospital that killed three people is stirring outrage, with Ukrainian and Western officials branding it a war crime. As talks to reach a broad cease-fire failed Thursday, emergency workers renewed efforts to get vital food and medical supplies into besieged cities and get traumatized residents out….

3M Joins Others in Suspending Russian Business Operations

March 10, 2022

The Associated Press,

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (AP) – 3M is joining the growing list of multinational companies that have suspended business operations in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The Maplewood-based company has a corporate office in Moscow and two production plants in the country. 3M’s announcement comes as companies across a variety of industries have suspended some or all of their Russian operations…

Man Who Received 1st Pig Heart Transplant Dies After 2 Months

March 10, 2022

The Associated Press,

(University of Maryland School of Medicine via AP) (AP) – The first person to receive a heart transplant from a pig has died, two months after the groundbreaking experiment, the Maryland hospital that performed the surgery announced Wednesday. David Bennett, 57, died Tuesday at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Doctors didn’t give an exact cause of death, saying only…

Viking Mississippi Cruise Ship Touches Water for First Time

March 9, 2022

The Associated Press,

HOUMA, La. (AP) – A Swiss company’s cruises along the length of the Mississippi River are a step closer to reality – its new 386-passenger ship has touched water for the first time. Viking River Cruises of Basel celebrated the “float out” of the Viking Mississippi on Monday at Edison Chouest Offshore’s LaShip shipyard in Houma, Louisiana. Two U.S. companies…

Lawyer: Man Charged in Whitmer Plot Swayed by FBI Informant

March 9, 2022

The Associated Press,

(Michigan Office of the Governor via AP File) GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) – A lawyer for one of the men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 has told jurors he was a near-homeless, pot-smoking “misfit” who was influenced by an FBI informant whom he met at a protest. Defense attorney Christopher Gibbons on Wednesday refuted…

‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Passes in Florida, Goes to Governor

March 8, 2022

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida lawmakers have passed a bill to forbid instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The proposal, which opponents have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, now moves to the desk of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it into law. Since its inception, the…

Rodgers Reportedly Agrees To Stay With Packers Next Season

March 8, 2022

The Associated Press,

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – Aaron Rodgers is planning to come back to the Green Bay Packers for an 18th season, a move that keeps the reigning MVP quarterback off the trade market and answers the question that had dominated the NFL offseason discussions. NFL Network reported that the 38-year-old Rodgers had agreed to a four-year, $200 million contract that…

AP Source: Biden to Ban Russian Oil Imports Over Ukraine War

March 8, 2022

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to U.S. and Western officials to cut off the imports. Energy exports have kept a steady influx…

Minneapolis Teachers Strike After Failing To Reach Contract

March 8, 2022

The Associated Press,

(Hannah Hobus/Pioneer Press via AP) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Teachers in the Minneapolis School District have gone on strike after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract. Tuesday’s move idles some 29,000 students in one of Minnesota’s largest school districts. Meanwhile, the teachers in neighboring St. Paul reached a deal late Monday to avert their own strike….

Last-Ditch Talks Seek To Avert Teacher Strikes in Minnesota

March 7, 2022

The Associated Press,

(courtesy: Fox 9) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Last-ditch talks are underway in the Minneapolis and St. Paul public school districts. Teachers could strike as soon as Tuesday morning over wages, class sizes, and mental health services for a collective 63,000 students. State mediators were trying Monday to facilitate the negotiations in both districts. The teachers’ union in Minneapolis has…

Hundreds Rally at State Capitol in Support of Ukraine

March 7, 2022

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Hundreds of Minnesotans rallied at the state Capitol to show support for Ukraine where more than 1.7 million people have been forced from their country because of Russia’s invasion nearly two weeks ago. Luda Anastazievsky, chairman of the Minnesota Ukrainian American Advocacy Committee, called on the state Legislature Sunday to divest of any funds benefiting…

Putin says Ukraine’s Future in Doubt as Cease-Fires Collapse

March 5, 2022

The Associated Press,

(Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) LVIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Ukrainian statehood is in jeopardy and pinned the blame on that country’s leaders. Putin also said Saturday that Western sanctions are akin to “declaring war,” but added, “But thank God, we haven’t got there yet.” The Russian leader’s tough talk came as…

Man Accused of Video Taping Hundreds of Victims in Athletic Clubs’ Locker Rooms

March 4, 2022

The Associated Press,

MILWAUKEE (AP) – A Milwaukee man is accused of secretly videotaping hundreds of people inside locker rooms at Wisconsin Athletic Club locations. An arrest warrant has been issued for 33-year-old Peng Dong who is charged in Milwaukee County with 15 felonies which involve clubs in Wauwatosa and Glendale. He also faces a felony charge in Waukesha County involving the Wisconsin…

US Added 678,000 Jobs in February in Sign of Economic Health

March 4, 2022

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. employers added a robust 678,000 jobs in February, another gain that underscored the economy’s solid health as the omicron wave fades and more Americans venture out to spend at restaurants, shops, and hotels despite surging inflation. The unemployment rate dropped from 4% to a pandemic low of 3.8%, extending a sharp decline in joblessness as the…

Shipwreck Discovered in Lake Superior, 131 Years Later

March 3, 2022

The Associated Press,

DEER PARK, Mich. (AP) – A ship that sank in 1891 has been discovered in Lake Superior off Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society says the Atlanta is well-preserved in the coldest of the Great Lakes. The shipwrecked group posted photos and video with the name of the ship clearly visible at a depth of more than…

Fewer Americans Apply for Jobless Benefits Last Week

March 3, 2022

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week reflecting a low level of layoffs across the economy. Jobless claims fell by 18,000 to 215,000 for the week ending February 26, from 233,000 the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, fell by 6,000 to 230,500. In total,…

Fitbit Recalls 1 Million Ionic Watches After Burn Injuries

March 2, 2022

The Associated Press,

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Google-owned Fitbit has recalled 1 million of its Ionic smartwatches after dozens of users reported burn injuries after the battery overheated. The fitness gadget maker says anyone who bought the $299 watch with the model number FB503 should immediately stop using the product and contact Fitbit for packaging to return it. Customers will receive a…

State of the Union: Biden Vows to Halt Russia, Hit Inflation

March 2, 2022

The Associated Press,

(Saul Loeb, Pool via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) – Addressing a concerned nation and anxious world, President Joe Biden has vowed in his first State of the Union address to check Russian aggression in Ukraine, tame soaring U.S. inflation, and deal with the fading but still dangerous coronavirus. Biden declared Tuesday night that he and all members of Congress, whatever political…

Justices Weigh if Trafficking Defense Applies to Homicide

March 1, 2022

The Associated Press,

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Supreme Court is grappling with whether to allow a woman accused of killing a man to argue at trial that the homicide was justified because she was a sex trafficking victim. The case could help define how far immunity extends for trafficking victims across the country. Prosecutors allege Chrystul Kizer shot Randall Volar in…

Thousands Evacuate in Worst Australian Floods in a Decade

March 1, 2022

The Associated Press,

(Queensland Fire and Emergency Services via AP) BRISBANE, Australia (AP) – Tens of thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate their homes and hundreds of thousands more have been told to prepare to flee as parts of Australia’s southeast coast are inundated by the worst flooding in more than a decade. The flooding has claimed at least 10 lives….

Russia Kills 5 in Attack on Kyiv TV Tower

March 1, 2022

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (AP) – Ukrainian officials say Russian forces have fired at the Kyiv TV tower and Ukraine’s main Holocaust memorial, among other civilian sites. Ukraine’s State Service for Emergency Situations said the strikes on the TV tower Tuesday killed five people and left five more wounded. The head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said on Facebook that…

Flowering Medical Marijuana Now Available in Minnesota

March 1, 2022

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesotans who use medical marijuana now have a new way of consuming cannabis. Starting Tuesday, everyone who is registered for medical marijuana can apply to get it in its purest form, dried flower. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, more than 30,000 people in the state are in the medical marijuana program. So far,…

Scientists Take Rare Look Under Great Lakes’ Frozen Surfaces

March 1, 2022

The Associated Press,

STANDISH, Mich. (AP) – Scientists have fanned out across the Great Lakes’ frozen surfaces to learn what happens underwater during winter. U.S. and Canadian teams have visited all five lakes in recent weeks. They’ve drilled into the ice to take samples and gather data. Researchers have long done such fieldwork at other times of the year, assuming not much is…

President Biden to Speak at UWS on Wednesday

February 28, 2022

Site Staff, The Associated Press,

SUPERIOR, Wis. – On Wednesday, the President and the First Lady will travel to Superior to discuss how the $1 trillion infrastructure law will improve the State’s roads and bridges, among other things, and create jobs. This planned stop comes the day after delivering his State of the Union speech in Washington. The UW-Superior website says the President will speak…

Minnesota Already-Huge Budget Surplus Grows to $9.25 Billion

February 28, 2022

The Associated Press,

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota’s already-huge budget surplus has become even more enormous, growing to a projected $9.25 billion, the Walz administration announced Monday. The updated forecast was $1.5 billion more than the whopping $7.7 billion surplus that Minnesota Management and Budget projected in December for the current two-year budget period. The budget agency cited higher incomes, consumer spending,…

Ukraine Seeks To Join EU as Round of Talks With Russia Ends

February 28, 2022

The Associated Press,

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – A top adviser to Ukraine’s president says the first round of talks with Russia about ending the fighting in Ukraine has concluded, and more talks could happen soon. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s president has signed an application for his country to join the European Union, in a bid to solidify its bond with the West. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has…

Target Seeks To Entice Workers With Pay of up to $24 an Hour

February 28, 2022

The Associated Press,

NEW YORK (AP) – Workers at Target stores and distribution centers in places like New York, where competition for finding and hiring staff is the fiercest, could see starting wages as high as $24 an hour this year. The Minneapolis-based discount retailer said Monday that it will adopt minimum wages that range from $15 to $24 an hour, with the…

Minnesota House Democrats Propose Summertime Gas Tax Holiday

February 26, 2022

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Several Democrats in the Minnesota House have proposed a gasoline tax holiday from Memorial Day until Labor Day to help lessen the burden of rising gas prices on motorists. Rep. Stephenson, of Coon Rapids, said the proposal is an effort to combat rising inflation. GOP Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, of Winona, said the…

Author: The Associated Press

The state Department of Natural Resources says Enbridge Energy crews ruptured three groundwater aquifers while building the 340-mile pipeline across northern Minnesota last year.

Each student would get $4,000 to $5,000 in their first year and $1,000 to $2,000 in each of their next three years.

The girl’s father has called for criminal charges against the officer for using a type of restraint that was banned for Wisconsin law enforcement officers last year.

The Coast Guard Cutter Alder left Duluth for Baltimore in mid-June 2021 and is expected to move to its new homeport in San Francisco this summer.

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