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Police say Native Mob busts lead to lull in gang-related crime

: "Law enforcement officials are tracking a drop in gang activity in some tribal communities that they say is the result of a sweeping take-down of Native Mob gang leaders earlier this year."

Voters to decide photo ID question on Nov. 6

: "The Legislature approved the Republican-backed constitutional amendment proposal Wednesday, the Senate 35-29 and the House 72-57. The vote fell along party lines other than Republican Sen. Jeremy Miller of Winona's 'no' vote."

: "The second Magnetation plant on the Iron Range will be producing concentrate in May. Workers in are in the home stretch of prepping the $50 million dollar project."

On stadium cost, Vikings owners may not have much skin in the game

: "Team officials call that part of the deal 'private money.' But that doesn't mean team owner and East Coast developer Zygi Wilf will necessarily foot the bill.Instead, it appears the Vikings will employ a hallmark of real estate deals, and do much of their financial lifting with other people's money."

: "Wednesday's warning siren test in Duluth turned up some problems." 

: "Albert Lea will test civil defense sirens on Thursday after they failed to work on Wednesday."

City Board of Adjustment approves frac sand washing facility

: "A new silica sand washing and processing facility is coming to Winona. The city's Board of Adjustment on Wednesday unanimously approved a permit for Robert Hemker's washing and processing facility on Frontenac Drive in the east-end industrial park."

Landfill neighbors protest plans to dump asbestos at site

: "Living less than a half-mile away from the Vonco/Veit landfill, Bill Ryther and his wife, Bonnie, are concerned about plans to allow friable asbestos to be disposed of at the site."

Diver, Defoe to face off for tribal chair

: "Incumbent Fond du Lac Tribal Chair Karen Diver will face former Tribal Chair Peter Defoe in June's General Election."

: "U.S. Rep. Tim Walz stood behind President Barack Obama's left shoulder Wednesday as Obama signed a bill banning federal employees and lawmakers from engaging in insider trading."

Duluth Obama For America office celebrates grand-opening

: "The office on West Superior Street will serve as the hub for campaign activity in the Duluth area and is the third OFA Minnesota office to open in the state."

Bemidjians take disrupted cruise in stride

: "Our ship, the Azamara Quest, had suffered an engine room fire, leaving us adrift late last week in the South China Sea, less than a third of the way into a 17-day cruise. Nearly all of the 1,000 people aboard, including 10 of us from Bemidji, were safe, although a crew member was seriously injured."

Minnesota's tick season is crawling to early start

: "Start checking for ticks.A mild winter and early spring have led to both earlier-than-normal tick activity and a quick start of tick-borne disease season, according to a report Wednesday, from the Minnesota Department of Health."

Fighting Sioux nickname ballot language OK'd

: "Secretary of State Al Jaeger today released approved ballot language for the referred measure concerning UND's Fighting Sioux nickname. The issue will be one of several measures on the June 12 primary election ballot."

Former area priest returning to US to face molestation charges

: "A former Fargo-area priest is being extradited to the US from the Philippines to face child sex abuse charges."

: "When the legislative lines were redrawn to reflect population changes, Douglas County's political landscape changed."

Isobutanol, lifeline for struggling ethanol plants?

: "The former Agr-Energy plant in Luverne will end production of the corn-based fuel. Instead, it will start making another type of alcohol called isobutanol that can still be sold as fuel, but is largely used to make plastics, solvents and other products."

VIDEO: Dust Devil forms after controlled burn near Gentilly, Minn

: "A fairly large dust devil formed in a burned field about five miles south of Gentilly on Wednesday afternoon. It lasted more than three minutes and broke up after reaching a gravel road."

Minnesota News

Statewide Blog

Michael Olson

Author

Police say Native Mob busts lead to lull in gang-related crime; Voters to decide photo ID question on Nov. 6; Magnetation prepares second plant; On stadium cost, Vikings owners may not have much skin in the game; Test finds problem with warning sirens; City Board of Adjustment approves frac sand washing facility

Warning sirens fail tests; Asbestos dump protest; Dance of the Dust Devil

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