Attorney General Keith Ellison hosted a day-long summit on hate crimes Wednesday at the Wellstone Center in St. Paul where he floated the idea of creating a countering violent extremism, or CVE, program for monitoring online speech.
Read MoreTag: St. Paul
O’Gara’s Owner Doesn’t ‘Know of Any Local Businesses That Could Succeed in This Environment’
Dan O’Gara, the owner of the legendary O’Gara’s Bar & Grill, announced Monday the iconic establishment won’t be reopening and blamed the decision to close down on the city’s business regulations.
Read MoreMinnesota History Center Opens ‘#MeToo in Minnesota’ Exhibit
The Minnesota History Center, an institution funded in part by taxpayer dollars, recently opened an exhibit on “#MeToo in Minnesota.”
Read MoreSt. Paul Mayor Declined Participation in Violence Prevention Program as City’s Homicide Rates Soar
A report published Sunday claims that St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter abandoned an effort to help reduce violence in St. Paul as the capital city experiences the worst homicide rates in at least a decade.
Read MoreRepublican Wants Legislature to Address Metro Transit Safety After Report Shows Increase in Violent Crimes
A Republican lawmaker plans to introduce a package of bills to address Metro Transit light rail safety after a new report showed rising levels of crime and violence at stations across the Twin Cities.
Read MoreRepublican Wants Legislature to Address Metro Transit Safety After Report Shows Increase in Violent Crimes
A Republican lawmaker plans to introduce a package of bills to address Metro Transit light rail safety after a new report showed rising levels of crime and violence at stations across the Twin Cities.
Read MoreSt. Paul City Council Considering Resolution on ‘Psychological Stresses’ of Climate Change
The St. Paul City Council will soon consider a resolution to acknowledge that the “climate crisis” has caused increased “economic hardship and psychological stresses.”
Read MoreNew Report Describes Culture of ‘Troubling Dysfunction’ at Minnesota DHS
A new report released Tuesday claims that Minnesota’s Department of Human Services repeatedly reimbursed opioid treatment providers “without legal authority” and “never documented their decisions.”
Read MoreSt. Thomas Alumni Call for Treating Hate Crimes Like ‘Acts of Terror’
University of St. Thomas alumni is circulating a letter to the school’s administration demanding a “required course for all students” examining the “history of white supremacy” and “anti-racist curriculum.”
Read MoreConservatives Intervene in Lawsuit Because Ellison Has ‘Failed’ to Defend Minnesota’s Pro-Life Laws, ‘Financially Abused Taxpayers’
Three conservative groups said Monday that Attorney General Keith Ellison “has failed Minnesotans” for his lackluster defense of the state’s pro-life laws in a legal challenge brought against the state of Minnesota by pro-abortion advocates.
Read MoreMinnesota Sports Leaders Demand Investment in Public Safety
Leaders from three of Minnesota’s professional sports teams recently published an op-ed in The Star Tribune demanding that Minneapolis officials address the rise in crime.
Read MoreMinneapolis and St. Paul School Districts Allowed Students to Skip Class for Climate Strike
The Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts reportedly alerted parents that their children would not be disciplined for participating in Friday’s global youth climate strike.
Read MoreSt. Thomas Shuttle Driver Suspended for Asking Muslim Students for Student IDs
A University of St. Thomas bus driver was suspended last week for asking two Muslim students for their IDs when they boarded a campus shuttle.
Read MoreCongregant Involved in Latest St. Paul Shooting Had Legal Permit to Carry, Returned Suspect’s Fire
A St. Paul man was murdered Wednesday night outside of his church, though there could have been more victims were it not for one congregant’s legal permit to carry a firearm.
Read MoreLawmakers Renew Calls for Privatizing Minnesota’s Twin Cities Public Television After Station Destroyed Embarrassing Footage of First Lady Walz
Minnesota Republicans are renewing their calls to privatize public television stations after new reports revealed that Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) deleted embarrassing footage of First Lady Gwen Walz at the request of the governor’s office.
Read MorePhysician-Assisted Suicide Debate Heads to the Minnesota Legislature
A bill that would bring physician-assisted suicide to Minnesota is scheduled to receive its first informational hearing Wednesday.
Read MoreGroup Plans Rally at State Capitol Against ‘Dangerous’ Comprehensive Sex Ed Requirements
The Child Protection League is hosting a rally on the steps of the Minnesota Capitol on September 22 to “send a message to legislators to protect our children from a Minnesota school mandate that schools must teach Comprehensive Sex Ed curricula.”
Read MoreMinneapolis and St. Paul Police Chiefs Plead for More Officers
The police chiefs for both the Minneapolis Police Department and St. Paul Police Department have asked for an increase in officers, but so far their requests have been mostly ignored.
Read MoreTeacher Retaliated Against for Criticizing ‘Racial Equity’ Policy Can Seek Punitive Damages from St. Paul Schools
A U.S. magistrate judge has ruled that Aaron Benner, a former St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) teacher, can seek punitive damages against his former employer, which allegedly retaliated against him after he criticized its “racial equity” policy.
Read MoreWashington Post Goes Out of Its Way to Smear Minnesota Conservative Journalist
Katherine Kersten, a popular conservative writer and senior policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment, was lied about and smeared in the pages of The Washington Post this week.
Read MoreWarren Pitches Free-College at Minnesota School That Costs Up to $68,000 Per Year
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren brought her free-college message Monday evening to Macalester College, a progressive haven located in St. Paul, Minnesota that costs up to $68,000 a year to attend.
Read MoreSt. Paul School District to Pay $4 Million Penalty for Health Plan Change
The St. Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) is switching to the Public Employees Insurance Plan (PEIP), a health plan that would lower SPFE premiums by five percent but hike HealthPartner premiums by up to 22 percent.
Read MoreIlhan Omar’s District Ranked Worst in the Nation for Black Americans
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN-05) congressional district was ranked the worst in the nation for black Americans.
Read MoreFormer Coleman Staffer to Host ’70 Miles for 70 Years’ Cancer Benefit at Xcel
Erich Mische, former chief of staff to Norm Coleman, plans to walk the concourse of the Xcel Energy Center 300 times (totaling 70 miles) in celebration of Coleman’s 70th birthday and to benefit the families of cancer patients.
Read MoreWalz Open to Calling Special Session to Address Gun Control
Gov. Tim Walz has called on the Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate to hold hearings on gun-control measures during a “mini-session” scheduled for the fall or even as early as next week.
Read MoreWalz Asks Senate Republicans to ‘Suspend’ Effort Seeking Information on Fraud in Government
Gov. Tim Walz has asked Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa) to “suspend” a Senate Republican effort seeking information on “abusive or fraudulent behavior” in the state government.
Read MoreSt. Paul’s Gun Control Protest for Kids Organized by Anti-Trump Organization
More than 1,000 kids took part in a march last week from the Cathedral of St. Paul to the Minnesota State Capitol to call for an end to gun violence. The march received significant media attention, but the organization behind the event was left mostly undiscussed. The protest in…
Read MoreSame DFL Staffer Who Called for Murder of Republicans Faces Backlash for Labeling New Navy Ship ‘Murder Boat’
A DFL staffer who once called for sending Republicans “to the guillotines” faced backlash over the weekend for calling the new USS Minneapolis-St. Paul a “murder boat.” William Davis, a research director and deputy communications director for the DFL, made the comments in response to the christening of the…
Read MoreSt. Paul Public Library Hosting ‘Drag Story Hour’ for Preschoolers
St. Paul Public Library is scheduled to host three “Drag Story Hours” throughout the summer that will “bring together a traditional library storytime with the performance art of drag.” “Participants can expect to sing children’s songs, listen to stories about kindness and inclusion, make crafts, and join in a…
Read MorePence Calls on Congress to Pass USMCA During Visit to Minnesota
Vice President Mike Pence called on Congress to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) during his visit to Minnesota Thursday. Pence made two stops during his Minnesota visit, first talking with farmers at R & J Johnson Farms in Glyndon before making his way down to St. Paul to…
Read MoreSt. Paul Canceled $100K Fireworks Display, But Will Pay $225K to Bring Red Bull Event to Town
The City of St. Paul has agreed to bring Red Bull’s Flugtag event back to town at a cost of $225,000, raising questions about why the city canceled its $100,000 Fourth of July fireworks display last year. Flugtag, which means “flying day” in German, is a “human-powered gliding” competition that…
Read MoreRepublican Bill on Female Genital Mutilation Has Yet to Receive a Hearing in Minnesota House
A Republican-backed bill in the Minnesota House that would expand criminal penalties for female genital mutilation has yet to receive so much as a committee hearing. The bill was introduced January 24 by Rep. Mary Franson (R-Alexandria) and has 17 Republican cosponsors, but not a single Democratic cosponsor. As The…
Read MoreMinnesota’s Mainstream Media Received $330,000 Grant for Two-Day Conference on Racial Bias in Reporting
Minnesota’s “mainstream media professionals” gathered for a two-day conference this week at Hamline University to discuss the “impact that racial narratives have on individuals, communities, and trust in media—and how they can collaborate to change it.” The conference, called “Truth and Transformation: Changing Racial Narratives in Media,” was made possible…
Read MoreKeith Ellison, Alleged Domestic Abuser, Celebrates International Women’s Day
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who has been accused of domestic abuse twice, spoke Friday at a press conference to celebrate International Women’s Day. “This International Women’s Day 2019 we celebrate the passage of the ERA in the Minnesota House. Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of…
Read MoreMinnesota College That Offers Students ‘Christ-Centered’ Education Bans Pro-Life Speaker from Campus
The University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Minnesota prohibited a conservative club from hosting prominent pro-life speaker Star Parker for an on-campus event. The campus Young America’s Foundation (YAF) chapter invited Parker to speak on campus, but administrators alerted the group in a February 20 email that “there were quite…
Read MoreEx-Muslim Turned Christian Pastor Speaks at Minnesota Capitol Ahead of Court Hearing
A group of Minnesotans gathered at the State Capitol Wednesday night to host a prayer rally for Pastor Ramin Parsa, who was arrested at the Mall of America in August on charges of misdemeanor trespassing. As The Minnesota Sun reported in November, Parsa visited Minnesota in August and was invited…
Read MoreWalz Will Reexamine Budget Proposal ‘Line By Line’ After Forecast Comes Up $492 Million Short of Previous Estimates
Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) will have to reexamine his budget proposal “line by line” after Thursday’s budget forecast came up $492 million short of November’s estimated $1.5 billion surplus. It’s only been nine days since Walz unveiled his first budget proposal for the 2020-2021 biennium, which capped out at $49.5…
Read MoreSt. Paul’s Black Dog Cafe Regularly Hosts Trump Resistance Groups for Political Events
St. Paul’s popular Black Dog Cafe regularly hosts resistance groups formed in response to President Donald Trump’s 2016 election for political events. A collection of groups calling themselves “The MNLeg Coalition” meet once a month for a “Third Thursdays” event that provides the “progressive-values loving community” a chance to “come…
Read MoreArchbishop Joins DFL Legislators at Capitol in Push to Provide Driver’s Licenses to Illegal Immigrants
House DFL legislators joined community organizers Thursday for a press conference to call for providing driver’s licenses to all Minnesotans, “regardless of immigration status.” House Majority Ryan Winkler (D-Golden Valley) was accompanied by colleagues Rep. Aisha Gomez (D-Minneapolis), Rep. Rod Hamilton (D-Mountain Lake), and others in unveiling House File (HF)…
Read MoreAnother Snow Day Puts St. Paul Schools on Track to Fall Behind State Requirements
Wednesday’s snowfall made this February the snowiest on record for Minnesota, and with it came another day of school closures across the state. As weather forecasts predicted an inch of snow per hour during the morning commute, Minnesota announced that all public schools would be closed. For the St. Paul…
Read MoreSt. Paul City Council Ordinance Would Ban Restaurants From Using Non-Biodegradable Containers
A new proposal being considered by the St. Paul City Council would outlaw non-biodegradable takeout containers in city restaurants by 2021. According to The Pioneer Press, the proposal was conceived by council member Mitra Nelson, who lamented the fact that “restaurants are putting a lot of packaging out there that…
Read MoreMinnesota’s Met Council Approves $4 Million in Funding for Shared Electric Cars
The Twin Cities Metropolitan Council announced Friday that it has approved roughly $200 million in funding for transportation projects across the region, including $4 million for a new shared electric-car program. According to a press release, the Met Council allocates roughly $200 million to local transportation projects through its “Regional…
Read MoreMinnesota Democrats Introduce Bill to Create ‘Minnesota Health Plan’
A bill was introduced Monday in the Minnesota Senate to establish the “Minnesota Health Plan,” which would “ensure all Minnesota residents are covered.” Senate File (SF) 1125 was referred to the Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee, and is co-sponsored by five DFL lawmakers, including Sens. John Marty…
Read MoreZero Democrats Co-Sponsor Bill That Would Tackle Female Genital Mutilation in Minnesota
Minnesota Rep. Mary Franson (R-Alexandria) recently introduced a bill that would expand the criminal definition of female genital mutilation (FGM), but zero Democratic House colleagues have signed on as co-sponsors. Under current Minnesota law, it is illegal for doctors to perform FGM, but there are no penalties in place for…
Read MoreSt. Paul Public Safety Official Cites Mayor’s Support of Keith Ellison in Resignation Letter
St. Paul’s first ever “Community-First Public Safety Initiatives Director” recently resigned over a number of disputes with Mayor Melvin Carter, including Carter’s support of now Attorney General Keith Ellison. “You chose to support Keith Ellison while I chose to support my friend Karen Monahan. I was more ostracized after our…
Read MoreMPR Now Tracks ‘Demographic Background’ of Every On-Air Guest
Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) announced Tuesday a number of steps it’s taking to address the racial disparities in its newsroom, which will include tracking the “demographic background” of every guest who appears on air. In a January 22 article, MPR Executive Director Nancy Cassutt revealed that her newsroom is part…
Read MoreMassive Crowd Gathers at Minnesota Capitol for Annual March for Life
A massive crowd gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol Tuesday for the 46th annual statewide March for Life on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. The march began with a prayer service up the hill from the Capitol Building at the Cathedral of St. Paul, which was packed full and…
Read MoreMinnesota Dems Want Teachers to Complete Mandatory Training on ‘Gender Identity’ and ‘Sexual Orientation’
A group of state Democratic senators want to amend the Minnesota education statutes to mandate a “cultural competency training” on topics such as “gender identity” and “implicit bias” for all public school teachers. According to Senate File (SF) 289, the training program would promote “self-reflection, effective interaction with people of…
Read MoreIlhan Omar Only Minnesota Politician to Address Women’s March Despite Group’s Struggles With Anti-Semitism
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) was the only elected official to speak at this year’s Women’s March Minnesota, and was invited to speak despite the organization’s recent condemnation of “those who have engaged in anti-Semitic, anti-woman, and anti-LGBTQ hate speech.” The national Women’s March has been roiled by controversies surrounding anti-Semitic…
Read MoreSenate DFL Introduces Slate of Identity Politics Bills, Seeks to Loosen Prevention of HIV in Blood Donations
The Minnesota State Senate plans to introduce 92 new pieces of legislation Monday, several of which are backed by the DFL, and focus on LGBT or race issues. Senate File (SF) 95, for instance, urges President Donald Trump and Congress to direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to “revise…
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