HELICOPTER-DUCK COLLISION

Co-pilot injured when duck smashes into helicopter

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Authorities say a Minnesota State Patrol helicopter co-pilot was hurt after he was struck by a duck that went through the windshield of the aircraft returning from a law enforcement call. The pilot was able to land the aircraft safely. The incident happened shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday when the helicopter was returning to St. Paul after it had been dispatched to Wabasha County. The patrol said the pilot of the Bell 407 helicopter was able to keep the chopper in the air and land without incident at St. Paul Downtown Airport, where that patrol bases its flight operations. The injured co-pilot was wearing his helmet and had his helmet-shield down when he was hit. He was treated at a local hospital for a head injury and released.

MINNESOTA-FLOODING

National Guard to help with northeastern Minnesota flooding

ST. PAUL (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has activated the National Guard to help control record flooding in areas of northeastern Minnesota. Emergency management officials in St. Louis and Koochiching counties requested the assistance to deal with high water caused by heavy spring rains and rapid snowmelt throughout the Rainy River Basin. More rain is forecast for the coming days, which will likely push many lake and river levels beyond their historic highs of 2014 and 1950. Record high water has been measured on the Rainy River Headwaters, including Lake Vermilion, and docks and boathouses have sustained damage on several lakes. Some residents are sandbagging to protect their homes.

MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE-CONVERSION THERAPY

'Conversion therapy' ban falls short in Minnesota Senate

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — An effort to ban “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ youth has won a majority in the Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate. But it didn't get enough votes on a procedural maneuver to advance. With little advance warning, Democratic Sen. Scott Dibble, of Minneapolis, tried Thursday to pull his bill out of a committee, where it has languished for two years without a hearing, and tee it up for a Senate floor vote. The vote was 34-31 but was short of the 41 votes needed under Senate rules. Dibble says he's encouraged that supporters have shown there are enough votes to pass a ban. Conversion therapy is a scientifically discredited practice of using therapy to “convert” LGBTQ people to heterosexuality or traditional gender expectations.

MINNESOTA-LEGISLATURE

Minnesota sports betting bill advances as budget items stall

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A proposal to legalize sports betting has survived a test amid lawmakers’ efforts to pull together the pieces of a package to spend the Minnesota’s enormous budget surplus with just days remaining in the legislative session. But lawmakers remain divided on whether trial casinos should have exclusive rights to offer sports betting on mobile devices and in-person. Several other House-Senate conference committees are still working through the details bills to parcel out the state’s $9.25 billion budget surplus. Some committees, like public safety, remain far apart from reaching agreements.

ELECTION 2022-MINNESOTA-DEMOCRATS

Drama not on the agenda for Minnesota Democratic convention

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Drama is not on the agenda for Minnesota Democrats, who open their state convention in Rochester. The 1,200 delegates at the convention that starts Friday will endorse Gov. Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Secretary of State Steve Simon and State Auditor Julie Blaha for reelection. They’re all running unopposed for the party’s backing. So the convention will be mostly a pep rally to fire up activists, and a campaign training session to help overcome the headwinds the party is facing. The gathering is likely to contrast with last weekend’s wild Republican state convention, when it took delegates nine ballots to endorse Scott Jensen for governor.

POLICE PURSUIT-CAPITOL LOCKDOWN

Minnesota Capitol temporarily locked down due to pursuit

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A police pursuit that ended outside the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul caused officials to temporarily lock down the complex Wednesday night. Legislators and staff attending a House floor session were asked to stay in chambers until the police activity outside was resolved. St. Paul police say four boys are in custody after their stolen vehicle hit a squad car and then crashed in a state parking lot. Three passengers in the stolen vehicle, ages 12, 13 and 15, tried to hide in a portable toilet. Authorities say the three boys and a 15-year-old driver who ran into a nearby building were quickly arrested.

BC-US-GEORGE-FLOYD-OTHER-OFFICERS

Ex-Minneapolis officer pleads guilty in George Floyd killing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A former Minneapolis police officer has pleaded guilty to a state charge of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. As part of Wednesday’s plea deal, a count of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder against Thomas Lane will be dismissed. Lane and prosecutors have agreed to a recommended sentence of three years, which is below state sentencing guidelines. Lane and former Officers J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao have already been convicted on federal counts of violating the civil rights of Floyd, who was Black. Lane hasn't been sentenced yet in the federal case. Their former colleague, Derek Chauvin, was convicted of murder last year and also pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation.

ELECTION 2022-MINNESOTA-CARNAHAN

Family suing widow of late US lawmaker for medical expenses

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Family members of the late U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn of Minnesota say his widow, Jennifer Carnahan, hasn’t come through on a promise to pay back medical expenses related to his cancer treatments. Two lawsuits filed Monday by Hagedorn’s mother, stepfather and sister allege they helped pay for cancer treatments he received at Envita Medical Centers in Arizona. The complaints say Carnahan made a “clear and definite promise” to use inheritance she was to receive after his death to reimburse his family members. Carnahan, who is running to replace her husband in Congress, says she's waiting for the probate process to run its course and calls the lawsuits a political stunt.

News from © The Associated Press, 2022