5+ hour, 38+ min ago (622+ words) SAINT PAUL, Minn. (KTTC) " Two groups of Minnesota Republican lawmakers are calling on the state's new U.S. attorney to launch a fraud investigation into a report that suggests taxpayer dollars are going to the Al-Shabaab in Somalia. Late last week, City Journal published a report "The Largest Funder of Al-Shabaab Is the Minnesota Taxpayer." City Journal is part of the Manhattan Institute, which is a nonprofit conservative think tank based in New York. KTTC has not been able to independently verify City Journal's claim. Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN01) joined his three fellow Republican congressmembers representing the Gopher State citing the report in a joint letter to U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen. On Monday, 50 members of the Minnesota House GOP caucus penned their names a similar letter to Rosen. Southeast Minnesota Reps. Peggy Bennett, Greg Davids, Steve Jacob, Patricia Mueller and Duane Quam signed the…...

6+ day, 8+ hour ago (122+ words) CLAREMONT, Minn. (KTTC) " A Dodge County ethanol plant has been fined after an investigation by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Claremont-based Al-Corn Clean Fuel, LLC, has paid more than $40,000 for air permit violations. The investigation found the plant exceeded its permitted limits of particulate matter twice in 2024 and once in 2025. The agency says prolonged exposure to particulate matter can cause increased respiratory symptoms such as aggravated asthma, irritation of the airways or difficulty breathing. State officials also found the ethanol plant did not not adequately keep emissions records correctly between July and December 2022. The facility has taken a number of actions to resolve these issues including the replacement of emission equipment that failed performance testing....

1+ week, 5+ day ago (283+ words) WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTTC) " The House has passed a bill to end the nation's longest government shutdown. The vote Wednesday sends the measure to President Donald Trump for his signature after a historic 43-day funding lapse. Minnesota's eight U.S. Representatives voted along party lines. There are four Democrats and four Republicans. "For six weeks, Democrats have used the American people as leverage in the longest government shutdown in U.S. history," Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN01) said. "Today, I voted to put an end to the partisan games, return to common sense legislating, and get back to work serving the American people." "I voted against this so-called "deal' today because Minnesotans are asking their leaders to stand up to the Trump Administration and fight for them when it matters most," said Rep. Angie Craig (DFL-MN02). "Minnesota, I heard you loud and clear. It's past time for us…...

2+ week, 7+ hour ago (311+ words) ST. PAUL, Minn. (GRAY) " Minnesota's Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) said it remains "committed to ensuring food access remains in place" amid back-and-forth guidance from the federal government over whether to fully fund SNAP. The department announced Friday that it'd begin issuing SNAP benefits in full over the weekend. DCYF says it began issuing benefits "based on clear guidance" from the USDA. Over the weekend, the USDA issued new guidance, this time telling states to "immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025." DCYF says it has no mechanism to take back SNAP benefits. "We are appalled by Saturday night's memo. Not only because it requires that Minnesota "undo' actions to provide food to 440,000 people, but also because it threatens severe financial penalties that would harm Minnesotans," said the department in a statement. The…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (185+ words) ST. PAUL, Minn. (GRAY) " Minnesota's Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) announced Friday that it will begin issuing full SNAP and MFIP benefits over the weekend. The announcement comes after weeks of uncertainty over whether November benefits would be processed due to an ongoing federal government shutdown. Benefits will first be distributed to households that are already approved to receive payments in November. Late last week, more than two dozen attorneys general and governors sued the Trump administration for withholding SNAP benefits, saying they're legally required to use a USDA contingency fund to make payments in the month of November. The USDA responded to the courts on Monday, saying it'd distribute the benefits only partially, and that it would take time to make the necessary adjustments. By Thursday, a Rhode Island judge ruled that the administration was not working…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago (210+ words) ST. PAUL, Minn. (GRAY) " Two special elections carry statewide significance this year, determining the makeup of the Minnesota Senate. This past summer, two vacancies opened in the State Senate: one (District 29) after the death of longtime Republican Senator Bruce Anderson and the other (District 47) with the resignation of former DFL Senator Nicole Mitchell, who was charged with felony burglary in July. If the seats are held by their respective parties, the Senate will once again have a 1-vote Republican Majority. If Republicans take both seats, they'll have a majority in the State Senate. If DFLers win both seats, they'll improve their majority to 3 votes. A few races could trigger special elections of their own as well. The DFL candidate in the District 47 race is Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger, a current member of the Minnesota House. Omar Fateh, a state senator from…...