Friday, July 31, 2026
The Minnesota State Patrol and Minnesota Department of Transportation reminds motorists of many road work projects around the state this weekend, some crews work Saturdays and evening and overnight work to complete projects closer to the Twin Cities Metro Area. There are projects on Highway 238, Highway 25, Highway 210, Highway 71, Interstate 94 and more that continue through August, Morrison County, Stearns County and other projects continuing and city projects too. PLEASE slow down in work zones. For the latest state projects going on today, click on 511mn.org for details.
The 29th Annual Bataan Memorial March hosted by the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor with the Minnesota National Guard will take place on the Camp Ripley Training Center September 12, 2026 starting at 8am. The Bataan Memorial March commemorates the sacrifices of those who suffered the infamous Bataan Death March of 1942, and for nearly three deceades, the entire 1-194th Battalion has participated in either a half marathon or a full marathon run/walk and a half marathon ruck march, individual or team. "Remember Bataan...Never Forget!
Pearson's Candy Company will close its St. Paul facility this September. The closure will result in the permanent layoff of 80 employees, effective September 28th. Pearson's Candy Company, which makes products like the Salted Nut Roll and Nut Goodies, started in Minneapolis in 1909. It has been operating on West 7th Street in St. Paul since 1959. In 2022, Pearson's sold its companies to California-based Annabelle Candy Company, one of the reasons for the closure in St. Paul.
As fire crews continue working to suppress the wildfires burning in northern Minnesota, officials are reopening recreational sites, including overnight permits in the Boundary Waters. Fire officials said Thursday that crews are progressively containing the flames, but they're urging people to remain alert because evacuation and closure status can change quickly. Superior National Forest also announced a number of boating and camping sites will be opening August 1st. While campfires are allowed in open developed recreational sites and designated campgrounds, officials said Thursday that fire behavior is starting to pick up, which could result in "more active surface-level fuels and an increase in visible smoke." According to the U.S. Forest Service, firefighters are shifting to uncontained sections to set up fire lines and lay hoses on the edges of the blazes. There are still over a half dozen fires burning with the largest the Sioux Fire around the Echo Trail which is only around 40% contained and burned over 13,000 acres. Another is the Camp Fire north of Winton, Ontario which has burned over 4,400 acres and only 50% or so contained. The DNR, National Guard and numerous firefighters continue to work day and night on the wildfires in northern Minnesota.
Saturday is August 1st and that brings a plethora of new and revised laws into effect in Minnesota, including new statutes materialized in direct response to the murder of Speaker Emirata Melissa Hortman and the shooting of Sen. John Hoffman last summer. Penalties increase going forward for any person convicted of impersonating a peace officer. The crime has now been elevated from a misdemeanor to a felony, with a max penalty of two years imprisonment "if an offender does so intending to mislead another person, but taking no further action." The new law also states peace officers must identify their employer and provide identifying information like their name and ID number when stopping, detaining or arresting someone. The severity of the punishment increases from there, pending several potential aggravating factors. Paying someone to threaten to share private sexual images will now face up to 10 years in prison if deemed a contributing factor in the victim suffering great bodily harm. The penalty increases to 15 years if deemed a contributing factor in a person's death. The new law requires people who have been ordered to surrender their guns to complete firearm transfers "as soon as reasonably practical" to their local law enforcement agency, a federally licensed firearms dealer or a third party who does not live with the target of the crime. Proof of the transfer must also be filed with the court. The Department of Public Safety will now be required to maintain a database with elected officials' emergency contacts; implement a legislative services unit within Capitol Security to assess threats; give the attorney general administrative subpoena power in cases of suspected fraud; establish a task force on improving responses to domestic violence crimes; make the assault of a hospital or clinic worker a gross misdemeanor; increase criminal penalties for assaulting a vulnerable adult; and ban prediction market wagering. Peace officers must now provide notice and disclosure to building owners and occupants when chemical irritants are deployed. Irritants include smoke screens, pepper spray, tear gas and flash bangs. The law revises a statute instituted in 2005, in which state agencies were granted permission to stop payments to a program with reasonable evidence to suspect fraudulent activity for up to 60 days. The new law removes the 60-day cap and lowers the evidentiary standard to "credible allegation of fraud" verified by the agency. This new law impacts utility billing, online payment platforms and eviction procedures. As tenants’ move-out dates and utility billing periods sometimes don’t coincide, a landlord might not know what tenants owe on their utilities until after they’ve left. To remedy the issue, the new law lets landlords estimate their tenants' final bill based on the previous billing cycle. Landlords will also be required to offer a free alternative to a payment method if an online platform malfunctions; be prohibited from listing a minor as a defendant in an eviction action; and further, mandates assaults on landlords or their employees grounds for an expedited eviction. The penalty for grooming a minor will now be a felony offense. The law defines grooming as when a person 18 years of age or older “expresses the desire or intent to engage in sexual conduct with a child; and engages in a deliberate pattern of conduct to methodically develop a false trusting relationship with the child that is intended to strategically manipulate the child to engage in sexual conduct with the person at a future time, regardless of whether any sexual conduct occurs.” The law also states that by Aug. 1, 2027, mandated reporter training for education professionals be updated to include "reporting allegations of maltreatment of students, including students receiving special education services; and addressing grooming and threatened sexual abuse, including the duty to report grooming as maltreatment … how to identify the signs of grooming, and recognizing environments and circumstances that present an increased risk of grooming.” For the full list of new laws go the the Minnesota State Legislature website.
The North Star Air Show touches down at St. Cloud’s Sky Central Airport this weekend. Highlights in the sky include the U.S. Air Force Raptor Demonstration Team, a P-51 Mustang and the World War Two era B-25 bomber, Miss Mitchell. See the Mitchell up close on the ground, plus current helicopters and transport planes. Gates open at 9:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday with the aerial portion of the show flying from approximately noon to 3:00 p.m. Parking is included in the ticket fee. Tickets must be purchased on line in advance. Bring a chair for general admission seating, but don’t bring in outside food or beverages except limited water. Ear protection is great for the little ones and sunscreen recommended for all.
Many other events going on, the Minnesota Trappers Association Annual Convention Friday and Saturday at the Morrison County Fairgrounds, starts at 8am each morning, mean Paul Antczak of Mountain Men at the Fairgrounds Friday and Saturday. St. Joseph's Church in Pierz has their annual parish festival, Mass at 10am, live music, bingo, food including Old Bank Pizza, quilt raffle, gun raffle and grand raffle will end the day at 4pm Sunday in Pierz. There will be a breakfast at Holy Family Belle Prairie Sunday put on the Little Falls Knight of Columbus #1804 for the Central Minnesota Christian Clown Ministry 9am to 1pm for a free will offering. First Baptist Church in Little Falls begins Vacation Bible School Sunday through Tuesday starting at 6pm to 8:15pm each night, ice cream truck on Monday night, for registration go to this link. The Stearns County Fair wraps up this weekend while Benton and Crow Wing County Fairs begins next week. More details on events can be found at fallsradio.com.
Weather: showers likely at times today, some thunderstorms, high 77, showers ending tonight then clearing and cooler 57. Saturday sunny skies, high 84, clear Saturday night low around 57. Sunday sunny skies, high around 83, clear and more humid Sunday night low around 64. Sunny and warmer Monday, high 88, clear Monday night low around 65, Showers and storms Tuesday, high 76, clear and cooler Tuesday night low 53. Sunny and pleasant Wednesday high near 79, clear Wednesday night low 55. Thursday sunny and warmer, high around 84, low near 60.
Sports: Kody Clemens has a walk off grand slam in the bottom of the 9th as the Twins who only had 3 hits in the entire game win 4-3 over Kansas City to take the 3 game series Thursday, the Twins had two walk off wins in the last 3 days. Also it was announced that New York Mets have traded relief pitcher A.J. Minter to the Twins for minor leaguers. Twins are at Seattle Friday night at 9:10pm, then 3:10pm games Saturday and Sunday. All 11 players last night for the Minnesota Lynx score at least 3 points with Collier, Williams and Miles having 16 each as the Lynx win 104-72 over Toronto to go to 24-6 on the season. The Minnesota Lynx host the Indiana Fever in a big WNBA matchup Sunday at noon. Little Falls Sports Meeting will be August 10th at 6pm at Little Falls Community High School Gym. Region 4B and 9C Tournament begins tonight with Pierz Lakers vs. Avon at 6pm followed by Opole and St. Wendel those games in Avon. Saturday Randall vs. Aitkin at 10:30am then Buckman vs. St. Stephen and Pierz Brewers vs. Freeport all in Upsala. Sunday games Nisswa vs. Ft. Ripley at 10:30am, then Pierz Bulldogs vs. Freeport and then concluding with Sobieski vs. Foley on Sunday in Upsala. All winners and losers this weekend advance to next weekend in the double elimination format of the playoffs. Hear the action live all this weekend and starting tonight with Paul Froncak and Jerome Kahl on AM960 KLTF and fallsradio.com.