EVERY WEEK IN TOWNS AND BARS ACROSS MINNESOTA, THE WHEEL SPINS AND LOCALS LINE UP WITH THEIR TICKET IN HAND HOPING TO TAKE HOME A BUNDLE FROM THE NIGHT’S MEAT RAFFLE. STATE LAWMAKERS ARE WORKING ON A BILL THAT WOULD RAISE THE CEILING ON MEAT RAFFLE PRIZE AMOUNTS FROM $70 TO $200. IN THE CLOSELY DIVIDED LEGISLATURE, SUPPORTERS SAY IT IS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS LEGISLATORS SEEM TO AGREE ON, A RARE MOMENT OF BIPARTISANSHIP. BACKERS POINT OUT THAT THE LAW GOVERNING PRIZE AMOUNTS HAS NOT CHANGED IN NEARLY 40 YEARS AND IS IN DIRE NEED OF AN UPDATE. BEYOND RAISING THE PRIZE VALUES, THE BILL AUTHORED BY STATE SEN. ZACH DUCKWORTH, R-LAKEVILLE, WOULD ALSO LET ORGANIZATIONS RAISE THE COST OF A RAFFLE TICKET FROM $1 OR $2 TO AS MUCH AS $5.
BACK ON FEBRUARY 7TH, WE HELPED SHARE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT MIDDLE RIVER MUSICIAN CATHY ERICKSON WAS BEING INDUCTED INTO THE MINNESOTA MUSIC HALL OF FAME. THE DATE FOR THAT INDUCTION HAS ARRIVED. THAT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN NEW ULM. TO THIS POINTS, SINCE 1989 THE HALL OF FAME HAS INDUCTED 223 INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
NEXT WEEK IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK, AND WILL FEATURE STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILLS, WHERE SIRENS WILL BE TESTED IN ROSEAU AND OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE. WE WILL FOLLOW WITH DETAILS OF TIMES YOU CAN EXPECT THOSE TESTES TO OCCUR.
THE CITY OF WARREN IS STILL BEING AFFECTED BY APRIL 1 GRAIN ELEVATOR FIRE. SCHOOL WAS LET OUT EARLY TUESDAY, APRIL 7, AND HELD ONLINE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8. SUPERINTENDENT BRYAN HACKBARTH SAID SMOKE WASN’T MUCH OF AN ISSUE WHEN STUDENTS RETURNED TO SCHOOL THE DAY AFTER THE FIRE. SCHOOL, WAS OUT FRIDAY AND MONDAY FOR EASTER, BUT WHEN CLASSES RESUMED TUESDAY, WIND WAS BLOWING SMOKE STRAIGHT AT THE SCHOOL.
THE GRAIN ELEVATOR, DESTROYED BY A FIRE THAT STARTED IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, HELD SOYBEANS AND CORN THAT CONTINUED TO SMOLDER AS DAYS PASSED. THE WARREN FIRE CHIEF CONFIRMED WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, THAT THE CAUSE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
A WARREN, MINNESOTA, WOMAN WAS ARRESTED MONDAY AFTER OFFICERS FROM THE PINE TO PRAIRIE DRUG TASK FORCE UNCOVERED HER SUSPECTED DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE (DMT) LAB.
DMT IS A SCHEDULE I HALLUCINOGEN, AND THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING IT IS EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE, ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE TASK FORCE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8. P2P AGENTS LOCATED MULTIPLE JARS OF BLACK LIQUID, WHICH THE SUSPECT — CARLA CHRISTENE SWENSON — ALLEGEDLY CLAIMED WERE IN ONE OF THE FINAL STAGES OF DMT EXTRACTION.
SWENSON WAS ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF FIRST-DEGREE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE POSSESSION AND THIRD-DEGREE METHAMPHETAMINE POSSESSION IN A PARK ZONE, THOUGH CHARGES WILL ULTIMATELY BE DETERMINED BY THE MARSHALL COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE.
GOVERNOR TIM WALZ IS IN DULUTH, PART OF HIS STATEWIDE INFRASTRUCTURE TOUR. PART OF THAT STOP WILL ALSO BE ANOTHER TOPIC OF CONCERN, MAKING CHILDCARE MORE AFFORDABLE. HE’LL VISIT AN AREA PRE-SCHOOL CLASSROOM.
THE USDA PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS REPORT THAT WAS RELEASED ON MARCH 31 PROJECTED A 3.4% DECREASE IN 2026 U.S. CORN ACREAGE COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO, ALONG WITH A 4.3% INCREASE IN 2026 SOYBEAN ACREAGE FROM A YEAR EARLIER.
THE USDA PLANTING INTENTIONS NUMBERS CAME IN SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE GRAIN TRADE EXPECTED FOR CORN ACREAGE AND SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN TRADE ESTIMATES FOR SOYBEAN ACREAGE.
RESPONSE WAS BELOW NORMAL, WHICH MEANS SOME NUMBERS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE FULLY TRUSTED, AND THE NUMBERS CAME IN PRIOR TO THE ACTIVITY IN IRAN CAUSING FURTHER AG CONCERNS.
IF YOU’RE A RUNNER ANXIOUSLY LOOKING TO MOVE YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE FROM THE TREADMILL TO OUTDOORS, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS SAY YOU SHOULD INCREASE YOUR ROUTINE GRADUALLY. RUNNING OUTDOORS WILL GENERALLY BRING LONGER DISTANCES AND A HIGHER INTENSITY THAN WHAT YOU SEE ON A TREADMILL. INCREASING THINGS BY 5-10% PER WEEK, AND TO NOT SKIP OUT ON WARMUPS AND TO INCORPORATE STRENGTH TRAINING. PLANTAR FASCIITIS, ACHILLES TENDINITIS AND KNEE TENDINITIES ARE THE MOST COMMON THINGS THEY DEAL WITH IN RUNNERS.
Last modified: 04/09/2026
