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St. Paul City Council honors Jeanne Weigum for her tireless civic engagement

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

After climbing the ranks at the Association for Non-Smokers-MN, Jeanne Weigum was appointed president of the association in 1980 — a position she’s held ever since without drawing a salary. It put Weigum, a consummate volunteer in St. Paul civic circles, front and center in legal battles against Big Tobacco, inspiring Minnesota Monthly magazine to name her its 1997 “Minnesotan of the Year.”Weigum, who developed an appreciation for nature growing up in the prairies of South Dakota, has worked tirelessly on civic campaigns large and small, including ongoing efforts to block or remove billboards throughout the city, which she equates to blight, through Scenic St. Paul. And she was a longtime president of the Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County, helping to establish a no-net-loss rule around real estate development impacting the city and county’s parklands.Jeanne Weigum, president of the Association for Nonsmokers-MN since 1980, wi...

$10,000 reward offered in Onamia physician’s hit-and-run death

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information on who was driving the vehicle that hit and killed Dr. Cathy Donovan last month while she was walking her dogs along U.S. 169 in Mille Lacs County.Dr. Cathy DonovanDonovan was a mother of two and a doctor for the past 27 years with Mille Lacs Health System in Onamia. On Nov. 13, she was walking her dogs along the highway in Kathio Township near her home when a northbound vehicle struck and killed her, then left the area. One of the dogs was also killed in the crash shortly before 5 p.m.Law enforcement officials have been asking for the public’s help to identify the vehicle ever since.At a Wednesday news conference in St. Paul announcing the reward, Col. Matt Langer, chief of the Minnesota State Patrol, said law enforcement has been investigating numerous tips in the case but they are still looking for crucial information.“Someone out there knows something and, for us, all we need is one phone call, one email, one anonymous text that ...

Michigan man sent to prison for driving to Lakeville, sexually assaulting 13-year-old girl

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

A Michigan man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to driving to Lakeville to sexually assault a 13-year-old girl he met on Omegle, a video chat website that was shut down last month after accusations that it introduced minors to sexual predators.In January, Maxwell Winston Beardsley, 22, of Highland, Mich., was charged in Dakota County District Court with third-degree criminal sexual conduct of a child under the age of 14.Maxwell Winston Beardsley (Courtesy of the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office)The case was moved to U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, where in July Beardsley pleaded guilty to one count of interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor. A charge of persuading a minor to engage in sexual activity, which carries a minimum 10-year prison sentence, was dismissed as part of a plea deal, federal court records show. He was sentenced Monday.According to state and federal court documents, Beardsley me...

Some Missouri representatives are back in the capital to get head start on budget talks 

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Within the past year, the Missouri Department of Corrections has hired roughly 600 new employees and department leaders are touting a recent pay raise as the reason.It might sound silly to be excited about 1,200 vacancies, but the state's corrections department said it's a major decrease from where they were last year at this time. This comes as some lawmakers are back here in Jefferson City for budget meetings, something that normally doesn't happen until January."Adding multiple weeks of committee hearings in December is not something we've ever done before," Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, said. "If you've served on budget, you know the process doesn't really start until we get the governor's recommendation, which doesn't come until January."While budget talks normally don't get underway until lawmakers begin session after the new year, the House is getting a jump start on the process. Merideth is the ranking member on the House Budget Committee. He said t...

Fights at McCluer High School prompt Ferguson-Florissant superintendent calls for community action

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - Dr. Joe Davis, superintendent of the Ferguson-Florissant School District, is encouraging the public to join him in finding ways to prevent fights from occurring in school.Earlier this week, police were called to McCluer High School, where nine students were involved in several fights that stemmed from one fight, according to a district spokesperson. The police were able to contain the situation and dismiss students as normal.“We’re not running from the problem,” Davis said.In a letter the district shared with parents, staff and the community, the superintendent said the district already has safety measures in place but feels more needs to be done to identify the root causes of the fighting. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW ...

Woman dies in fatal crash in north St. Louis County

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – St. Louis County Police are investigating a deadly crash on N. Highway 67 near Jamestown Bay Drive. Police say an officer witnessed the crash when it occurred around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.Police said one woman was taken to an area hospital but did not survive. Two other adults and a child taken to a hospital suffered injuries described by police as not life-threatening. Video shows police and other vehicle run stop signs before crash N. Highway 67 was shut down for several hours while police investigated. Three vehicles were damaged.One of the vehicles appeared to be a Hazelwood School District vehicle. Police have not yet indicated what led up to the crash.

Missouri launches a prescription drug database to help doctors spot opioid addictions

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri on Wednesday launched a statewide database of opioid prescriptions aimed at helping doctors identify possible addiction.Under the program, pharmacists now must report when they provide drugs listed as controlled substances. The information is collected in a database that doctors and other pharmacists can check to see if patients have been receiving opioids from multiple providers.Prescription information in the database can only be used for patient care and cannot be shared with law enforcement. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News SIGN UP NOW The Missouri Legislature in 2021 passed a law creating the program after years of resistance from a small number of skeptical lawmakers who raised concerns abou...

Vance Joseph’s Broncos defense is dialing up the pressure, and producing plenty of sacks: “It’s a little bit contagious”

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

In Denver’s 24-7 win over the Los Angeles Chargers last week, the Broncos generated sacks from anyone and anywhere.In the first quarter, Denver had Baron Browning, Drew Sanders, Jonathon Cooper and Delarrin Turner-Yell on the edges, while inside linebacker Alex Singleton manned the middle behind defensive lineman Zach Allen. As Justin Herbert dropped back, Singleton charged up the middle and chased down the Chargers’ star quarterback before sacking him near the sideline.Los Angeles faced a third-and-10 with 12:13 to go in the second when Singleton stormed into the backfield again. This time, his pressure set up Allen to swoop in from the right side and sack Herbert.By the end of the day, the Broncos had six different players record a sack in one of their best defensive performances this season.“(Defensive coordinator) Vance (Joseph) and these guys have done a really good job of bringing combinations, if you will, which makes it a little harder,” head coach Sean Payton said. “I think...

“Everyone is safe” following Facebook video of person put into van in Aurora

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

The people shown in a widely shared Facebook video of a group putting someone into a white van in Aurora on Wednesday morning are all safe, the Aurora police department announced Wednesday.The since-deleted video was shared more than 3,000 times on Facebook on Wednesday, with the caption of a “kidnapping caught on camera,” and Aurora police asked for help from the public in obtaining more information in social media posts at 5:30 p.m.Less than two hours later, Aurora police announced on X that the department had identified the people involved and confirmed everyone was safe.Investigators are still obtaining more information about the incident, according to the department.The video appeared to show at least four people forcing another person into a white van before closing the door, and Aurora police confirmed the incident occurred around 9 a.m. near South Chambers Road and East Hampden Avenue.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Burglaries at over 40 Denv...

Suspected DUI driver plows through smoke shop in Orange County

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:12:44 GMT

Surveillance video at a local smoke shop captured a woman violently crashing through the front of the store in a white Mercedes, driving through and crashing out the back wall, narrowly missing one of the shop’s employees.  The incident at Cobra Smoke Shop occurred at around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday on the 500 block of Euclid Street in Fullerton.  Security footage of the incident shows the woman pull in front of the store, briefly stop and then plow through the storefront glass as a startled employee behind the counter watches.  Without slowing at all, the woman’s car shatters what appears to be a glass humidor before crashing out the rear wall and stopping in the back parking lot, causing heavy damage to the smoke shop.  A woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after she crashed through a smoke shop in Fullerton on Dec. 13, 2023. (OnScene.TV)A woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after she crashed through a smoke shop in F...