A Racine County judge sentenced an arsonist to six years in prison who burned down buildings during the unrest following the death of George Floyd. The judge said, “Racine don’t play.” Hernandez committed the act of arson on May 31, 2020, when a protest in Racine turned into a riot with protesters throwing bricks and rocks at police officers.
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Two Wisconsin state lawmakers are proposing changes to the state constitution regarding bail guidelines. Republicans Representative Cindi Duchow (R-Delafield) and Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) are “drafting a resolution to allow court commissioners, who make decisions on bail amounts and conditions, to consider additional factors.”
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A protest allegedly over “occupying native land” erupted at the Mall of America on Black Friday. In video of the incident obtained by The Minnesota Sun, protesters can be heard banging native drums and chanting while standing in the mall’s rotunda.
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A Racine Sheriff called for the removal of a supervisor over posting bail for an alleged gun thief. Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling says that a county supervisor needs to be removed from his position after he posted bail for a man who is accused of stealing three sheriff’s SWAT team guns.
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The union for St. Paul police officers filed a lawsuit over a COVID vaccine mandate that will be in place in the new year. The mandate does not allow for testing and masking as a substitute for getting vaccinated, however they will allow medical and religious exemptions, sources say.
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Senator Ron Johnson (R) criticized ‘Catch and Release’ policies in a Fox News interview, saying that’s how situations like the one in Waukesha develop. Johnson said that those policies need to be reworked both for border security and within the United States justice system.
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The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul offered counseling to students who were ‘impacted’ by the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. They said, “As individuals and communities, we may need time to process the verdict.”
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Minnesota’s New House Republican Caucus raised concerns about the Minnesota Department of Education’s (MDE) newly released draft of their K-12 Academic Standards about social studies. They took issue with the curriculum outlined under the social studies section titled “Ethnic Studies.” One statement, categorized under the heading “resistance,” says that students will “organize with others to engage in activities that could further the rights and dignity of all.” According to the proposed academic standards, “The student will describe how individuals and communities have fought for freedom and liberation against systemic and coordinated exercises of power locally and globally, identify strategies or times that have resulted in lasting change.” “Which ‘systemic and coordinated exercises of power’ will be discussed? Does identifying strategies to ‘organize with others to engage in activities’ mean social and political protests taking place during school hours?” The New House Republican Caucus asked in a Facebook post. Another category under Ethnic Studies, titled “identity,” says that students will “analyze the ways power and language construct the social identities of race, religion, geography, ethnicity, and gender.” The standard continues, “The student will apply understandings to one’s own social identities and other groups living in Minnesota, centering on stories and…
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Governor Tim Walz (D) announced he is activating 400 National Guard members to assist with the growing staff shortage in the state’s nursing homes. “Our long-term care facilities are facing an all-hands-on-deck moment, and that’s why we are taking unprecedented action to support skilled nursing workers, residents, and patients,” said Governor Walz.
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The driver in the Waukesha mass murder event Sunday has a long criminal history spanning nearly two decades. Darrell Edward Brooks, the man taken into custody after he drove through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, killed 5 and wounded 48 others in the mass killing.
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) released a statement following the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, saying that “We must move forward.” Rittenhouse was declared not guilty on all five counts against him.
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota – A medical freedom protest took place in St. Paul outside of the ABC affiliate, KSTP 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. The event, organized by Mark Bishofsky, was attended by several hundred people who stood on the sidewalks waving and cheering.
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – Hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters blocked some Minneapolis streets Saturday evening, protesting the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. The protest began at the Hennepin County Government Center, a 24-story skyscraper in the heart of Minneapolis, where many masked protesters gathered.
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Shakopee, Minnesota public schools are closing for the entire week of Thanksgiving due to rising COVID case levels. Across all 10 Shakopee schools, 85 students have COVID as of Friday, with 30 of the cases at Jackson Elementary. The number of cases is growing, with over 20 more cases added to the list Friday afternoon.
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Representative Thomas Tiffany (R-WI-07) is demanding answers from United States Attorney General Merrick Garland following a leaked Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) memo that outlines how parents would be given “threat tags” for outbursts at school board meetings. Garland had come under fire for comments equating domestic terrorism with concerned parents at school board meetings.
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Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) spoke out condemning the threats that have been made against the judge and jury in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. Johnson said, “Threats to a judge and jury are antithetical to the American justice system.”
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The city of Kenosha is on edge as the jury verdict nears in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. Reports have been coming in sharing videos of rising tensions on the courthouse steps and accusations are flying of more individuals attempting to doxx jurors.
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Ramsey County District Court Judge Leonardo Castro is examining a newly enacted deadly force law following a lawsuit by police and law enforcement groups. Castro suspended the law temporarily in September following criticism from policing groups.
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Wisconsin Representative Thomas Tiffany (R-WI-07) joined the effort to nullify the Biden Administration COVID vaccine mandate. Tiffany said, “Overreaching federal vaccine mandates will affect 80 million Americans.”
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A Chinese national who has been living and studying in Los Angeles has been accused of stalking and harassing a Minnesota college student. Ki Cheung Yau, age 27, has been arrested and charged with cyberstalking. Yau posed as the victim and created several accounts in their name, “including social media platforms, dating websites, and pornography websites, using the name, photos, and personally identifying information of the victim.”
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Representative Bryan Steil (R-WI-01) reacted as the Rittenhouse jury nears a verdict during the second day of deliberations. Steil condemned the unlawful actions in Kenosha in August of 2020 and expressed that people need to act in a “lawful manner” as the verdict is released.
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The Madison city clerk responded to a subpoena in the election investigation, saying that allowing auditors to physically handle the election records could potentially be breaking federal law. Maribeth Witzel-Behl is one of several city clerks and election officials served a subpoena in an ongoing election investigation by Michael Gableman, a former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice.
The subpoena is signed by Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg), Senate President Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield), and committee chair Senator Kathleen Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls). The data request asks that the city of Madison provide all “physical absentee ballot certificates for the November 2020 General Election and the results of tests on electronic voting machines used for the election.”
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Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) announced on Twitter that YouTube has removed his video of an expert panel discussing the impact of the COVID vaccine and mandates. Johnson said this is the fifth time YouTube has removed one of his uploads. Johnson’s YouTube account is now temporarily suspended from uploading content for seven days.
Johnson said that YouTube’s censorship has only gotten worse, “This time they don’t want you to hear 3.5 hours of stories from doctors, scientists and the vaccine injured.” His video featuring stories of those who have been injured by the COVID vaccine as well as expert opinions can still be found on Rumble.
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) says he does not want to include “additional, controversial topics” in a proposed special session. Walz finally made the move to have a special session, something that Republican lawmakers have been asking him to do for months.
In the letter to Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R-Winona), Walz wrote, “A special session should be focused on areas where we can find agreement, while areas of disagreement can be addressed in the regular session.” The governor is suggesting calling a special session on November 29, if Miller agrees to his terms, which confine the actions of the session to a drought relief bill, a frontline worker pay bill, and a COVID relief bill. Walz is also requiring that the session last no more than three days.
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) released a statement Friday boasting how there he has now granted a total of 307 pardons. Evers announced 29 new pardons saying that it is a “powerful message.”
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A Minneapolis City Council candidate is requesting a recount after narrowly losing to a candidate endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America. Democrat Yusra Arab, announced her intentions on Twitter saying, “The outcome is one of the closest margins Minneapolis has ever experienced in a city council race using rank choice voting.”
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A leaked email from Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcom appears to say that the “small impacts” are not enough to justify “dial backs” to the public. The emails, sent in October of 2020, include from Malcolm to other MDH staff and one from the Chief of Staff for Governor Tim Walz (D).
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The University of Wisconsin (UW) Health is now requiring that candidates for transplants must be vaccinated against COVID. Wisc News reported that the rule “requires patients on the transplant waiting list to get a first dose of vaccine by Dec. 15 and a second dose, if needed, by Jan. 14.”
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Minnesota Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN-06) introduced legislation to try and reduce opioid related deaths. Emmer, along with Representative Annie Kuster (R-NH-02), wrote the Inpatient Opioid Safety Act of 2021, which is “legislation to improve patient safety, simplify care, and reduce preventable opioid-induced injury and death under the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) has put 500 National Guard troops on standby leading up to the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. According to a press release from Evers office, the guard members are reporting for State Active Duty following an authorization by Evers.
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State Rep. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) has accused the Racine County Sheriff’s Office of conducting a “political stunt” after an investigation into alleged nursing home election fraud. “The Wisconsin Election Commission directed municipalities throughout Wisconsin, all 72 counties, to not follow the law,” Racine County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Michael Luell said.
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Three socialists were elected to the Minneapolis City Council during the November general election. Jason Chavez, a 26 year old, was endorsed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). “People are tired of doing the same thing over and over again,” Chavez said. “This new wave in Minneapolis that just hit with the three of us is something that is going to return power back to regular people.”
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Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Mayorkas demanding answers about Biden’s ‘failed policies’ at the border. Johnson wanted to know when the government was made aware of the surge of Haitian immigrants at the border and why they ignored that intelligence.
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Minnesota criminal defense attorney Thomas Gallagher, with Gallagher Criminal Defense, told The Minnesota Sun that he believes that protesters who went to Judge Regina Chu’s apartment in the Loring Park neighborhood are being “abusive.”
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MAPLEWOOD, Minnesota – Hundreds gathered outside of the 3M located in Maplewood, Minnesota on Sunday afternoon to protest the company’s COVID vaccine mandate. 3M mandated the COVID vaccine for their employees, with a deadline of December 8.
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The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health has begun testing the COVID vaccination on infants and toddlers aged six months to five years. They will be one of several vaccine sites across North America testing the Moderna vaccine, which has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The testing will be conducted on around 4,000 very young children, a portion of which will be performed at the University of Wisconsin’s testing site.
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In a statement released by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) as a part of the state’s new COVID vaccine program for elementary aged children, they shared that COVID vaccines can be given to minors without parental consent under “special circumstances.”
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Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) signed on to a letter asking President Biden to help preserve the “basic human rights” of Afghan women and girls. The bipartisan letter has been signed by every female United States Senator.
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A high school in Zimmerman, Minnesota threatened students with suspension who participated in a walk out on Friday opposing the sexual abuse of students. Sarah Ronchak, with Open Schools USA, told The Minnesota Sun that the perpetrator of an alleged sexual assault was allowed back into the classroom during his trial. Two girls that he abused now have to see him in the hallways every day.
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A Wisconsin elementary school allegedly canceled classes because of a rumored Proud Boys protest following the claim that a school employee taped a face mask onto a 13 year old student. “We have zero-tolerance for hate speech, violence, or threats made against our staff and District,” the district said.
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Both the Minneapolis and St. Paul mayors were reelected despite many claiming “failed leadership” during the riots of 2020. Current Mayors Melvin Carter and Jacob Frey were both reelected in Minnesota’s November general election.
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Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08) introduced bipartisan legislation to ban foreign money from influencing United States elections. Gallagher announced his bill after the Federal Election Commission decided to allow foreign donors to contribute to U.S. ballot initiatives.
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Wisconsin Congressional Delegates responded to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) COVID vaccine mandate that was announced Thursday. Representative Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-05) said in a tweet that President Joe Biden couldn’t have chosen a worse time.
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Minnesota Rep. Pete Stauber has demanded that the Biden Administration halt the COVID vaccine mandate for those serving as Border Patrol agents. Stauber said in a tweet, “Border Patrol agents are heroes [and] shouldn’t be fired over their vaccination status. We need every one of them to address the Biden Border Crisis.”
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A rally opposing mandates for kids took place outside the Minnesota Department of Education building in Roseville, Minnesota on Wednesday. The rally, organized by Mark Bishofsky, had around 200 attendees. Bishofsky has organized several other protests in the last few months, hosting one of the largest Stop The Mandate protests at the Minnesota State Capitol.
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Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation to support American made goods and to try to address the supply chain issues facing many Americans. Baldwin said, “Our Made in America economy has been neglected, exposing us to shocks that leave us unable to produce or acquire the things we need, putting our health, economy, and security at risk.”
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The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association responded to Minneapolis residents voting against replacing the police with a Department of Public Safety. The ballot question, sponsored by Yes 4 Minneapolis, asked if residents wanted to replace the Minneapolis Police Department.
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Wisconsin Speaker Robin Vos said on Tuesday that they will not be releasing documents pertaining to the ongoing election investigation yet. An open records lawsuit was filed by American Oversight, a liberal group who disagrees with the investigation.
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Minnesota State Representative Jeremy Munson (R-Lake Crystal) questioned a Democrat redistricting bill in a Facebook video. Munson said that aspects of the bill are “at odds with election integrity.”
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) announced his reelection campaign on Tuesday. Walz is the seventh gubernatorial candidate to place a bid and the only Democrat to have entered the race so far.
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