Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division ‘Red Bulls’ to deploy to middle-east in February
Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Local soldiers will be among the 550 Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division Red Bulls heading to Kuwait for a ten month deployment.
In February, the unit will train at Fort Cavasos, Texas, before arriving in the Middle East to provide leadership, command, and planning for future exercises for Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve. The Red Bulls will be responsible for operations across seven countries.
Their responsibilities include working with partner nations in the region to increase military capacity, promote self-reliance, and increase security.
This will be the first deployment for 46% of the unit’s soldiers, the second for 28% of the soldiers, the third deployment for 16% of the soldiers, and the fourth deployment or more for 10% of the soldiers. Four soldiers within the division will be participating in their sixth deployment.
In a news release, Army Maj. Gen. Charles Kemper, 34th Infantry Division Commander, said: “The 34th Infantry Division Headquarters commands and controls Task Force Spartan from Kuwait, which is deployed across seven partner nations. As part of Operation Spartan Shield, we work with like-minded nations to reassure our partners, build interoperability, increase the capacity through combined exercises, and to deter malign influences in the region.”
The Arden Hills-based 34th Infantry Division Headquarters provides training and readiness oversight for nine National Guard brigades with more than 27,000 Soldiers across Minnesota and 29 other states.
Story by Jennifer Lewerenz / KNSI
Mahnomen County attorney replaced after Minnesota Supreme Court suspends law license
The Mahnomen County board has taken action to replace county attorney Julie Bruggeman and will look to appoint a county attorney for the remainder of the term through December 31, 2026.
In July, commissioners were made aware of disciplinary action taken by the Minnesota State Supreme Court and the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility against Bruggeman. The state supreme court suspended Bruggeman’s license to practice law indefinitely with no right to petition for reinstatement for 90 days.
In an order from the court, then, Associate Justice Natalie Hudson wrote: “Julie L. Bruggeman committed professional misconduct warranting public discipline-namely, in one client matter, representing clients with a conflict of interest, providing incompetent representation by naming an improper party as a defendant in a complaint and failing to properly serve defendants with the complaint.”
Hudson continued that Bruggeman was also responsible for: “neglecting the matter, failing to communicate with the clients, forging a client’s electronic signature on an affidavit and filing it with the court, making multiple knowingly false statements to the clients, failing to timely withdraw from representation, failing to provide the clients with a copy of the file upon termination of the representation … and fabricating documents and making knowingly false statements to the director during a disciplinary investigation”
The county board also learned this was the second time Bruggeman had been disciplined, and publicly reprimanded since 2018.
Commissioners put her on unpaid administrative leave in July and appointed Jason Hastings as interim county attorney until a permanent county attorney can be appointed.
Becker County encouraging residents to take online survey for new county comprehensive plan
Becker County is seeking the public’s input for their new comprehensive plan, which will focus on identifying issues current residents are facing with building and zoning challenges, and updating the county’s policies and zoning code to reflect those changes.
According to the project website, the county’s new comprehensive land-use plan will define the vision, goals and aspirations for the future growth and development of the community. The plan also intends to identify and locate where land uses should be located and considers population trends, transportation patterns, natural resources, economic development activity with correlating needs for utilities, housing, businesses, as well as parks and open space.
The plan will be used to facilitate where public and private investments in county infrastructure should be located.
During the last Becker County Board meeting on Nov. 21, Kyle Vareberg, Becker County’s planning and zoning administrator, presented to the commissioners the draft mission statement for the county’s new comprehensive plan.
“The mission is Becker County will serve current and future residents by balancing the following priorities,” said Vareberg. “Planning for a community that meets a range of needs and budgets. Supporting jobs and a prosperous local economy. Protecting natural resources and providing sustainable outdoor recreation. Engaging residents and businesses to build a sense of community. And, serving that community by providing financially manageable public services and infrastructure.”
Online surveys will be accepted until Dec. 15. Following the survey portion for the new comprehensive plan, organizers will be holding public input focus groups to more clearly define areas of concern.
The group plans on presenting a draft comprehensive plan to the Becker County Board next summer before again receiving public comments on the draft proposal.
The final plan is expected to be completed in fall 2024.
The Becker County Comprehensive Land-use plan has not been updated since 2003.
Click here to take the online survey for the county’s new comprehensive plan.
Man struck by passing train in Fargo Wednesday night
A man suffered what Fargo Police said were non-life threatening injuries when he was hit by a train in downtown Fargo Wednesday night.
Police, Fire, and Sanford Ambulance responded to the rail crossing at Main Avenue and Broadway shortly before 9 p.m.
Police said the man walked around the lowered crossing arms when he was struck and was transported to a nearby hospital.
NDSU extends Tuition Award Program through 2025 school year; fears exodus of Minnesota students who may join North Star Promise program
North Dakota State University announced Wednesday that it’s extending a new scholarship program, in part, due to Minnesota’s program to cover tuition for income-eligible residents, beginning next year.
North Dakota higher education leaders are worried about losing those Minnesota students.
Earlier this month, North Dakota State announced its new Tuition Award program which is similar to Minnesota’s North Star Promise program. Both programs begin in fall 2024 and the university has extended the scholarship to a second year.
The North Star Promise program will cover undergraduate tuition and fees at Minnesota’s public colleges and universities, and tribal colleges, for residents whose family income is under $80,000, after other aid is used.
North Dakota State’s new scholarship is for Minnesota and North Dakota first-year students who are eligible for the federal Pell Grant and whose family income is $80,000 or less. Returning, second-year students will be considered for one year of the scholarship in the 2024-25 school year.
The scholarship will cover eligible students’ tuition and fees after other aid is used. The NDSU Foundation is covering the cost of the new scholarship program, which is estimated to be $3.5 million for its first year.
North Dakota State University President David Cook has spoken of “catastrophic implications” due to North Star Promise.
Adding, the university is the top out-of-state choice for first-year Minnesota students, who make up nearly half the school’s student body.
About 15,000 to 20,000 Minnesotans could use North Star Promise in its first year, according to Minnesota’s Office of Higher Education, which could affect the decisions of about 1,400 Minnesota students at five schools in eastern North Dakota who might be eligible for the Minnesota program.
MN DNR issues safety and registration reminders for snowmobilers
As the snowmobile riding season draws near, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued a reminder Thursday for riders of important safety tips and registration requirements.
In a news release, the agency stated the current lack of snow cover means that Minnesota’s snowmobile trails will not be usable by the official opening date of Dec. 1 and several conditions must be met before trails are open, groomed and ready for travel:
- The first condition is the ground must be frozen. Where trails cross wetlands, 15 inches of ice are needed to support the weight of trail groomers.
- The second is adequate snow cover of about 12 inches must be on the ground to allow for trail packing and grooming.
- And a third condition states trails must be cleared of fallen trees, signs put in place and gates opened on official trails.
Registrations for new snowmobiles must be purchased in person at a local deputy registrar of motor vehicles and, for further information, riders should consult the MN DNR’s website. DNR’s licenses and vehicle registrations website (mndnr.gov/licenses).
Current conditions for lakes area snowmobile trails can be found on ULTRA Snowmobile Club’s website and Facebook page.
The volunteer service club, along with state and county agencies, take on task of grooming hundreds of miles of trails every winter
A statewide interactive snowmobile trail map can also be found on the DNR’s snowmobiling website.
Minnesota Department of Health adds dry-herb vaporization as delivery method to medical cannabis program
Minnesota will add dry herb vaporization to the list of approved delivery methods in the state’s medical cannabis program.
The new delivery method will be available to patients beginning Aug. 1, 2024.
Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham approved the new delivery method to provide an additional fast-acting option for patients.
Currently, patients enrolled in Minnesota’s medical cannabis program have three fast-acting options – sublingual tinctures, oil-based vaporizers and combustible smoking. Fast-acting products can take anywhere from one to 15 minutes for the effects to set in. These products tend to last anywhere from one to four hours. Dry herb vaporization provides patients with an alternative to combustion smoking.
The Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Medical Cannabis (OMC) received seven petitions to add new delivery methods during the 2023 process. Petitions for plants, concentrates, oil and weed nuggets, and rosin were dismissed, while the petition for dry herb vaporization was moved forward.
The failed petitions were not supported by peer-reviewed studies that demonstrate evidence of benefit to patients.
OMC also received petitions to add conditions to their medical-use list, including anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and opioid use disorder. None were approved due to a lack of evidence or because they had been previously considered.
As in past years, OMC conducted a formal petition process to solicit public input on potential qualifying medical conditions and delivery methods for medical cannabis. Minnesotans submitted petitions in June and July.
When the Minnesota Legislature authorized the creation of the state’s medical cannabis program, the law included nine conditions that qualified a patient to receive medical cannabis. Today, the list of qualifying conditions is 19. Under state rules, the commissioner of health each year considers whether to add qualifying conditions and delivery methods.
For a complete list of qualifying medical conditions visit Medical Cannabis Qualifying Medical Conditions. Information is also available on the MDH website about How to Become a Medical Cannabis Patient.
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