RIGHT NOW NEWS
Plea deal includes no jail time for Edina doctor accused of sexually molesting patients
"A former physician who practiced cosmetic surgery at clinics in Edina, Minneapolis, and Maple Grove has been offered a plea deal with no jail time after facing accusations of sexually molesting two women and potentially at least five others.
Christopher John Kovanda, 57, was charged last fall with two gross misdemeanor counts of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly engaging in non-consensual sexual conduct with two separate patients."
Read more over at Alpha News: https://alphanews.org/plea-deal-includes-no-jail-time-for-edina-doctor-accused-of-sexually-molesting-patients/
44 DFL legislators come out against special session to fix SRO issue
"A group of 44 Minnesota DFL legislators released a statement Thursday opposing calls for a special legislative session to fix a new law impacting school resource officers (SROs).
This comes after Democratic Gov. Tim Walz signaled he is open to the idea of a special session to revise the law, which prohibits SROs in cases where there is no threat of bodily harm or death from using the prone restraint or any force that “places pressure or weight on a pupil’s head, throat, neck, chest, lungs, sternum, diaphragm, back, or abdomen.”
Read more over at Alpha News: https://alphanews.org/44-dfl-legislators-come-out-against-special-session-to-fix-sro-issue/
Osseo teacher asks students if preferred name and pronouns should be used when contacting home
"A teacher in the Osseo school district asked students to share their preferred name and pronouns on the first day of class and state whether they should be used when contacting home.
“Please circle your answer choice for the following in regards to your pronoun/preferred name use,” a handout reads. It then asks if the teacher should use the student’s preferred name and pronouns when calling home."
Read more over at Alpha News: https://alphanews.org/osseo-teacher-asks-students-if-preferred-name-and-pronouns-should-be-used-when-contacting-home/
Letter: Blame Minnesota Democrats for school resource officers leaving our schools
"The reason the officers are being removed from the schools falls directly on the shoulders of the Democrats in the Minnesota Legislature," Minnesota Sen. Paul Utke writes."
Read more over at the InForum: https://www.inforum.com/opinion/letters/letter-blame-minnesota-democrats-for-school-resource-officers-leaving-our-schools
Most Minneapolis students don’t consistently attend school
"The number of Minnesota students who consistently attend school has dropped by 15% since 2019, according to state Department of Education data released last week.
The annual North Star Accountability Report tracks “consistent attendance,” which is defined as the number of students who attend school at least 90% of the time and are not chronically absent.
Since 2019, the last time attendance data was released, the number of students with consistent attendance records has dropped from 85% to 69.8%, according to data for the 2021-22 school year.
In Minneapolis, the number of students consistently attending school that year was just 45.8%.
The data also found that, based on 2023 statewide assessments, 50.3% of students are not proficient in reading and 54.7% are not proficient in math."
Read more over at Alpha News: https://alphanews.org/most-minneapolis-students-dont-consistently-attend-school/
Politics pivots from state to national conversation at 2023 Minnesota State Fair
"Grassroots groups and state parties are engaging with fairgoers on presidential politics and the 2023 legislative session, producing viral moments along the way, like Sen. Amy Klobuchar posing with a group of shirtless firefighters."
Read more over at Alpha News: https://alphanews.org/politics-pivots-from-state-to-national-conversation-at-2023-minnesota-state-fair/
Message to Criminals: You will get away with it!
"MINNEAPOLIS — The Hennepin County Attorney's Office has now dismissed the case against James Jones-Drain, the man accused of leading MPD Officer Brian Cummings on a high-speed chase in July 2021. Cummings' vehicle went through a red light and hit and killed an innocent driver, Leneal Frazier.
"The State of Minnesota hereby dismisses the Complaint in the above-named due to an inability to prove all of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt at this time," the dismissal statement said."
Minnesota Democrats may have provided path for Michigan to follow: Here’s how
"“I would argue that … there's no state that’s done more with their legislative power to actually make a difference than Minnesota, but Michigan's certainly up there," said Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin. But it's not a competition. And both states can provide an example for how Democrats everywhere can wield power, he said.""
Read more over at Detroit Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2023/08/22/michigan-democrats-minnesota-trifecta-policy/70576808007/