KTOE Noon News 10-2-25
Top Stories for Noon 10-2-25:
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A Precarious State Premieres Tonight on ABC Stations in Minnesota
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Jaybird Senior Living Welcomes Autumn Grace and Water’s Edge in Mankato
- One of the students critically injured in the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church is back in school. The GoFundMe page for 12-year-old Lydia Kaiser says she is happy to be with her friends and teachers again. Kaiser underwent three brain surgeries after being shot while shielding a younger student. Her family says Lydia will need ongoing care for the foreseeable future,” but she remains a brave little fighter and she is feeling stronger every day.” Lydia’s parents met with Vice President J-D Vance when he visited Minneapolis.
- The Minnesota Department of Commerce announced health insurance premiums in 2026 will jump by more than 20 percent, but state lawmakers say it could have been much worse. Republican Representative Tim O’Driscoll of Sartell is co-chair of the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee, and says without the state’s reinsurance program, the rates could have climbed as much as 40 percent. O’Driscoll says the reinsurance program was developed to provide stability and predictability to volatile pricing in the health insurance market. D-F-L Senator Matt Klein of Mendota Heights says it could have been even worse, with rates higher by 47 percent. The current reinsurance program is set to expire at the end of 2027.
- Senator Omar Fateh’s mayoral campaign was fined 500 dollars today (THURS) for violating Minnesota campaign law by falsely claiming the D-F-L endorsement after it was revoked. The party pulled its support following major voting irregularities at the July convention, including missing ballots and unsecured delegate records. A party panel ruled the process was “substantially flawed.” Fateh continued using campaign materials with the endorsement, which the court says knowingly misled voters.
- Minnesota-based Xcel Energy has officially opened its new utility service center in Waite Park, marking a significant step forward in its operational capabilities. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Wednesday at the facility. The new center is designed to support a growing workforce and enhance response times to electric and gas outages. Approximately 80 employees and 85 vehicles are now based at the site, which is expected to improve overall efficiency and service delivery in the region. Xcel Energy plans to retain the old service center property, with plans to repurpose it.
- About 50 sticks of dynamite were discovered Wednesday in a garage in Medina, west of Minneapolis. A resident found the box while cleaning and called authorities around 11:30 a.m. The West Suburban Fire District issued a temporary evacuation for nearby homes, and the Minneapolis Bomb Squad was brought in. The explosives were safely removed, and the evacuation order was lifted by mid-afternoon. Officials haven’t said how the dynamite got there or how long it had been stored.
