KTOE Noon News 3-7-25
Top Stories for Noon 3-7-25:
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North Mankato Fire Department Responds to Garage Fire Friday Morning
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The New Ulm Human Rights Commission Announces Winners of annual Human Rights Award
- The latest U-S Drought Monitor map shows two-thirds or 66-and-a-half percent of Minnesota is in a moderate drought. Seven-and-a-half percent of the state is in a severe drought, and more than 94 percent has abnormally dry conditions. The driest areas are in north-central Minnesota. These numbers do not include the snowfall from the storm Tuesday night into Wednesday morning that dumped 13 inches on parts of southeastern Minnesota. The state has received below-average snowfall this winter.
- Rural Minnesota roads and bridges would get a boost in funding if a Republican-authored House bill becomes law. Kenyon Representative Keith Allen’s legislation would earmark a General Fund appropriation of $25 million each year of the 2026-27 biennium for town roads and another $10 million yearly for town bridges. Allen says these roads are the starting point for transporting Minnesota’s commodities. Shakopee DFL Representative Brad Tabke says he’s concerned about the bill’s proposed shift in funding and how it would affect the budget and the ability to take care of state roads. The bill was laid over for possible omnibus bill inclusion.
- Prosecutors in the federal Feeding Our Future fraud trial are expected to wrap up their case today. Two FBI forensic accountants detailed on the witness stand yesterday about the flow of money for several entities associated with defendants Aimee Bock’s nonprofit and Salim Said’s Safari Restaurant. The pair are accused of overseeing close to 250 million dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program fraud during the pandemic. The defense is expected to start calling witnesses sometime today.
