KTOE Noon News 6-23-25

Top Stories for Noon 6-23-25: 

• Red Cross Seeking Blood Donors Ahead of July 4th Holiday
• Utility crews are racing to restore power across Beltrami County after powerful storms brought 90-to-120-mile hour winds causing widespread damage. Thousands lost power, and emergency officials warn some residents could be without electricity for up to a week. The National Weather Service confirmed the storm that hit Bemidji was not a tornado, but Mayor Jorge Prince called it “the worst storm to ever hit the city.” The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners is holding a special meeting today(Monday) to assess damage and coordinate recovery efforts.
• Some Minnesota lawmakers were upset they weren’t provided law enforcement protection after former Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senator John Hoffman were shot. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley (BROO’-lee) says the Department of Public Safety did a great job of contacting everyone on the suspect’s hit list, including sending state troopers. Bruley said, “there’s no way we could have sent people to every legislators’ house. We would not have been able to investigate or capture this individual, which had to be done simultaneous to protecting those people.” Vance Boelter remains in custody on state and federal charges. His next court hearing is on Friday.
• Oil prices continue to rise as conflict escalates between Israel and Iran, with U.S. involvement now adding pressure. GasBuddy says while prices will likely keep climbing, they don’t expect the extreme spikes circulating across social media. Expect gas prices to rise another 7 to 15 cents nationally this week, and diesel to jump 10 to 20 cents. In Minnesota, gas prices have already climbed 17 cents in the past week, now averaging $3.10 a gallon. National averages sit at $3.18 for gas and $3.64 for diesel. Forecasters warn conditions remain volatile and could shift quickly.
• Minneapolis-based Target say it’s keeping its 2024 prices for many Back to School Supplies for this year. Target says the pricing will remain the same for 20 must-have supplies that will add up to a total of under $20 dollars. The retailer announced it will have more than one thousand items selling for under $5 including its popular $5 backpack. And, students and teachers can still get a 20% discount on their back to school shopping. For more discounts, Target Circle Week is set for July 6th through the 12th.
• A $ 1 million donation from Minnesota-based Polaris is being used to expand the U of M Extension’s Youth A-T-V Safety Program. Executive director Nicole Pokorney (PUH’-cor-knee) says they’ve worked with Polaris the last seven years on offering A-T-V certifications to children. She says this gift is going to give the program leverage to build partnerships and hire a staff person to broaden the reach to all audiences. There’s more information on the U of M extension website.

• View Fourth of July Fireworks from Minnesota State University’s Athletic Fields

• South Central College Hosting Open Houses during Minnesota State Week