KTOE Noon News 7-22-25
Top Stories for Noon 7-22-25:
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MnDOT to host open house July 29 for Veteran’s Memorial Bridge project
- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has released a draft update to the state’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy and is asking for public feedback through August 28th. The 2025 update highlights progress in cutting phosphorus levels, mixed results on nitrogen, and outlines where more work is needed to protect Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, and groundwater. The strategy outlines how the state can reduce nutrient pollution through both voluntary and regulatory actions, with impacts extending as far as the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Winnipeg. The public can review the draft and submit comments through the MPCA’s Smart Comment portal at pca.state.mn.us.
- CenterPoint Energy is handing out another 99 grants for its Community Safety Grants Program. The grants will total nearly $220,000 and help communities in four states, including Minnesota. These grants are awarded to local government agencies to cover the cost of safety equipment, including automated external defibrillators, water rescue equipment, protective gear for first responders, and extraction tools used to rescue individuals from vehicle crashes. Since 2003, CenterPoint has awarded approximately $3.5 million dollars in grants to more than 1700 projects.
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Mankato Suspect pleads guilty in Feeding our Future fraud case
- A man from Dassel is pleading guilty to the December 2023 shooting death of his wife. Meeker County prosecutors say 36-year-old Bryan Demarais entered a Norgaard plea for the second-degree murder of 29-year-old Kayla Demarais. That means he acknowledges the state has enough evidence to convict him of the offense. Demarais has said he was sleep-deprived on the morning of the shooting. He reportedly shot Kayla over financial problems and because she was having an affair. Two kids were in the home at the time. His sentencing hearing is set for July 29th.
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is joining 19 other states in suing the federal government over new rules that restrict access to key social services. The lawsuit challenges a sudden policy shift that blocks state programs from serving residents who can’t verify their immigration status—including some visa holders and even U.S. citizens without documentation. Ellison says the changes are not only cruel but illegal, and could cut off access to programs like Head Start, mental health care, and family planning. The coalition is asking the court to stop the rules and protect access to these vital services.
- Anyone choosing to run for Melissa Hortman’s House seat in District 34B must have their nominating petitions and paperwork turned into the Secretary of State or county auditors’ offices by 5 p.m. today. The governor called for the special election to be held on Tuesday, September 16. So far, four candidates have filed petitions, three Democrats and one Republican. A special primary election will be held on August 12th, with early voting starting on July 31st. The district covers Brooklyn Park, Champlin, and Coon Rapids.
- The Minnesota State Fair is less than a month away, and pre-fair discount admission tickets are on sale at Cub Foods stores. They cost 17 dollars each for all ages. Regular gate admission is increasing to $ 20 for adults aged 16 to 64 and $ 18 for seniors and children aged 5 to 12. Children age four and under are free. Discount tickets are available until August 20th. The 2025 State Fair will run from August 21st through September 1st.
