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Many new laws will take effect on July 1st in Minnesota. A new state law will require a watercraft permit for some boaters starting July 1, 2025.  O'Driscoll says the 1-time $34.95 fee will apply starting July 1 for those 12 years of age or older born after June 30, 2004.  He says the plan is to phase it in through 2028. In the year 2028 if you are born after 1987 you'll need to have a a driver's license and watercraft permit to operate a boat.  Anyone born prior to 1987 will not need to have this permit. In Minnesota, lane splitting for motorcycles becomes legal on July 1. This allows motorcyclists to pass between lanes of slow-moving or stopped traffic, but with specific restrictions. The law limits lane splitting to a maximum speed of 25 mph and requires that the motorcycle's speed not exceed the surrounding traffic by more than 15 mph. The cannabis tax in Minnesota is set to increase from 10% to 15% starting July 1, 2025. This tax increase will apply to all products containing cannabis, including CBD and hemp-derived cannabinoids. This change is part of the budget bills passed by the Minnesota Legislature in June 2025 and is anticipated to generate a significant amount of additional revenue for the state. This increase will position Minnesota with one of the highest cannabis taxes in the country. Many lawmakers are concerned on the three laws listed, on how the enforcement and safety features come into play. The new laws can be read on the Minnesota State Legislature Website.

A Woodbury woman is in the Stearns County Jail after allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase through three counties Saturday night. The chase began on Highway 23 when a Minnesota State Trooper alerted a Paynesville police officer of a wrong-way driver on Highway 23 through Roscoe. The driver was westbound in the eastbound lanes and forced other drivers to swerve out of the way. The Paynesville officer spotted the vehicle at approximately 10:33 p.m. and began pursuing it with lights and sirens activated. According to the charges, the pursuit continued from Stearns County into Kandiyohi County at speeds of more than 90 miles-per-hour. The pursuit then entered Swift County at speeds of more than 117 miles-per-hour. Swift County deputies deployed stop sticks in an attempt to disable the vehicle. The pursuing officer learned the driver of the fleeing vehicle was on the phone with a dispatcher, who convinced the woman to pull over a short time later. Police identified the driver as 26-year-old Kenisha Ratzlaff. Court records show Ratzlaff was making strange comments about asking to turn up the heat in the police vehicle, being cold because it was wintertime, was actively sweating, and said she was six years pregnant. Police say a search of Ratzlaff's purse turned up a glass pipe and methamphetamine. The charges allege she was driving with a revoked license and has a prior DWI conviction in Hennepin County from 2022. In all, the chase covered more than 40 miles, and the SUV she was driving was reported stolen from a dealership in Washington County earlier that evening. Ratzlaff faces charges of fleeing police, drug possession, and driving under the influence of a controlled substance. She's due in court on July 21st.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has expanded its deer feeding and attractant ban to include Sherburne County to reduce the risk of spreading chronic wasting disease after it was detected in wild deer in new areas of the state. The ban prohibits feeding deer or using attractants to draw them to specific locations. It now covers 32 counties total. “The feeding and attractant ban is one tool to reduce unnatural congregating of deer and lower the risk of CWD spread,” said Paul Burr, acting big game program coordinator. The wording of the ban was recently clarified so hunters can still use items like non-scented ropes and mock scrapes with no added scents – items that were never intended to be outlawed. For Sherburne County residents interested in helping deer, the DNR recommends improving habitat to provide long-term food and shelter rather than feeding them directly.

The Twin Cities home where Democratic Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot Saturday was broken into overnight Wednesday, police say. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed in their home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota Saturday morning. Brooklyn Park police say the home had been boarded up early Sunday after investigators processed all of the evidence at the scene, and family members had removed "items of value" from the residence on Tuesday. "It was discovered that the plywood covering the rear window of the home had been pried off and the window broken to gain entry," police said in a statement released late Wednesday morning. Police say crime scene investigators searched the home again, and family members say "they don't believe anything was missing." Police are still searching for the suspect. Anyone with information on the break-in, including neighborhood residents who have surveillance cameras, are asked to contact the Brooklyn Park Police Department. 

The National Weather Service says the summer solstice will usher in all of the summer weather this weekend, Strong to severe storms are possible as Central Minnesota is under a slight risk, or two out of five, for high winds, hail, and locally heavy rainfall. Scattered storms should develop over the western part of the state Friday afternoon and Friday night bringing potential rounds of severe weather. Almost the entire state is under an extreme heat watch for the weekend. It goes into effect at noon on Saturday. The area is expected to see air temperatures in the low 90s with dewpoints pushing the heat index values to between 103 and 108. There will be little relief overnight as lows will only be in the mid 70s to lower 80s. Heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events. Experts say to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors, especially the elderly and those without air conditioning. The summer solstice is the point at which the Earth’s poles have the maximum tilt to the sun. It’s also the longest day of the year. The official time for the solstice in the northern hemisphere is Friday, June 20th, 2025 at 9:42 p.m. Central Daylight Time.

The 3rd Annual Prepper Expo is this weekend at the Morrison County Fairgrounds. Three days of family friendly classes, speakers, food, on site camping and learning to live of the land and within your means will be discussed over the weekend with exotic foods, lots of fun games and activities for the kids. For admission information and camping details go the website https://www.mnprepperexpo.com.

Weather- Friday AM storms, then sunny and humid, high 81, with strong storms at night with heavy rainfall expected before midnight, then humid, low 68. Saturday Extreme Heat Watch in effect, sunny and hot, high near 93, Heat Index Value of 100-108 degrees. Saturday night clear and humid, low 73. Sunday sunny and hot with high 91 Heat Index Value near 100 at times. Storms likely Sunday afternoon and evening with some severe ones, low 63. Monday showers at times, cooler and breezy, high 75, low around 57.

Sports- Twins start a series at home against Milwaukee Brewers Friday night, pregame 6:30pm, Saturday is a day game, pregame at 12:30pm and Sunday Inside Twins starts at noon on Q92 WYRQ. Minnesota Lynx takes on Los Angeles Saturday night in the WNBA, Lynx currently at 11-1. Though still over a week away, the Target Center is preparing for Caitlyn Clark and the Indiana Fever on July 1st where they are expecting a sell out crowd and supplying over 5000 more seats to added for that game. KLTF Victory League Game of the Week is Avon at Nisswa Sunday at 1:30pm on AM960 KLTF. 

Today, June 19th is "Juneteenth" a Federal Holiday established by President Joe Biden in 2021. The holiday celebrated on June 19th is to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans...

The Morrison County Sheriff’s Office is investigating multiple burglaries that occurred over the past week in rural Hillman, (northeastern Morrison County). The break-ins have involved homes, seasonal properties, and outbuildings. Investigators...

Severe thunderstorms with tornadoes went through central Minnesota on Monday. Little Falls had .2 of rain and very little of any severe storms as they stayed north and south but...

Reports started around 9pm last night that the man accused of killing a lawmaker and her husband and wounding another lawmaker and his wife has been arrested. 57-year-old Vance Boelter...