LIVE: 'This remains a very active investigation,' Minnesota BCA says
Jun. 15—BLAINE, Minn. — Officials with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety are set to provide an update on the search for Vance Boelter, the 57-year-old suspect in the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, June 15.
Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed early Saturday morning, June 14, in the second of two reported shootings of state lawmakers, Gov. Tim Walz said at a Saturday morning briefing.
Hortman died at her home Saturday morning, while her husband died at a nearby hospital, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office reported.
Also shot Saturday were Sen. John A. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Officials said Hoffman and his wife underwent surgery for their injuries and are recovering. Walz said he is "optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt."
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Knox County leaders are in the dark on trustee's office investigation, but that may change
It's been just over two months since Knox News exclusively reported the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury is investigating the Knox County Trustee's Office. County audit committee members, who were some of the first to learn about Justin Biggs' spending, will meet June 16 for a routine quarterly session, but any updates on the investigation might not be public. The committee is allowed to go into closed meetings to discuss confidential topics, such as a comptroller's investigation. The audit committee oversees the county audit department, which ensures public money is properly spent, employees follow the law and government operates efficiently. Or they might not hear an update at all. County officials and community members are in the dark about the investigation. The state watchdog agency does not (and will not) publicly share updates during its investigations. All we know is that the case is ongoing, and Blount County District Attorney Ryan Desmond's office is already at work reviewing the comptroller's materials. Biggs is at the center of a Knox News exclusive report into how he and some of his staff members overspent on high-end hotel rooms and used trustee-leased trucks for personal travel. The investigation goes beyond the trustee's office. Since Knox News published its investigation, Property Assessor Phil Ballard and Matt Myers, the county's procurement director, have been snagged by investigators for using county vehicles for personal travel. Why it matters now: Biggs has not been charged with a crime. Two of his three predecessors in the trustee's office have ended up in criminal court following investigations, and it's noteworthy that the comptroller's office has already begun sharing materials with the district attorney. (Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen recused herself from the case, which is why it's being handled in Blount County.) Why it matters in the future: Biggs is running in a contested Republican primary to keep his job in 2026. Regardless of the investigation and its fallout, Biggs is free to finish out his term as trustee and serve a new one if he's reelected. When's the meeting? The county audit committee, which is made up of three Knox County commissioners, one member of the county school board and two community members, will meet at 1 p.m. June 16 in conference room 575 in the City-County Building, 400 Main St. If they don't discuss the comptroller's investigation into the trustee's office - or even if they do - they could also ask about the state watchdog looking into the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Detention Center. Knox News reported June 2 that state investigators on April 7 had talked to the facility's only nurse, Stefani Clowers, for an hour and a half that day. One month later, Bean, the superintendent of the facility named for him, gave Clowers a choice: Resign or be fired for "turning him in," she told Knox News. Clowers, a registered nurse, sounded alarms that facility leaders failed to follow medical best practices. She told Knox News she contacted six local and state agencies about errors in medication distribution and several instances when she felt children's lives were in danger. She repeatedly raised concerns to Bean and his lieutenant, Kay McClain, she said. Clowers refused to resign, was fired and then was reinstated a day later under pressure from Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs and Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin, who warned Bean his dismissals of Clowers and information technology specialist Thomas Cordell exposed the county to potential lawsuits that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Cordell also took the offer for reinstatement. What we don't know: We don't know the extent of any state investigation into the detention center beyond the fact they were there in April. What we do know: Bean's firing of the two staffers and the alleged misconduct it revealed ushered a leadership overhaul. Bean resigned, and and the county is considering moving the juvenile detention center under the purview of the Knox County Sheriff's Office. Even if the state isn't investigating, the fallout will be noteworthy this week and next week in Knox County politics. The Knox County Commission will meet for its agenda review meeting June 16. The commissioners won't take any votes. It's just a time for them to ask questions about items on their agenda for next week. But a couple of notable items might raise questions, including moving the juvenile detention center under the control of the sheriff's office. But not everyone is on board: Mayor Glenn Jacobs is pushing for KCSO as the solution to overseeing the Bean Center, with an emergency ordinance to do so on the preliminary agenda. But other county leaders aren't so sure. How do other detention centers conduct oversight? Knox County Commissioner Courtney Durrett wants to create a committee to look into how other detention centers are run across the state. The commission could weigh in on her idea at the agenda review meeting. Study up: You can read about Durrett's proposal at Click "agenda" and select the "optional agenda review meeting" option. Another interesting agenda item... Knox County Commissioner Andy Fox, who represents South Knox County, is poised to introduce legislation discussing a "fluoride prohibition." I've been following Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon's sales tax increase proposal. Since the last edition of The Key: Knox News detailed the items exempt from sales taxes in Tennessee Kincannon released projects the administration wants to complete with the estimate $47 million in annual revenue form the increase The Knoxville City Council gave initial approval for the proposal to go on voters' ballots in November. The final vote will be June 24. Here are some news highlights from last week: Ryan Wilusz reported Trump fired another Biden appointee, cutting TVA board down to just three members Tyler Whetstone reported on an internal probe in the sheriff's office after it failed the family of a teen who died Keenan Thomas reported FIFA wants to continue turf research collaboration with University of Tennessee beyond 2026 I reported Jeff Talman will be on North Knoxville residents' city council ballots I detailed what Knox County did last time Knoxville raised its sales tax Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: and follow her on reddit at u/KnoxNewsAllie This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knox County leaders may hear updates on trustee investigation
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South River police respond after 50 students trash high school in senior prank
SOUTH RIVER – Students who were allegedly involved in trespassing and defacing South River High School property have been identified and are facing school disciplinary actions, according to police. In addition, local law enforcement officials will be working with the students' families to ensure there are appropriate consequences and accountability for the criminal trespassing and vandalism incident. reported students who participated are required to pay a $150 fine and participate in five hours of community service as part of a graduation participation contract sent to their parents. On June 12 police were notified about unauthorized entry and possible property damage at South River High School. An investigation determined that a large group of students entered the Montgomery Street building after school hours and purposely defaced school property. The senior prank, which was captured on school security cameras, resulted in high school classes being canceled for the day. Mayor Peter Guindi said the entire school was vandalized with desks, chairs and gym equipment moved and flipped, toilet paper thrown around, and items wrapped in plastic. Guindi said the prank went too far. About 50 students allegedly participated in the prank. 'Criminal trespassing and vandalism are serious offenses that threaten the safety and integrity of not only our schools, but our community as well.' Police Chief Mark E. Tinitigan stated. 'We take these incidents very seriously and will continue to work closely with schools to promote a safe environment for students, staff, and residents.' The South River Police Department emphasized the importance of respecting property and understanding the legal consequences associated with such actions and encourages parents, students, and community members to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. South River police plan to work with the school administration and Board of Education to prevent similar incidents in the future. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact South River Detective Sergeant Kenneth Nale at 732-238-1000 ext. 123. Email: srussell@ Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on South River NJ police respond after 50 students trash high school
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Governor candidate David Jolly says Republicans have put Florida in 'affordability crisis'
Former Florida Congressman David Jolly believes 2026 will be a 'generational change' election in Florida and is building his campaign for governor around that idea. The former Republican is the only serious Democratic candidate who has declared to run so far. With the primary 14 months away and the general election 17 months away, Jolly is aiming to convince Democrats he can win on a message that appeals to voters in places where Democrats usually don't compete. As part of that effort, Jolly was in Northwest Florida this week doing media interviews and building the early stages of his campaign. He sat down with the News Journal for a one-on-one interview on June 11. Jolly, a Dunedin native and son of a Southern Baptist preacher, has been involved in Florida politics for decades, mostly in the Tampa area. He was the long-time aide of late Republican Congressman Bill Young and succeeded Young in a 2014 special election after Young's death. While he worked for Young, Jolly earned a law degree from George Mason University. He left Young's office in 2006 and became a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., before he ran for Young's seat in 2014 as a Republican. In 2016, Jolly flirted with a run for the U.S. Senate but backed out of the race after Marco Rubio gave up his presidential run. Jolly was defeated in his bid for reelection to Congress by Democrat Charlie Crist. Jolly was an early critic of Donald Trump in the Republican Party and was one of the early 'Never Trump' Republicans. Jolly ultimately left the Republican Party in 2018, and he officially registered as a Democrat in April. Jolly rejects the label of moderate or centrist, but if there is a label, Jolly says he's a pluralist. 'I'm for lower corporate taxes, but more gun violence prevention,' Jolly said. 'That makes me to the right on one issue and to the left on another. We could go down the list, and you're going to find me all over the left-right spectrum. I am in a post-ideological space. This is about bold solutions to big problems.' Meet David Jolly: Former Republican Florida congressman running for governor Jolly acknowledges that his policy positions have changed, especially in the last 10 years, with the rise of Donald Trump. While some may compare him to Crist, who failed to beat DeSantis in 2022, Jolly said Crist would never admit he changed. However, Jolly said his policy views have changed, but his values, based on the core of his Christian faith, haven't changed. 'What I discovered in my journey is, even as a Republican, I was trying to figure out how to ensure that the economy worked for all people. That government actually served people – seniors, veterans – and that everyone was lifted up regardless of your walk of life, who you love, who you worship, the color of your skin. Those values have never changed.' Jolly said his views on the legal status of abortion have changed since he was a Republican. He said he believes the standard of the Roe v. Wade case should be codified in law. 'I wrongly conflated my personal faith teachings with being anti-Roe, when I got into office,' Jolly said. 'But you can kind of see my journey over three or four years. I was the only Republican in Congress who voted against the Planned Parenthood investigation. When Republicans moved to rescind money from Planned Parenthood, I offered a compromise to say, we will defund corporate Planned Parenthood, but we're going to move that money to community health centers to ensure there's no disruption of health care.' Jolly said he supported Amendment 4 last year, which would've made abortion a right under the Florida Constitution. 'I think Amendment 4 is right, not just for reproductive freedom, but because it also ensures that the ability of the faith communities to evangelize faith teachings remains uninhibited as well,' Jolly said. Beyond Jolly's change on the issues, he said Republicans are the ones who have changed more over the last 10 years. 'The party I belonged to was for fiscal discipline and staying out of your bedrooms, and now we're exploding the debt, and we want politicians in your classrooms, your doctor's offices and your bedrooms,' Jolly said. 'That's a big change, right? I'm willing to talk about it. I'm not sure some of my Republican colleagues are.' Jolly believes that if any change is going to happen in Florida, it has to come from the Democratic Party. Jolly said Republicans haven't addressed the real needs of Floridians while they've been in power, and voters will be ready for a change. 'We're in the midst of a generational change environment in what would be the sixth year of a president, in the midst of a state affordability crisis that we haven't seen in 25 years,' Jolly said. 'So the conditions right now are different than any cycle we've seen, probably for 20 years.' Jolly officially declared his bid for the 2026 governor's race on June 5. His announcement came as the Florida Democratic Party has struggled to regain relevancy and Florida has shifted into a solidly Republican-dominated state over the last decade. While Republicans have controlled the Statehouse for nearly 30 years – a Democrat hasn't won a governor's race since 1994 – Florida's status as a swing state in presidential and other statewide elections left open space for Florida Democrats until Republicans decisively won every statewide office in 2022. Florida Sen. Jason Pizzo, who was the Democratic Party leader in the Florida Senate and seen as a top contender for the Democratic nomination for governor, shocked state political observers in May when he announced he was leaving the party, declaring it 'dead' in Florida. Pizzo declared he was running for governor as a non-party-affiliated candidate. Jolly said his campaign is about attracting voters from all walks of life with a message of making Florida an affordable place to live with economic and educational opportunities for families. 'The race is not about the president,' Jolly said. 'It's about Florida. But then also, we have to be in communities where Democrats haven't been, and we have to make this race bigger than the Democratic Party. This has to be a race about Florida's voters and whether or not they want change or more of the same. If that is the question, in the midst of a change environment, we win this race.' Jolly said he would tackle affordability by focusing on the ballooning cost of housing and, particularly, homeowners' insurance. He said he wants to pass policies that will lower homeowners' insurance by 50% with a state catastrophic fund that would remove hurricane coverage from the private market. Jolly said he would also focus on making public education competitive with private schools in the era of school choice by raising teacher pay to levels that would put Florida at the top of the teacher pay list instead of near the bottom. 'If you truly think we have an affordability crisis, do you trust current leaders in Tallahassee to deliver a solution? Because they've had decades to do that, and they haven't,' Jolly said. Jolly said that growing up in Florida, he felt it was a place people could come and chase their dreams, but today it's become a place for the "rich and the reckless," instead of a place for everyone. "There's a certain mystique and dream quality to Florida that I think is escaping us and getting out of reach," Jolly said. "So, how do we bring that back in 2026 in a way that makes sense. The affordability crisis is No. 1." Jolly said he is looking to bring together a new coalition that reflects the fundamental values of the Democratic Party. 'I need to be able to sit in faith communities and say, the reason I'm trying to lead a Democratic coalition is I believe these values best align with the faith community,' Jolly said. 'I need to be able to go to gun owners and say, 'Look, I know gun owners aren't the problem, but if we strengthen our gun laws, we'll save your kids, just like we'll save ours.' I need to be able to go to (agricultural) communities and say, your labor markets are tight because of DeSantis' immigration crackdown.' Jolly's message would also push back on the labels Republicans often use as cudgels against Democrats in campaign ads. 'We also need to be Democrats that go into South Florida and condemn socialism and communism and defend capitalism,' Jolly said. 'And say, we're the party for fair capitalism that will ensure that if you end up unemployed that there's going to be food security and housing and access to health care while you get back on your feet. Those are messages that don't need to change. I think they need to be amplified.' The 2026 governor's race is still in its early days. Pizzo is already in the race as an independent candidate. On the Republican side, Congressman Byron Donalds appears to be the early front-runner with President Donald Trump's endorsement. Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett is also competing for the GOP nomination. Other names are floating out in political circles as potential contenders, such as former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis. Donalds has also been touring the state and meeting voters and officials. Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves endorsed Donalds earlier this month after meeting with him. Donalds has already taken aim at Jolly in a post on X, calling him an 'anti-Trump, radical leftist.' "He's completely out of touch with Florida's voters and our values,' Donalds wrote. 'Florida is Trump Country, and I am proudly endorsed by President Trump to be Florida's next Governor." So far, one public poll from the polling firm Victory Insights reported Donalds was 5.3 points ahead of Jolly in a one-on-one race based on a poll of 600 likely Florida voters. The poll found Donalds with 36.7% support, Jolly with 31.4% support, and 31.9% undecided. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: David Jolly says Florida Republicans created an 'affordability crisis'
