Latest news with #KARE11
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Minnesota Lynx announce four free over-the-air TV broadcasts this summer
Minnesota Lynx announce four free over-the-air TV broadcasts this summer originally appeared on Bring Me The News. The (currently undefeated) Minnesota Lynx are partnering with KARE 11 and FanDuel Sports Network to simulcast four upcoming games on the local NBC affiliate, making them free to watch for roughly 1.5 million households across the greater Twin Cities region. Starting with this Sunday's matchup against the Golden State Valkyries, four Sunday games will be broadcast over the air, expanding accessibility for fans who may not have access to FanDuel Sports Network North or ION or other channels that typically air Lynx games. These are the four contests: June 1: at Golden State Valkyries, 7:30 p.m. CT June 8: vs. Dallas Wings, 3:00 p.m. CT June 29: vs. Connecticut Sun, 6:00 p.m. CT July 6: vs. Chicago Sky, 6:00 p.m. CT The Valkyries are the WNBA's newest expansion team, the 13th franchise to join the growing league. The June 8 matchup against the Wings will give fans another opportunity to watch Hopkins native and former UConn star Paige Bueckers (provided she's out of the league's concussion protocol by then). The games will be called, as usual, by FDSN broadcasters Marney Gellner and Lea B. Olsen. KARE 11 will produce pre- and postgame shows. 'KARE 11 is proud to bring Lynx basketball to more fans across Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin for free," said Doug Wieder, president and general manager of KARE 11, in a press release. "Local sports are part of who we are, and we're excited to help the Lynx broaden their reach and deepen their connection with fans throughout the region." The Lynx are 6-0 after a clutch road win over the Phoenix Mercury on Friday night — a game they won without their best player, league MVP candidate Napheesa Collier. There's hope that Collier, who didn't play due to knee soreness, will be able to return for Sunday's game in San Francisco. It's the first time the Lynx have started 6-0 since 2017, the year they won their most recent of four WNBA titles. They're looking to win another one this year after losing in controversial fashion to the New York Liberty in the decisive Game 5 of last year's finals. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
‘They need to be held accountable': Minnesota man says agency billed Medicaid for housing aid he never got
'I've never got an hour of help." That's how Steven Smith sums up his experience with Leo Human Services, the for-profit agency that — according to Medicaid billing records reviewed by KARE 11 — charged taxpayers thousands of dollars for supposedly helping him find and keep a home. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Smith, who'd just finished inpatient treatment for substance-use disorder, says he only received a few phone calls and never met anyone in person. Yet the company still sent a bill to Minnesota's Medicaid program. Smith's situation is part of a broader KARE 11 investigation that is shaking confidence in Minnesota's Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program, designed to help people with disabilities — including those with mental health issues and substance-use disorders — to find and maintain housing. Since its launch in July 2020, this initiative has already cost taxpayers $248 million, but investigations show it may not be reaching the vulnerable Minnesotans that it was designed to help. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) — which oversees the HSS — told KARE 11 the housing and transition services are intended to help seniors and people with disabilities to get hands-on assistance with finding and maintaining housing. According to state rules, at least half of those services must be delivered in person. But Smith says he received only a handful of phone calls. His girlfriend, Rachel Lien, has a similar story after Leo Human Services charged Medicaid $14,000 in her name. "I had never heard of this company," Lien told KARE 11. 'I never met with them. I never talked to them on the phone.' Billing data shows that Leo Human Services — run by Asad Adow out of a strip-mall office in Brooklyn Park — billed Medicaid $1.2 million in 2024. When KARE 11 asked Leo Human Services for Smith's records, the paperwork included an electronic signature that Smith insists he never wrote. The signature also misspelled his name as 'Steven Jr Smith.' 'Why would I say that I'm Steven Jr Smith?' Smith asked. 'My middle name is actually Steven Dwayne Smith.' KARE 11 investigators took a look at the metadata taken from the PDF document that Smith allegedly signed and found that Smith's electronic signature — which was dated August 28, 2023 — was actually written the following day on August 29. The signature was also reportedly authored by someone who goes by the name of 'Wats Hanin.' KARE 11 was unable to locate anyone by that name, and under DHS rules, providers are barred from signing documents for clients. When KARE 11 reporters confronted Adow in the parking lot outside his office, the latter denied any wrongdoing. 'People say you're not doing work, that you're billing thousands of dollars for work that's not being done,' said KARE 11 reporter A.J. Lagoe. 'I'm doing everything correctly,' Adow insisted before climbing into his car and driving off. Fraud worries around HSS are hardly new. According to KARE 11, a 2024 report from the housing nonprofit Hearth Connection warned of 'predatory activity to enroll individuals without their knowledge,' including recruiters waiting around emergency shelters and misrepresenting their companies' offerings. In a Senate hearing in January 2025, then-DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead downplayed the issue, saying 'there's a lot of rumors of fraud more than there is actual fraud.' She resigned from her position just weeks later. Her interim successor, Shireen Gandhi, has taken a different tack: DHS now lists HSS as a 'high-risk' service, subjecting providers to fingerprint checks and unannounced site visits. She confirmed 40 active fraud investigations are underway. 'It's clear that these critical services need more oversight,' Gandhi said in a press release. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it When providers siphon off Medicaid dollars, the people HSS is meant to serve risk losing legitimate help at a time when affordable housing is scarce. It also breaks the public's trust in legitimate services, putting other important programs at risk. If you think you've been targeted by a fraudulent housing assistance program, there are steps you can take: Verify the provider: Confirm the agency is enrolled and in good standing on the DHS website. Collect your records: Request detailed service logs and signatures, and remember to keep all correspondence. Report suspected fraud: Call the DHS Program Integrity hotline or submit an online tip using the Program Integrity Oversight hotline form. You can also file a complaint with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office or your county's human services fraud unit. If you need assistance, seek help from verified programs. Housing navigators in your county and Continuum of Care agencies can connect you to legitimate support. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Housing Choice Voucher and Section 811 programs also offer rental assistance for people with disabilities. With new investigations launched and stricter screening on the horizon, state officials say they're working hard to protect both vulnerable residents and public funds. But for people like Smith and Lien, their wish is simple: 'I think they need to be held accountable." Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
New York Post
21-05-2025
- New York Post
Drunk driver allegedly caused deadly crash while trying to race wife home from bar: police
A drunk driver allegedly crashed into an elderly woman's car, killing her, while trying to race his wife home from a Minnesota bar, according to police. Aloysius Kenneth Johnson, who has a previous conviction for DUI, told police he'd had several vodka sodas with his wife at a bar in Andover on Friday when he got behind the wheel of his Ford F-350, according to a criminal complaint obtained by KARE 11. His wife told cops she thinks he was 'trying to beat her home' when he sped off — with his car soon found crashed into a Kia Soul. The other driver, Alice Marie Stack, 74, was pulled from the wreckage but died later at a hospital, according to the Anoka County Sheriff's Office. 3 Aloysius Johnson, 48, is charged with vehicular homicide. The Ford driver fled the crash scene, with witnesses saying they saw him stumbling as he ran off toward some woods. When sheriff's deputies soon found Johnson, 48, walking nearby, he smelled of alcohol, slurred his words, struggled to keep balance and had blood on his body and face, according to the complaint. 3 Alice Stack, 74, was killed following a car accident in Minnesota on Friday night. Facebook/Kristine Iskierka Johnson allegedly admitted to having three or four drinks — but said he had no memory of the crash, according to the report. Johnson's wife soon arrived at the crash scene and confirmed that the Ford truck belonged to her husband. She told police they had been eating at a bar where Johnson was drinking vodka sodas, and that she tried to get him to let her drive him home, according to the report. 3 The crash happened after the couple left a bar in Andover, Minn. WCCO But he instead on following her in his truck, she said, saying he then sped off in a different direction to try to beat her home, according to the complaint. Johnson has a previous conviction for DUI, KARE reported, without giving details on that crime. He was charged Monday with one count of criminal vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol. His bail was set at $400,000 without conditions — or $200,000 with them — with his next court date set for June 23, KSTP said.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Minnesota mother says Medicaid-funded program falsified documents, billed for hours of help she never received
A Minnesota mother is speaking out after she discovered the Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) had falsified records of her case, allegedly offering her months of help when in reality, she was barely contacted by the agency at all. Rachel Lien, a recovering addict who needed support setting up in her new apartment with her son, was referred to Brilliant Minds Services by a friend. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Brilliant Minds is, on paper, one of the top service providers for the HSS program. When Lien got in touch with one of their representatives, she explained that she had already found housing, but needed help with paying for things like cleaning supplies and a vacuum. Lien waited months for help, eventually receiving a vacuum and nothing else, in spite of her multiple attempts to follow up on her request. In the meantime, local news station KARE 11 reports Brilliant Minds staff were falsifying documentation on her case, detailing many visits, apartment hunting on her behalf and other services totalling 30 hours of billable time for the agency. 'I never met with them,' Lien told KARE 11. 'It's a scam, a total scam.' Minnesota's HSS program is one of the first of its kind in the country. This Medicaid-backed program provides support for those looking for low-income housing, help with moving expenses and guidance on transition and housing retention services. The goal of the program is primarily to help older adults and people with disabilities find and keep safe and affordable housing. However, the program is unlicensed, and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) told KARE 11 it currently has 40 active fraud investigations into its service providers. The DHS also reported to KARE 11 that the program became difficult to manage as demand was much higher than anticipated. 'HSS has surpassed what was initially projected … in terms of the number of individuals enrolled in the program and providers delivering services. This rapid growth has brought additional challenges to build and implement quality assurance and oversight that matches the unforeseen scale of the program," the DHS wrote to KARE 11. Read more: You're probably already overpaying for this 1 'must-have' expense — and thanks to Trump's tariffs, your monthly bill could soar even higher. Here's how 2 minutes can protect your wallet right now When Lien reported her case to KARE 11 for investigation, they asked her to reach out to Brilliant Minds and request copies of all her records. For nearly a month between March and April of this year, Brilliant Minds' records show that every Friday and Saturday morning, a case worker was helping Lien find housing, a service she never requested and didn't need. Further falsified records show that a case worker allegedly met with her for an in-person intake session on March 8 — the same time she was attending a local group counselling session. 'Everything listed is a complete lie," Lien told KARE 11. The news station attempted to contact Brilliant Minds several times for comment, but found their phone line had been disconnected and that their office was dark and locked during their regular business hours. They finally responded through email, saying, 'All services rendered — both direct and indirect — were thoroughly documented in our Electronic Health Record (EHR) system … The client was discharged after approximately four weeks due to the client's continued lack of engagement, and as such, no further billing occurred beyond that period.' However, Lien provided KARE 11 with proof of her continued attempts to contact her case worker through texts and email. Following the news station's report, the DHS increased the risk level for HSS service providers from 'limited' to 'high' risk. The providers will now be subject to unannounced drop-in visits from DHS personnel and other measures to ensure their compliance. In Lien's case, KARE 11 reports her falsified records amount to a $2,060 bill — funded by local taxpayers — and all she has to show for it is a vacuum cleaner. Costs for the HSS program have risen exponentially since its inception in 2020. Then, the program cost approximately $3.25 million. In 2024, the cost was almost $92 million, and Brilliant Minds submitted over $1 million in claims. Though each state approaches housing-related services for Medicaid beneficiaries differently, clients of the programs can ask for full records of their case files if they feel their case is being mishandled, or if they're facing long wait times for responses like Lien. The Minnesota DHS also lists a number of other housing assistance programs that low-income residents can take advantage of. And at the federal level, the Housing Choice Voucher Program allows individuals to apply for a subsidy that covers part of their rent, and is paid directly to their landlord. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ex-KSTP meteorologist Wren Clair joins KARE 11 weather team
Wren Clair, the Twin Cities meteorologist who suddenly exited KSTP this past February, has joined the KARE 11 weather team. Clair's LinkedIn page was updated to reflect her new employment with KARE 11, which was confirmed by the Twin Cities NBC affiliate to Bring Me The News on Monday. "We're excited to have Wren join the team of talented meteorologists at KARE 11," said Doug Wieder, President and General Manager of KARE. "Her expertise in weather forecasting and commitment to viewers aligns perfectly with our station's mission." Sign up for our BREAKING WEATHER newsletters Clair will start with the station next Monday, May 19. Details of her role with KARE 11 have not been confirmed at this time. KSTP confirmed in mid-February that Clair was "no longer employed" with the station, after viewers noticed she had not appeared during her regular time-slot. No reason was given for her departure, with Clair also not speaking publicly about her departure. Clair joined KSTP-TV in 2018, previously working at stations in Wisconsin and Boston. She now joins a KARE 11 weather team led by Belinda Jensen, with other members including John Zeigler, Laura Betker, and Jamie Kagol.
