Omar Fateh wins the DFL endorsement for mayor of Minneapolis, best of luck to a once great city.......

The Minneapolis DFL Party convention ended Saturday night in a chaotic flurry of activity that saw state Sen. Omar Fateh claim the party's endorsement for mayor.

Why it matters: The young democratic socialist lawmaker's victory over two-term sitting mayor Mayor Jacob Frey is a major coup for left-wing critics hoping to unseat the well-funded incumbent.

• It's also the Minneapolis DFL's first endorsement in any contested mayor's race since at least 1997, per the Star Tribune.

What they're saying: "Today, we witnessed a rejection of politics as usual," Fateh said in his victory speech on the Target Center floor just before 10pm.

• "We know the status quo are going to do anything and everything to maintain power," he told his supporters. "They'll have all the money in the world … But they don't have you."

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Mike Welch tournament director for the 3M Open taking place next week. Get your tickets here

Feds execute search warrants connected to ‘massive scheme to defraud’ a Minnesota housing program

Alpha News was on location as a search warrant was being served at several locations related to a “massive scheme to defraud” Medicaid and Minnesota’s Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program.

According to the search warrant, the fraud investigation involves HSS providers who billed for various services intended to provide stable housing for Minnesotans.

The search warrant states, “The Program has proved to be extremely vulnerable to fraud.”

The vulnerability stems from limited requirements for service providers and the vast services they can provide for Medicaid reimbursement.

“Since Minnesota became the first state to offer Medicaid coverage for Housing Stabilization Services, dozens of new companies have been created and enrolled in the program. These companies, and the individuals who run them, have taken advantage of the housing crisis and the drug addiction crisis in Minnesota to prey on individuals who need help getting back on their feet as they recover from drug addiction,” the warrant says.

“These companies and individuals do so by contacting Medicaid-eligible people in halfway houses and residential drug treatment facilities and offering to help them find stable housing. After registering these people to receive housing stabilization services, the companies fraudulently claim to provide dozens of Program service hours to their new ‘clients.’ In reality, client after client has reported that they received little or no actual services or assistance from these companies. But the companies engaged in this scheme have received millions of dollars in Medicaid funds for housing stabilization services they did not actually provide,” it continues.

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Reuvers and Livvy Dunne went to the Twins game on Friday!!!!

Minneapolis leaders explore city-owned grocery store

Last November, the Minneapolis City Council’s Public Health and Safety committee asked city staff to explore the idea of government-owned grocery stores as a tool to combat the city’s problem of food insecurity and food deserts.

Now, on Wednesday, city leaders are prepared to review a research presentation on the subject.

Ward 2 council member Robin Wonsley is open to the idea of municipal grocery stores in the city. Wonsley says it’s clear the private market is not meeting the city’s needs.

"We want to see what options are ahead of us, and how we can leverage every tool we have at the city to make sure our residents have access to fresh produce," Wonsley said. "The research that we received is very exploratory and provides examples of where other cities have stepped up to provide food resources for their residents where there was an absence of a grocery store; so we’ll learn what other peer cities have done."

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The biggest drug bust in the history of Minnesota happened yesterday, does anybody else care??

Two charged in nearly 900 pound meth bust in Minneapolis, part of Mexican drug operation

The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office followed up with a social media post confirming that its Violent Crime Enforcement Team (VCET) along with federal partners had been involved in the massive takedown, which it said was “possibly one of the largest meth busts in Minnesota history.”

Arrested were Joel Casas-Santiago, 46, of Minneapolis, and Guillermo Mercado Chaparro, 44, of Chicago. Each has been charged with one count of first-degree drug sales, and Mercado Chaparro is charged with an additional count.

The charging document states that a controlled drug buy took place in south Minneapolis over the weekend, with an undercover officer purchasing one pound of meth from an individual identified as Mercado Chaparro.

Nevada Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Engage in Voter Registration Fraud in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS – Ronnie Williams pled guilty today to an information charging him with conspiracy to engage in voter registration fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

“Today’s guilty plea underscores our commitment to protecting the integrity of the electoral process,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy. Any attempt to undermine that process through fraud will be investigated and prosecuted. This case sends a clear message—election fraud will not be tolerated in Minnesota.”

According to court documents, beginning in 2021 through 2022, Ronnie Williams, 58, was involved in a conspiracy to create fictitious identities and information for use in Minnesota voter registration applications. After filling out the forms, Williams signed a statement affirming that he had read and understood the certification, which included a warning that submitting false information constitutes a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. 

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The terrifying role that A.I. has recently played globally in the world of politics.

Impostor uses AI to impersonate Rubio and contact foreign and US officials

The State Department is warning U.S. diplomats of attempts to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and possibly other officials using technology driven by artificial intelligence, according to two senior officials and a cable sent last week to all embassies and consulates.

The warning came after the department discovered that an impostor posing as Rubio had attempted to reach out to at least three foreign ministers, a U.S. senator and a governor, according to the July 3 cable, which was first reported by The Washington Post.

The recipients of the scam messages, which were sent by text, Signal and voice mail, were not identified in the cable, a copy of which was shared with The Associated Press.

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Girl who fell off Disney cruise "was not being held" by father at time of incident, authorities say

South Florida law enforcement is investigating after a 5-year-old girl fell overboard from a Disney Dream cruise ship Sunday, prompting her father to jump into the ocean after her.

The Broward Sheriff's Office told CBS News Miami on Tuesday that the "little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites," referring to online speculation that her father may have been holding her on the ship's railing moments before the incident.

The incident happened aboard the Disney Dream as it sailed between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale. After she fell overboard, witnesses told CBS News Miami her father jumped in after her and treaded water for more than 10 minutes. 

Inside 'Alligator Alcatraz': The new migrant detention facility erected at an abandoned Everglades airport

President Donald Trump on Tuesday visited "Alligator Alcatraz" — the newest illegal immigrant detention facility in the nation that's located in the Florida Everglades and surrounded by swamplands teeming with alligators and pythons. 

"It's known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ which is very appropriate because I looked outside, and that's not a place I want to go hiking anytime soon," Trump said Tuesday during his tour. "But very soon this facility will have some of the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet." 

"We're surrounded by miles of treacherous swampland, and the only way out is really deportation," the president added. "And a lot of these people are self-deporting back to their country where they came from."

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Malik Beasley at center of gambling investigation; Pistons pause deal talks with free agent, per report

One of the NBA's top free agents is now the subject of a serious gambling investigation from the U.S. District Attorney's office. Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley faces allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets during the 2023-24 season as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN. 

One prominent sportsbook reportedly detected unusual betting activity on Beasley props beginning in early 2024. In a Jan. 31, 2024 matchup between the Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers, the odds on Beasley recording less than 2.5 rebounds moved significantly before the game, going from around +120 to -250 after the Under experienced a high amount of action. Beasley recorded six rebounds that night.

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DOJ sues Minnesota over college tuition benefits for undocumented immigrants

The United States Department of Justice is suing Minnesota over state laws which offer some undocumented immigrants access to lower in-state college tuition. The government is also challenging a new state program which offers some students free tuition.

Members of the federal government are arguing these state laws “unconstitutionally discriminate” against other U.S. citizens and from other states who aren’t given the same benefits.

Most recently, state lawmakers passed the North Star Promise Program, which launched just last fall and provides state funding to cover any unpaid tuition and college fees for students from families making less than $80,000 a year. The amount of money a student receives is based on whatever costs aren’t already covered by other grants and scholarships. 

Fans go wild for NBA Draft star Dylan Harper's mom as she upstages her son with ESPN appearance

Dylan Harper was the No 2 pick on NBA Draft night in New York but his mom immediately stole the show after he was picked by the San Antonio Spurs. 

Harper and his mother, Maria Pizarro, spoke to the ESPN cameras moments after the Rutgers man, 19, was picked to join Victor Wembanyama in Texas.

'His flat-out love for the game, his determination, hard work and humility, day in and day out,' a visibly emotional Maria told ESPN when asked about what had led her son to the NBA.

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What if Trump's strategy is actually brilliant and works??

Trump says Iran-Israel ceasefire in effect after accusing both sides of violating it

President Trump said Tuesday that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was "in effect," and it appeared to be holding on Tuesday afternoon after 12 days of deadly conflict between the Middle East's arch rivals.

Earlier in the morning, Mr. Trump voiced frustration with both countries and accused them of violating the agreement he had announced just hours earlier. Israel accused Iran of breaching the agreement minutes after it was intended to take effect, and said it would "respond forcefully." 

But after a last-minute intervention by Mr. Trump — including a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — the bombardments appeared to cease.

LIV Golf hires Bud Light’s woke ex-marketing exec Alissa Heinerscheid after transgender marketing campaign cratered brand

Looks like the Saudis shopped the Bud Light fire sale.

The disgraced former marketing executive who tanked Bud Light’s brand has landed a new job at LIV Golf, in an unlikely pairing between a corporate woke warrior and the controversial Saudi-backed sports league.

LIV is staying mum about its decision to hire former Anheuser-Busch VP Alissa Heinerscheid, who has been working at the league in a “Team Business Operations” role since September, according to her LinkedIn page.

Buss family to sell Lakers to Mark Walter for $10B valuation

The Buss family is entering into an agreement to sell majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter for a franchise valuation of approximately $10 billion, sources told ESPN on Wednesday, the highest ever for a U.S. professional sports franchise.

The Buss family will keep a minority share of the team, just over 15%, for a period of time, a source said.

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We get to know our new friend Michael Burt second generation owner of We Are Nuts.

Why one political group should really embrace the holiday of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday's name, first used in the 1890s, is a portmanteau of the words June and nineteenth, referring to June 19, 1865, the day when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War.

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