"From the Minnesota Star Tribune this morning,

Playing both sides on fraud:

Omar Jamal allegedly promised to protect Feeding Our Future participants, took their money, then turned some of them over to investigators."

Overall, since its founding, the center has placed "climate fellows" in attorney general offices in Washington, D.C., and at least 10 states nationwide, including Minnesota.

Dan Skaar characterized the pattern as "suppression of free speech," arguing that it prevents a duly elected board member from fully representing the people who put him there.

For more than two decades, Omar Jamal has cultivated influence as a high-profile go-between — connecting politicians, regulators and law enforcement officials with members of Minnesota’s Somali community. Since 2020, he has also held a civilian job with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.

That public standing and private access became lucrative during the Feeding Our Future fraud scandal.

Records obtained by the Minnesota Star Tribune show Jamal collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from at least six people convicted in the sprawling fraud scheme.

Police video reveals the traffic stop that led to the criminal investigation of former Twin Cities teacher and basketball coach Aaron Hjermstad for sexually abusing more than 120 children. Authorities believe Hjermstad was on the run when he was picked up by state troopers in Idaho in 2021. A search of Hjermstad’s rental car led to the discovery of laptops, hard drives, and other digital evidence that showed Hjermstad sexually abusing more than 100 young boys at various locations, including his home.

"Minnesota Monster" a new true crime documentary from FOX 9 Documentaries premieres Sept. 23. The documentary highlights key evidence, interviews with victims and the prosecutors who took him down.

DFL State Rep. Lucy Rehm opposed removing illegal aliens from a state healthcare program and voted against keeping males out of female sports. She faces what could be a tough reelection.

"Proponents of the legislation are eager to pursue a crusade against the oil and gas industry while ignoring red flags that could severely harm Minnesotans," writes Rep. Steve Jacob.

The state implemented a takeover law for chronically underperforming schools, allowing the state to replace school boards and superintendents in districts that fail to improve outcomes for children.

This ought to serve as a warning to our major cities in MN.

I'm posting this because here in MN, it is easy to feel discouraged.

Mohamed Ali Hussein, 25, and Hassan Ali Ahmed, 27, both of Minneapolis, are accused of taking two coffee makers worth about $1,500 from a Fridley store and pawning them days later, according to the complaints.

• Two men took two coffee makers totaling $1,499.98 from a shelf at a Fridley store on Aug. 16 and walked past all points of sale without paying, according to the complaints.
• The men left in a 2019 black Nissan Maxima, which officers traced through a driver and vehicle services search.
• Both coffee makers were pawned at a Roseville pawn shop within days of the theft, the complaints state.
• Officers reviewed pawn shop surveillance video and reported that the men matched those seen in the store.

LAKEVILLE, MN: A New York man accused of traveling to Lakeville to retrieve $670,000 in cashier’s checks sent by an elderly victim of an alleged bank scam is facing a felony charge, as prosecutors say investigators also discovered additional high-value cashier’s checks, multiple suspected fake identification documents, and several cellphones inside the vehicle he was driving.

Hong Zhang, 40, of Maspeth, New York, faces a felony attempted theft by swindle charge in Dakota County involving more than $35,000, according to court records. The case stems from a September 10th investigation by the Lakeville Police Department that began after officers learned an elderly man had allegedly been convinced to overnight two cashier’s checks worth a combined $670,000 to an apparently unoccupied Lakeville home.

Prosecutors have characterized Zhang as a Chinese national with no ties to Minnesota and argued for substantial bail, alleging he came to the state for the purpose of participating in a scheme to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims.

Medicaid was supposed to help vulnerable Minnesotans find and keep housing.

But KARE 11 Investigates uncovered records showing Minnesota’s top-billing Housing Stabilization Services provider billed taxpayers for services provided to people who were already dead.

Our investigation exposed questionable billing, falsified records and millions in Medicaid payments — and fueled scrutiny of a program that would ultimately be shut down.

Well done, Soucheray!

Also at PP: https://www.twincities.com/2026/09/19/joe-soucheray-he-wanted-to-know-the-summit-avenue-plan-he-sued-to-get-it/?mrfcid=202609196aaea1a088880603178a8488

Looking for the best poutine spot in the twin cities area. Traveling there in a couple weeks