ST. PAUL

Minnesota State Patrol asks public not to attend anti-Trump 'No kings' protests Saturday

Forum News Service staff — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 17:17:52 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota State Patrol is asking members of the public not to attend the "No kings" rallies planned across the country today in protest of President Donald Trump.

In posts on social media, the Patrol said that flyers saying "No kings" were found in the vehicle of the suspect in a pair of shootings that left Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband dead Saturday, June 14. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot and injured, but were stable after undergoing surgery, officials said Saturday morning.

"Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution," The Patrol said in its post. "The photo is of flyers inside the vehicle of the suspect in today's shootings."

Nationwide protests have been planned for Saturday in opposition to Trump and a parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. military. The military parade, championed by Trump, is estimated to cost $25-45 million and falls on the president's 79th birthday.

Minnesota State Patrol Chief Col. Christina Bogojevic said in a video posted Saturday morning that the Patrol doesn't have any direct links between the shootings and the protests but that authorities were using caution after the flyers were found.

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St. Paul chef to shut down charity accused of mixing funds with restaurants

Jared Kaufman / St. Paul Pioneer Press — Mon, 26 May 2025 16:54:50 GMT

ST. PAUL — St. Paul chef Brian Ingram has agreed to shut down his charity after Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison accused him of using charitable funds to reimburse his for-profit restaurants.

Ingram, who owns Hope Breakfast Bar locations across the Twin Cities metro and the Gnome Craft Pub in St. Paul and is set to close his St. Paul restaurant Apostle Supper Club, had used the nonprofit, Give Hope, as a vehicle to donate proceeds from his restaurants, as well as food and meals to support other community causes.

But the nonprofit came under Ellison’s scrutiny last summer for allegedly failing to properly register as a charitable organization. Additionally, Give Hope had been operating without federal 501(c)3 tax-exempt status for about a year, which itself is not necessarily illegal but significantly restricted the activity the organization could have lawfully conducted.

At the time, Ingram told the Pioneer Press it had been his intention to dissolve the nonprofit and shift it to a private C-corporation, which he framed as being a better structure for the quick-response style of charitable giving he prefers.

“This is our purpose, to give back to our community,” Ingram said in May 2024. “That’s why we’re Purpose Restaurants. I’m just hoping people will continue to walk with us in that.”

In a motion filed in Ramsey County District Court on Friday, May 23, to formally dissolve the nonprofit, Ellison further alleged that financial relationships between Give Hope and Ingram’s restaurants had not been conducted appropriately, that the organization did not have a treasurer and that it had not maintained adequate or transparent financial records.

Notably, Ellison alleges Ingram and his wife, Sarah, listed as the nonprofit’s president, had used nonprofit funds to reimburse their for-profit restaurants for items the restaurants had ostensibly donated via the nonprofit — a type of “conflicted transaction” that would have needed to follow strict legal authorizations.

Beyond dissolving the nonprofit, Ellison’s office does not plan to pursue additional legal action against the Ingrams for these alleged violations, a spokesperson confirmed Friday.

However, per the dissolution agreement, the Ingrams could face civil prosecution if they were to violate its terms, which include a prohibition on representing themselves as a charitable organization or using a name similar to “Give Hope” going forward, including as a corporate entity. The Ingrams and their companies are still permitted to make their own independent donations to other registered charitable organizations.

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Xcel Energy Center will lose moniker as original naming rights deal ends

Frederick Melo / St. Paul Pioneer Press — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 18:28:19 GMT

ST. PAUL — It’s finally official: In downtown St. Paul, the Xcel Energy Center is losing the name Xcel Energy as the utility’s $3 million-per-year naming rights agreement dries up this summer after a 25-year run.

The Minneapolis-based company announced Tuesday that it will continue to be involved in the home of the Minnesota Wild through online and in-arena advertising, as well as grants to youth and high school hockey organizations, but the “X” will have to soldier on without Xcel in the title for the first time since its construction in 2000.

Other corporate sponsors

As Wild owner Craig Leipold and city officials continue to pitch what they hope will be a $769 million reinvention of the entire arena, concert and convention center facility, will a corporate sponsor step up to buy naming rights and help usher the multipurpose arena into the future?

You betcha.

The Twin Cities is home to 17 Fortune 500 companies and others, like Securian, on the border of making the list, a relatively strong showing per capita for a Midwestern metro. That leaves the door open to a number of potential corporate partners interested in making their name synonymous with “The State of Hockey.”

Pioneer Press sports columnist Charley Walters reported last year that Securian and Royal Bank of Canada had done more than just kick the tires on a potential naming rights agreement, “and a handful of other firms are seriously interested.”

Xcel Energy has been the title sponsor for the X under an $80 million agreement, worth about $3 million per year for the past 25 years. The next agreement could, according to Walters, total as much as $10 million per year for the next 25 years.

If the Wild have a corporate ally in mind, they were playing coy on Tuesday, refusing to divulge specifics beyond a written announcement that the team “expects to announce a new arena naming rights partner before the start of the 2025-26 NHL season.”

A spokesman for the Wild, which manages the arena and convention center on behalf of the city, said they would have no further comment.

Xcel to remain long-term partner

While dropping out of the arena title, Xcel Energy will remain involved as a long-term partner, according to a joint announcement from the team and the energy company, which plans to launch an initiative dubbed “Community Power Play” to expand access to the sport for children and families throughout the state.

The program will provide grants to youth and high school hockey organizations, with a focus on financial assistance for young athletes, the purchase of equipment and ice time, and investments in and improvement of community-based rinks and facilities open to all residents.

Bob Frenzel, Xcel Energy chairman, president and chief executive officer, released a written statement on Tuesday noting that “25 years ago, the Minnesota Wild and Xcel Energy were new brands in the region. Today, these two brands have become embedded in our community and our culture.”

“This new chapter with the Wild extends our commitment to the region and will serve to expand access to the sport of hockey so that more young girls and boys across the state can access and more fully engage in this wonderful sport,” he said.

Plans for $769M in improvements

Alongside a new name, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and Leipold, the team owner, hope to reinvent the arena itself, as well as the adjoining RiverCentre Convention Center and Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

The two appeared shoulder to shoulder in committee hearings before House and Senate lawmakers last month, pitching plans for $769 million in improvements.

Those improvements will rely on nearly $400 million in state appropriations bonds, as well as funding from the team, the city, Ramsey County and corporate sponsors.

Among the improvements, Leipold told lawmakers the Xcel renovation will create new types of seating areas more in line with modern demand, including low-cost, lounge-style community viewing rooms.

The mayor has released conceptual renderings and talked up plans of better connecting the arena to Rice Park and the Landmark Center with more public-facing amenities, such as exterior coffee shops. Under the title “Project Wow,” the Wild have attempted to lure the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame from Eveleth, Minnesota, to downtown St. Paul.

The arena and overall convention center campus, according to the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, together draw nearly 2 million visitors to some 400 annual events. Those visits generate nearly $500 million in economic impact between spending, state and local sales tax, hotel stays and more.

The renovations could boost that spending by another $110 million, according to the chamber.

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He was well-dressed, well-connected, with no 'enemy in the world' — until one blew him up

Jeremy Fugleberg — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:19:51 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS — They called him "Dapper Dan."

At first glance, Danny Hogan, 48, might have seemed like a well-dressed and gregarious bar owner, proprietor of the Green Lantern Saloon in downtown St. Paul.

In reality, Hogan was a mob boss, the linchpin of the Twin Cities criminal underworld in 1928, and something of a beloved one — at least for the time.

Headquartered at his bar, Hogan schmoozed gangsters and cops, serving as something of a go-between, a peacemaker, a man who kept the city's engine of crime and corruption well-lubricated.

The "recognized arbiter and dictator of the underworld," the Albert Lea Tribune called him.

That all ended on Dec. 4, 1928. He stepped on the starter switch of his new Paige coupe. The car, and Hogan, exploded into a ball of fire.

He was able to talk before his wounds killed him, including providing his wife a lead on a large nest-egg of cash, a stash whose whereabouts would eventually point the finger at his likely killer.

He was arguably the first Minnesota gangland boss to die by car bomb. His murder would never be formally solved.

"He was the idol of not a few persons and his word was said to have been 'as good as a gold bond,'" wrote the Minneapolis Tribune, memorializing talk around St. Paul on the day Hogan was killed. "To a number of person he was something of a Robin Hood. There will be some fewer turkey dinners in St. Paul this Christmas as a result of his death."

The Green Lantern

Everybody knew about the Green Lantern Saloon. The bar/restaurant was located in a long one-story brick building at 545 Wabasha Street N. in downtown St. Paul.

An apartment building now stands at the site. But in 1928, it was Hogan's legendary criminal hangout.

Rare photos of the bar taken a few years later by the St. Paul Police as part of a murder investigation show a low-ceiling bar, with dirty floors and three booths with wooden dividers. A menu above the bar trumpets spaghetti and pork shop sandwiches to order.

The infamous O'Connor Layover Agreement — a mutual safety deal between St. Paul Police and organized crime — had inevitably turned the city into a haven for criminals of all types, especially as Chicago and other towns in the East were increasingly becoming too "hot" for gangsters.

The deal was good as long as the racketeers kept their criminal activity outside St. Paul.

Hogan was a crucial part of the Agreement's larger goal. Police knew he had frequently given crooks money to get out of town and stay there.

"'Dapper Dan' was known...as a man who had the power to settle feudal wars and 'keep the heat out of town,' wrote the Minneapolis Tribune. "He is known to have told criminals, on many occasions, that they could stay in St. Paul as long as they behaved and started no 'racket.'"

The murder

Hogan was maybe a little late for work. He finished breakfast at his modest home at 1607 W. 7th St. in St. Paul, then at about 11:30 a.m. left his family and entered the garage behind his house and got behind the wheel of his car.

Tucked underneath the car's floorboards was a bomb — highly explosive nitroglycerin. When it exploded, it shattered the car's windows, tore off its hood, nearly sheared off Hogan's right leg, tore off a ring finger and drove him head first through the roof.

Hogan was rushed to the hospital, where he told Edward Diehl, the assistant Ramsay County attorney, he didn't know what exactly happened, or why.

"I don't know who could have done it," he said. "I didn't know I had an enemy in the world."

People from all walks of life — "racketeers, police characters and business men" — showed up at the hospital offering blood transfusions to help save Hogan's life. Still, he died just before 9 p.m.

The funeral was sumptuous. Thousands visited the O'Halloran & Murphy funeral home to pay their respects. The flower-bedecked cortege stretched for a mile, filled with "limousines, second hand roadsters, orchids and tiny bouquets, millionaires and hoboes," reported the Rochester Post Bulletin.

The killer?

Before closing his eyes for the last time, Hogan had told his wife, Leila, about a safe-deposit box holding $50,000 in cash (about $929,000 in 2025 dollars). After her husband's funeral, she went to retrieve the nest egg, but found the safe-deposit box empty.

There was only one other person who knew the money was kept there: Hogan's right-hand man, Harry Sawyer, said Paul Maccabee, author of "John Dillinger Slept Here," in a 2018 interview with the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

"You ask, 'Who benefits? Who has the means, motive and opportunity?' And everyone who's reviewed the facts points absolutely and resoundingly at Harry Sawyer," Maccabee said.

Sawyer replaced Hogan's as the underworld boss of St. Paul (he would eventually end up in Leavenworth and Alcatraz prisons). But Hogan's murder had shredded the patina of respectability the Layover Agreement had attempted to maintain.

While nobody was ever charged with Hogan's murder, his grisly end heralded a new era for organized crime in the Twin Cities. The Hogan murder showed its streets could be just as deadly as those in Chicago, opined the Minneapolis Tribune:

"The brutally cruel death... is but one of the many instances that go to show that the financial rewards of racketeering are proportional to the chances of the racketeer being murdered by bomb, machine gun or revolver."

Note on sources: This article relies on contemporaneous news coverage from the Rochester Post Bulletin, the Albert Lea Tribune, the Austin Daily Herald, the Duluth News Tribune, the Minneapolis Journal, Minneapolis Star and the Minneapolis Tribune, all accessed via

Newspapers.com.

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U of M, Essentia, Fairview to continue talks with facilitator

Brielle Bredsten — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 19:03:11 GMT

ST. PAUL — Negotiations among the University of Minnesota, Fairview Health Services and Essentia Health will enter a new phase.

The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office announced on Wednesday it will select a strategic facilitator to explore potential solutions for the future of academic medicine in the state.

Last month, Fairview announced it was not interested in a merger with the other two entities after being invited to discuss a plan to create an “all-Minnesota health system solution.” The proposed nonprofit entity would be a $1 billion investment over five years from the university and Essentia.

The university system sought to buy back its teaching hospitals from Fairview as an agreement between the two entities will sunset in 2026.

All three systems have agreed to engage in renewed discussions convened by a strategic facilitator at Attorney General Keith Ellison’s request, according to a news release.

“Given the current status of the talks, the time pressure, and the importance of the public interest in getting this right, my office is taking a more active role,” Ellison said in the news release. “The parties have tried to find a resolution in the past, and I commend their efforts; these are complicated matters, however.

"Importantly, the parties recognize the importance of these negotiations to the public interest and they welcome the chance for a fresh start," he said. "I am working with the parties to identify a strategic facilitator to aid the parties in finding a resolution and to prioritize the public interest in the parties’ negotiations.”

The Attorney General’s Office will select the strategic facilitator with input from Essentia, Fairview and the U of M. However, the state will not be responsible for financing the facilitator.

The effort is aimed at moderating the discussions among the three entities, establishing communication guidelines, milestones and deadlines, the news release read.

The attorney general claimed the facilitated discussions will focus on public interest, including the stability and sustainability of patient care, employees, academic research and education, the medical workforce, and the overall quality of health care in Minnesota.

As attorney general, Ellison serves as the primary regulator of Minnesota charities. Engaging a strategic facilitator doesn’t waive his authority to review health care transactions, seek court intervention in cases that aren’t within the public interest, or enforce federal and state antitrust laws.

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Humphrey �� of Public Affairs Policy Fellows program seeks rural applicants

TJ Rhodes — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 12:30:00 GMT

ST. PAUL — Around 35 aspiring leaders will be accepted into the Hubert H. Humphrey �� of Public Affairs Policy Fellows program 2025-26 cohort, building a diverse subset of current and future Minnesotan change-makers.

While all applicants must live and work primarily in Minnesota, a spotlight is specifically shone upon rural applicants which are less common, according to Bemidji resident Reed Olson who holds the program in high regard.

"If someone applies from this area, they're (likely) going to get selected because so few people apply from rural Minnesota; many people apply from the Twin Cities," Olson explained. "It's accessible to anybody and they really want a balance between those three sectors (public, private/corporate and nonprofit). They want balance between men and women. And then they want balance between urban and rural; Republican and Democrat."

In addition to being a 2019-20 Policy Fellows graduate, Olson is the executive director of the Nameless Coalition for the Homeless, co-owner of Wild Hare Bistro, a former Bemidji City Councilor and former Beltrami County Commissioner. He also ran for Minnesota's House 2A seat in the last two elections.

"It was a dream vacation for someone like me because I got to go and talk to all these people and a lot of them I don't see eye to eye with politically, but they're incredibly intelligent people, and I got to learn a lot from them and from my fellow fellows," he said. "You meet all these wonderful people from all these different walks of life throughout Minnesota. And then as you go on in your career, you've got this network of people."

As an initiative of the Center for the Study of Politics and Government at the University of Minnesota, led by Professor Larry Jacobs, the Policy Fellows program strives to bring people together from all walks of Minnesotan life to discuss policy and politics in nuanced ways with fellows learning skills, building connections and broadening their network across the state with a focus on the public, private/corporate and non-profit sectors of business and office.

The program meets once a month for nine months at the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. Additionally, the program has a four day trip to Washington D.C. It is aimed toward those with working experience but has no prerequisites or requirements for entry aside from living and working in the state. It does not however, award college credit, a certificate or a degree.

It costs $9,000 — including trip and lodging to Washington D.C. — though scholarships do exist to help bear the cost.

Those interested in applying should expect to supply basic background information, work history, community involvement, education, interests, awards, two letters of recommendation and three short essay responses alongside any supplemental information.

Olson feels he gained a lot from his experience with the program and believes anyone who owns a business, a nonprofit, is involved with local government or is interested in local government should consider joining this year's cohort.

"I think someone that works for industry in Bemidji would be great from a private perspective," Olson explained. "It doesn't have to be someone that's elected, anyone that's civically engaged or is interested in honing their leadership skills while networking with other amazing people from around the state (is a fit)."

Olson shared about one meeting that included a model UN floor debate where he had to take the position of a Republican for a discussion on cannabis, though he is a self-proclaimed Democrat. He said the experience helped him to set aside any bias and truly step into the shoes of a position he would likely never herald.

"We talked a lot about how to frame an issue, which sounds so simple, but is so important," Olson said. "One of the things that was really great about the program is that it kind of puts you in safe but challenging situations where you have to talk to people that you've come to really like but you really disagree with on some major issues and it was a great opportunity to remind ourselves that we have more in common with our neighbors than we do with the leaders in D.C. regardless of political stripes."

He also noted that the program features a wide swath of guest speakers from Minnesota's political and industrial fields which supplement the program.

"It really did show to me how much public policy affects our lives," said Olson. "There's nothing natural about a neighborhood. It's completely contrived by people and then we have zoning regulations and housing policies that dictate how that neighborhood develops. We control so much of our lives through public policy and I think we underappreciate it.

"This course showed how the sausage is made, not just in the legislature, but throughout society."

Olson's favorite aspect of the program was simply the skills built and connections made.

"I just can't tell you how much fun it is," Olson said. "It's challenging and if you're like me, you love debates; it's just an absolute blast. I would be a fellow every year if I could because it's just such a fun experience."

Applications can be submitted for the Policy Fellows program through 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 9, at hhh.umn.edu/fellowships-and-professional-development/policy-fellows .

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Sen. Justin Eichorn elected chair of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board

Pineandlakes Echo Journal — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 19:57:00 GMT

ST. PAUL — State Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, was elected chair of the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) Tuesday evening, Feb. 25.

Eichorn has been a member of the IRRRB since he took office in 2017 and was elected chair on a unanimous vote.

“I look forward to continuing to serve our northern Minnesota communities as the IRRRB chair,” Eichorn said. “Making sure every dollar is reinvested to benefit our region is my top priority.”

The Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation serves as an economic development agency focused on reinvesting local taconite production taxes to support businesses, communities, and workforce development in northern Minnesota.

The IRRRB reviews all expenditures and projects recommended by the IRRR commissioner.

The IRRRB consists of state senators and representatives who were elected from districts where at least one-third of the people live within the area the agency serves.

Like what you're reading? Check out our other PineandLakes news articles, updated daily. Remember to pick up a copy of The PineandLakes Echo Journal — on newsstands Wednesdays and online daily in our e-edition and website.

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Bemidjians seek bipartisan support during Bemidji Day at the Capitol

Daltyn Lofstrom — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 16:24:05 GMT

ST. PAUL — The attire of a city’s residents can complement its voice.

The city of Bemidji was no exception, as around 30 area residents donned their plaid apparel for Bemidji Day at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Displaying their distinctive look among those with otherwise professional and business casual dress codes, the visit to St. Paul aimed to remind state legislators of Bemidji’s unique challenges, triumphs and opportunities for growth. Such reminders came from the Bemidji area’s eclectic mix of civic and business leaders and other stakeholders.

“Everyone puts aside what their role is in the community and we’re all here together,” Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Scott Turn said. “We’re coming down to see how we can make Bemidji better and how we can work together as a community to do that.”

The group split into several factions to meet with legislators from across the state. Divying up the group provided opportunities for representatives near and far to learn more about the Bemidji area’s profile and understand its needs once it's time to take a vote.

Among the most common themes throughout the day included finding solutions to issues related to housing, child care, unfunded mandates, permitting reform and Medicaid reimbursement.

Bemidjians also advocated on behalf of three funding requests, the first being a $4 million ask for design costs for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s regional facility expansion in Bemidji.

Such funding would allow the bureau to meet critical investigative and forensic testing services for all local law enforcement agencies north of St. Cloud up to the Canadian border by doubling the size of the facility.

Another request derived from Northern Township’s plans to install a sanitary sewer system along County State Highway 20 in the Lake Bemidji area. The project aims to address environmental concerns related to aging septic systems around Lake Bemidji.

As part of a nine-county coalition, the third request would provide bonds to help Beltrami County pay for a $67 million project to implement a “hub and spoke” waste system. The county’s current unlined landfill is expected to close given the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s goal to close all unlined demolition landfills in the state.

Working across the aisle

Meeting with legislators across the political spectrum, Bemidjians met as a large group with Rep. Melissa Hortman, DFL - Brooklyn Park, to voice their priorities and concerns in a question-and-answer format.

Ahead of a March 11 special election, Hortman spoke to the power-sharing agreement between the DFL and Republicans and elaborated on a potential 67-67 tie if a Democrat clinches the District 40B House seat.

“It’s really important that we figure out a way to work together because nobody can do anything without the other. You can’t convene the House without 68 members and you can’t pass a bill without 68 members,” Hortman said. “For those of us old-timers, this is a dream scenario.

“We wanted this situation where we’d have a chance to be tied because it gives people that impetus they need to really be bipartisan.”

Working across the aisle was a common thread weaved throughout the day’s interactions.

“I hope they work together, both Republicans and Democrats. There are a lot of things that need to be solved and not just in Bemidji,” Turn added. “We have housing (issues), daycare, a lot of these things that we’re seeing statewide.”

Beyond the city’s day at the Capitol, Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince encouraged all Capitol attendees to make their voices heard in any way they can.

“If they’re hearing this from us for the tenth, eleventh or twelfth time, so be it,” Prince said. “The more often we can get people in front of our state legislators, the better.”

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Delta plane from MSP flips upside down on landing at Toronto airport, injuring 18

Allison Lampert and Ryan Patrick Jones / Reuters — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 20:52:12 GMT

TORONTO — A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday amid windy weather following a snowstorm, injuring 18 of the 80 people on board, officials said.

Three people on the flight that originated at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport suffered critical injuries, among them a child, authorities added.

Delta said a CRJ900 aircraft operated by its Endeavor Air subsidiary was involved in a single-aircraft accident with 76 passengers and four crew aboard. The CRJ900, made by Canada's Bombardier, can seat up to 90 people.

Canadian authorities said they would investigate the cause of the crash, which was not yet known.

"The aircraft is upside down and burning," an emergency worker told the air traffic control tower after a controller noted that some passengers were walking near the crashed plane, according to a recording of the incident posted on liveatc.net.

One social media user posted video of the aftermath, showing a fire engine spraying water on the plane that was lying belly-up on the snow-covered tarmac.

https://x.com/MeidasTouch/status/1891581551000908113?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

"We're in Toronto. We just landed. Our plane crashed. It's upside down. The fire department on site. Upside down. Everybody, most people appear to be OK. We're all getting off. Some smoke going on," Facebook user John Nelson narrated in the video.

Pearson Airport said earlier Monday it was dealing with high winds and frigid temperatures as airlines attempted to catch up with missed flights after a weekend snowstorm dumped more than 8.6 inches of snow at the airport.

Of those injured, two were airlifted to trauma centers, and a child was transported to a children's hospital, said Supervisor Lawrence Saindon of Peel Regional Paramedic Services.

All 18 of the people injured were passengers and were taken to area hospitals, Delta said in a statement.

The Toronto airport was shut down for more than two hours before departures and arrivals resumed. This led to ground delays and diversions to other airports including Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, which said it was preparing to receive several diverted flights that might cause further delays.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) said it was deploying a team of investigators, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said a team of investigators would assist Canada's TSB.

Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 7011.T, which closed a deal to buy the CRJ aircraft program from Bombardier in 2020, said it was aware of the incident and would fully cooperate with the investigation.

The crash in Canada followed other recent crashes in North America. An Army helicopter collided with a passenger jet in Washington, killing 67 people, while at least seven people died when a medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia and 10 were killed in a passenger plane crash in Alaska.

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Minnesota hospitals still offering gender-affirming care amid federal challenges

Dené K. Dryden — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

ROCHESTER — As a handful of U.S. hospitals suspend certain medical services for transgender youth following an executive order on gender-affirming care, Minnesota hospitals appear to be staying the course.

The Jan. 28 executive order by President Donald Trump states that "it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist or support" gender-affirming care for minors. The order is being challenged by a federal lawsuit.

Dr. Asa Radix, president of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, responded to the executive order in a statement, saying "policies that restrict or ban access to necessary medical care for transgender youth are harmful to patients and their families."

Last week, hospitals in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Colorado announced that they had suspended some gender-affirming care services for patients age 19 and younger, the Associated Press reported. Some child patients at NYU Langone Health in New York City had their gender-affirming care appointments canceled, the New York Times reported, prompting New York Attorney General Letitia James to warn hospitals that refusing that service could break state anti-discrimination law.

In Minnesota, multiple hospitals confirmed that they are still offering gender-affirming care, and no hospitals in the state have publicly announced any cuts or pauses that would affect transgender-specific medical services.

Gender-affirming care is an umbrella term for various medical treatments for transgender and nonbinary individuals. Gender-affirming care can include puberty-blocking medications, psychotherapy, testosterone or estrogen hormone therapy and plastic surgery. Surgeries are rarely performed on transgender minors.

In 2023, in response to a wave of anti-transgender legislation across U.S. states, Minnesota passed new laws that protect access to abortion and gender-affirming care. As a "trans refuge" state, Minnesota law shields trans youth, their guardians and their medical providers against legal actions by states that restrict or ban gender-affirming care for minors.

The majority of health systems in Minnesota that offer gender-affirming care — for youth, adults or both — are clustered in the Twin Cities metro. Two exceptions are Mayo Clinic in Rochester and Essentia Health in Duluth.

Mayo Clinic did not respond to the Post Bulletin's request for comment.

There are no changes to gender-affirming care services at Essentia at this time, a spokesperson said.

Spokespeople for M Health Fairview, Allina Health and Children's Minnesota told the Post Bulletin that services at those health systems have not changed. Children's Minnesota specified that it does not offer gender-affirming surgeries.

Likewise, North Memorial Health said in a written statement that it "is not planning any changes to its gender-affirming care approach at this time."

"Access to gender-affirming care hasn’t changed at Hennepin Healthcare," that health system said in a statement to the Post Bulletin. "As Minnesota’s largest public safety net hospital and healthcare system, we remain committed to serving anyone seeking care."

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