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SUBURBAN MINNESOTA
Plymouth, MN Mayor Jeffry Wosje (left) brings the annual State of the City address to "Dis- cover Plymouth," 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23 at the Plymouth Community Center Fieldhouse dome.  Courtesy Plymouth Mayor's Office.
Plymouth mayor discusses State of the City, other upcoming events
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PLYMOUTH—An all-about-Plymouth event that showcases the community, Discover Plymouth is set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23 inside the Plymouth Community Center Fieldhouse dome, 14800 34th Ave. N.  
The free event features local businesses, nonprofit organizations and community groups and activities for children. Attendees can have informal conversations with city staff from various departments and learn about recreation programs, volunteer opportunities, environmentally friendly practices, city services and more.
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Mayor Wosje brings the annual State of the City address to Discover Plymouth, 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23 inside the Plymouth Community Center Fieldhouse dome.  
Discover Plymouth attendees are encouraged to stop by as Mayor Wosje recaps Plymouth’s past year, and shares updates about city finances, public safety, infrastructure, completed projects and more. The address will conclude with a question-and-answer session hosted by Dave Kiser of CCX Media. 
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Afterward, residents can meet the mayor and City Council members at the City Council Meet and Greet from 11 a.m. to noon. 
To kick off the city’s participation in the annual Step to It Challenge, Plymouth Mayor Jeff Wosje will host a Walk with the Mayor event 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 at the Plymouth Community Center, 14800 34th Ave. N.
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Participants may enjoy nature with a leisurely walk on the trails by the PCC. Snacks and water will be provided, while supplies last. The walk is free and no registration is required. To learn more about the Step to it Challenge, visit steptoit.org.
Primavera, Plymouth's annual springtime celebration of the arts, is set for Thursday, April 25 through Sunday, April 28 at the Plymouth Community Center, 14800 34th Ave. N.
A partnership of the City of Plymouth and Plymouth Arts Council, the four-day event provides an opportunity for the public to view and celebrate fine art. Original juried artwork by local and regional artists, as well as artwork by Plymouth area high school students, will be featured in the art gallery and nearby classrooms at the community center.
For more information,visit plymouthmn.gov/primavera, plymouthmn.gov/discoverplymouth. 
Police believe a Belle Plaine man was the gunman.​​ Courtesy of Bloomington Police Department.
Murder-suicide unravels in Bloomington
Three killed in murder-suicide were running sham investment fund​, court documents show
BLOOMINGTON (BMTN)—Federal authorities allege three Minnesota men who died in a double murder-suicide in Bloomington earlier this year were behind a day-trading fraud scheme that was beginning to unravel.
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Court documents reveal the Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking to recover money for victims of the alleged scheme, who reportedly invested over $3.7 million in the sham investment fund.
The Bloomington Police Department said investigators believe 44-year-old Richard Myre shot and killed Dale Dahmen, 55, and Dominick Dahmen, 25, before taking his own life on Feb. 1.
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The bodies were discovered that evening inside Myre's truck near the interchange of France Avenue and Interstate 494. According to the SEC, the three men founded Spartan Trading Company in 2019, purportedly to pool investments for day-trading activities in the stock market.
Federal court documents allege they raised over $3.7 million from dozens of investors in small communities, such as Pierz and Belle Plaine, surrounding the Twin Cities. Rather than make promised investments in stocks, authorities allege Myre and the Dahmens withdrew around $1.9 million for themselves and gave falsified accounting documents to investors in attempts to show positive returns and keep the scheme going.
Of the money taken, Myre allegedly received over $1.1 million, while Dale Dahmen received approximately $649,000 and Dominick Dahmen received $173,113.
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"Myre, acting through Spartan Trading, misled investors to secure their initial investments and then lied to retain them," the lawsuit alleges. "In some cases, investors put additional money into Spartan after receiving phony statements."
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According to lawsuit filed in federal court late last month, investors made both large cash investments and investments of retirement savings, sometimes totaling over $100,000.
The scheme, which began sometime in 2019 or 2020, began to unravel in late 2022, the lawsuit alleges.
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"The aftermath of the deaths has caused significant upheaval for investors," the lawsuit states, stating one couple victimized by the scheme had to sell their home and move out of state to be closer to family. "Other investors have lost retirement savings and inheritances," court documents read.
"Some face the prospect of paying off loans that they took out in order to invest with Spartan Trading."
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According to the SEC lawsuit, less than $6,400 remains in two Spartan Trading-associated bank accounts.
They're Back! Quadrillion-strong the pesky 'Minnesota State Bird'
Spring is here, and with warmer weather comes inevitable buzz, bite of mosquitoes
Minnesotans have an endearing way of referring to the pesky Minnesota mosquitoes singularly as the "State bird" due to their relative size as larger than the average.
But, truthfully, these bloodthirsty insects are anything but endearing, as they are ruthlessly irritating, and sometimes carry diseases that impact humans, pets or wildlife. But eradicating all of the damned critters isn’t the best way to manage those prob- lems. Our natural environ- ment needs these little creatures and has built-in systems to help control them.
Hundreds of animal species—from songbirds and bats to frogs, fish and dragonflies—gorge on mosquito larvae in the water or adults in the air. By balancing treatment, prevention and tolerance, we can preserve this important natural food web while reducing harm to human health and the environment.
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The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District takes a two-step approach to manage mosquito populations on public land in the Twin Cities.
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Identify problem breeding areas and treat larvae by hand or by helicopter. This is done with Bti (a naturally occurring type of bacteria) or methoprene (a hormone that keeps larvae from maturing).
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Sample water where hatches are likely or people often gather. As needed, spray pyrethroids (similar to chemicals produced by chrysanthemums) on dense vegetation where mosquitoes rest by day.
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This strategy limits the use of potentially harmful chemicals and, on average, reduces mosquito populations by 75 percent.
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Rather than using chemicals in your yard, try these natural solutions that reduce mosquito populations locally:
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Mosquitoes don’t need much water to breed. Identify spots that trap rainwater—such as plant saucers, wheelbarrows, tire swings, rain gutters and low spots in the lawn—and remove or regularly clean them. If no standing water is available, mosquitoes will go elsewhere to breed.
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Replace water in pet bowls and birdbaths daily.
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Add herbs such as basil, rosemary and mint around your outdoor spaces. These plants produce essential oils that deter mosquitoes.
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Create and protect natural habitat to support predators that eat mosquitoes.
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Minnesotans love to be outdoors, which means finding a way to live with some mosquitoes. Reduce your risk by staying indoors at dawn and dusk, when these insects are most active. When you go out, where light-colored clothing that loosely covers your skin.
MN house advances sweeping election policy bill
MINNEAPOLIS (PNS)—Voting-rights advocates say democracy in the United States has been tested in the past few years. In response, the Minnesota House has passed a bill sponsors say would protect and strengthen a person's ability to cast a ballot.
The Democracy for the People Act would establish automatic voter registration for those who are eligible and a permanent absentee ballot list. It would add teeth to voter-intimidation laws, and more.
Citing factors such as the Jan. 6 insurrection and foreign influence in elections, state Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis, said her plan would allow Minnesota to maintain its strong reputation for civic engagement amid these threats.
"It acts to strengthen the voice of voters, of Minnesotans, in our democracy," she said.
The bill also would make it a misdemeanor for someone who spreads misinformation with the intent to impede or prevent another person from voting. Republican opponents contended that the provision would likely be challenged in court. Some expressed concern about elected county attorneys enforcing elements of the policy, saying there could be political motivations.
Greenman, who is a voting-rights attorney, argued that these are a series of "good reforms" that work for all voters.
"Our state works best when Minnesota voices are at the center of our democracy," she said. "All Minnesotans - Black, Brown, Indigenous, white, metro, Greater Minnesota, suburban, rich, poor, Democrats, Republicans, Independents and folks with no party at all."
If enacted, the bill also would allow pre-registration to vote for 16-and 17-year-olds, establish procedures for multilingual election resources, and close so-called "dark money" loopholes. The amended bill now heads to the state Senate.
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Public News Service.
Brooklyn Center grocer to close doors
BROOKLYN CENTER—When the Brooklyn Center Walmart closes its doors April 21, it will subtract from an already dwindling list of resources for affordable groceries
for people in the area.
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The store closure, which a corpor-ate statement says is tied to poor performance, comes after Aldi and Walgreens shut their doors for good on Minneapolis' north side.
For many who shopped at Aldi before it closed, Brooklyn Center's Walmart was the next closest place to find affordable groceries.
"Everything is closing, so now it's
like I've got to go further and fur-
"Where are people supposed to go?" has been the refrain since grocer Walmart announced it was closing its store in north metro. Screen shot.
ther out to get the basic necessities," said shopper Felicia Robinson of Minneapolis. "Aldi's is closed to, so everything is getting shut down in this community. So, it's like where are people supposed to go? Super far to get the basic necessities is super unfortunate."
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"It's a very convenient store, and it's cheap. I kind of feel bad," said shopper Rohan Peters. In a city state- ment, Brooklyn Center officials pledged to fill the space with another option.
In the meantime, non-profits and food shelves say they're uncertain what could happen next.
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"When you stack on things like the housing, the inflation, the loss of jobs that happen in the community, I think it has massive impact," said Paul Andrighetti, who serves as Director of Basic Needs at CAPI in Brooklyn Center.
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Andrighetti says while the food shelf at CAPI is restocked regular-ly, it often empties within days.
"It's just going to continue to get even more messy," he said. "The community is going to continue to get even more desperate. More people will likely slump into a higher level of insecurity."
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"There just needs to be something else here, though," Robinson said. "It's a lot of elderly people and other people that use this Walmart a lot. If you're going to take something out, bring something else back in. So people don't have to go very far to find something else."