DUNN COUNTY, Wis. — More than 50 years after a Minneapolis woman was stabbed to death, an arrest has been made in the cold case, authorities in western Wisconsin confirmed. 

A first-degree murder charge was filed Thursday against Jon Kevin Miller of Owatonna. He is 84 today, but was 34 on Feb. 15, 1974. 

That’s the day 25-year-old Mary Schlais was discovered dead in the town of Spring Brook in Dunn County, Wisconsin. Authorities say she left her Minneapolis home and was hitchhiking to an art show in Chicago. Just a few hours later, someone called authorities to report seeing a man throw her body out of a car before driving away.

According to the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, her autopsy showed she had “more than a dozen stab wounds and defensive cuts to hands, indicating she had put up a big struggle with her killer.” 

Dunn County Sheriff Kevin Bygd confirmed to KARE 11 Miller has been arrested in this case. He said a statement will be released soon. 

PRIOR LAKE, Minn — The results of Tuesday’s election also have an impact on our schools.

Dozens of districts across the state had referendums on the ballot, but voters approved less than half of them. Passing that funding was crucial given many of those districts are facing unprecedented budget shortfalls. 

In the immediate metro area alone, data from the Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD) shows most schools having to combat a $300 million deficit combined.

More cuts are likely from staff to programming, especially where the referendums failed that include Lakeville, Farmington, Rockford and Prior Lake-Savage (PLSAS).

There are about 8,600 students within the PLSAS district, including Dawn Lenio’s two sons. Her family moved there in 2020 for its highly-rated schools. 

Except, the district now faces the same struggles as many others do – including rising costs and falling enrollment and operating with already less money than its surrounding districts. 

The situation led Lenio to jump into action and rally support for its referendum that the school board approved three months ago.

“There was always the unknown element, but I had been feeling pretty good about it,” said Lenio, who said she’s now disappointed after the referendum didn’t pass on Tuesday. 

Fifty-five percent of voters didn’t approve the operating levy that would have cost tax payers about $45 more a month. It would have helped stabilize a district that says without it, will now deplete its available resources by 2028.

“I think that it was a large ask and I’m not sure that everyone understood why that amount was asked and I think for a lot of people on a budget, they probably saw it as too much,” said Lenio. 

PLSAS is one of four metro area referendums that didn’t pass, but eight others did, in what experts still call a challenging year.

“Presidential election years always tend to be a little tougher just because the voter turnout is generally much higher and so it’s that many more voters that you have to try and connect with,” said AMSD Executive Director Scott Croonquist. “So, they really need to be presented with a compelling case to vote yes to raise their property taxes.”

Croonquist says schools are also facing unprecedented shortfalls because new teacher contracts contained historic raises, the pandemic federal aid is gone and state funding simply wasn’t enough – requiring 45 districts statewide to ask 69 referendum ballot questions.

In PLSAS, it’s now the second time in a row, its referendum failed. In a letter to community, the district says it will likely consider closing schools, cutting staff and reducing programs, like Spanish Immersion and middle school activities.

“While the results of the election will not afford us the resources to make critical investments to support our students, we appreciate the community considering the operating levy request,” said PLSAS Superintendent Michael Thomas. “I also want to thank the many volunteers who assisted in sharing our information. Your work is greatly appreciated.”

“After we kind of pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off and process that we weren’t successful, we look at why, what can we do different,” said Lenio. “Basically we’ll have to go back to the drawing board.”

Some of the districts where voters passed referendums include Burnsville, Inver Grove Heights, Rochester, Big Lake and Thief River Falls. 

In Robbinsdale, voters approved the renewal of the district’s capital projects levy which supports essential technology investments across the district. Superintendent Dr. Teri Staloch wrote, “This result is a testament to our community’s dedication to our students and our school district – to providing every student with the tools they need to thrive academically and beyond,” said Dr. Staloch. “With this renewal, the district can maintain up-to-date technology that fosters engaging learning environments, ensures safety across our schools, and strengthens support for every student’s unique journey.”

Minneapolis Public Schools Board Chair Collin Beachy and Superintendent Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams also released the following statement in response to the passage of the district’s tech levy ballot question there, writing: “Thank you, voters, for your commitment to our students, our schools and our Minneapolis community,” said MPS School Board Chair Collin Beachy. “We appreciate the investment you are making, and we are committed to using these resources to improve student achievement and strengthen our school communities.”

ST PAUL, Minn. — Not often do first responders do something so heroic that their colleagues take notice. But on Jan. 3, St. Paul firefighters Jacob Ryks and Mason Conlin did just that.

“Some of the stuff that they did really, really humbled me as the fire chief, and I’ve been on for 30 years,” said St. Paul Fire Chief Butch Inks.

On Jan. 3, six young children and their mother were trapped inside their St. Paul home. Ryks and Conlin ended up rescuing five of the kids, giving them a chance to survive. Tragically four of them passed away at the hospital.

“Each time they emerged, they carried an unconscious child, passing the victims to waiting EMS providers, before plunging back into the smoke filled home,” said Minnesota 100 Club Executive Director Julie Gotham.

On Thursday, the two were presented with firefighter of the year awards by the Minnesota 100 Club. The non-profit provides financial assistance to families who lost a first responder in the line of duty.

“This isn’t my award,” said Ryks. “This is the award for everyone that was there that day. This is the award for everyone in the ER and the ICU.”

Ryks and Conlin met each other the morning of the fire, but became best friends since. The two united through their heroism. 

“Any other job, or most other jobs, you leave work and you are done with work, but this one it’s kinda like all of you, it’s everything that you do,” Conlin said.

“For me personally, loving my kids the way I do, loving my wife the way I do, that’s why I go into a burning building, because somebody loves those people just as much as I love my people,” Ryks added.

The two were also awarded the inaugural Mayors Medal of Honor at St. Paul’s State of the City address earlier this year.