Star Tribune
Rick Nolan, former northern Minnesota congressman, has died
Rick Nolan, 81, a former Democratic congressman from Minnesota’s 8th District, has died, according to a news release from the Minnesota DFL.
The Brainerd native won the northeastern Minnesota seat in 2012 and followed with two tricky re-election campaigns. He had previously served as a congressman from 1975-1981 and served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1969-1973.
Sen. Grant Hauschild described Nolan as “one of a kind” on social media.
“No one fought harder for the place they loved than him,” wrote Hauschild. “His eternal optimism was contagious and he always spent his capital on uplifting future leaders. Northern Minnesota will miss our champion as he joins the other political titans from our region in heaven.”
DFL Chair Ken Martin described Nolan as a champion for the Northland who fought to protect working people from corporate interests.
“From Ely to Duluth, he was an ambassador for the DFL creed that ‘we all do better when we all do better,’” Marin said in a news release. “Our thoughts are with his family and all who came to know and love this dedicated public servant.”
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
An administrative law judge on Friday dismissed a complaint against Rep. Josh Heintzeman who was accused of violating the Fair Campaign Practices Act by allegedly pressuring the Pequot Lakes Police Chief into supporting him.
Chief Mike Davis said he felt intimidated by Heintzeman, a Republican lawmaker from neighboring Nisswa who is seeking a fifth term. Heintzeman made a series of phone calls to the chief, mayor and law enforcement agencies after the incumbent learned that Davis signed the successful petition for Troy Scheffler to enter the House District 6B race as a third-party candidate.
In mid-September, Scheffler filed the complaint against Heintzeman with the Office of Administrative Hearings, arguing that he violated laws by indirectly threatening loss of employment to compel Davis into ending his support of Scheffler.
On Tuesday, administrative law judge Megan McKenzie heard arguments and testimony to determine if there are sufficient facts to believe such violation occurred. McKenzie issued an order for dismissal three days later.
She wrote that evidence does not establish a clear nexus between Heintzeman’s phone calls and compelling Davis to cast his ballot in a particular way. She did write that the “number and nature of calls made by [Heintzeman] was perhaps more than was prudent for an elected official.”
Davis testified that none of his superiors pressured him into not supporting Scheffler or to vote for Heintzeman. Mayor Tyler Gardner testified that he did not feel Heintzeman was threatening him or the city’s funding during their phone call. Gardner said Heintzeman never demanded that he fire Davis for supporting Scheffler.
Heintzeman said his calls were mostly out of concern with the city’s civil service policy as Davis was attempting to serve civil paperwork to Heintzeman outside the jurisdiction of Pequot Lakes. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Matthew Zinda, who ran against Heintzeman in the August primary.
Scheffler has also sued Heintzeman for defamation and filed other campaign complaints against him. Heintzeman previously told the Minnesota Star Tribune that Scheffler is running a “campaign by lawsuit.”
Maplewood’s move last month follows similar action in White Bear Lake in 2022 opposing the project, which was initially planned to reach Hinckley. White Bear Lake’s vote spurred Purple Line transit planners to rethink the route, even though municipalities along proposed BRT lines in the Twin Cities aren’t required to support such projects.
Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, a longtime Purple Line supporter who serves on the Corridor Management Committee, said in an interview this week that there’s “some misinformation out there, we are really trying to work with the community, there are a lot of players and some strong support” for the project.
That includes state and local lawmakers in the area, Century College, healthcare practices and nonprofits.
“We still have so much to learn,” Reinhardt said. “The bottom line is we need transit in the east metro if was are going to grow and improve our quality of life.”
A happy ending for a puppy who got a rough start. Long before the P!nk Summer Carnival Tour came to town, Graham Cracker, his mother and litter mates were abandoned in the Arkansas woods. Until a little girl named Autumn came along and started feeding the hungry mama as she nursed her babies under a rural deer stand. Eventually, Autumn’s mother realized what was happening and they called a local rescue, Jak’s, who called The Bond Between.
That’s the magic of animal rescue, Mairose said. It’s never just one person saving a puppy like Graham Cracker. It takes rescuers, fosters, volunteers and finally, someone to step up and adopt. But this story, she said, “started with Autumn.”
Graham Cracker the puppy has come a long way since a little girl named Autumn found him, his mother, and his litter mates abandoned in the Arkansas woods. Now the pup is going on tour with Pink.
The Bond Between took in mama dog, renamed Autumn in honor of their original rescuer, and all the puppies. Graham Cracker and one brother were the only ones left. So if you missed your chance to road trip with Graham Cracker, there’s always S’More.
S’More appears to have very fuzzy ears and a snoot made for bopping. And he’s just one of the pets waiting for a forever home, or a foster family, or a volunteer to swing by your local rescue or shelter or animal control to play with them.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of this place,” said Mairose, who also needs fosters to take in pets temporarily while their owners deal with their own hard times, including homeless veterans and people escaping abusive relationships.
To quote Pink: “If you guys ever could foster doggies, it’s a really lovely thing to do.”
