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Minnesota cannabis lottery set for Tuesday halted by lawsuit
The lottery will preapprove cannabis licenses for verified businesses, with general licensing anticipated for next year.
ST PAUL, Minn. — The cannabis lottery isn’t happening this week as planned after a judge approved a motion to halt the lottery while a lawsuit is ongoing.
Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize recreational marijuana in 2023, and this past summer the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced businesses deemed verified to meet social equity eligibility requirements could start the process of getting licensed. A lottery for those licenses was scheduled for Nov. 26, with general licensing anticipated for next year.
A lawsuit was filed by Cristina Aranguiz and Jodi Connolly, against the OCM. The plaintiffs asked for a temporary injunction to keep this lottery from happening until the “resolution of this matter”, which a judge approved.
Interim director of the OCM Charlene Briner in a statement called Cristina Aranguiz and Jodi Connolly “bad actors who seek to overwhelm the system at the expense of legitimate, prospective business owners.”
According to the OCM, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit are the “face of a scheme to use hundreds of straw applicants to gain unfair advantage in the lottery” and allege they are “using the judicial process to thwart the ambitions and dreams of legitimate social equity candidates who have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a head start in this industry.”
While it is technically legal to possess and grow cannabis in Minnesota, the law is subject to limits meant to keep a lid on things while the state sets up a full-blown legal cannabis industry. In the year that most prospective businesses have been in limbo, a handful of sovereign tribal nations have been able to take advantage of working outside the state’s regulatory framework.
A spokesperson with the OCM on Monday sent KARE 11 the following statement:
While we are disappointed by the decision to prevent OCM from moving forward with the license preapproval lottery tomorrow, we stand by the process used to review applications. Minnesota’s approach has always aimed to protect the integrity of a social equity license, and the rigorous review also allowed us to identify and prevent bad actors from entering the system. State statute sets high standards for applicants to successfully complete applications while also filtering out those with malicious intent.
We remain committed to launching an equitable, sustainable, and responsible adult-use cannabis marketplace in Minnesota.
Judy J. Bever was found weeks after her husband reported her missing in Blaine.
BLAINE, Minn. — Authorities in Anoka County continue their investigation into finding out what happened to a 24-year-old woman who was found shot to death more than a month after she was reported missing.
Judy J. Bever was dropped off at work by her husband on Oct. 11, 1973, according to the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. She went to a mixed doubles bowling league and a coworker said they dropped her off half a block from her house, but her husband reports she never made it home, officials said.
Contemporaneous reporting from the Minneapolis Star says her body was found weeks later on Nov. 25, face up and fully clothed. An autopsy showed she was shot twice in the chest. It was reported there was no sign she was robbed or sexually assaulted.
According to the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, her body was found in a swampy area near 99th and Xylite in the city of Blaine.
Anyone with information about what happened to Bever is encouraged to email ACSOColdCases@anokacountymn.gov.
The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office is working to solve cases like Bever’s with a new Cold Case Homicide Unit webpage that highlights unsolved cases being reevaluated by the office. Officials say you don’t have to tell them who you are, just what you know.
“A dedicated team made up of law enforcement and forensic science professionals evaluate and prioritize all cold cases and evidence, and test, or retest evidence to further the investigation,” a press release from the sheriff’s office said. “The ultimate goal is to hold offenders accountable and bring closure to victims’ families, while providing support throughout the process.”
The Minnesota Vikings’ home will be open from 5-9 p.m. on most Tuesday and Thursday evenings in December and January.
MINNEAPOLIS — Welcome to the Thunderdome, U.S. Bank Stadium officials will say to runners and skaters soon.
The annual Winter Warm-Up, an indoor running and inline skating program, returns to the closed-roof stadium beginning Tuesday, Dec. 3, and ending Thursday, Jan. 23.
The Minnesota Vikings’ home will be open from 5-9 p.m. on most Tuesday and Thursday evenings in December and January, featuring twelve running-skating sessions.
The Winter Warm-Up is open to all ages, with the stadium’s main concourse dedicated to inline skaters and the upper concourse for runners.
Open skating is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. with speed skating set for 8 to 9 p.m. for the session.
Skaters will need to bring their equipment as skate rental will not be available.
“Skaters are required to bring their own safety gear, including helmets,” the news release states.
Phone use is not permitted while skating on the main concourse as is wearing headphones, earbuds, speakers or any other music accessories.
Strollers are not allowed on either concourse. Security staff will conduct bag searches at the entrances.
Admission is $15 a person and tickets can be purchased at this link.
For more information, click here.
The money will be used to plant 1,000 native and climate-resilient trees in areas that need environmental improvements.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis will soon be getting a little greener, particularly in areas that need environmental improvements.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board received a $120,000 donation through the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation to “enhance climate resilience in economically disadvantaged and environmentally justice designated neighborhoods in Minneapolis,” according to a release from the city.
The money will be used to plant 1,000 native and climate-resilient trees in areas most in need. City officials say the trees will improve air quality, support wildlife and help remove carbon dioxide. Planting is expected to begin in 2025.
“We continue to be deeply grateful to the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation for recognizing the need for climate resiliency in some of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Minneapolis,” said MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura in a statement. “These funds will help contribute to the well-being of Minneapolis’ underserved and climate-vulnerable communities.”
The donation will also be used to purchase native plants, particularly at Harrison Park to help support the conversion of turf grass to natural areas.
