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Duluth man pleads guilty to criminal sexual conduct with girls

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DULUTH – With freshly selected jurors waiting nearby for the start of an expected days-long trial, a Duluth man facing criminal sexual conduct charges took a last-minute plea deal instead of facing the women he abused when they were children.

Clint Franklin Massie, 49, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning at the St. Louis County Courthouse to the four counts from incidents dating back to 2008-09 when two of his victims were young girls. The deal dismissed one of the counts against him. His sentencing is scheduled for March 20, and he could end up with more than nine years in prison. Massie, who was initially charged in February 2023 and has been out on $300,000 bail, was released until his sentencing.

In each case, the victim was known to Massie — whether they were related or through their shared membership at Old Apostolic Lutheran Church. He was friends with their parents and regarded as a fun, child-free uncle, according to reports from the investigation.

Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Michael Ryan told the court that the victims were satisfied with the deal.

“They have been involved in talking this through,” he said to Judge Dale Harris.

After Massie pleaded guilty, would-be witnesses and their supporters filed into the courtroom filling rows. Massie, dressed in a dark suit coat and khaki pants, turned to look. Ryan questioned him on the victims’ accusations — four specific scenarios where he had touched girls: during a sleepover at his house, when alone on a tractor, or beneath a blanket while others were in the room.

Massie said in court there were a lot of big gatherings and shared meals within this the group. It wasn’t unusual for one of the many children to sit on his lap.

At times Massie paused and said he couldn’t remember exact details or motives. At other times he deferred to what he told investigating officers last year. In each instance he ultimately agreed with the scenario presented by the prosecution.



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Mankato to reopen dog pound after ending contract with animal shelter

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In October, Arntz said Mankato does not intend to turn the city into an adoption operation, and that if a dog’s owner is not found within the state-mandated five-day holding period, the city would be allowed to euthanize the animal.

On Monday night, Jeremy Clifton, Mankato’s director of public safety, tried to reassure citizens that euthanasia would be a last resort should a dog have injuries or cannot be effectively fostered or adopted.

“We want these animals properly cared for,” Clifton said.

The city has been meeting with Mankato-based Mending Spirits Animal Rescue about them accepting impounded dogs who are past the holding period, Clifton said.

Debates over pet euthanasia tore BENCHS apart, with board members acknowledging that they ignored recommendations by staff to euthanize dogs with irreparable behavioral issues that had bitten workers.

The city has about 100 animal calls each month, Arntz said. While Mankato has a legal obligation to manage dogs, it has no such responsibility for cats.



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Audit faults Minnesota for lax collection of $40 million from nursing homes, medical providers

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A legislative audit faulted the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) for lax collection of more than $40 million owed to the state from nursing homes, hospitals and other medical providers.

How much Minnesota could recoup, if any, is unclear because some of the debts appear to date back to 2006 and have murky or incomplete records to explain them. But the Office of the Legislative Auditor said in a report released Tuesday that DHS should be making more of an effort, starting by identifying which of its divisions is responsible.

“At the very least, notify these providers to let them know that outstanding debt exists, and potentially recoup some of that money,” Lori Leysen, Deputy Legislative Auditor, said in an interview.

DHS pays billions of dollars each year to medical providers and long-term care facilities to care for low-income and disabled Minnesotans covered by the state’s Medical Assistance insurance program. Sometimes the agency discovers errors, such as when a provider overbills or claims to have provided services that it didn’t. In the case of existing providers, the state typically deducts the amount it pays in the future to make up the difference. But the audit found particular problems when the debts are owed by providers that have either closed or been sold.

DHS Commissioner Jodi Harpstead said in a response letter to the audit that she agrees with many of its findings, but it’s challenging “to recover from providers who are no longer billing Medicaid and are often no longer in business.” One of the agency’s contractors actually stopped trying to collect these types of debts after only recovering $125,000 from 2018 through 2022, she added.

“The majority of these balances represent organizations no longer doing business and we have had a very low return on any recovery work,” she wrote.

The explanation didn’t appease State Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, who will be House speaker next year. The audit found inaccuracies in how DHS was reporting its accounts receivable balance.

“It’s shocking that the Department of Human Services still does not have processes in place to stop and prevent waste of taxpayer dollars,” Demuth wrote. “Even more concerning are the apparent accounting practices that are inaccurate at best, or deceptive at worst.”



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MnDOT’s Name-a-Snowplow contest is back and accepting submissions

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The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Name-A-Snowplow contest is back, and the public continues to eat it up.

“Five years and still going strong,” said MnDOT spokeswoman Anne Meyer. “We hear about it all year long. We know there is interest out there. People enjoy the contest.”

The agency started the naming contest as a way to bring levity to winter after seeing an article in “Roadshow” explaining how Scotland names its entire snowplow fleet and posts maps showing their locations. Scotland calls the vehicles “gritters,” the article said, which led to witty handles such as “Gritney Spears” and “Gritty Gritty Bang Bang.”

Over the first four years, Minnesotans and even those from afar with access to a computer have submitted thousands of winter-themed monikers with references to sports teams, pop culture and clever puns specific to the North Star state. A MnDOT committee takes the ideas and winnows the list down to about 50, which then appear on a ballot for the public to vote on. That will happen in January, Meyer said.

Names that get the most votes then are applied to one of MnDOT’s plows in each of its eight districts. So far, 35 carry names such as “Taylor Drift,” “Clearopathra,” “Plowy McPlowFace,” “Betty Whiteout” and ” “Ctrl, Salt, Delete.” MnDOT staff also gave names to three additional plows, Giiwedin-the North Wind; Goonodaabaan-Snow Vehicle, and Icamna-Blizzard in acknowledgement of the highways the state plows adjacent to tribal lands.

Don’t be surprised if the contest returns for a sixth year, Meyer said.

“We have 800 plows, so we still have a lot to name,” she said.



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