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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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Veterans recall life of Charles Sehe, Mankato survivor of Pearl Harbor attack

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MANKATO – A neon green sign at VFW Post 950 silently mourns one of Minnesota’s most acclaimed and well-documented wartime heroes, spelling out taps for “Charles Sehe, Pearl Harbor Vet.”

Sehe died at age 101 on Nov. 3 at his Mankato home. He was the last Minnesota survivor to have served on the USS Nevada during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.

After surviving what became known as the Day of Infamy, Dec. 7, 1941, which forced the U.S. entry into World War II, Sehe served on the Nevada throughout the conflict, including on a mission that brought him within sight of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France. After coming home, Sehe became a researcher and academic, eventually teaching at Minnesota State Mankato for 23 years.

“This guy’s a hero,” said James Mason, sergeant in arms at the Mankato VFW, officially Morson-Ario-Strand VFW Post 950.

Mason, a gruff former Marine Corps gunnery sergeant, shared photos of Sehe at the post during a lunch in late November. He became friends with Sehe about a decade ago.

The Pearl Harbor attack left lasting psychological scars on Sehe, and he had a hard time talking about it with most people. But among other veterans, Sehe would open up, said Mason, 78. The two men would talk for hours over a beer or a breakfast at Hy-Vee, meeting several times a month. Sehe took an interest in the experiences of younger veterans, especially Marines, said Mason, and they in turn were fascinated by Sehe’s story.

Sehe grew up poor in Geneva, Ill., according to a 2015 oral history with the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. His father, a former horse trainer, lost his job during the Great Depression. Sehe recalled always being hungry, eating lunches of sugar sprinkled over lard spread on bread. As a teenager he got a job at a bakery where he’d eat cake crumbs off the bottom of the pans.

When World War II started, Sehe joined the Navy, despite not knowing how to swim. When he arrived at the USS Nevada, he was awed at the sight of the battleship, as he’d never seen a vessel larger than a canoe or clam boat.



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Golden State Valkyries select 4 players to begin building roster through WNBA expansion draft

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SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Valkyries selected center Iliana Rupert of Atlanta, guard Veronica Burton of Connecticut, guard Carla Leite of Dallas and forward Maria Conde of Chicago with their initial picks of the WNBA expansion draft on Friday, the first players for the new Bay Area franchise that’s set to begin play next season.

This marked the WNBA’s first expansion draft in 16 years since the Atlanta Dream joined the league in 2008.

Golden State is able to acquire the contract or negotiating rights to one player from each of the other 12 WNBA teams. The Valkyries can also choose one player from throughout the league who’s eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.

The Valkyries will play at Chase Center, the 5-year-old home of the Golden State Warriors, and practice across the bay in the organization’s Oakland training facility.

Warriors star Draymond Green sported a Valkyries jersey with No. 25 on the back — for the inaugural campaign of 2025 — while sitting out injured during Thursday’s win over the Houston Rockets.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball



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Embattled Byron, Minn. school superintendent to resign

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BYRON, MINN. – Facing mounting pressure over the district’s mishandling of its finances, Byron Public Schools Superintendent Mike Neubeck announced Friday that he will resign from the position at the end of the school year.

The resignation follows months of uncertainty about the district’s budget after a $1.5 million miscalculation was discovered in last year’s budget. Neubeck’s administration has struggled since then to win back the community’s trust. In November, voters rejected the district’s request for a $1.9 million levy increase by a 16-point margin.

In a statement, the district said Neubeck made the decision to resign after discussion with members of the Byron school board. His last day will be June 30.

“This decision is made with a shared commitment to ensuring the stability of the district while maintaining a continued focus on our mission to serve students, staff, and the community,” according to the district statement. “Dr. Neubeck’s decision provides the Byron School District with the necessary time and opportunity to hire a new superintendent.”

Reached Friday, Neubeck declined to comment.

Byron’s financial woes were first made public in the spring when the district revealed a financial miscalculation related to labor negotiation the previous year. While a long-awaited audit of the 2023-24 budget won’t be completed until later this month, Neubeck told parents this week that preliminary findings show the district with a $2 million shortfall, primarily because of the miscalculation.

The combination of the oversight and the failed referendum has led the district to propose $1.6 million in additional cuts to next year’s school budget. In the meantime, the district’s balances are so low that the board voted this week to borrow $3.5 million to make a debt-service payment due in January.

Neubeck said he will present recommendations on budget reductions at a meeting in early February. He also suggested the district may pursue another operating referendum in November 2025.



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