Star Tribune
UHC CEO Brian Thompson is shot and killed in New York City
After clearing the jam, the shooter began to fire again, Kenny said, and then fled on foot.
Responding to reporter questions, Kenny said police don’t know if the shooter could have been a professional, nor could investigators say if there was a silencer on the weapon. From watching the video, he said, “it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly.”
After his initial flight from the scene, the suspect was later seen riding an e-bike, including when he was spotted in Central Park.
“The motive for this murder currently is unknown,” Kenny said. “Based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted. But at this point, we do not know why.”
United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Thompson was CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest health insurer. It is a division of Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group, which is the fourth-largest public company in America behind Walmart, Amazon and Apple.
His wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he had been receiving threats. “There had been some threats,” she said in a phone call with NBC News. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”
Star Tribune
Mankato to reopen dog pound after ending contract with animal shelter
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.
Star Tribune
Audit faults Minnesota for lax collection of $40 million from nursing homes, medical providers
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.”
Star Tribune
MnDOT’s Name-a-Snowplow contest is back and accepting submissions
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.