This week’s edition covers stories from February 20th to February 26th, 2025. Today’s issue is 718 words, a 6-minute read.
Hey friend, Isabella writing to you on this Minnesota warm week. As we soak in this faux-spring warmth, our team is busy sprucing up our expanded office with plants and personality. If you weren’t at the Justin Timberlake concert revisiting songs you didn’t know existed, maybe you endured another snooze-worthy Love Is Blind Minneapolis episode. For those squeezing in a final winter sport before the melt, I hope you’re now enjoying the perfect weather for a bike ride or stroll. But while I brace for our inevitable second winter, there are things that give me even bigger chills.
Walz’s Senate Decision: What’s Next For Minnesota?
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has announced he will not run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Tina Smith. Walz, who expressed his love for his role as governor, is considering a second term to continue his work for Minnesota’s children. This opens the door for Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan to pursue the Senate seat, a move she quickly made after Smith’s announcement to not seek re-election. Other state Democrats, including Rep. Angie Craig, have also shown interest in running. Walz has stated he won’t endorse any candidate in the primary race.
Rochester ICE Arrests Spark Outcry, Bond Granted
In a turn of events that surprised no one familiar with U.S. immigration policy, five Rochester residents, including a Nupá Mediterranean Grill worker, were granted bond after being swept up in ICE’s latest enforcement spree. None of the detainees had a criminal record, unless you count trying to make a living in the restaurant industry.
The Nupá worker and his brother, described as “integral” by their employers, secured a $5,000 bond each, higher than their attorney’s request but apparently a bargain by ICE standards. Their arrest prompted a social media uproar and even forced the restaurant to temporarily close one location. Meanwhile, a local cleaner and restaurant worker got a $3,000 bond after being pulled over, while two more brothers detained while driving were granted $5,000 each.
Activists protested ICE’s sudden crackdown, noting that arrests seemed arbitrary, targeting people on their way to work rather than those posing any actual risk. Judge Ryan Wood, presiding over these cases on his last day before leaving the immigration court (convenient timing), approved the bonds while the system he’s leaving behind continues to drown in a 42,000-case backlog.
Trump’s Media Playbook: Censor, Sue, Replace
President Trump is taking another swing at the media, banning the AP from White House access over a style guide dispute and investigating every major network except, of course, Fox News. Meanwhile, his administration is reshuffling press access at the Pentagon, swapping out legacy outlets for conservative ones, and installing loyalists like Kari Lake at Voice of America to, as she puts it, “chronicle America’s achievements.” Paramount is mulling a hefty settlement over a $20 billion Trump lawsuit, despite legal experts calling it meritless. And in case the message wasn’t clear: journalists who ask the wrong questions are being sidelined, while Trump’s team reminds them that “real journalism is dead”, but don’t worry, they’ll do it for you.
Trump’s First Cabinet Meeting: Musk, Mass Layoffs, and a $5M “Gold Card”
President Donald Trump kicked off his second-term cabinet meetings with an all-star guest: Elon Musk, self-proclaimed “tech support” and head of the newly minted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk wasted no time defending his plan to slash federal jobs, promising to uncover a “trillion dollars in savings” while casually admitting DOGE had briefly eliminated Ebola prevention — oops. He also stood by his controversial email mandate, requiring federal employees to prove they exist or risk termination, speculating that some on the payroll might be fictional characters. Trump, ever the efficiency enthusiast, cheered on the cuts and reiterated his goal to gut the EPA and Department of Education. Meanwhile, he pitched his new “gold card” immigration program, where $5 million buys a fast track to U.S. citizenship, because what’s more American than pay-to-play? Critics warn these policies could have major consequences but with major media outlets barred from the meeting, who’s to say?
Sporty Update ⚾️
Baseball season is fast approaching as 2025 Spring Training kicks off. The Twins are back in action at Fort Myers’ Lee Health Sports Complex, their year-round player development hub. This spring, the complex transforms into a battleground for roster spots, with players vying for their place on the team. Stay tuned for all things Twins and baseball as the season unfolds!
Stay informed, stay connected.
See you next week!
–
Isabella and the NewPrensa team
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