ROUND LAKE, Minn. — A parcel of land in Nobles County has been transformed into a major composting operation for euthanized hogs coming from the crippled JBS pork processing plant in nearby Worthington, as well as hogs from area farmers.Mike Crusan, communications director with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, said delivery of hog carcasses to the southwest Minnesota site began over the weekend. The parcel of land can accommodate the delivery of up to 2,000 head per day, though it hasn’t reached peak capacity at this point.JBS announced last week it could euthanize 3,000 head of...…ROUND LAKE, Minn. — A parcel of land in Nobles County has been transformed into a major composting operation for euthanized hogs coming from the crippled JBS pork processing plant in nearby Worthington, as well as hogs from area farmers.Mike Crusan, communications director with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, said delivery of hog carcasses to the southwest Minnesota site began over the weekend. The parcel of land can accommodate the delivery of up to 2,000 head per day, though it hasn’t reached peak capacity at this point.JBS announced last week it could euthanize 3,000 head of...WW…

By | | Pioneer PressTampa Bay rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. had the best debut among former Gophers in the NFL in Week 1. The second-round draft pick had six tackles, one pass breakup and a quarterback pressure in the Buccaneers’ 34-23 loss to the Saints.When Winfield Jr. took the field in his first start Sunday, some observers took to Twitter to tweet about how old they felt because they remember Antoine Winfield Sr., who played in the NFL from 1999-2012.Before the opener, Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles said of Winfield Jr.: “He’s smart, he’s heady, he makes plays and he makes...…By | | Pioneer PressTampa Bay rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr. had the best debut among former Gophers in the NFL in Week 1. The second-round draft pick had six tackles, one pass breakup and a quarterback pressure in the Buccaneers’ 34-23 loss to the Saints.When Winfield Jr. took the field in his first start Sunday, some observers took to Twitter to tweet about how old they felt because they remember Antoine Winfield Sr., who played in the NFL from 1999-2012.Before the opener, Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles said of Winfield Jr.: “He’s smart, he’s heady, he makes plays and he makes...WW…

A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty Friday to starting a fire in an Enterprise Rent-A-Car building in St. Paul during the unrest that followed the death of George Floyd.According to the U.S. attorney’s office, Matthew Scott White, 32, was charged with one count of arson. He entered his guilty plea before Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis.White admitted to entering the Enterprise building at 1161 W. University Ave. on May 28 and starting a fire inside a back office. White fueled the fire by throwing papers and other flammable items onto the flames, according to...…A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty Friday to starting a fire in an Enterprise Rent-A-Car building in St. Paul during the unrest that followed the death of George Floyd.According to the U.S. attorney’s office, Matthew Scott White, 32, was charged with one count of arson. He entered his guilty plea before Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis.White admitted to entering the Enterprise building at 1161 W. University Ave. on May 28 and starting a fire inside a back office. White fueled the fire by throwing papers and other flammable items onto the flames, according to...WW…

GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS.XBy | | St. Paul Pioneer PressThe Twins headed into their final weekend of play without two important contributors. But if all goes well, they’re hoping to have starter Jake Odorizzi and second baseman Luis Arraez back soon.The Twins will play in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.Odorizzi, who left his Sept. 16 last start with a blister, was eligible to return later this weekend but the Twins are opting to let him use that time to continue to heal. Michael Pineda will start on Saturday and Rich Hill...…GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS.XBy | | St. Paul Pioneer PressThe Twins headed into their final weekend of play without two important contributors. But if all goes well, they’re hoping to have starter Jake Odorizzi and second baseman Luis Arraez back soon.The Twins will play in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.Odorizzi, who left his Sept. 16 last start with a blister, was eligible to return later this weekend but the Twins are opting to let him use that time to continue to heal. Michael Pineda will start on Saturday and Rich Hill...WW…

The firearm-safety instructor went around the room the other day at a west-metro gun store asking the class why they were there.“With everything going on, I bought one and I figured I should take a class,” said a man.“My wife said we should get a gun for the house and I figured I better learn how to use it with all the stuff going on,” said another.“My home was broken into and I want to learn,” said a Black middle-aged woman.Then the instructor asked how many wanted to also take a permit-to-carry class.Hands shot up.“It used to be that only one or two hands would go up,” he said “Now, it’s...…The firearm-safety instructor went around the room the other day at a west-metro gun store asking the class why they were there.“With everything going on, I bought one and I figured I should take a class,” said a man.“My wife said we should get a gun for the house and I figured I better learn how to use it with all the stuff going on,” said another.“My home was broken into and I want to learn,” said a Black middle-aged woman.Then the instructor asked how many wanted to also take a permit-to-carry class.Hands shot up.“It used to be that only one or two hands would go up,” he said “Now, it’s...WW…

By | Pioneer PressAfter nearly 27 years of entertaining guests and hosting gangster tours, the Wabasha Street Caves will be closing at the end of November.The three-cave complex on Wabasha Street in St. Paul has been a lot of things in its long history, but for the past couple of decades it has been owned by Steve and Donna Bremer of Faribault, both now in their 70s, who transformed the sandstone caves into a thriving destination for locals and tourists.“We have been closed since March 18, and with the fear of COVID-19, most of our tours and events for 2020 have canceled,” Donna Bremer...…By | Pioneer PressAfter nearly 27 years of entertaining guests and hosting gangster tours, the Wabasha Street Caves will be closing at the end of November.The three-cave complex on Wabasha Street in St. Paul has been a lot of things in its long history, but for the past couple of decades it has been owned by Steve and Donna Bremer of Faribault, both now in their 70s, who transformed the sandstone caves into a thriving destination for locals and tourists.“We have been closed since March 18, and with the fear of COVID-19, most of our tours and events for 2020 have canceled,” Donna Bremer...WW…

Protesters gather in front of the Governor's Residence in St. Paul on Friday, April 17, 2020. A group calling itself "Liberate Minnesota" organized the protest to demand that Gov. Tim Walz end the stay-at-home order he issued in mid-March to slow the spread of the coronavirus. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)A group calling itself “Liberate Minnesota” is using Facebook to organize a protest in front of the Governor’s Residence on Friday to demand that Gov. Tim Walz end the stay-at-home order he issued in mid-March to slow the spread of the coronavirus.“Now is the time to demand Governor Walz...…Protesters gather in front of the Governor's Residence in St. Paul on Friday, April 17, 2020. A group calling itself "Liberate Minnesota" organized the protest to demand that Gov. Tim Walz end the stay-at-home order he issued in mid-March to slow the spread of the coronavirus. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)A group calling itself “Liberate Minnesota” is using Facebook to organize a protest in front of the Governor’s Residence on Friday to demand that Gov. Tim Walz end the stay-at-home order he issued in mid-March to slow the spread of the coronavirus.“Now is the time to demand Governor Walz...WW…

By | | Pioneer PressToward the end of their daily coronavirus briefing Friday, Minnesota health officials paused for a moment of silent reflection.They were marking two milestones:The state was on track to exceed 2,000 total deaths from COVID-19 this weekend, underscoring their work is far from finished.A portion of the public they strive to protect had turned on them.News broke Friday morning that the federal after some had been subjected to repeated harassment, including racist remarks and, in one case, intimidation by an armed man.That the polarization of opinion, often borne of...…By | | Pioneer PressToward the end of their daily coronavirus briefing Friday, Minnesota health officials paused for a moment of silent reflection.They were marking two milestones:The state was on track to exceed 2,000 total deaths from COVID-19 this weekend, underscoring their work is far from finished.A portion of the public they strive to protect had turned on them.News broke Friday morning that the federal after some had been subjected to repeated harassment, including racist remarks and, in one case, intimidation by an armed man.That the polarization of opinion, often borne of...WW…

By | | Pioneer PressThe Timberwolves have had 75 percent of their players at the team facility over the past couple of months, participating in individual workouts or just getting up shots. Most all of them will gather back in downtown Minneapolis starting this week.Monday marks the first day of the Timberwolves’ three-week “minicamp” allowed by the NBA and the NBA Players Association for the eight teams that were not invited to for the resumption of the season.The first week features voluntary individual workouts, which Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas said...…By | | Pioneer PressThe Timberwolves have had 75 percent of their players at the team facility over the past couple of months, participating in individual workouts or just getting up shots. Most all of them will gather back in downtown Minneapolis starting this week.Monday marks the first day of the Timberwolves’ three-week “minicamp” allowed by the NBA and the NBA Players Association for the eight teams that were not invited to for the resumption of the season.The first week features voluntary individual workouts, which Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas said...WW…

By | A northern Minnesota state senator tweeted a now-deleted video of himself asking why campgrounds and resorts are closed during the coronavirus pandemic, while homeless Minnesotans are sleeping outside.Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, on Tuesday tweeted the question, “How is camping on the streets of St Paul any safer than your family camping up North?” He later deleted the tweet after drawing criticism on social media.In a corresponding video of himself in St. Paul, he pointed behind himself to a “tent city” of homeless residing in tents outside. “Unfortunately,” he said,...…By | A northern Minnesota state senator tweeted a now-deleted video of himself asking why campgrounds and resorts are closed during the coronavirus pandemic, while homeless Minnesotans are sleeping outside.Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, on Tuesday tweeted the question, “How is camping on the streets of St Paul any safer than your family camping up North?” He later deleted the tweet after drawing criticism on social media.In a corresponding video of himself in St. Paul, he pointed behind himself to a “tent city” of homeless residing in tents outside. “Unfortunately,” he said,...WW…