Jury finds two men guilty in human smuggling trial; Legal challenge in election over candidate's home address

This is Minnesota Today for Friday, November 22nd. I'm Emily Reese and here's what's happening in Minnesota. The jury in the federal human smuggling trial in Fergus Falls today returned guilty verdicts on all counts against Harry Patel and Steve Shand. Each man faces four counts arising from an attempt to bring migrants from India illegally across the US-Canada border in January 2022. A family of four froze to death in a snowstorm during the attempt.

The four Republican members of Minnesota's U.S. House delegation hope to influence President-elect Donald Trump's choices for federal appointments in the state, Mark Zadeklek reports. GOP representatives Tom Immer, Pete Stobber, Brad Finzdade, and Michelle Fishbach say their newly formed nominations committee will recommend candidates for U.S. Attorney, U.S. Marshall, and other federal vacancies incoming President Donald Trump may need to fill in Minnesota.

They've tapped former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice G. Barry Anderson to chair their new committee. The committee also includes several others, mostly involved in practicing and teaching law. The lawmakers say they've assembled some of Minnesota's sharpest legal minds with the wealth of experience and expertise and expressed confidence the committee will uphold the rule of law to provide Trump with the best and brightest public servants. I'm Mark Sadeklek.

And another legal challenge looms over a Minnesota House race in the knotted-up legislative chamber. Here's Clay Masters. As of right now, the Minnesota House will be tied 67 to 67 between Republicans and Democrats when the session begins in January. This week, a Republican candidate for a seat in the Roseville area is asking a Ramsey County Court to overturn the election results.

Republican Paul Wixtrum claims the winner of the House District 40B race, DFL candidate Curtis Johnson, does not live in the studio apartment he listed on his paperwork. In a statement, Johnson said he and his wife got an apartment as they searched for a new house in the district. This race is one of a handful Republicans are hoping they can use to break the tie and eke out a majority next session. I'm Clay Masters at the Capitol.

From across the state and beyond, people donated more than $37 million to more than 6,500 Minnesota organizations yesterday as part of the 16th annual Give to the Max Day. It's a fundraising record for the event. The previous record amount of money raised was a little more than $34 million in 2021. Organizers say they received donations yesterday from all 87 Minnesota counties, all 50 states and 36 countries.

No, major storms are in the forecast for Minnesota through the holiday next week, but thanksgiving travelers may have to contend with some light snow along with colder temperatures. A storm system is forecast to bring light rain and snow showers, mostly to northern Minnesota Sunday into Monday, maybe an inch or two of snow near the Canadian border, a dusting farther south, which could affect the Monday morning commute in the Twin Cities. After that, NPR meteorologist Sven Sundgaard says colder air is on the way for the rest of next week.

Looks pretty chilly here for the Thanksgiving holiday. Highs probably just around 30 even in the Twin Cities and it's going to set us up for our coldest nights of the season. Tis the season for that too late next week, even in the Twin Cities. Could have our first night in the teens by early Friday morning.

So far this season, the lowest temperature recorded at the Twin Cities Airport has been 27 degrees, and that happened earlier this week. In sports, the wild beat the Oilers last night in Edmonton 5-3. The wild have a league best road record at 9-1-2. They're still on the road, they play the flames in Calgary tomorrow. The Timberwolves lost to the Raptors in Toronto last night, 1-10-105.

And Edwards had 26 points, but the Wolves lost a fourth quarter lead. The Wolves are in Boston to play the Celtics on Sunday.

state champions in four classes in high school crown today there are also three games tomorrow the Vikings play the share bears in chicago on sunday afternoon and i skip the gophers sorry about that football gophers host number four penn state tomorrow that kickoff at two thirty and go for women's basketball there undefeated they play montana at home on sunday the lunes minnesota united finally back to the m l s cut playoffs the conference semi-finals they play

the Los Angeles galaxy on Sunday evening in LA. Your forecast for Minnesota tonight, cloudy, patchy fog, uh, lows right around 20 to 25 on Saturday, partly sunny. Eyes will be in the mid twenties to the upper thirties. That's it for Minnesota Today. Thanks for listening. Phil Picardy will have your next update on Monday morning. And I hope you have a great weekend.