Special election race drops down to two candidates; Tentative agreement for Minneapolis consent decree

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This is Minnesota Today for Thursday, January 2nd. I'm Emily Reese and here's what's happening in Minnesota. Several candidates dropped out of a race for a suburban house seat today, setting up a head-to-head match this month. Dana Ferguson reports.

four DFL candidates withdrew from a race to fill a seat in the Roseville and Shoreview areas. That sets up a one-on-one race between Democrat David Gottfried and Republican Paul Wickstrom. Both are vying for an open seat vacated after DFL or Curtis Johnson said he wouldn't appeal a decision disqualifying him on residency grounds.

Wickstrom lost to Johnson in November, then sued alleging that he didn't follow state law requiring candidates to live in the district six months prior to Election Day. The special election is scheduled for January 28 and will determine whether Republicans maintain a slim majority or the parties are tied at 67 seats each. I'm Dana Ferguson.

The city of Minneapolis and the U.S. Department of Justice have reached a tentative agreement on a consent decree which could mandate extensive reforms to the Minneapolis Police Department. Sources confirmed the tentative agreement to NPR News. In an address to the police department, Police Chief Brian O'Hara said the department will remain committed to improving staffing levels and supporting officers' health. When we focus on the right priorities, supporting one another, engaging with our community, and remaining committed to our shared values,

We can and we will navigate this process successfully and emerge stronger." The consent decree has been in the work since 2023 after a federal investigation found MPD used unjustified deadly force and engaged in racial discrimination for years. Mayor Jacob Fry has called a Special City Council meeting Monday to discuss the potential decree.

The federal government has given Excel energy permission to continue operating its Monticello nuclear power plant for another two decades, Kirsten Morone reports. This week, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission renewed the 53-year-old plant's operating license. That allows it to keep generating power through 2050. Excel says keeping its two Minnesota nuclear plants going is critical to its shift to carbon-free electricity. The Monticello plant produces enough energy to power more than half a million homes in the upper Midwest.

But some critics have raised safety concerns about the aging plant. In late 2022, a broken pipe leaked water containing radioactive tritium. State and Excel officials said there was no threat to the public. The State Public Utilities Commission already agreed to allow the Monticello plant to keep operating through 2040.

Excel says it will seek approval for the additional 10 years at some point in the future. I'm Christine Maron. 2025 is off to a chilly start across Minnesota after highs today from the single digits in the northwest and near 20 in the south. NPR meteorologist von Sungaard says even colder air is on the way for Friday. Highs low to mid teen southern Minnesota to just around zero in the northwestern part of the state. So that is almost 10 degrees below normal. And those morning windchills tomorrow morning will be sub zero.

Across the state, single digits below zero in southern Minnesota, but close to 20 below for the wind chill in northwestern Minnesota tomorrow.

Sven says the below normal temperatures will stick around through the weekend and into next week. All that cold air also will keep the storm track south of Minnesota. That means a weekend system may bring snow to Iowa and points south, but it'll largely miss Minnesota. In sports, the timber wolves host the Boston Celtics tonight in Minneapolis. Wolves have won three of their last four. Go for men's basketball team hosting Purdue tonight, the wild face off against the Capitol tonight in Washington, D.C.

Minnesota Frost hosts the Boston Fleet tonight in St. Paul. The University of Minnesota plays Virginia Tech in the Duke's Mayo Bowl tomorrow, that game in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Minnesota Vikings finish off their regular season Sunday night against the Lions in Detroit.

And Fargo's North Dakota State plays Montana State for the FCS College Football National Championship. That happens Monday in Frisco, Texas. Your forecast for Minnesota tonight, mostly cloudy with flurries, lows from zero to minus five in the Northwest, five to ten above the lows overnight for the Southeast.

Tomorrow, more sunshine possible, highs from zero to five above in the north to up to 15 above in the south. That's it for Minnesota Today. Thanks for listening. Phil Picardy will have an update for you on Friday morning.