Mark Freie

1 day ago | audacy.com | Mark Freie |Susie Jones

Help is on its way for those fighting the wildfires covering nearly 20,000 acres across northern Minnesota, in rural areas north of St. Louis County, north of Duluth. A new incident command team will take over control of one of the three large fires still burning starting still on Wednesday, freeing up local and state authorities to pick up on other firefighting efforts. DNR Forestry Division Director Patty Thielen says the high winds and dry conditions continue to be a challenge.

2 days ago | audacy.com | Taylor Rivera |Susie Jones |Mark Freie

It's all hands on deck in Northern Minnesota, with three large fires burning. This comes after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz activated the National Guard to assist in combating the blazes that have destroyed hundreds of acres and forced evacuations. Walz spoke to reporters and weighed-in on the latest conditions. He says right now people need to take this situation seriously. "Developing situation, still incredibly dangerous," says Walz. "It's gonna take a few days.

1 week ago | audacy.com | Mark Freie |Lindsey Peterson

Ahead of the governor's fishing opener in Crosslake, Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz says he's confident lawmakers can strike a budget deal ahead of the close of the legislative session. Walz says both sides will need to be open to compromise, crucial due to a tie in the Minnesota House and a slim, one-vote advantage for the DFL in the Senate. "I've said there are certain core values that that we're not going to move on," Walz explained.

1 week ago | audacy.com | Mark Freie |Lindsey Peterson

Local and state leaders gathered in Rochester Wednesday to demand that a woman seen in a video hurling racist slurs at a 5-year old boy last week at a city park be charged. The Rochester NAACP hosted a town hall inside the Rochester Civic Theatre to call for justice and to demand the community come together. Salah Mohamed says he wasn't surprised by the viral video - and that he's gone through similar situations living in the community.

1 week ago | audacy.com | Mark Freie |Lindsey Peterson

The man charged in last year's deadly drunk driving crash at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park has pleaded guilty, six days before a trial was scheduled to begin. 56-year old Steven Bailey appeared in court Wednesday morning where he pleaded guilty to numerous charges including to two counts of third-degree murder and three counts of criminal vehicular operation. Park Tavern employee Kristina Folkerts was killed along with Methodist Hospital employee Gabe Harvey last September.