Minnesota Midday: St. Cloud Fraud Charges, St. Paul Schools Budget and a Damp Halloween
Federal officials announce fraud charges in St. Cloud, St. Paul's school board avoids midyear layoffs, and Minnesota gets a mild, damp Halloween before heavier rain.
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At a news conference in St. Cloud, FBI Director Kash Patel, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced fraud-related charges against four people after 17 search warrants were executed at sites in the Twin Cities area. They also announced an online tip portal and a $25 million whistleblower reward program, with rewards of $30,000 possible for tips that lead to a conviction or enforcement action. CMS has frozen about $550 million in federal Medicaid assistance to Minnesota, which the state is challenging.
Federal officials sayBessent said Minnesota is "at ground zero for per capita [fraud]" and that Democrats "have let this happen on their watch." Patel called it an "inter-agency lift" delivering "historic results."
Democrats saySenate Democrats accused the administration of targeting blue states. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison confirmed the search warrants at two Twin Cities autism services providers.
The St. Paul school board approved a budget plan 6-1 at a special meeting on Friday to close a $4.9 million shortfall without midyear layoffs. Enrollment of English learner students fell by 542 this year, which officials mostly attribute to Operation Metro Surge. English teachers 55 or older with 15 years of service can take early retirement, with a last day of November 13.
District leaders saySuperintendent Stacie Stanley said, "I think it is really a positive."
Teachers' negotiator saysErica Schatzlein said, "This is not a fix," and called it "a temporary Band-Aid." (FOX 9)
Minnesota's Halloween Saturday is mild with highs in the 50s and scattered showers or drizzle, especially in the Twin Cities before mid-afternoon, with mist possible into the evening per FOX 9. Sunday warms to the mid to upper 60s. Monday and Tuesday bring the heaviest rain, with 1 to 2 inches expected in the metro, according to CBS Minnesota.
