Staff Directory 10010146

Louis Krauss

Reporter | General assignment

Louis Krauss is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune.

Recent content from Louis Krauss
Sharmarke Issa, left, walks with his attorney Thomas Brever after pleading guilty on Wednesday for his role in the Feeding Our Future scheme.

Former Minneapolis Housing Authority board chair pleads guilty to wire fraud in Feeding Our Future case

Sharmarke Issa admitted to his leading role in the scheme, which involved laundering federal aid to nutrition programs.
A crowd of St. Olaf College supporters cheered during a football game against Carleton College in October 2023. St. Olaf and Carleton were the third-

Here are the 10 most expensive colleges in Minnesota

Bethel University announced it is significantly cutting tuition next year, as four-year institutions look for ways to address the escalating cost of a higher education. Here are Minnesota's 10 most expensive schools based on tuition and fees, according to state data.
Claire Puffer and Ted Woxland looked over the menu last winter before dining at Ann Kim’s eponymous restaurant in Uptown.

Union files federal labor complaint over Kim's restaurant closure

The Uptown restaurant is accused of refusing to provide proof of financial losses and not including the union in bargaining over the closure.
Boundary Waters advocacy groups say they are concerned that a proposed platform for the next Republican president would have devastating environmental

Project 2025 platform proposal aims to allow mining in Boundary Waters watershed

The proposal suggests removing the 20-year protection on the Superior National Forest that President Joe Biden's administration had ordered in 2023.
In a two-photo combo, former President Donald Trump and  Vice President Kamala Harris, in August 2024. Harris and Trump will meet for the first time i

What to know about tonight's presidential debate and how to watch it in Minnesota

Here are some options for watching the debate Tuesday night between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
Lino Lakes City Council Member Chris Lyden could be censured through a resolution for his response to an anti-Muslim email that he received.

Lino Lakes postpones vote on censuring council member who applauded anti-Muslim rant

The City Council is considering a resolution that would disavow the comments made by Council Member Chris Lyden.
Olivia Flores was killed in a crash involving former State Patrol trooper Shane Roper, who is no longer employed by the law enforcement agency as of S

Minnesota trooper charged in crash that killed Owatonna teen no longer employed by State Patrol

The state law enforcement agency did not specify the nature of Shane Roper's departure. His last day was Sept. 3.

Pedestrian struck and killed by pickup truck in Shorewood

The driver has not been charged. Police are still investigating.
Methodist Hospital nurse Theo Larson was released from the hospital on Thursday after being injured in the deadly Park Tavern patio crash.

Nurse injured in Park Tavern crash released from hospital, condition for 2 more improves

Theo Larson was released from the hospital while Tegan D'Albani and Laura Knutsen have improved from "serious" condition to "satisfactory."
Police are investigating after ancient skeletal remains were uncovered in a cultural site along the shores of Leech Lake, which is pictured above.  (A

Police investigate after ancient skeletal remains discovered in northern Minnesota

The police chief for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe said the skeletons were naturally exposed by erosion.
Relatives paid their respects Wednesday to Gabriel Quinn Harvey of Rosemount, a 30-year-old health unit coordinator killed Sunday on the patio of the

'A ray of light': At reopened Park Tavern, family mourns hospital worker killed in crash

Gabe Harvey was set to graduate this winter. Past co-workers, who gathered at Park Tavern on Wednesday as the spot reopened, said he made a name for himself as a kind figure in the intensive care unit.
A large tree branch snapped from a tree into the road.

Minneapolis and St. Paul aim to clear all storm debris in the coming weeks

A spokesperson for Minneapolis' Park Board said it hopes to have all debris removal requests completed by the end of next week.
St. Paul police responded to a shooting that left three teenage boys injured south of the Minnesota State Fair on Monday night.

Three teens shot near fairgrounds in apparently random attack

The victims all knew each other and are expected to survive, a St. Paul police spokesman said.
A polling place for the March 2024 presidential primary at Dayton's Bluff Recreation Center, St. Paul.

Here's what college students in Minnesota need to know about voting this fall

We talk to the state's top election officials about what to do.
Tahlia Sundara and Sam Reisch, both 18 and from Minneapolis, sang "American Pie" by Don McLean as they took part in the Giant Sing Along at the State

State Fair sets daily attendance record for fourth time this year

Friday's record mark was a bounce back from Thursday, when stormy weather kept numbers down.

Rochester man, 81, dies in single-vehicle motorcycle crash

The motorcyclist was traveling east when he drifted off the road and into a ditch, the Minnesota State Patrol said.
Bryn Tanner poses with Gov. Tim Walz's former Dreamcast video game console.

Tim Walz, governor and gamer, once owned a Sega Dreamcast. Here's what happened to it.

The Democratic vice presidential candidate probably played the system's chaotic driving game, "Crazy Taxi."
A large tree branch snapped from a tree into the road.

Power went out across the Twin Cities. Here's what to do and when it will be back online.

Here are some tips on how to check outage status, how plumbing works during an outage, and how long food will last without power to the refrigerator.
Tim Walz speaks to the crowd at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum on Aug. 20 during the Democratic Convention, which was in Chicago.

Tim Walz heads to Georgia to campaign with Kamala Harris this week

The Minnesota governor is hitting the trail as the vice presidential nominee, although he is not scheduled to stay for a Thursday night rally the vice president is holding in Savannah.
A photo shows buckets and pitchers that caught rain at the wedding of Fahim and Rachel Rashid.

St. Paul's University Club hosts wedding that goes 'disastrously' wrong

The owner of the historic Summit Avenue venue eventually refunded Rachel and Fahim Rashid $16,000 for a ceremony they say was a nightmare.
A wolf-like animal was filmed in late winter 2024 near Voyageurs National Park, which may be a wolf-dog hybrid.

'Mystery' wolf-dog hybrid spotted on trail cam in northern Minnesota

The researchers said they are still not certain if it's a wolf-dog hybrid or a mutated wolf.
Game Informer covers

After abrupt closure, Game Informer staffers reflect on the video game magazine's impact

The magazine's parent company, GameStop, shut down the website after laying off 13 of the employees who worked on the monthly publication.
Hundreds of protesters gather outside the Minnesota governor's residence on April 17, 2020.

Trump goes after Tim Walz's response to COVID-19 demonstrations with evidence-free claim

Walz said Trump's "LIBERATE MINNESOTA" tweet "brought armed people to my house."
Spectators cheer as a motorcade leaves from outside Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s residence at Eastcliff in St. Paul on Tuesday.

Crowd gathers outside Gov. Tim Walz's St. Paul residence, mulls his elevation to VP candidate

Neighbors of the Walz family, who are temporarily staying in the University of Minnesota-owned Eastcliff mansion, say the governor has made a good impression, though he got a few mixed reviews as Vice President Kamala Harris's running mate choice.
Cristina Montoya works on one of many bikes at the Hub Bicycle Co-op in Minneapolis on Monday.  The Hub is shutting its doors after serving the Twin C

Worker-owned Hub Bike Cooperative closing both of its Minneapolis locations

Shops in Dinkytown and on Minnehaha Avenue will close Sept. 30.
A trail camera on the Kabetogama Peninsula captured a Canada lynx sitting on an animal trail in the woods in April.

Viral trail camera video captures rare footage of Canada lynx in northern Minnesota

The footage shows a lynx sitting in the woods, almost as if it's posing for the camera.
Walmart will not be allowed to sell a Hefty brand recycling bag that Attorney General Keith Ellison alleged was not actually recyclable, as part of a

Minnesota AG wins settlement against Walmart and Reynolds over 'recycling' bags that weren't recyclable

Walmart and Reynolds are not allowed to sell the bags in question for two and a half years as part of a settlement.
Inmate Jamie Richardson, who has hearing loss, said problems with communication persist at the Stillwater prison.

Two Stillwater prison inmates with hearing loss win policy changes, but say problems persist

A lawsuit by two Stillwater prison inmates said their hearing loss diminished their access to prison notifications. A settlement aimed to address the concerns, though one inmate said problems persist.
“This is all they have and by doing this they create more barriers,” said LEAD case manager Maria Zavala as she helps residents remove their belon

Minneapolis clears several South Side homeless encampments

The city used bulldozers and removed tents at three encampments in the East Phillips neighborhood Thursday morning.
This 2002 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, respons

What to know about the deadly multistate listeria outbreak

There have been 12 states confirmed to have people sick as part of the recent nationwide listeria outbreak.
People experiencing homelessness rest and watch a movie at the daytime shelter for the Landing MN nonprofit in Rochester.

Some Minnesota cities propose bans on homeless camping in wake of Supreme Court ruling

Two Minnesota towns have proposed ordinances to ban homeless people from camping in public following the Supreme Court ruling.
With family and community members behind him, longtime activist Spike Moss watched the unveiling Tuesday of Spike Moss Way, a section of Plymouth Aven

Spike Moss, longtime Minneapolis activist, has city street named in his honor

Speakers credited Moss as a key figure in desegregating the Minneapolis Fire Department and pushing to add more Black officers to the police force.
A tree snapped in half on West Bde Maka Ska Boulevard over the weekend. Minneapolis' cleanup process is slower because of the park workers strike, a P

Minneapolis works to clear storm debris and fix thousands of power outages across metro area

Compounding the situation is the strike by some Minneapolis Parks and Rec employees and arborists.

Star Tribune announces lineup of new editors and revamped news departments

The five new department leaders include a mix of internal and external hires.
Kylie Rich-Vetsch of the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District sweeps her net to catch mosquitoes.

Twin Cities' mosquito numbers in July are down so far compared to average, report finds

An entomologist with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District said the drought in past summers killed off a large number of the mosquitoes.
Delta Air Lines has apologized about a social media post.

Delta apologizes for posts criticizing attendants' Palestinian flag pins, will ban all but U.S. pins

The employee who wrote the posts will no longer be handling Delta's social media pages, a spokesperson said.
A plane that took off from MSP cruises over a Southwest Minneapolis neighborhood near the Crosstown and Oliver Ave. S Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in Min

Highway entrances reopen to Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport

Officers were responding to the suspicious item found in the north end of the main terminal, a spokesman said.
An unwanted snake was found in the back of a rideshare vehicle recently in Minneapolis. A police officer is shown here holding the snake up for the ca

Minneapolis rideshare driver finds large snake left in car

The snake, a ball python, was taken to the city's animal control center.
A police camera captured fireworks exploding near squad cars in Minneapolis' Dinkytown neighborhood.

More people charged in July 4th fireworks melee in Minneapolis' Dinkytown

Charges against others could still come as the county attorney's office continues to review the late-night incidents, a spokesperson said.
"WolfQuest" producer and designer Dave Schaller and content developer Susan Nagel in their home office Monday in St. Paul.  A new edition of their gam

Minnesota-made video game 'WolfQuest' maintains its pack of followers years later

The finalized "anniversary edition" is planned for release later this year. The original game was made in partnership with the Minnesota Zoo.
4th of July holiday weekend gets a D+ for persistent waves of showers, T-storms

Thunderstorms expected to affect July 4th festivities in southern Minnesota

Storms are forecast to sweep across areas south of I-94 in Minnesota. Due to the forecast, the Lake Minnetonka fireworks display will be moved to Wednesday night instead of Thursday night, the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce said in a Facebook post.
The Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter has been cited nearly a dozen times since late 2016 for violating state rules around the use of restraint

Outcome of case against man who killed fellow inmate at St. Peter hospital angers victim's family

The attorney for the man who killed Abdirashid Hussein at the security hospital in St. Peter, and an attorney for Hussein's family, said they think there were warning signs.
A cat named Mishacowah receives scratches from an enthusiastic new friend at the seventh annual cat tour in Minneapolis' Wedge neighborhood.

Minneapolis Wedge's 'cat tour' goes purrfectly again this year

Attendees gleefully walked the streets and sidewalks looking for cats on display as part of the year's event.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty spoke Wednesday about her office's youth auto theft intervention program. Minneapolis City Council President El

Hennepin County attorney: With 30% decrease in auto thefts, youth intervention program is working

Moriarty said she believes the program has helped reduce in auto thefts so far in 2024.
On Monday night, the Lino Lakes City Council voted 4-1 to pass the moratorium, which the planning board recommended in order prepare a master plan for

After fierce debate, Lino Lakes passes temporary halt on Muslim-friendly property development

Some residents say the size of the residential and commercial development, which includes a mosque, is motivating concerns; project backers disagree.
Waeys Mohamed, a 4-year-old boy who had autism and was nonverbal, died last week after wandering away from home and drowning in Minnehaha Creek.

Mother of 4-year-old Hopkins boy who drowned calls for more autism services

Fay Jede said she hopes the tragic death of her son, who was found in Minnehaha Creek near his family's apartment, leads to changes that could prevent future drownings.
Star Tribune data editor MaryJo Webster, who has worked on many of the paper’s largest projects, on Tuesday received the Peter S. Popovich Award fro

Star Tribune's MaryJo Webster wins prestigious Minnesota journalism award

The paper took home top awards in various "big" print news categories during the annual awards.
Rescue workers from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Bloomington Fire Department search the Minnesota River after reports that someone drove

Body found in one of two vehicles recovered from Minnesota River in Bloomington

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office got a report of a person driving a vehicle into the Minnesota River in Bloomington on Sunday night.
A couple dozen people held up "Slow the Grow" signs during the Planning and Zoning Board meeting Monday night in Lino Lakes, in opposition of a large-

Lino Lakes panel backs 1-year delay on mosque housing development

The Planning Board's vote was unanimous; the City Council will vote next on the proposed moratorium.

5-year-old pulled from Edina apartment pool has died

The boy survived for six days at Children's Minnesota hospital before he died.

35-year-old man shot and killed in north Minneapolis ID'd

Police have yet to make an arrest in the killing of Derek Burgess of Minneapolis.
Waeys Mohamed, a 4-year-old boy with autism who drowned on Monday, is now being mourned in the Hopkins and by Somali parents of children with autism w

Somali parents ramp up efforts to prevent tragedies following 4-year-old boy's drowning

Nonprofits say the death highlights a broader need for more culturally-responsive services for Somali families that have children with autism.

Speeding motorcyclist crashes into squad car after chase with State Patrol in Minneapolis

The motorcyclist, who was hospitalized after the crash, was traveling at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, according to emergency dispatch audio.
A look inside the pipe gallery in the Elko New Market water treatment facility in Elko New Market.

Elko New Market's request to increase water use for bottling plant gets DNR's OK

The Scott County city wants to double the amount of groundwater taken each year for a firm that supplies Walmart and Costco.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara briefed reporters after an officers fatally shot a man Wednesday night.

Mpls. Chief O'Hara says fatal shooting of man by police was 'justifiable and lawful'

Chief Brian O'Hara said the man was armed, 'threatening folks [and] not acting normally.' The shooting took place late Wednesday along Hiawatha Ave. in south Minneapolis.
Minneapolis police at 35th Street and Hiawatha Avenue S., near where a man was shot and killed after he was waving a gun, Police Chief Brian O'Hara sa

Man waving gun shot and killed by police, Minneapolis chief says

Four officers responded to a 911 call about an armed man, and three officers fired their weapons, Brian O'Hara said early Thursday.

Child dies days after Burnsville shooting, wounded father is suspect

Police are still investigating to determine whether the father meant to shoot his child, the city's communications director said.
A memorial was created Monday for Waeys Ali Mohamed, a 4-year-old boy who police believe drowned after falling into Minnehaha Creek in Hopkins. The me

Body of missing 4-year-old boy found in Minnehaha Creek, police say

Hopkins police said they suspect the cause of death was drowning, but it has not been confirmed by the medical examiner.
The Diana E. Murphy United States Courthouse building in Minneapolis, where the jury in the Feeding Our Future trial continued to deliberate Wednesday

As Feeding Our Future jury deliberates, FBI raids defendant's home

It wasn't clear why or if other defendants' homes or any other sites were searched.
Ricky Cobb’s twin, Rashad Cobb, speaks about the disappointment in Hennepin County Prosecutor Mary Moriarty's move to drop the case against State Tr

Ricky Cobb's family will ask Justice Department to investigate State Patrol

Attorneys for the family of Cobb, shot and killed by a Minnesota State Patrol officer, said the DOJ's Civil Rights Division should look into what they allege to flaws in training.
Ra’Kyiyah Cobb, niece of Ricky Cobb, showed her disappointment Monday in the actions of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, who dismissed murder

Ricky Cobb's family angry Moriarty dismissed murder charge against trooper

The mother of the man slain by Minnesota trooper Ryan Londregan said she felt betrayed and lied to by the Hennepin County Attorney.
Paul King, a driver for Metro Transit, fights back tears while visiting a memorial for Minneapolis police officer Jamal Mitchell Friday afternoon outs

Police officer, civilian and shooter dead, and responders wounded in Minneapolis shooting

Jamal Mitchell was 'ambushed' while responding to a shooting at an apartment building in the 2200 block of Blaisdell Avenue, making him the first Minneapolis police officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty in more than 20 years.
Minneapolis North quarterback Deshaun Hill. (Courtesy North High School)

Hennepin County to ask Supreme Court to review overturned conviction in Deshaun Hill killing

County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office would re-try the case if it is returned to the district level.
Minneapolis police squad

Man dies after he was shot in Minneapolis, with kids in his car

The man was in a vehicle with two children and another adult when he was shot in the head, police say.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, left, speaks Tuesday evening with investigators and officers after a suspected fentanyl poisoning death involvi

2-year-old girl dies in Minneapolis shelter of suspected fentanyl poisoning, police say

Police Chief Brian O'Hara said it's suspected the drug was present in the home.
Mitsuaki Ohno takes a selfie during the Timberwolves' Game 7 win over the reigning champion Denver Nuggets.

This diehard Timberwolves fan flies from Japan every year to see them play

Mitsuaki Ohno has become an informal ambassador for the Timberwolves and the NBA, as well as Minnesota, even giving the rest of his season tickets to Japanese students abroad.
Firefighters put out a house fire in south Minneapolis on the afternoon of May 24. One man who lived at the house died in the blaze.

Man who died in south Minneapolis house fire is identified

The victim lived alone, according to neighbors.
Charles Barkley outside of J.D. Hoyt's Supper Club in Minneapolis.

Here's where Charles Barkley has visited in Minneapolis so far

The TV analyst and basketball Hall of Famer told the Star Tribune he's glad to be back in town for the first time since 2019.
A man was hit by someone driving a minivan in a south Minneapolis mosque parking lot, and police are investigating it as a possible bias crime.

Police investigate hit-run in Minneapolis mosque lot as possible hate crime

Minneapolis police said they had increased patrols in the area to increase security.
A sign shows the steep cost to park at the Mayo Clinic Square Ramp in downtown Minneapolis for the Timberwolves game Wednesday night.

Don't want to pay $75 to park near Target Center for Timberwolves game? Here are options.

Here is a list that includes parking ramps a few blocks from Target Center with a much more affordable cost.
Deveall McClendon, left, with his father, Derek McClendon, while wearing his football uniform in college. Deveall was killed over a year ago in a driv

Family of slain Mpls. football player speaks out after charge dismissed

More than a year after his death, family looking for answers.
PDS tornado watch for southern Minnesota until 9 p.m. Tuesday

Tornado watch canceled early in south Twin Cities metro

The alert is still active in the Rochester area as the "particularly dangerous" storm moves on.
Students held a walkout protest in support of Palestinians caught in the conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas on Monday afternoon at

St. Paul Highland Park High students hold pro-Palestinian walkout

The high school students said they were inspired by the wave of college protests happening in Minnesota and nationwide.
Demonstrators take part in an anti-Trump protest Friday outside the St. Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul.

Protesters gather outside the GOP dinner to take issue with Trump

The former president's visit also drew supporters outside RiverCentre.
President Donald Trump and his son Barron waved as they boarded Air Force One in Morristown, N.J., in 2020.

A busy day ahead for Trump: First his son's graduation in Florida, then dinner with state Republicans in St. Paul

Here's a breakdown of what's expected to be a full day for the former president.