Staff Directory 10010146

Louis Krauss

Reporter | General assignment

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

Recent content from Louis Krauss
A phoenix with a satanic symbol above it, from the group Minnesota Satanists, was supposed to be on display at the Minnesota Capitol until Dec. 27. As

Satanic holiday display briefly removed, then returned to Minnesota State Capitol

The display just off the main rotunda of the Minnesota Capitol drew strong reactions, from disgust to jubilation of the freedom of religion. It was briefly removed Wednesday after someone apparently knocked it over, but then restored to its spot.
Shoppers gather fruits, vegetables and other groceries during Tuesday's grand opening of Today’s Harvest in Maplewood.

Second free grocery store Today's Harvest opens in Maplewood

The free grocery store is the second operated by local food bank Open Cupboard.
Boxes and electronic equipment are removed during a law enforcement raid on Smart Therapy Center’s business office in Minneapolis on Thursday, Dec.

FBI raids Minneapolis, St. Cloud autism centers: What you need to know

The two companies in Minneapolis and St. Cloud allegedly stole millions in fraud money through government-funded programs in recent years.
Community members hold signs with the names of people who have recently died, part of the 40th annual Homeless Memorial March through Loring Park in M

40th annual Homeless Memorial March in Minneapolis persists through freezing temperatures

Cold weather didn't prevent nearly 200 to make the march around Loring Park to honor hundreds of unhoused or formerly homeless Minnesotans who passed away in 2024.
A house was damaged by a homeless encampment fire on 15th Avenue S. in Minneapolis on Tuesday night.

South Minneapolis encampment fire spreads to nearby homes, displaces dozens

Somewhere between 25 and 30 people were living in the encampment prior to the fire, according to a housed neighbor and a resident of the camp.
Luigi Mangione is escorted by police to his arraignment at the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg, Pa., Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. The 26-year-old Ma

New details about life, background of Luigi Mangione, UnitedHealthcare shooting suspect

Luigi Mangione, suspected of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO and Minnesota resident Brian Thompson, hails from a prominent Maryland family. People who knew him say he was intelligent and promising.
This undated photo released by the New York Police Department shows a suspect in the fatal shooting Wednesday of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Who is Luigi Mangione, person of interest arrested in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing?

The suspect was carrying a manifesto that criticized health care companies for putting profits above care, police said.

Stillwater inmate dies in prison cell, investigation underway

David John Ojeda, 43, was found dead inside his cell within the Stillwater correctional facility this month. A cause of death has not been released.
Actor Timothée Chalamet visited a rehearsal of the University of Minnesota's marching band on Thursday.

Timothée Chalamet visits Minneapolis ahead of Bob Dylan biopic showing

The actor toured the U and other Minneapolis locations Thursday after he was praised by "the Bard" himself earlier in the week.
Betty Danger's Country Club

Minneapolis bar Betty Danger's sells for $3.5 million

The new owner Joe Radaich did not disclose what he has planned for the bar in northeast Minneapolis.
Minnesota inmates said they are frustrated by the removal of services to purchase tablets for communication and entertainment purposes.

Minnesota inmates frustrated by pause on prison tablet service

Several inmates said they are at a disadvantage because those who still have tablets can spend unlimited amounts of time working on emails, while they are limited to 15 minutes for each computer use.
Flowering cannabis plants at Leafline Labs in Cottage Grove.



DAVID JOLES • david.joles@startribune.com





Minnesota's two medical cannabis comp

Cannabis business applicants sue state over license denials, seek to delay lottery

The suits accuse the state of "arbitrarily" rejecting applications for preapproval for a cannabis business license.
573512354

Cannabis ban considered for Minneapolis parks

A Minneapolis Park Board proposal stops short of criminalizing smoking cannabis in parks.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's phones experienced a system-wide outage on Wednesday.

Minneapolis Park Board and Park Police phones down following systemwide outage

The Park Board website asked that those who require a police response to call 911 instead. There is no estimate yet on when phone service will be restored.
TOM WALLACE � twallace@startribune.com Assign: 00004132C slug: Vitadives0814 Aug 4, 2008 Need an example of the twin city Dive Bars, bar? They have

Legendary Minneapolis dive bar CC Club could soon be up for sale

Co-owner Randy Segal said he is thinking about retiring. The hallowed establishment at 26th and Lyndale plays a prominent role in local music history.
The "temperance" bar at Hi Flora! in Minneapolis

THC-friendly Hi Flora restaurant in Minneapolis to close after fine, financial hardship

The owner of the restaurant on Lyndale Avenue in south Minneapolis said she will be closing the restaurant on Dec. 5 following a fine from the state.
Inver Grove Heights police say they arrested a woman who allegedly stole over 500 pieces of mail from roughly 160 homes in the city.

Charges: Inver Grove Heights woman stole more than 500 pieces of mail from multiple homes

There were 161 victims of mail theft in the Inver Grove Heights case, according to police.
A deputy walks down the hallway of the intake area in the basement of the Hennepin County Jail. ] LEILA NAVIDI ¥ leila.navidi@startribune.com BAC

Hennepin County jail granted extension to reduce inmate population after missing deadline

The jail was still about 120 inmates over the mandated limit of 600 on Thursday.
The tent encampment near Cedar Avenue in south Minneapolis was the site of a shooting on Friday.

Spike in Minneapolis homeless encampment shootings fuels disagreement on cause, remedy

There have been several deadly encampment shootings this fall, reviving the debate between city officials, advocates and others on the best response to crime at encampments.
Mary Schlais of Minneapolis was 25 when she was fatally stabbed and later found dead in rural Wisconsin. This week, the Dunn County Sheriff's Office m

Man charged in cold case murder of Minneapolis woman found in Wisconsin snowbank in 1974

The Dunn County Sheriff's Office traveled to Owatonna to arrest a man who allegedly picked up Minneapolis hitchhiker Mary Schlais and then stabbed her.
Royce White speaks to the crowd at the state GOP convention. in May.

Losing Senate candidate Royce White says he will 'very likely' challenge Sen. Tina Smith in '26

The Republican lost big to Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Tuesday night, but said he's already giving strong consideration to running for the seat now held by another Democrat.
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.
Voters make their way to the polls as the doors open at the Bloomington Civic Plaza on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

Delay in Minnesota election results likely due to absentee ballot deadline change

The deadline for Minnesota cities and counties to receive absentee ballots was extended, delaying when some results have been posted.
Resource navigator Lesia Dembley greets Mayor Jacob Frey at the opening of the Lake Street Community Safety Center on Monday in Minneapolis, where she

Minneapolis opens temporary 'community safety center' on E. Lake Street

The new center aims to connect the E. Lake Street community with services related to housing, community safety and more.
Skeletons and other Halloween decorations sit in front of a house in Minneapolis. This week, a fake skeleton was investigated in north Minnesota after

'Possible' human remains found in northern Minnesota river turn out to be Halloween skeleton

The spooky discovery was reported and investigated by several law enforcement agencies before determining it was a discarded Halloween decoration.
A billboard in Minneapolis previously used to advertise Kris Lindahl Real Estate has been swapped with a collaborative ad for the video game "Call of

Kris Lindahl Real Estate partners with Activision on 'Call of Duty' billboard ads

Local real estate company owner Kris Lindahl said he was approached by the video game publisher as a way to promote the latest version of its popular, first-person shooter game.
Pro-Palestinian protesters block Morrill Hall at the University of Minnesota on Monday.

U of M postpones Anthony Fauci lecture after pro-Palestinian protesters occupy building

The decision to postpone Fauci's lecture was made in response to "unexpected and complicated incidents" over the past 24 hours, a university spokesman said.
Alexander "Xander" Steven Mick, who died earlier this month after he was run over by a wagon pulled by a tractor at a "haunted hayride" attraction in

Little oversight in Minnesota for haunted hayrides, other Halloween crowd-pleasers

Halloween or autumn-themed activities on farms, like the hayride in St. Augusta, Minn., where a 13-year-old boy was injured and died earlier this month, are subject to little oversight.
Gameway Inc. has been approved to build a video game lounge in Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Video game lounge coming to MSP early next year

The new gaming hub is expected to open in January in concourse D.

Body found in Eden Prairie pond matches description of missing 11-year-old boy, police say

Mohamed Mohamed, who has autism, went missing around 5:45 p.m. Sunday.
Inmates including Dwight Bowers, left, show their appreciation for cellist Joseph Johnson in Stillwater on Wednesday.

Stillwater prison seeks to soothe inmates with classical music

"Pure heaven" was how one inmate at the Minnesota Department of Corrections prison in Stillwater described the chance to hear live music inside. Corrections officials see potential in the programming.
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan speaks to the crowd alongside other officials to celebrate Hennepin County's proclamation that it has "effectively ended" vete

Hennepin County announces 'effective end' to veteran homelessness

The county says it is helping veterans overcome homelessness at a faster rate than those who are becoming homeless.
In this 2020 photo, a machine at the Revier Cattle Company in Olivia, Minn., separates the solid and liquid manure and converts them to fertilizer for

Why does it stink outside? Manure smell sweeps across Twin Cities, and it could linger

The fertilizer smell typically lasts until below-freezing weather arrives, an air quality meteorologist for the state said.
In Copenhagen’s harbor, old warehouses have been renovated into offices, hotels and outdoor restaurants that spill onto a long esplanade and pl

Delta will begin offering nonstop flights from Twin Cities to Copenhagen next spring

Delta will offer the new route starting in May 2025.
Minnesota Twins Executive Chair Joe Pohlad.

With Twins now on the block, here are prices fetched by MLB teams in recent sales

Three of the last four Major League Baseball teams sold to new owners have increased their value since the change in ownership.
Susan Haugh of Minneapolis waves a Minnesota Lynx towel of Napheesa Collier after the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Connecticut Sun 88-77 at A Bar of Th

Diehard Lynx fans revel in team's return to glory, and the WNBA Finals

Fans of the Minnesota WNBA franchise, most of whom readily recall the team's dominant era, said they are confident the current team's unselfish style of play and mix of talent will bring the Lynx their fifth championship, and first in seven years.
The justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court, pictured here on Oct. 1, heard oral arguments Tuesday in the case of a woman seeking to overturn her inde

Minnesota Supreme Court reviews indecent exposure conviction of woman who went topless

The attorney for Eloisa Plancarte argued that she did not commit a "lewd" act under Minnesota law when she exposed her breasts in a Rochester gas station parking lot.
Yuya Yoshida crosses the finish line to win.

Here's how much faster elite runners are, compared with average Twin Cities Marathon participant

The fastest runner in the 2022 Twin Cities Marathon ran more than twice the speed of the average participant.
This cat named Naz was among the 79 rescued from a home in Coon Rapids in April. Its former owner, Deann Marie Jensen, has been charged with animal ab

Coon Rapids woman charged with keeping dozens of cats in squalid conditions

The woman had 25 sick kittens in her garage, some of which had to be euthanized, charges say.
Dockworkers on strike at an entrance to a container terminal Tuesday near Boston Harbor.

Minnesota retail experts: No need for panic buying yet because of U.S. port strike

The dockworkers' union has agreed to suspend the strike until January to negotiate a new contract, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
Patti and Brian Thorson talk with Becky and Les Hanson, clockwise from far left, on a patio at Wildcats Bar and Grill in Eagan on Wednesday.

Park Tavern crash spotlights patchwork of Twin Cities patio regulations

Vehicle crashes on Twin Cities outdoor dining patios are a rare occurrence, but the recent tragedy at Park Tavern in St. Louis Park, and another patio crash in Blaine, have cast light on inconsistent regulations and practices at establishments in local cities.
St. Paul police body-worn camera footage shows the moments homicide suspect Seantrell Murdock was shot and killed by police.

St. Paul police release body camera footage of shooting of Lowertown homicide suspect

St. Paul police body cameras show cops telling the Lowertown homicide suspect they shot him because he had a gun, but not whether he pointed it at officers.
A small plane made an emergency landing on a highway north of St. Cloud on Monday, with initial reports finding that the plane's engine failed, the Mi

Plane lands on central Minnesota highway after engine fails

The pilot was the only person inside the plane, and was not injured in the emergency landing, according to the State Patrol.
A St. Paul Police spokesman says a man, identified as Kyle Stuart Vanwert, 39, stole a car while the driver was taking a roadside sobriety test.

Police: St. Paul man stole car while driver was taking roadside sobriety test

The man jumped into the car of a woman taking field tests for possible drunk driving and drove off, a police spokesman said. He was arrested a short while later.
Lowertown Lofts Artist Cooperative residents Ben Krywosz, left, and Tara Tieso speak during a press conference with other residents in the alley outsi

Woman killed in Lowertown shooting remembered by family as multitalented, caring artist

Police say Carrie Shobe Kwok was painting a mural when a Belle Plaine man shot her at random.
Lumber sculptures — in homage to a lumber yard that once stood there — flank Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Superintendent Al Bangoura spea

Minneapolis celebrates opening of new northeast riverside park

The completed first phase of the new park adds wooden waterfront lounge chairs, a gravel beach and a building that will house a studio for free media arts programming for youths.
Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota joined former President Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance in the VIP seating at the Republican Nation

Tom Emmer to play role of Tim Walz in practice debates with JD Vance

Minnesota's Rep. Emmer and his team have studied Tim Walz's mannerisms, policy positions and debates, according to a source.
Attorney Sam Diehl, flanked by architect Dean Dovolis, left, and attorney Matthew Duffy, speaks outside the U.S. Courthouse in Minneapolis on Tuesday

Developer sues Lino Lakes in federal court, alleges anti-Muslim discrimination

Plaintiffs say the city, and council members Michael Ruhland and Chris Lyden, were "personally motivated by discriminatory animus against Muslims."
Lino Lakes City Council Member Chris Lyden holds up a copy of the Quran while arguing against his censure at the City Council meeting Monday night. Th

Lino Lakes council censures member for applauding anti-Muslim email

Chris Lyden argued that he did not deserve to be censured for his response to the email. Ultimately, the resolution passed 3-1.
In some forests, the warm early fall will lend itself to a diverse mix of colors.

Why unseasonably warm September weather may delay peak fall color in some trees

Here are some of the factors affecting leaf color, according to experts.
Khadra Abdi, 42, pleaded guilty on Friday in Minneapolis to wire fraud in the Feeding Our Future scheme. She is among 70 people in Minnesota charged w

Minneapolis woman pleads guilty to role in Feeding Our Future case

Khadra Abdi, 42, admitted to one count of wire fraud and would serve more than two years in prison under the plea agreement.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, pictured in June, is charging 70 people as part of the Feeding Our Future nutrition program fraud scheme.

Brooklyn Park business owner pleads guilty in Feeding Our Future case

Haji Osman Salad, 34, admitted to his role defrauding the U.S. government out of $19 million.
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.
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.