‘Tuba Christmas’ concert Saturday

The annual Southwest Minnesota State University “Tuba Christmas” concert will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Student Center, upper level

There will be a 9 a.m. rehearsal in the SMSU band room, FA 135.

Participation for this band is open to all low brass players regardless of age or experience. There is a $10 fee for participation in the event. Registration is at 9:30 a.m., and rehearsal is from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the Music Department at 507-537-7103.

Winter storm brings heavy snowfall in northern Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Snowfall reached nearly 1 foot on Sunday in some parts of northern Minnesota.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning in Minnesota’s Cook County and a winter storm warning across the northern regions of Wisconsin and Minnesota until early Monday. Forecasters warned that strong winds and heavy snow would make travel dangerous.

The National Weather Service reported snowfall of 11 inches (28 cm) in Erskine and warned that the hardest-hit areas could see up to 16 inches from the storm.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported hundreds of car crashes during the storm. Authorities said 26 of the crashes resulted in injuries, but no fatalities were reported.

Man accused of trying to intimidate judge in Potter trial

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minneapolis man has been charged with trying to intimidate the judge presiding over the manslaughter trial of the former officer charged in Daunte Wright’s death.

The Star Tribune reports Cortez A. Rice was charged last week with tampering with a judicial officer, a felony.

Rice allegedly went into the Loring Park condominium building where he thought Judge Regina Chu lived and made comments meant to intimidate her into allowing broadcast coverage of the trial of former Brooklyn Center police Officer Kimberly Potter, who is charged with manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Wright, 20, in April.

The criminal complaint was unsealed late Friday afternoon, four days after the 32-year-old Rice was booked into jail in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. It was not immediately clear why he was in that part of Wisconsin. A warrant has been issued in Hennepin County for his arrest and return to Minnesota.

Rice livestreamed himself on Nov. 6 standing outside the door of the 12-floor unit he claimed belonged to Chu as protesters gathered outside, demanding that Potter’s trial be broadcast.

Chu later approved live video coverage of the trial, but she made clear that the demands of protesters were not a factor.

St. Anthony police investigating man found dead as homicide

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Police in St. Anthony found a man dead inside a home late Saturday and took into custody a second man with a self-inflicted stab wound to his chest.

The incident is being investigated as a homicide, but no charges have been filed, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.

Police initially responded to the home after receiving a report of a dead man inside with “obvious signs of trauma,” according to a statement from the department. Officers met a relative of the man who discovered his body while checking on his welfare.

The man with the stab wound was treated at a local hospital.

Firefighters rescue Fargo man who fell through Red River ice

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Firefighters in Fargo rescued a man who had fallen through ice on the Red River on Saturday.

The man was holding himself above water when firefighters made their way across the ice to him. A firefighter in an ice rescue suit entered the water and held the man as crews onshore pulled both men with a tagline attached to the firefighter’s suit.

The man was in the water for roughly seven minutes and was treated by an ambulance service.

Wisconsin reports first case of omicron virus variant

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Wisconsin officials announced late Saturday that they detected the first person with the omicron variant of the coronavirus in the state.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services said the man had recently traveled to South Africa, where the variant has become prevalent.

Much remains unknown about the new variant, including whether it is more contagious than previous strains, whether it makes people more seriously ill, and whether it can thwart the vaccine.

“We’ve been prepared for this news and will continue trusting the science to help keep Wisconsinites and our communities healthy and safe,” Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement.

Public health officials in California have also linked an outbreak of at least five people with the omicron variant to a Wisconsin wedding last month.

Rapid City police: 2 people dead in apparent murder-suicide

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Rapid City police are investigating an apparent murder-suicide that left two people dead late Saturday.

The Rapid City Police Department said in a statement that police were called to a business “for a report of an individual with a gunshot wound.”

When they arrived, police found two people with fatal gunshot wounds outside the business. The police department said that preliminary information gathered in the investigation shows that it was a murder-suicide.