Andrew Wright's Blog

For this week's analysis, I listened to the most recent episode of the New York Times' podcast The Daily. On this episode, the podcast talks about the release of the Mueller report and what information was found in the investigation.  The podcast progressed by explaining different aspects of the Mueller report and going over the information Mueller found in relation to Trump's relationship to Russia. The podcast starts out by Mueller's reporting on the accusations of collusion with Russia by the Trump administration. Then, the podcasts shifts to discussing accusations of obstruction of justice against Trump.  The podcast included two reporters as guests who spent a large amount of time reading the Mueller report. The two guests explained what they read in the report to clarify what was said in the report, what information the special counsel found in its investigation and what charges, if any, were found during the investigation.  The podcast included sound b

BY ANDREW WRIGHT One man died Saturday morning after he fell off a light rail platform while a train was leaving the station, according to the Pioneer Press. The accident happened at the Stadium Village station. According to KSTP, at around 1:20 a.m., a Green Line train was leaving the station. As the train pulled away, the man fell between two of the cars and was pulled under the train. The man has not been identified and it is unclear if he was a student at the University of Minnesota. It is unclear what caused the man to fall off the light rail platform and raises questions as to whether this was an accident. Police said they will review camera footage of the accident to determine what happened. They will also be talking with people at the scene.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The five-year-old boy who was thrown from balcony on the third-floor on the Mall of America is still in intensive care but shows signs of recovery, according to WCCO. “Our miracle child Landen is showing real signs of recovery. New test results have been positive, though he remains in intensive care with a long road ahead,” the family said in a statement Friday. Landen was thrown from the third-floor of the MOA last week by Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, 24, of Minneapolis. Aranda is charged with attempted murder and is being held in Hennepin County Jail on $2 million bail, according to the Star Tribune. Aranda has a history of disruptive behavior and has been banned from the Mall of America in the past. According to the Star Tribune, Aranda went to the mall looking to kill someone. He approached Landen and his mother on the third-floor, the picked up Landen and threw him off the balcony.  Landen's family said in a statement Friday that they appreciat

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The redacted version of the Muller report was released Thursday and shows evidence of public officials lying under oath, according to the Washington Post. The 448-page report revealed President benefited from Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, and documented several meetings between Trump's campaign and Russians, according to the New York Times. However, the report was inconclusive on bringing criminal conspiracy charges against President Trump. The report stated the evidence was insufficient to bring charges, but the report did not fully exonerate Trump. Although Mueller's report does not conclude on bringing charges against the president, the report is much more incriminating than the summary written by Attorney General William Barr in March. It is unclear what effect the Mueller report will have in Washington, but it is sure to be a highly contentious debate for the remaining time of Trump's presidency before the 2020 ele

BY ANDREW WRIGHT For this week's analysis, I found an article from the Associated Press that covers President Trump's remarks about sending illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities as a way to teach the cities a lesson for not working with Trump on his immigration policy. The author of the article sourced Trump and parts of his administration when the president and his press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders discussed the idea of sending illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities. Additionally, the author sourced immigration organizations and attorneys in sanctuary cities o cover the pro-immigration side of the debate as a contrast to President Trump's anti-immigration idea. The author used an analysis from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University to report on statistics and data about immigrant populations in sanctuary cities and the probability of immigrants being arrested compared to immigrants living in non-sanctuary cities. In any immigra

BY ANDREW WRIGHT A 5-year-old boy was thrown over the third-floor railing at the Mall of America Friday, according to WCCO. Witnesses at the scene said they heard the boy's mother screaming that someone pushed her son over the edge of the railing. "She was screaming ‘Everyone pray, everyone pray. Oh my God, my baby, someone threw him over the edge,'" one witness said. Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda was arrested later Friday in connection to the incident at the MOA. He was arrested near a light rail station after reportedly running away from the scene. According to the Star Tribune, Aranda has a history of criminal offenses at the Mall of America. In July 2015, he was banned from the mall for throwing objects of balconies to lower levels and causing damage to stores inside the mall. In October that same year, Aranda was charged with throwing a glass of water and glass of tea at woman after she refused to buy food for him. Bloomington Police said charges will file

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Gov. Tim Walz signed a cell phone "hands-free" bill into law Friday that forbids drivers from using their phones unless in hands-free mode, according to WCCO. Gov. Walz signed the legislation while surrounded by families who lost loved ones because of distracted driving involving cell phones. "I just feel the deepest apologies that it took this long for many of you,” Walz said. According to the Star Tribune, Minnesota will be one of 16 states and the District of Columbia to implement legislation meant to curb distracted drivers from using phones. According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, most of the states that adopt hands-free legislation see a 15 percent decrease in traffic deaths. The efforts this year saw a stark contract to the efforts put in place four years ago. Rep. Scott Newman admitted the efforts by the families this year changed his mind about the legislation. Newman opposed the legislation wh

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Julian Assange, the co-founder of WikiLeaks, was arrested Thursday after being evicted from the Ecuadorian embassy in London, according to the BBC Th United Kingdom will now decide whether to extradite Assange to the United States, where the Justice Department charged him with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion for leaks in 2010. According to the New York Times, in 2010, WikiLeaks received leaked confidential documents and videos from Chelsea Manning regarding U.S. campaigns in the Middle East. Assange decided to publish the information. Manning was subsequently arrested and convicted of leaking the information to Assange. Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison, which was later commuted after Manning served seven years.  The United States asserts that Assange worked with Manning in obtaining the leaked information, and is wanted for his role in acquiring and disseminating the information.  More recently, Assange and WikiLeaks have come und

BY ANDREW WRIGHT For the analysis article this week, I found an article from the Star Tribune that looks at the increase in CBD sales in Minnesota. The author focuses on the effects and uses of hemp-based CBD products and how more people are turning to CBD to cope with mental issues and other illnesses. The author points to the increase in CBD sales across the United States as evidence that more people are relying on CBD products to relieve their illnesses. The author needed to understand several aspects of the data to be able to report on this story. First the reporter needed to be able to interpret the data to understand the trends in CBD sales in Minnesota and across the United States. Another important skill the reporter needed for the story was to have a basic understanding of the effects of CBD and why more people are turning toward the drug. This is something that could not be found in the data, and as a result the reporter needed to find the information from other source

BY ANDREW WRIGHT A New York man was arrested and charged Friday after her threatened to murder Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to NBC News. Patrick W. Carlineo Jr., 55, called Omar's office in late March and made threatening remarks to the staff member who answered the phone. "She’s a [expletive] terrorist. I’ll put a bullet in her [expletive] skull,” Carlineo said on the phone call. Carlineo's threats continue a series of hostilities toward Omar. Back in February, graffiti calling for Omar's assassination was investigated by the FBI. Additionally, according to the Washington Post,  Fox News host Jeanine Pirro made antagonistic and racist remarks about Omar's Islamic faith. "Is [Omar's] adherence to this Islamic doctrine [wearing a hijab] indicative of her adherence to sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution,” Pirro said last month. Omar continues to be berated by racist remarks and receive death threats because

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The jury selection process for the murder case of Mohamed Noor continues to be a complicated process as more potential jury members have been excused, according to WCCO. A total of 75 people were questioned as potential jurors for the trial. On Wednesday, a total of 16 people had been dismissed from the trial, and by Thursday, the number increased to 23. The minimum number of jury members needed for the trial to proceed is 12 jurors and at least four alternates. Mohamed Noor is a former police officer who is charged for the murder and manslaughter of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a 40-year-old with dual citizenship in the U.S. and Australia. Noor responded to an emergency call where he fatally shot Damond. Damond called 911 to report a possible rape happening outside her residence.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Metro Transit is considering cutting its Green Line overnight service, according to the Pioneer Press. Metro Transit said it may cut the Green Line service from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. on weekdays to provide more time for maintenance and to prevent passenger misconduct. According to the Star Tribune,  Metro Transit General Manager Wes Kooistra said he has received requests from maintenance to cut the overnight schedule to allow for safer maintenance repairs. Kooistra also said there have been an increasing amount of complaints about night use on the Green Line, including theft, assault, and drug use. Metro Transit's news has people worried about the homeless community, who rely on public transit for shelter during the harsh winters. Kooistra acknowledged the change would affect riders who seek public transit for shelter, but he said that is not the purpose of the light rail.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT In one of the obituary stories of the Star Tribune, the author writes about the life of former Twins outfielder Jim Holt. The author detailed Holt's life by focusing on his time as a player for the Twins. The author included Holt's stats while he played for the Twins and his impact in the Twins organization.  The author focused on Holt' relevance to Minnesota and the Twins, but also included other interesting facts about Holt's career that were not necessarily focused on Holt's career on the Twins. The author included how the Twins acquired Holt from Oakland. The author also included that the Twins traded Holt to the Oakland Athletics and how Holt went on to win one World Series ring with Oakland. Overall, the author spent very little time talking about Holt's death and instead focused on the most intriguing and important aspects of Holt's life and career.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT An 18-year-old man is in critical condition after shots were fired at a Myth Live Nightclub in Maplewood on Friday night, according to WCCO. The man was shot in the neck and taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, according to the Star Tribune. It is not clear if the man's identity has been revealed. The shooting occurred after a fight broke out in the nightclub. Lil Baby and Blueface were performing at the nightclub where the shooting occurred, and reported numbers estimated about 1,800 people were in attendance. The person who shot the man in the nightclub has not been arrested, and it's unsure whether the man who was shot was the intended victim.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT A man was charged Friday for first-degree arson and second-degree murder after starting a fire in an apartment in Thief River Falls, according to the Star Tribune. Devon James Pulczinski, 23, was arrested after starting a fire at 307 1/2 Arnold Avenue South. Pulczinski was a renter of the apartment, according to the Crookston Times. Emergency vehicles were called to the apartment Wednesday. When they arrived, they found Pulczinski's apartment on fire. After putting out the fire, firefighters discovered one dead woman with severe burns over her body. The woman's identity has been released. Pulczinski's motives for setting the fire to his apartment still remain unclear. He is currently being held at Pennington County Jail.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT President Trump signed a one-year extension for the Deferred Enforced Departure program Thursday, allowing Minnesota Liberian immigrants to stay in the state for another year. Trump has considered ending the program in the past. In 2018, Trump proposed not extending the program, saying living conditions had improved and the government of Liberia had stabilized,  according to the Pioneer Press. The Deferred Enforced Departure program gives legal status to Liberians who fled war and natural disasters in Africa. According to the Pioneer Press, around 4,000 Liberians in Minnesota are covered by the program. President Trump faced backlash if he were to end the program. According to the Star Tribune, a coalition of attorneys general filed a brief Monday in support of Liberians remaining in the United States. One of the attorneys general was Minnesota's Keith Ellison.   The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has one of the largest Liberian immigrants populations in th

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Sen. Amy Klobuchar criticized President Trump's rhetoric about Muslims and Islamophobia Sunday after a shooting in New Zealand left 49 dead and 40 injured, according to The Hill. Klobuchar spoke on CNN and said she thinks Trump's rhetoric has worsened Islamophobic behavior not only in the United States, but in other countries, as well. "I don't think you can actually take each of the murderous acts and say what role Donald Trump played, but I can tell you this: his rhetoric doesn't help," Klobuchar said on CNN.  "And many of these people, whether it was the person who tried to bomb Barack Obama or this murderer in New Zealand, have cited Donald Trump along the way." Klobuchar called for the president to speak out against these acts of terror and violence and should begin to praise defend the Muslim community. The recent attack in New Zealand continues to put a spotlight on white nationalism, which many people see as a grow

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Minnesota could see flooding levels that rival the floods in 1965 as a result of the weather quickly warming combined with the excess snow gathered over the past winter season,  according to the Duluth News Tribune. At a briefing about the potentially hazardous weather, meteorologist Dan Luna revealed a map that predicted a 15 percent chance of serious flooding this spring. "At St. Paul, there’s a 15 percent chance we could see levels as high or higher than what we saw in 1965 — which is the flood of record,” Luna said. According to the Star Tribune, Luna also said the current decade has been one of the wettest for Minnesota. However, all doesn't look dreary for the upcoming Minnesota spring. Minnesota experienced similar weather in 2013 and faced potentially hazardous flooding, as well. Despite the potentially dangerous weather, Minnesota experienced a perfect melt where temperatures rise above freezing during the day and fall back below freezing

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Three people are injured after a car chase ensued Thursday when police pursued two suspects, according to the Minnesota Daily. The suspects were found on camera stealing from cars in the Dinkytown area before the two fled before police arrived at the scene. Police then pursued the suspects in a car chase. According to the Star Tribune, the suspects caused two car accidents as a result of the car chase, leaving three people injured. One of the injured people was identified as a University of Minnesota student, and another was identified as a university faculty member. The fist accident occurred at the intersection of 5th Street and SE. 15th Avenue, and the second occurred at 5th Street and SE. 12th Avenue. Police arrested one man, 39, and booked him at Hennepin County jail. The second suspect escaped the scene and police are still searching for the suspect. Images obtained by police show with black hair in a white polka-dot shirt, dark pants, and dark sh

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The Senate voted Thursday to overturn President Trump's national emergency relating to the border wall, according to the New York Times. The vote to overturn Trump's declaration marks the first time Congress has overturned a presidential national emergency.  Both Republicans and Democrats joined together to reject Trump's emergency, arguing the president's declaration was setting dangerous precedent as an overreach in executive power. Republican Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas posted statements on his Twitter of his response to Trump's emergency. "Expanding the powers of the presidency beyond its constitutional limits is something I cannot support," Moran said. Trump was quick to respond to the Senate's vote. Trump took to his Twitter and sent out a simple message, "VETO!" Several senators clarified that the vote was not a rejection of Trump's border wall. Instead, some senators said this vote was the

BY ANDREW WRIGHT In a Minnesota Daily article, the author covered a recent meeting if the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents, where the board discussed a report on renaming certain campus buildings. The author focused on the possible renaming of four university buildings. The people whom the buildings are named after have recently been criticized for their behavior when they were administrators of the university. The debate about the buildings has gained attention, with President Eric Kaler recommending the board to approve renaming the buildings. The background information the author included in the article covered information about the task force that originally recommended the four university buildings be renamed. The author also included President Kaler's recommendations as background information for the story. The author's main sources are comments from members of the Board of Regents. Several of the members commented their displeasure with the task fo

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The FBI is investigating graffiti created in February at a gas station in Rogers, Minnesota, that advocates for murdering Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to MPR News. Brian Raines, 45, found the graffiti in a bathroom stall at the gas station. The graffiti read, "Assassinate Ilhan Omar," according to the Duluth News Tribune. Raines posted a photo of the graffiti on social media, where Omar found it and shared the photo. The post became widely shared after Omar shared the photo. "I was appalled. I saw it and I took a picture of it to show the manager." Raines said. Omar used the post to criticize Congress Republicans for anti-Muslim rhetoric, then posted a story from NBC News concerning altercations in the West Virginia statehouse after one representative likened Omar to the 9/11 attacks. "No wonder why I am on the 'Hitlist' of a domestic terrorist and 'Assassinate Ilhan Omar' is written on my local gas stations. Look no f

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The University if Minnesota's process of renaming four of its buildings received criticism Friday from regents and descendants of past university leaders, according to the Pioneer Press. In February, a university task force recommended four buildings be renamed due to the leaders history whom the buildings are named after. Those buildings are: Coffman Memorial Union, Nicholson Hall, Coffey Hall, and Middlebrook Hall. The task force's recommendations were recently criticized by members of the regents board. Many of the board's members believe the task force excluded information or over-interpreted certain documents. According to the Star Tribune, family members of two the university leaders whose buildings could be renamed came out and defended their family and voiced their concern with the process of renaming the buildings. Chris Middlebrook, William Middlebrook's grandson, defended his grandfather's time as comptroller and vice president

BY ANDREW WRIGHT President Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, sued Trump Organization Thursday over unpaid legal fees, according to USA Today. Cohen alleges that Trump Organization failed to pay for his legal fees after Cohen started to cooperate with federal prosecutors. According to the New York Times, Cohen accused Trump Organization of breaking a contract between the two parties, and is seeking $1.9 million in unpaid legal fees. Cohen is also seeking and additional $1.9 million in reimbursement after Cohen pleaded guilty for lying to Congress, tax invasion, and violating campaign finance laws. In April 2018, Cohen's property were raided after he became a key figure in the Robert Mueller investigation. Trump defended Cohen after the raids. After Cohen stated he may be willing to cooperate with the federal investigation, Trump's support for Cohen stopped. Cohen said that around this time, the legal payments ceased. The lawsuit comes after Cohen te

BY ANDREW WRIGHT With the advent of the internet and other advancements in technology, news organizations have  adapted to new ways communication and created new ways to spread information. The New York Times and Washington Post are two organizations that have adapted and offer several different options for obtaining information. The New York Times feature their traditional newspaper, website, social media, a magazine section on their website, and a podcast. The Washington Post offers much of the same options as the New York Times. The Washington Post also offers a traditional newspaper, website, social media, a magazine section, as well as their own podcast. The two organizations distinguish themselves from others with their podcast. The New York Times podcast, the Daily, is  popular podcast and id featured on the Amazon Alexa. The Post's podcast, Post Reports, is a less widely known podcast to the New York Times and started more recently than the Daily. With these mul

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Sen. Bernie Sanders deviated from his 2016 presidential campaign strategy and focused more on his personal life during his campaign kickoff Saturday, according to the Washington Post. At a rally in Brooklyn, New York, Sanders spoke on his life as a child and his family. Sanders recalled his father's escape from Nazi Germany and his struggles with antisemitism. Sanders also spoke on his upbringing in a family growing up in a lower-middle class household. "I know where I came from," Sanders said at the rally. According to the New York Times,  Sanders contrasted his upbringing to President Trump's life. During the rally, Sanders said he did not come from a privileged family that allowed him to become a reality television personality, an obvious remark towards Trump. Sanders also said his father did not award him millions of dollars to build numerous edifices. In 2016, Sanders ran his presidential campaign completely policy-based and f

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Northbound 35W was closed and reopened Friday after multiple car crashes were reported to due to the weather, according to the Star Tribune. The snow Friday caused numerous car crashes and an eventual temporary shutdown of the highway to prevent further accidents. According to WCCO, two multi-car crashes led to the shutdown of the highway. The northbound highway reopened around 5:30 p.m., but not without cautions of the road still being unsafe by the Wyoming police department. The Star Tribune also reported Metro Transit buses experienced numerous delays in the afternoon. St. Paul declared a snow emergency in the afternoon as well, its sixth emergency in five weeks, according to the Star Tribune. Snow and hazardous weather continue to cause difficulties for Minnesota,as the weather makes it continually dangerous for people to commute to work and school.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The Minnesota House of Representatives public safety committee approved a 'red flag' gun legislation bill Thursday, according to the Pioneer Press. The legislation would allow courts to have guns be taken away from people that are deemed to pose a risk to themselves or others. The legislation will go to the House floor to win full approval from the House, where it is expected to pass with a Democrat-controlled House. The vote was tightly contested and the committee voted along party lines, according to KSTP.  The final committee vote was 10-7 in favor of approving the legislation and bringing the bill the House floor. If the bill passes in the House, it will face more resistance in the Minnesota Republican-controlled Senate. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka took to Twitter after the House vote. "We will not allow red flag or universal background check laws to pass,” Gazelka said. While the legislation will have a hearing on the House floor,

BY ANDREW WRIGHT After her presidential announcement early February, Sen. Amy Klobuchar's emphasis on her Minnesota roots  stirred a lot of discussion among students at the University of Minnesota. Klobuchar's emphasis struck a cord with two students at the university, who were excited to have a representative from Minnesota running for president. "I feel like a lot of candidates don't come from the Midwest, so it's really cool to see one from Minnesota," said Sam Portinga, a junior at the university studying communications.  "It's nice to see her sticking to her roots and not trying to distance herself from Minnesota. It's really exciting that Minnesota is actually getting some attention," said Carley Dowell, a sophomore in the College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences. However, Klobuchar's message didn't resonant with two other students at the university, who didn't see Klobuchar's empha

BY ANDREW WRIGHT In the story from the New York Times,  Marlins Rookie Victor Victor Mesa Appears to Hurt Hamstring , the author covers the breaking injury report on one of the Florida Marlins up-and-coming players. When the article was first published, there was a lot of speculation in the article since the facts of Mesa's injury were not completely known. All that was reported in the beginning of the story was Mesa appeared to injure his right hamstring as he grabbed onto his leg after attempting to run to first base before being called out. As the story developed, more facts were reported on the specifics on the injury and the timetable for Mesa's return. The author confirmed that Mesa appeared to injure his right hamstring, and that the team was classifying the injury as a right hamstring strain. the author also updated the story by saying that Mesa would be undergoing further tests Monday to confirm the injury and begin healing the hamstring. Once Mesa undergoes addi

BY ANDREW WRIGHT In a video posted on social media Friday, Sen Dianne Feinstein can be seen arguing with schoolchildren over the Green New Deal, according to the Star Tribune. Students confronted Feinstein with the hope of convincing the senator to support the Green New Deal legislation introduced to Congress by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts. Feinstein told the students she did not support the legislation with questions about how to pay for it. According to the Washington Post, the students are a part of a group called the Sunrise Movement, a movement of young people that advocate for ambitious action on climate change. The group has been active in its goal to elect politicians that will address climate change and endorse the Green New Deal, holding several rallies and protests this week.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced Friday her support for legalizing marijuana, according to the Pioneer Press. Klobuchar joins a list of other Democratic candidates who have come out in support of the legalization of marijuana. The list of candidates includes Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, and Kristen Gillibrand. Klobuchar had been ambiguous about her stance on legalization of marijuana in the past, according to the Star Tribune.  Klobuchar has not been as vocal on the issue compared to her Democratic colleagues. Several other senators have proposed legislation to legalize marijuana in the past. Support for marijuana legalization has grown recently. According to the Star Tribune, a survey conducted in November last year found 60 percent of respondents supported legalization, and the percentage continues to grow. Recreational marijuana is illegal in Minnesota, bu the state allows for certain medicinal marijuana purposes.

House Rep. Ilhan Omar was on the hit list of a Coast Guard lieutenant who was arrested last week on suspicion of a domestic terrorism plot, according to the MinnPost. Christopher Paul Hasson was arrested last week on gun and drug charges. Law enforcement found weapons and ammunition at Hasson's home, along with a hit with names of several journalists and Democratic representaitives and leaders. The list included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, and Ilhan Omar. According to the Pioneer Press , Hasson has expressed support for extremist ideas in the past, and has written emails detailing his beliefs. In a found draft email from 2017, Hasson said he was, "dreaming of a way to kill almost every last person on the earth.” In a separate email, Hasson described himself as a white nationalist and supported violence in order to preserve a "white homeland," the Pioneer Press said. Hasson is scheduled to appear in Marylan

BY ANDREW WRIGHT In the Star Tribune article, "Sen. Amy Klobuchar points to importance of Midwest in campaign stops in Wisconsin, Iowa,"  the author focused on Sen. Klobuchar's trips to Wisconsin and Iowa and the message she's sending as Klobuchar prepares for her presidential campaign. The author starts the article by reiterating the apparent foundation of Klobuchar's campaign, which is her pledge to reinvigorate bipartisanship in Congress. Klobuchar has emphasized her ability to work with representatives on the other side of the political spectrum and has made it a staple of her campaign. Including this point in the beginning of the article shows the importance of Klobuchar's emphasis on bipartisanship and separates it from the other points in the article.  The author then explains another major point in Klobuchar's campaign, which is her emphasis on her Minnesota roots. The author expands on this point in a subhead as Klobuchar has put great i

BY ANDREW WRIGHT A University of Minnesota freshman football player was kicked off the University's football team Friday after punching a police officer, according to the Star Tribune. Maxwell Janes was arrested around midnight Friday by police. According to the Minnesota Daily,  while in the cop car, Janes told police he needed to exit the vehicle to vomit. While outside the car, Janes apparently punched a police officer in the face. Janes was subsequently arrested and charged with fourth degree assault of an officer. Gopher head coach P.J. Fleck responded to the incident Friday, writing a statement that said, "We have extremely high standards for members of our team and when those standards are not met there are consequences. The behavior exhibited in this situation is completely unacceptable and contradictory to the culture we are creating." Last season, Janes played 13 games for the Gophers, all on special teams.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Three people died and one sheriff's deputy sustained injuries Thursday after a shooting in Nevis, according to the Pioneer Press. The Star Tribune reported that Hubbard County deputies responded to a shooting outside a home in Nevis around 8 p.m. and found one woman dead at the scene. The suspect fled the scene in the woman's car and police pursued the suspect. During the car chase, the suspect shot at authorities and injured one deputy. The suspect drove the car into a ditch along County Road 119, where they exchanged gunfire with deputies. During the exchange, the suspect went into the car, and it was determined that the suspect had died, according to the Pioneer Press.  A deputy found a second victim dead in the backseat of the car. Law enforcement officials have not released the names and gender of the suspect and second victim. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said Thursday that officials in the Justice Department discussed removing President Trump from office after firing former FBI directer James Comey, according to the Star Tribune. McCabe said in an interview that officials discussed invoking the 25th Amendment of the Constitution after Comey's firing. McCabe also said he demanded the FBI team investigating whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election to also investigate whether Trump's firing of Comey was obstruction of justice, according to the New York Times. Trump and Congress Republicans reacted swiftly to McCabe's comments, criticizing the former deputy as having a bias against the president. Trump took to Twitter , where he said, "McCabe is a disgrace to the FBI and a disgrace to our Country." North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows joined Trump in criticizing McCabe. Meadows said on his Twitter his page , "McCabe has zero credibility."

BY ANDREW WRIGHT In the Star Tribune article, "Possible impeachment could further upend Virginia politics,"  the author includes numerous sources regarding controversies about Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, and Attorney General Mark Herring. The author's sources primarily include quotes from Northam, unnamed Virginia legislators, and political observers. Northam was the primary source the author used in the article. Since Northam holds the highest political office in Virginia, the author used the governor as a consistent source throughout the article, although increasing controversy is building around Fairfax, who is accused of sexually assaulting two women. The attributions are scattered throughout the story and are not really clustered in any section of the article. The sources are typically from people, specifically individuals involved with lawmaking in Virginia politics or political analysts. The one relevant record to the story would be

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said he will not resign Saturday after a photograph from the governor's medical school yearbook revealed an individual dressed in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan outfit, according to CNN. Northam initially admitted to being one the individuals in the photo, but later retracted his statement and denied being involved in the photo, according to the Washington Post.  Northam also admitted to once darkening his face to resemble a Michael Jackson costume for a dance contest in the 1980s, a CNN article said. Calls for Northam to resign continue to escalate, as many Democrats criticize Northam for his actions and believe him to not be fit to serve as governor. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont took to his Twitter and said, "Gov. Northam should resign. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax should step in and begin a new day for Virginia." Former Vice President Joe Biden also took to Twitter , where he said, "There is no place for ra

Sen. Amy Klobuchar could be announcing her candidacy to run for president in 2020, according to Kare 11. On Wednesday, Klobuchar posted a video on her twitter page , in which the senator said, "I have a little announcement to make!" It is believed that Klobuchar will join the other announced candidates to challenge President Trump in 2020. Klobuchar would be joining aw long list of announced candidates, some of which include her colleagues in the Senate, according to the Star Tribune. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala Harris of California, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York have all announced their candidacy. Other notable public officials are expected to announce their candidacy, as well. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont are also considering to announce their candidacies for 2020. Klobuchar is scheduled to make her announcement Sunday at 1 p.m. in Boom Island Park.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT St. Paul and Minneapolis schools canceled Friday classes as frigid weather continues throughout the state, according to the Star Tribune. The cold weather began to affect metro area schools last week when windchill temperatures reached close to 50 below for several areas, causing schools to cancel classes for several days. According to the Pioneer Press , Friday's cancellation marks the fifth day of this school year cancelled due to cold weather. It also marks the fifth day in the last two weeks were schools have cancelled class due to weather. The frigid temperatures have also led to numerous reports of car accidents and injuries. On Thursday, 413 crashes were reported before 3:30 p.m., according to a Star Tribune article. Many cities reported snowfall above four inches, according to the Star Tribune . Some cities even reported as much as nine inches. More snow could be expected next week.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT In the Star Tribune article,  "Grammy-nominated rapper 21 Savage in US immigration custody,"  the author begins the article by stating what event happened to the notable music artist and where the event occurred. The author makes sure to point out 21 Savage's relevance to society and pop culture by including that 21 Savage is a Grammy-nominated rapper. The author also makes clear to point out that 21 Savage is in immigration custody but doesn’t elaborate on that point in the lead. The lead does a good job of notifying readers the main point of the article without explaining the details of the situation to try and get the audience to continue reading the story. The author decided to exclude when, why, and how 21 Savage’s arrest occurred. The story is currently ongoing, which could explain why the author excluded when the event occurred from the lead. The author expanded upon why 21 Savage was taken into custody later in the article and thus di

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The Stone Arch Bridge will undergo reconstruction after enough funding was provided for the project, according to the Star Tribune. The Southwest Journal reported that repairs for the bridge will likely begin in 2020 and will cost approximately $15 million. The federal government will reportedly provide $12 million for the project, while Minnesota will contribute $3 million worth of funding. Without adequate funding, the Stone Arch Bridge risked being shut down due to its deteriorating stability. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has consistently asked for funding to repairthe bridge. With adequate funding now provided, MnDot is excited to start restorative process. Construction of the bridge is not expected to last too long. According to the Star Tribune , engineers working on the bridge don't expect the bridge to be closed for too long, possibly not at all.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Mitch McConnell clashed with Congress Democrats Wednesday as the Senate majority leader criticized legislation that would make Election Day a federal holiday, according to the New York Times. McConnell referred to the legislation as a "power grab" by Democrats as an attempt to consolidate power. McConnell's remarks received heavy criticism from Democrats, who defended the legislation as an attempt to make voting easier for citizens and to restore democracy, according to CNN.  Some took to Twitter to criticize McConnell. Former Senator Barbara Boxer said on Twitter , "What is Mitch afraid of? Answer: the people." This clash continues a trend of gridlock between Republicans and Democrats as tempers continue to flair in Congress.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT With the polar vortex working its way through the Midwest, several Minnesota schools canceled class Thursday for the fourth consecutive day, according to the Pioneer Press. The Star Tribune reported that several cities in the state reached record low temperatures, with several areas reaching almost 30 below zero without windchill. Due to the frigid temperatures, Minnesota schools find themselves potentially falling short of the minimum instruction time required for all Minnesota schools. Gov. Tim Walz assured schools that they would not face punishment for falling short of instruction time to keep their students safe, the Pioneer Press said.