Local News

Former Fargo Priest Accused of Molesting Two Teens Makes First Court Appearance

Bail for Fernando Sayasaya was set at $5 million

FARGO, N.D. — Fernando Sayasaya, the former Fargo Catholic priest accused of molesting two underage boys, made his initial court appearance. Over the course of 19 years, it took the Fargo and West Fargo Police Departments, the FBI, U.S. Marshals and the Philippines national police to capture and bring former Catholic priest Fernando Sayasaya back to North Dakota. “I’d be lying…

Halstad Woman Makes Plea in Fatal YouTube Stunt

The plea agreement calls for her to serve six months in jail and 10 years' supervised probation

HALSTAD, Minn. — A Halstad, Minnesota woman has pleaded guilty to fatally shooting her boyfriend in a videotaped stunt they planned to post on YouTube. Monalisa Perez, 20, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree manslaughter in the June death of 22-year-old Pedro Ruiz III. Court records say Perez told investigators that Ruiz wanted to make a video of her shooting…

MN Dept. of Health Commissioner Resigns Amid Abuse Reports

His resignation follows reporting by the Star Tribune on serious oversight lapses of the state's senior care facilities

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota’s Department of Health commissioner is resigning in the wake of reports of abuse at senior care facilities. Commissioner Ed Ehlinger had been head of the state’s health oversight board since 2011. His resignation follows reporting by the Star Tribune on serious oversight lapses of the state’s senior care facilities. They previously documented that hundreds of…

Minneapolis Police: Shooting at City Hall After Man Attempts Suicide

The incident happened last night in an interview room at the Minneapolis Police Department

  MINNEAPOLIS — The head of the Minneapolis police union says officers were “heroic” in shooting a man who was slitting his own throat at City Hall. The incident happened last night in an interview room at the Minneapolis Police Department. Union president Bob Kroll says video of the incident will show the officers tried to deescalate the situation, then…

Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney Endorses Jahner Campaign for Sheriff

Sergeant Jesse Jahner of the Cass County Sheriff's Office Announces He Will Be Running to Become the Next Sheriff

CASS COUNTY, ND — Sergeant Jesse Jahner of Cass County Sheriff’s Office announced that he will be running for sheriff in the upcoming election. Jahner has been employed by the sheriff’s office for the past 19 years. He also is the Assistant Commander of the Red River Valley S.W.A.T., an organization he has been part of for the past 15…

ND Dept. of Health Provides More Than 1,200 Homes with Radon Testing Kits

radon is an odorless, colorless gas

FARGO, N.D. — Fargo Cass Public Health teamed up with the North Dakota Department of Health Division of Air Quality to hand out free residential radon testing kits. Ever since a Casselton woman died last week from high levels of radon, the Department of Health has been receiving many requests for the kits. Radon is a chemical that comes out of…

Hornbacher’s and Cloverdale Foods Donate to Hungry Families for the Holidays

Hornbacher's & Cloverdale Foods Provides Ham for The Salvation Army's Christmas Food Boxes To Be Distributed To Fargo Community Members in Need

FARGO, ND — People in need throughout Fargo will be enjoying a Christmas ham thanks to Hornbacher’s and Cloverdale Foods. The two companies donated more than 700 hams to be distributed within Fargo as part of the Salvation Army’s Christmas food boxes. They will also include pie, bread, butter, milk, and chicken for those who don’t eat ham. The Salvation…

Some Lawmakers Asking Franken to Reconsider Resigning from Senate

Congressman Peterson said he would have preferred that the Ethics Committee looked into the matter and released a report

  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Collin Peterson is joining the chorus of people suggesting that Sen. Al Franken acted too quickly when he announced his plans to resign. Franken announced that he plans to leave the Senate after several Democratic colleagues urged him to step down amid accusations of inappropriately touching women. Since then, some of those senators have asked…

Minot, Velva Women Accused of Embezzling from Employers

Both women face felony charges

  MINOT, ND — Two women are accused of ripping off their employers in Minot. Brittany Haynes, 27, of Minot, allegedly stole about $8,700 from TJ Maxx, through a scheme involving fraudulent returns. Thirty-three-year-old Danielle Cooper of Velva is accused of embezzling from the Holiday Inn while working as housekeeping manager, by refunding bogus reservation fees to a personal money…

Fargo City Commission Votes Against Reforming City’s Election Process

  FARGO, ND — Fargo City Commission voted 3-2 against putting a measure on the June ballot to reform the city’s election process. The changes would have involved increasing the size of the city commission from five to seven, switching to “approval voting” which allows voters to choose as many candidates as they like and creating a primary election. The…