Good morning, Minnesota. It's Friday. Could we finally be getting a break from the heat? A weather system is moving across the state this morning, bringing a "cold" front of 80s through the state. Dew points will plunge, too. The relentless June heat is causing 100 percent of the state to be in either "abnormally dry" or drought conditions. We need rain — bad.
Passenger says Smith didn't have a gun
At a press conference yesterday afternoon, the woman who was in Winston Smith's vehicle last Thursday when he was killed by officers made a public statement through her attorneys. She said she never saw a gun on Smith nor saw one in his vehicle. This is different from the law enforcement reports that claimed U.S. Marshals fired their weapons at Smith after he allegedly showed a handgun and that " evidence at the scene indicates that the man fired his own weapon from inside the vehicle."
Also from the press conference:
- Attorneys Jeff Storms and Ben Crump, who also represent the George Floyd and Daunte Wright families, said they are now representing the Smith family as well.
- Smith's family, community members and activists demanded transparency and accountability, saying the BCA should not be the ones investigating the killing.
- A funeral service for 32-year-old Smith will be held tomorrow at Shiloh Temple in north Minneapolis.
St. Paul high school senior Edgar Omar Dominguez Casalez, his horse Canelo and his future
MPR News spent the past semester following high school senior Edgar Omar Dominguez Casalez as he pushed to finish high school, apply to college and keep his rodeo riding dreams alive. That's all while struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic that sickened his parents and shut down three jobs he needed to help his family.
The result is a beautiful feature by reporter Kathryn Styer Martinez. You can listen to the story or read it in English or Spanish . And don't miss the video of Dominguez Casalez and Canelo his horse — the two are a perfect match.
In May, Minnesota got $1.8 billion more in tax revenue than projected
Yes, that is a ridiculous number. Why did this happen? The surging economy and a late tax deadline. This money can't necessarily be used right away, but state leaders can use the number to show the state's economy is in good shape. Here's the full story.
What else to know:
— Grace Birnstengel, MPR News | Find me on Twitter @grace__ | 
