Daily Digest: Countdown to Independence Day

Good morning, and happy Friday. The best Fridays always come before a three day holiday weekend, don't they? Here's the Digest.

1. Today marks the one-year anniversary of the state's medical cannabis program. Minnesota lawmakers approved the sale of medical cannabis in pill, oil or liquid form in 2014.  Now two manufacturers are distributing the drug across the state. For some qualified patients the drug has helped tremendously, but for others challenges remain. (MPR News)

2. The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe is denouncing a decision from Mille Lacs County officials last week to end a cooperative law enforcement agreement with the Band. The county says it revoked the agreement due to a dispute over state law. But at the heart of the disagreement is a long-running dispute over the Band's reservation boundaries. (MPR News)

3. A new effort in Minneapolis and St. Paul schools aims to keep a closer eye on students during ninth grade. In ninth grade, students may be more focused on fitting into their new high schools than graduating on time. But experts say success in ninth grade can be critical to whether or not a student finishes high school on time. (MPR News)

4. Newt Gingrich and Chris Christie appear to be at the top of the list for Donald Trump's running mate. Both are being vetted, but Trump could still decide to go another way. The Republican National Convention is coming up in just over two weeks. (Washington Post)

5. A brief meeting between former President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Loretta Lynch is drawing criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. Lynch said the meeting at an Arizona airport was purely social and the talk was about grandchildren. But with the FBI investigating Hillary Clinton's private email server, many say the two should have avoided each other entirely. (NPR)

 

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