PARK RAPIDS — A rural Park Rapids man is facing two felony counts of making terroristic threats after an investigation between the Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Capitol Police.
Sheriff Cory Aukes stated in a news release that an investigator from the Minnesota State Patrol contacted his office after a suspicious Facebook post by John Tobias threatened state Sen. Glenn Gruenhagen. Gruenhagen is a Republican who represents District 17, which includes Watertown, Glencoe and Hutchinson.
“The post was threatening in nature and included demands for money that the individual lost during the Covid shutdown and threats to kill the Senator,” the news release stated.
An individual claiming to be Tobias also called the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General and threatened to kill everyone in the state Capitol if he didn’t get back money he said he lost during the COVID-19 pandemic-related shutdowns.
Hubbard County investigators identified Tobias as a man who lives near Park Rapids. The Lakes Area SWAT Team executed a search warrant of his residence Tuesday, Feb. 24, and found nine guns and 40 boxes of ammunition.
In an interview with investigators, Tobias admitted to “sending the email and to making the threatening phone call,” Aukes stated.
John Tobias was arraigned Wednesday in Hubbard County court. Unconditional bail was set at $300,000.
-
The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority awarded five Northern Minnesota communities with loans and grants for projects like water main installation and wastewater infrastructure. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEEly joins the wave of Northern Minnesota school districts trying out a four-day week to address budget constraints. The Rock Ridge School Board didn't rule out making the move in the future. -
Plus: State lawmakers are considering bills to address Greater Minnesota housing needs; MnDOT has several road construction projects planned in the Northland; and the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority awarded grants to five Northland communities. -
Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaAn 8-1 U.S. Supreme Court decision is likely to put a conversion therapy ban in Minnesota in jeopardy, and bills are aiming to keep it in place without restricting speech. -
The bill would require state-funded programs including Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare to cover the costs of infertility health care, such as in vitro fertilization. -
Ammonia is the key to nitrogen fertilizer, and almost all ammonia in Minnesota, nearly 1 million tons per year, is imported from Gulf Coast states and internationally. -
Contributed/St. Louis County Sheriff's OfficeThe St. Louis County Sheriff's Office states Clayton Leroy Nukala Jr. was last seen walking toward the woods in a white bathrobe on April 12, 2026. -
Scott Rodgerson/UnsplashOfficers from the Hibbing Police Department responded to a report of a woman threatening to set herself on fire. -
The bill seeks to integrate wild rice waters into the ag department's pesticide management plan, developing better practices to monitor pesticide distribution, use and disposal. -
Contributed/Karina Kafka / Report for MinnesotaTwo bills aim to expand housing-related infrastructure, including sewers and water lines, and support workforce housing through grants to cities and tribal nations.
