South Washington County schools are undergoing expansions and renovations. Some schools will receive updated spaces, as others make room for new areas to promote learning and connection.

Kraus-Anderson is leading the construction projects for six schools to be completed between 2026 and 2027. Here’s a look at the improvements, which voters approved:

High schools

East Ridge High School, 4200 Pioneer Drive, Woodbury, will add 87,145 square feet to its existing building, increasing its capacity to 2,300 students. The project, which is expected to be completed by August 2026, will create new classrooms for Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) spaces.

The cafeteria will be expanded and renovations include special education and online learning spaces, along with outdoor spaces, such as the plaza, athletics and activities entrance, drive lanes and parking lots. To encourage the safety of students, storm shelters will also be added, according to Kraus-Anderson.

Park High School, 8040 80th Street S., Cottage Grove, is adding 38,877 square feet to its building. A new kitchen, cafeteria, storm shelter, entry to the north side of the building, CTE areas and STEM areas will be created. Administration and student services offices and science classrooms will also receive a 40,771 square-foot interior remodel.

Additional construction will create new parking spaces and enhance the roadway “to enhance traffic flow and safety for parent pickup and drop-off,” according to Kraus-Anderson. Both projects are expected to be completed summer of 2027, and a storm shelter will be created by August of 2026.

At Woodbury High School, 2665 Woodlane Drive, the 75,000 square-foot construction project will include an updated cafeteria and kitchen, along with remodeled science rooms, media center and classroom wings. A new front entryway will be added to double as a storm shelter, according to Kraus-Anderson. Outdoor renovations include new parking lots, bus drop off and landscape. The updates and renovations are expected to be completed by August 2027.

Middle Schools

Oltman Middle School, 6625 Goodview Avenue S., Cottage Grove, will add 43,674 square feet to accommodate close to 1,300 students. The project, which is expected to be completed by August 2026, will include new STEM and special education spaces and feature a new kitchen, according to Kraus-Anderson.

New classrooms will function as pods “around a shared flexible area with natural daylight to encourage collaboration,” according to Kraus-Anderson. The school’s existing cafeteria will also be expanded and incorporate seating options for various students’ sensory needs. Storm shelters will be added.

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Cottage Grove and Lake Middle School, 9775 Indian Blvd S., Cottage Grove, will feature a 19,6623 square-foot construction project expected to be completed by August 2026. It will include a new secure entry and office space, and renovate the existing offices to create collaboration spaces, according to Kraus-Anderson. New entryways will be added to the additions, along with updated parking options and new green spaces.

Woodbury Middle School, 1425 School Drive, Woodbury, will encompass a 28,303 square-foot project, expected to be completed by fall 2026. The addition of a new road added to the east side of the building will be created to connect with Upper Afton Rd on the North side of the school. The school’s existing pool will be reconfigured into a new multi-purpose space, according to Kraus-Anderson, and outdoor storage spaces will be added. Music spaces will also be renovated.

Designs for the projects are created by Wold Architects and Engineers or KOMA Architecture, Interior Design and Engineering.

Authorities have arrested a Minnesota lobbyist suspected of sending a text message that included a “threat of violence” at the state Capitol, Minnesota House Republicans said Thursday.

Jonathan Michael Bohn, 41, of Woodbury, remained in custody at the Carver County Jail in Chaska Thursday awaiting a court hearing for a pending threats of violence charge, according to Sgt. Chris Nelson with the Carver County Sheriff’s Office.

Rep. Jim Nash, who reported the threatening text to law enforcement on Wednesday, confirmed Bohn is a lobbyist with the Inter Faculty Organization, a union representing faculty at Minnesota state universities.

The organization didn’t immediately respond to a phone call late Thursday.

Nash notified the House Sergeant at Arms, State Patrol and Carver County Sheriff’s Office of a “personal text message to a constituent that was threatening in nature,” the Minnesota House GOP Caucus said in a news release.

“The threat was not aimed at any particular lawmaker but the message did include a threat of violence at the Capitol,” Republicans said.

The news release didn’t identify the suspect but said authorities questioned and arrested him on Wednesday.

Republicans said the Sergeant at Arms is not aware of any further threats to the Legislature or its staff.

Nelson said more details on the case would come in a Friday news release.

Check back for updates to this developing story.

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By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

NEW YORK (AP) — More and more celebrities are looking to attach their names to your phone. Or rather, wireless services that could power it.

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From cosmetics to snacks and signature spirits, brands launched or co-owned by high-profile figures are just about everywhere you look today. But several big names are also venturing into the market for mobile virtual network operators — or MVNOs, an industry term for businesses that provide cell coverage by leasing infrastructure from bigger, more established carriers.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s family was the most recent to join the list with the launch of Trump Mobile this week. Here’s what to know.

Which big names have entered the phone business?

On Monday, The Trump Organization (currently run by the president’s sons Eric and Donald Jr.) unveiled Trump Mobile. The company says this new business will offer cell service, through an apparent licensing deal with “all three major cellular carriers” in the U.S., and sell gold phones by August.

Trump Mobile marks the latest in a string of new Trump-branded offerings — which already span from golden sneakers to “God Bless the USA” bibles — despite mounting ethical concerns that the president is profiting off his position and could distort public policy for personal gain.

“This raises a real question about a conflict of interest,” said Ben Bentzin, an associate professor of instruction at The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business. As the sitting president, Trump appoints leadership for the Federal Communications Commission — and the family’s new phone venture exists under this regulatory authority.

All of this sets Trump Mobile apart from other big names that have recently ventured into the wireless business. Still, its launch arrives as a growing number of celebrities tap into this space.

Just last week, actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett launched SmartLess Mobile, a name that mirrors the trio’s “SmartLess” podcast. Now live across the contiguous U.S. and Puerto Rico, SmartLess Mobile runs on T-Mobile’s 5G Network.

Another wireless provider with ties to fame is Mint Mobile. While not launched by celebrities, Ryan Reynolds purchased an ownership stake in Mint in 2019. Mint’s parent, the Ka’ena Corporation, was later acquired by T-Mobile in a deal worth up to $1.35 billion.

Beyond names of famous people, well-known brands that weren’t traditionally in the phone business have also got in on the action over the years — particuarly outside of the U.S., Forrester Research senior analyst Octavio Garcia Granados notes. He points to Walmart’s “Bait” mobile plan in Mexico, for example, as well as Italian soccer club AC Milan launching its own mobile SIM cards for fans.

“The MVNO market is not new,” said Garcia Granados. “What’s new is the development on how it’s consumed and the (ease) for brands to launch such plans.”

MVNOs have also emerged outside of high-profile brands or launch teams. Bentzin points to Straight Talk and Cricket — which are now owned by Verizon and AT&T, respectively. Still, traditional celebrity endorsements are common across the board. And in recent years, “influencer marketing” has been “the fastest growing area of advertising and promotion,” he notes.

What are these cell services offering? Why were they launched?

For Trump Mobile, the pitch seems to be all about having an “all-American service” while also tapping into the fan base of the president.

Eric Trump, Don Hendrickson, Eric Thomas, Patrick O’Brien and Donald Trump Jr., left to right, participate in the announcement of Trump Mobile, in New York’s Trump Tower, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

The company noted Monday that it chose to unveil Trump Mobile on the 10th anniversary of Trump launching “his historic presidential campaign.” The name given to its flagship offer, The 47 Plan, and the $47.45 monthly fee make reference to the president’s two terms. And a mock-up of the planned gold phone on the company’s website shows Trump’s “Make America Great” slogan on the front screen.

According to the company, Trump Mobile’s 47 Plan will include unlimited calls, texts and data through partner carriers, as well as free roadside assistance and telehealth services. It also says the new phone, called the “T1 Phone,” will be available for $499 in August — but notes that this device won’t be designed or made by Trump Mobile. Still, the company emphasized that these phones will be built in the U.S.

Experts have since shared skepticism about that being possible in two months. And beyond the future T1 Phone, others stress that a monthly cell service fee of just under $50 is pricey compared to other MVNO options today.

“It’s not actual lower pricing. It’s really trading on the fan base, if you will, of Trump,” said Bentzin.

SmartLess Mobile and Mint Mobile, of course, don’t carry these same political ties. And the wireless plans offered by both boast less expensive offerings.

T-Mobile-owned Mint advertises “flexible, buy-in-bulk” plans that range from $15 to $30 a month. Each option includes unlimited talk and text nationwide, but vary depending on plan length and data amount. Mint, founded in 2016, says it started “because we’d had enough of the wireless industry’s games” — and promises to help consumers avoid hidden fees.

SmartLess Mobile’s plans also start at $15 a month. Depending on the data amount purchased, that base fee can rise to $30 — but all of its plans similarly offer unlimited talk and text using T-Mobile’s network. When launching last week, SmartLess underlined that its goal is to help people stop paying for the data they don’t use, noting that the majority of data used by consumers today happens over Wi-Fi.

“Seriously, if your phone bill knew how often you’re on Wi-Fi, it would be embarrassed,” Hayes said in a statement for SmartLess Mobile’s June 10 launch.

What’s the demand?

MVNOs have proven to be attractive acquisitions to big wireless carriers over the years. But whether or not the star factor promises significant demand has yet to be seen for the market’s most recent entrants.

FILE – Ryan Reynolds arrives at the 36th annual American Cinematheque Awards, Nov. 17, 2022, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

For the more established Mint Mobile, Reynolds’ investment is a success story. The 25% stake that the actor reportedly owned in 2023, when the company announced that it would be acquired by T-Mobile, was estimated to give him a personal windfall of over $300 million in cash and stock. And since that deal closed, Reynolds has remained in his creative role for Mint and as the face of many campaigns — helping the brand continue to attract new customers.

It’s no surprise that the potential of such business returns might attract other celebrities to make similar investments, Bentzin notes. Still, newer ventures are untested. And “as the market becomes more crowded, it could be harder and harder to pick off individual consumers,” he added.

Beyond a high-profile name, quality of service and what consumers can afford is also critical.

“The competition battleground here is brand and price,” Bentzin said.

Still, if the marketing is right and product meets consumer needs, experts like Garcia Granados note that MVNOs can be a profitable business, for both the brands that start them and the telecommunications giants — like T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T — offering this “wholesale” access to their infrastructure.

As a result, he said, such high-profile ventures become “a catalyst for others to follow.”

AP Business Writer Bernard Condon contributed to this report from New York.

MADRID (AP) — A Spanish court on Thursday rejected an appeal by Airbnb and left in place an order to block almost 66,000 rental listings that the government said violated local rules.

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The government has said the platform’s short-term rentals exacerbate Spain’s housing crunch while the country welcomes record numbers of tourists.

Last month, Spain’s government ordered Airbnb to block 65,935 listings in the country after the Consumer Rights Ministry flagged them for violations. It said Airbnb had to immediately take down 5,800.

An Airbnb spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment on the Madrid’s High Court’s decision.

The ministry has said the listings it flagged did not include their license number or specify whether the owner was an individual or a company. It said others listed numbers that didn’t match what authorities had.

Last month, Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy told The Associated Press that the tourism sector could not “jeopardize the constitutional rights of the Spanish people,” including their right to housing and well-being.

Carlos Cuerpo, the economy minister, said in a separate interview that the government had to tackle the unwanted side effects of mass tourism.