Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • B1

LOCAL STATE REGION MINNESOTA TA I A I Man who drew gun at pleads guilty. B5 Nonrecyclable food boxes phasing out in St. Paul. B3 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist, Local Reporting Winner for Local Reporting in 2013 By MARY LYNN SMITH marylynn.smith@startribune.com Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney pulled out a big three-ring binder after forecasters deliv- ered the bad news on Thurs- day winter storms coming this weekend and next week are raising the odds of major spring flooding there and in river towns throughout Min- nesota. Like Mahoney, who was calculating how many sand- bags will be needed to pro- tect homes and businesses, leaders of towns from the Red River Valley down to those along the banks of the Mississippi, Minnesota, Crow, St.

Croix and Cannon rivers are bracing for spring flood- ing after the National Weather latest update. Last week, forecasters warned of a higher-than- usual chance of spring flood- ing. On Thursday, they upped the odds for major flooding in many areas. Over the past two weeks, steady snowfall has added another inch of water to the deep snowpack that blankets most of the state, according to Craig Schmidt, senior hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. The heavy, wet snow expected to fall this weekend and a storm next week that may deliver rain and snow will add even more, he said.

Cold weather to date has kept much of the snowpack from melting, leaving more Spring flood risk rises as snow piles up For-profit university has withheld loans while in receivership. By MILA KOUMPILOVA mila.koumpilova@startribune.com Argosy Eagan campus will close Friday after weeks of uncertainty for the troubled for-profit network. John Slama, the campus president, wrote students Wednesday that Argosy will shutter the campus if it does not find a buyer by Friday. But on Thursday, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education made it official, saying Argosy leaders have confirmed this closure. Roughly 1,000 local stu- dents at Argosy, which spe- cializes in career training, had braced for this news as its par- ent company went into receiv- ership, a kind of bankruptcy, and got cut off from getting federal and state financial aid for its students.

Students in Eagan and nationally have reported that Argosy withheld grant and loan dollars it was supposed to pass on to them, Eagan campus to close A spike in temperature rapid melt could create even more trouble. Photos by JONES SCHNEIDER renee.jones@startribune.com One of the co-sponsors of the bill, Rep. Kristin Bahner, D-Maple Grove, replied to a question during debate on the House floor Thursday. Equal Rights Amendment may go on 2020 ballot, if Senate follows. By JESSIE VAN BERKEL jessie.vanberkel@startribune.com After decades of advocacy, a bill that would cement gender equity in state law was passed on the House floor Thursday.

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) would put a measure on the 2020 ballot letting Minnesota vot- ers decide whether to alter the Constitution to say people have equal rights regardless of gender. want to take this question of the Equal Rights Amendment to the people of Minne- sota and decide if they want equality, by law, unabridged, according to said Rep. Mary Kunesh-Podein D-New Brighton. Members of the Democratic-dominated House, many wearing green pins, passed the bill on a vote of 72-55 after passionate debate. But supporters of the change acknowledged that a much larger hurdle remains in the Republican- controlled Senate.

Republican legislators said the bill could have unintended consequences. House Republicans raised concerns that the amendment could have implications for abortion, and they questioned the use of the term a victory to pass something in one body, even if you pass it in the other Sen. San- dra Pappas -St. Paul, said. can take a few years to do these things.

tried to, without dampening enthusiasm, be If the ERA pass this year, it will be an election issue in 2020, she said. Minn. House endorses ERA A Texas team could be stripped of championship after violations found. By DENNIS J. McGRATH dennis.mcgrath@startribune.com After narrowly losing out on a national chess champi- onship last year, Metcalf Middle School may get to celebrate after all.

The U.S. Chess Federa- ethics committee has ruled that the winning Texas team, its coach and 13 of his players violated its ethics code, and the panel recom- mended that the prizes be revoked. Henderson Middle School of El Paso was found by the panel to have engaged in a widespread form of cheating called that was organized and directed by the coach. Along with the Burns- ville players losing their team title, the top player may also have been robbed of an individual national title because her only loss was to a player from the team that is now facing sanctions The ethics panel this behavior by Coach Ramirez to be absolutely it said. In sandbagging, chess teams deliberately lose matches in order to lower their ranking, giving them an easier path to winning.

Burnsville chess team may get title after ethics probe By CHAO XIONG chao.xiong@startribune.com The Minnesota Depart- ment of Human Rights is suing a plasma collection agency for allegedly discriminating against a transgender woman who was banned from donating because of her gender identity. Minnesota Attorney Gen- eral Keith Ellison filed the law- suit Thursday on behalf of the department against CSL Plasma which identifies itself as of the largest col- lectors of human gen- der identity is a core compo- nent of who they are, and we want to make sure that the core component of who they are is protected and said Plasma firm faces bias suit CHAO XIONG Star Tribune A blanket ban on transgender donors triggered the lawsuit, Irina Vaynerman said. See ARGOSY on B2 See PLASMA on B5 RICHARD TSONG-TAATARII Audra Johnson, left, plays chess for Metcalf Middle School.See CHESS on B2 See ERA on B5 See FLOOD on B5 After lawmakers voted Thursday evening, supporters were jubilant. ZSW B1 Friday, Mar. 8, 2019 I DAY, A 8 2 0 1 9.