February 27, 2017

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10-YEAR STUDY REVEALED HOW INFANT AUTISM DEVELOPS. U RESEARCH DETECTS AUTISM IN BABIES PG 10 THE

PARTLY CLOUDY HIGH 46° LOW 32°

U OF M

MINNEAPOLIS

ST PAUL

EARLY WEEK

FEB. 27-MARCH 1, 2017

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT MNDAILY.COM

CRIME

U undergrad arrested for selling drugs out of dorm Spencer Nichols faces up to 55 years in prison. BY MIKE HENDRICKSON mhendrickson@mndaily.com

A University of Minnesota student was charged Thursday for selling ecstasy out of his dorm room. Spencer Nichols, an 18-yearold bioscience student from Rochester, Minnesota, was charged in Hennepin County District Court with two felony charges for allegedly selling MDMA, also known as “molly,” out of his Centennial Hall dorm room The charges — first-degree sale of a narcotic and seconddegree possession — carr y a maximum sentence of 55 years in prison, according to the criminal complaint. Nichols’ bail was set at $75,000 without conditions and $25,000 with conditions, according to court records. Nichols was released from custody Saturday, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s jail roster. His next court appearance is March 24. Nichols was arrested Tuesday by federal agents and the University of Minnesota Police Department as part of an ongoing drug and dark web investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to the criminal complaint. Nichols let officers search his Centennial Hall room Tuesday, where they found $26,950, a vacuum sealer, vacuum sealer bags and two digital scales, according to the complaint. He told officers he’d purchased more MDMA online and said it would arrive Wednesday. The package contained 53.9 grams of MDMA, court documents show. Nichols is a member of Alpha Tau Omega, according to the University’s roster of the fraternity. Nichols’ attor ney didn’t respond to requests for comment.

SPENCER NICHOLS

HENNEPIN COUNTY

CITY COUNCIL

Minneapolis could see first transgender council member University archivist Andrea Jenkins is running unopposed. BY RAJU CHADUVULA rchaduvula@mndaily.com

Come November, Minneapolis could see its first transgender City Council member. Andrea Jenkins, an archivist and lead of University of Minnesota’s Transgender Oral History Project, is running for the south Minneapolis Ward 8 seat whose incumbent — Elizabeth Glidden — isn’t seeking reelection. Phillipe Cunningham, also openly transgender and a former aide for Mayor Betsy Hodges, is running for the Ward 4 seat. “I’m running for this seat because it’s the community that I live in … I know the ward well,” said Jenkins, who previously worked as a policy

aide for Glidden. Zenzele Isoke, a Gender and Sexuality Studies professor at the University said if Jenkins wins the election, it would show the rest of the country that transgender issues matter. “It will be extremely important for Andrea to run a successful campaign … as one of the ver y few, if not ver y first, male-to-female transgender elected official in the country,” Isoke said. Transgender issues have increasingly garnered awareness in Minneapolis — earlier this month, the City Council approved the creation of a Transgender Equity Council. The group, which will contain 15 members chosen by the council, will meet monthly and forge explicit measures to protect rights of transgender city residents. “It is really important for u See JENKINS Page 10

Sheriff’s Office to add student voices The office will add students onto its community advisory board for two-year terms. BY BELLA DALLY-STEELE Idally-steele@mndaily.com

The Hennepin County Sherif f’s Office is planning to add two University of Minnesota student-volunteers to a board that provides county feedback. Sophomore Joshua Reece and junior Sabrina Toth — security monitors for the University — may soon join the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Community Advisor y Board for a two-year term. The board has 30 members, and Reece and Toth would be the youngest ever. “I want students who can represent our youth,” said Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek. “We don’t have anyone under 25; I think that is what the Community Advisor y Board is missing.” Both students expressed interest in the positions in mid-Januar y and have worked with the office since to figure out if they’re eligible. Stanek said the most impor tant quality

COURTNEY DEUTZ, DAILY

Joshua Reece and Sabrina Toth are two candidates from the University of Minnesota for the Hennepin County advisory board. Reece and Toth pose for photos at Northrop Auditorium on East Bank on Feb. 24 and 25.

in a candidate is a concern for the community and law enforcement. Toth said she was interested in the position because it allows for open communication between the Sheriff’s

Of fice and the community, and because working as a volunteer would help her jumpstart a policing career. u See BOARD Page 7 VOLUME 117 ISSUE 42


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