September 28, 2023 - MN Spokesman-Recorder

By Vickie Evans-Nash

Contributing Writer

n the summer of 2020, after the killing of George Floyd, longstanding tensions between the Black community and law enforcement collided.

Those tensions included concern over police officers who had been providing support and security in public schools.

By the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, the Minneapolis and St. Paul public school boards severed con-

tracts with their prospective police departments, and police officers no longer fulfilled the role of school resource officers (SRO) in many districts.

This school year, the decision about whether to use school resource officers was determined by each school district. But for many Minnesota school districts, the decision came down to what can and cannot be done to protect a student from use of excessive force.

The debate centered around a bill introduced and passed in

The debate over whether police officers should be in schools

force,” he said. “But if a student is [presenting a threat], then the officer certainly can.”

the previous state legislative session, known as Minnesota Statute 121A.58 Corporal Punishment; Prone Restraint; and Certain Physical Holds, which was later amended.

Because the language in the law limits the use of force, many law enforcement agencies requested clarification on how they could restrain students. Attorney General Keith Ellison issued a general opinion in response to the request.

In a virtual meeting with community members on September 7, Ellison explained, “Essentially the law says if the student is not presenting a threat of deadly force, the officer cannot use a threat of deadly

Hennepin County attorney to handle investigation into Cobb killing

By H. Jiahong Pan

Contributing Writer

nvestigators at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) have turned over the investigation into the Ricky Cobb II killing by a Minnesota state trooper to the Hennepin County attorney for a charging decision.

The case, which was turned over to the county attorney’s office last Tuesday, won’t result in a fast and easy charging decision. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said several state troopers, who were not involved in the killing but may have information related to the case, refused to cooperate.

“We are disappointed by this lack of cooperation as the family, the community, and the troopers involved in this incident all deserve answers,” said Moriarty in a statement.

The BCA declined to comment on the issue, citing an ongoing investigation.

Cobb II was killed on the morning of July 31 by state trooper Ryan Londregan during a traffic stop on I-94 at Dowl-

ing Avenue. Initially pulled over for not having his vehicles’ taillights on, trooper Brett Seide wanted Cobb II to step out of the vehicle to discuss a probable cause hold from Ramsey County for violation of an order-for-protection. Wondering why he needed to step out of the vehicle, Cobb II was eventually placed under arrest by Seide. Londregan shot him as Seide attempted to wrestle him out of the vehicle and Cobb II tried to drive off.

Although Cobb II had a gun in the vehicle, it was located in the

back seat, and at no point was Cobb II shown to be handling a gun on body-camera video.

Despite the lack of cooperation from Londregan’s colleagues, Moriarty pledged to use “all resources available” to them to review the case, going as far to say that they identified a use-of-force expert even before they received the investigation from the BCA.

“We selected this expert even before we received the completed investigation so that we could move forward

■ See COBB on page 5

Ellison assumed the clarification was sufficient. But shortly after it was issued, he heard from school districts wanting to continue their SRO programs, even though many law enforcement agencies would not be returning to their schools.

State legislators requested that Governor Walz call a special session to amend the language, though some school districts—including Bloomington and Edina—found ways to continue their SRO programs in accordance with the way the law is currently written.

What has made school resource officers such a hotbutton issue is that community members are divided on the use of SROs, regardless of the

change in language. In the virtual meeting on September 7, those who opposed SROs greatly outnumbered those who support having them in schools.

In the meeting with the attorney general, Michelle Higgins, executive director of Rebuilding the Village, was ■ See SROs on page 5

City Council reneges on Third Precinct proposal

By H. Jiahong Pan

Writer

Contributing

n September 19, the Minneapolis City Council voted 11 to one to postpone discussions on what to do with the Third Precinct after council members balked at the idea of co-locating the Third Precinct with the First Precinct in downtown Minneapolis.

Since the Third Precinct was torched and evacuated days after George Floyd was murdered by former precinct officer Derek Chauvin, the city has struggled to find a suitable site. The city scuttled an idea for a temporary site at 26th and Minnehaha in 2020 after residents protested and some vandalized the building. Two other proposals presented earlier this year were both sidelined, with council members voting to never again locate the Third Precinct at its original site at Lake and Minnehaha.

Councilmember Andrea Jenkins floated a third idea, to locate the precinct with the under-construction First Precinct at the former Miller Vo-

cational High School, across the street from the Minneapolis Convention Center. Councilmembers voted to study the idea and are now balking at the proposal because of the cost and the time the Third Precinct would be co-located at the site–10 years.

“Three floors, 200 parking spaces, ten years, $30 million. It’s not something I’m gonna vote for,” said outgoing Council President Lisa Goodman.

“We’re holding up an owner of a building from making decisions about his plans moving

■ See 3RD PRECINCT on page 5

By H. Jiahong Pan

Contributing Writer

he Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) released a report on Thursday revealing test results over concerns Stillwater prisoners have about the facility’s water quality.

The report found that, while the water does have elements that have concerned prisoners and their loved ones in the past several weeks, the water is safe to drink. However, the state health department is

concerned about degrading quality of the water and called on the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC), to do something about it. In early September, amid a record-breaking heat wave, prisoners complained about the lack of air conditioning inside the prison walls, as well as water that tastes like metal. Some prisoners and those formerly incarcerated alleged drinking the water resulted in them developing stomach conditions, which include inflamed stomach lining and an

array of cancers as well as conditions affecting their hair and scalps.

The MDH tested the water on September 11, collecting samples from 81 sites throughout the prison. They transported the water to their lab in downtown St. Paul. Lab results confirmed that the water did have metals in it, particularly levels of iron and manganese that did not exceed secondary standards set in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

Federal law does not require government entities to

do anything to address issues in the secondary standards. However, the Environmental Protection Agency developed the standards to get government entities to clean up their water, because it was worried that people may stop drinking the water, even though it is actually safe to drink.

The report also found Still

water’s water supply had lev

els of lead, copper, chlorine and organic compounds that did not exceed federal water standards. The report also

MGN

Former SRO Mike Kirchen who started Bike Cops for Kids Photo courtesy of Facebook

Attorneys for Ricky Cobb II’s family at August press conference

Photo by H. Jiahong Pan

Charred remains of the old Third Precinct building

Photo by H. Jiahong Pan

Health department concerned about Stillwater water supply, but says it is safe to drink

Protests at Stillwater over prison conditions in early September

Photo by Chris Juhn

Metro Southside group attempts to rebuild trust in police

By H. Jiahong Pan

Contributing Writer

ff and on for the past two decades, a community group headquartered in a church basement at a residential South Minneapolis intersection has been trying to reform Minneapolis police. The group, whose members call themselves the Unity Community Mediation Team (UCMT), got together because they believed Minneapolis police were horrible.

“The culture…was just so corrupt and had no concern with the sanctity of life, especially for the African American and Native communities,” said Pastor Ian Bethel, who is part of UCMT. He leads the New Beginnings Baptist Ministries at 43rd Street and 1st Avenue in South Minneapolis, where the group meets every Monday morning.

“They were just blatantly pulling us over. Beating us. Not following through with complaints. Putting us in squad cars with police dogs,” said Bethel.

Bethel and other people who serve the Black, Native American and Hispanic communities got together to negotiate a memorandum of agreement with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD), with help from the U.S. Department of Justice. Although their efforts are being recognized by organizations that are giving them money to expand their enforcement power, they operate in relative secrecy despite insisting their meetings are open to the public. Their agreement also has no ap-

parent teeth, though UCMT members say that’s by design.

The early years

Frustration over renegade and unaccountable policing led to the creation of the UCMT in 2001. It was founded by late civil rights activists Clyde Bellecourt and Ron Edwards, who both sued the Minneapolis Police Department over their brutal practices that included shooting and killing a Black man and transporting Native men in the trunk of a squad car in the 1980s.

Edwards, who was once an MSR columnist, was so passionate about police reform that, according to MSR reporter Dwight Hobbes, he was barred from attending meetings to improve police relations with the community.

In 2003, the UCMT negotiated an agreement with the Minneapolis Police Department. The agreement outlined 107 reforms that Minneapolis police needed to address to gain community trust, in addition to establishing a PoliceCommunity Relations Council. The council and the UCMT dissolved in 2008 over a disagreement, but was revived in 2020 days after George Floyd was murdered.

ment to work on developing a mentorship program, trains officers to speak and understand a second language, and offers tuition reimbursement so officers from diverse backgrounds can increase their chances of getting promoted.

The agreement also requires the MPD to develop a form that allows civilians to complain about police officers. It establishes a PoliceCommunity Relations Council (PCRC), a 30-member group that oversees implementation of the agreement. The agreement also calls for 60 percent of those on the PCRC to be from the community.

Although they say the

ment the Minneapolis Police Department reached with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR). Both agreements address use of force, although the court-enforceable agreement is much more detailed. Both agreements address what training officers need to have and cannot have.

But the MDHR agreement focuses on data collection and developing clear policies for its officers, while the UCMT agreement focuses more on recruiting and retaining diverse officers. Another difference that sets the UCMT agreement apart from the MDHR agreement is that the UCMT agreement is not enforceable through the courts.

Anderson says the agreement banks on the MPD’s desire to have a good relationship with the community. “They understand that they need the trust [from] the community. The [MPD] can’t provide public safety if the community won’t talk to them,” said Anderson.

“When the Minneapolis Police Department takes [the community] seriously, then you can somehow begin to make another start at community trust,” said Bethel.

officers.

In July, they received a $50,000 grant from the Minneapolis Foundation to open six satellite offices throughout Minneapolis, to help community members file complaints against Minneapolis police officers to submit to the Office of Police Conduct Review.

These complaints would become public record and show up in Communities United Against Police Brutality’s online police complaint database.

The satellite offices won’t be opening until they receive direction from the city on how to process those complaints.

Meanwhile, community mem-

a Northside activist. They just won’t be seeking money from the city of Minneapolis because that would affect their ability to hold them accountable. One strategy they are considering is engaging youth through their Young People’s Task Force, which they established in August 2020.

They’re also looking for volunteers who have skills and expertise in any areas. They understand it may be hard for volunteers to be involved, because they meet every Monday, from 10 a.m. to noon. They decided on those meeting times because those are the hours that work for MPD representatives. They are also looking into meeting on from 4 to 6 p.m. on some days.

Al Flowers is one of those who took on the work to revive the UCMT. He is no stranger to all aspects of policing. His sister, Lisa Clemons, is a former Minneapolis police officer, and Flowers himself says he has been beaten by police many times during his life.

Flowers became involved with the UCMT because he believes Minneapolis residents need the police. “It would be easy for me to say that we don’t need police. But then I would be jeopardizing a lot of our community,” said Flowers, communications chair for the UCMT. “I know [my community] needs law enforcement, just because of the violence that happens in our community.”

The agreement

The agreement reached in 2003, between the UCMT and the Minneapolis Police Department, with help from the Department of Justice, requires officers to report use of force, to receive crisis-intervention training, as well as restricts certain use of force that officers can employ.

It also requires the depart-

meetings are open to the public, the UCMT does not appear to publicize meeting information or associated agendas and minutes anywhere. “We invite people who are interested in the work we do,” said Mark Anderson, secretary of the UCMT.

Many points in the community agreement are similar to the court-enforceable agree-

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The UCMT has tried to hold the MPD accountable on their own. But now they expect they will have more capacity to do so, thanks to funding that they are receiving for the first time in the organization’s history that allows them to open up satellite offices in communities that MPD has brutalized.

bers who need help filing a complaint against an MPD officer can visit the Unity Community Mediation Team during their regular meeting hours at New Beginnings Baptist Ministries, 4301 1st Avenue South in Minneapolis, every Monday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Meanwhile, they are looking for more money to expand their efforts. “[Communities of color] ain’t going to no government building to do no complaints,” said Bethel.

In addition to Flowers, UCMT includes those who are a part of the American Indian Movement, as well as those who serve the Somali and Latino communities, including Urvina Davis. She first learned about the UCMT when she chaired the city’s civil rights commission and was invited to a police-community meeting where she saw a lot of people she knew.

“I’ve known [the individuals involved with UCMT] long enough to know what their passion is, and what their dedication is,” said Urvina Davis. “Reverend Bethel and I know each other so well that…we almost finish each other’s sentences.”

The Police-Community Relations Council meets monthly. Contact UCMT at (612) 8010034, for details on upcoming meetings.

Minneapolis Police Department. One strategy they’re implementing is to help community members file complaints against Minneapolis police

And, to expand their efforts, they’re looking for more.

“[We’re open to] whoever funds organizations such as ours,” said Anita Urvina Davis,

H. Jiahong Pan welcomes reader comments at hpan@ spokesman-recorder.com.

“The MPD can’t provide public safety if the community won’t talk to them.”

Al Flowers (left foreground) and Pastor Ian Bethel (right background) at UCMT office

UCMT’s Pastor Ian Bethel

Photos by H. Jiahong Pan

Embrace the crisp fall season with these enchanting crafts

s the summer days gradually give way to the crisp air and vibrant colors of fall, it’s time to embrace the change of seasons and indulge in some delightful fall-themed crafts. Whether you’re a family of avid crafters or looking to provide some entertainment for your kids, these crafts will help you bid farewell to summer and welcome the cozy charm of autumn. From leaf-inspired decorations to pumpkinthemed projects, let’s dive into a world of crafts that capture the essence of fall.

Fall-Themed Nature Crafts

One of the best ways to celebrate the fall season is to create crafts made from items found outdoors.

Leaf Pressed Art

Capture the beauty of nature’s transformation by creating leaf-pressed art. Take a stroll through the park or your backyard and gather a variety of colorful leaves. Place them between the pages of heavy books and let them dry for a few weeks. Once they’re fully dried and flattened, frame them or use them to adorn greeting cards, bookmarks, or a fall-inspired collage.

Pinecone Bird Feeders

Transform pinecones into

delightful bird feeders to attract feathered friends to your backyard. Tie a string or twine to the top of a pinecone, slather it with peanut butter, and then roll it in birdseed. Hang these feeders from tree branches and enjoy watching birds visit your garden during the fall season.

Twig Picture Frames

Craft rustic picture frames using twigs collected from the outdoors. Gather twigs of similar lengths and widths and then glue them around the edges of a wooden or cardboard frame. Once the glue is dry, leave the frame with its natural look or paint it in fall colors to match the season. These make a perfect gift for the grandparents or a delightful way to frame that colorful photo of your kids jumping into a pile of leaves.

For more nature craft ideas using acorns, pinecones, apples, leaves, and more, read Best Fall Nature Crafts by

Rhythms of Play.

Mason Jar Crafts

Mason jars are typically used for storing foods for the winter. Using them as a vessel for your fall-themed crafts gives a nod to the changing seasons.

Pumpkin Spice Candles

What better way to celebrate fall than with pumpkin spice’s warm and comforting scent? Make scented candles by melting soy wax and add-

ing pumpkin spice-scented oil. Pour the melted wax into mason jars or decorative candle holders, add a wick, and let them cool. These delightful candles will fill your home with the cozy fragrance of autumn.

Mason Jar Lanterns

Transform ordinary mason jars into enchanting lanterns that radiate the warm glow of fall. Paint the jars orange, red, and brown hues, or apply fall-

colored tissue paper with glue. Once dry, wrap twine or rustic ribbon around the mouth of the jar, securing it with glue. Place a small votive candle inside and watch as the flickering light illuminates the charming autumn colors.

Candy Corn Jar

Replicate this iconic fall treat by making a candy corn jar. Paint it with white, yellow, and orange stripes. Then, fill it with your favorite fall candies.

Animal-Themed Fall Crafts

As we prepare for the cooler weather, our animal friends are also getting ready. Animal crafts are a fun way to celebrate these busy creatures.

• Owl Crafts like painted rocks, paper plate owls, or nosew towels are a fun way to celebrate this wise bird.

• These woodland creature crafts featuring deer, squirrels, raccoons, and other furry for-

est animals are simply adorable.

• Hedgehogs are another cute animal for craft projects. They’re perfect for the cozy fall weather, especially when using outdoor items like leaves or pinecones.

• And, of course, spookier animals like bats make for fun fall-themed craft activities, too.

As summer fades away, the arrival of fall presents an opportunity to engage in creative endeavors that celebrate the changing seasons. These fall-themed crafts infuse your surroundings with the cozy ambiance of autumn, help you embrace the beauty of fall, and bid a fond farewell to summer. So, gather your supplies, unleash your kid’s creativity, and let these crafts be a joyful reminder of autumn’s wonders.

MSR + Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) share a mission of protecting, maintaining and improving the health of ALL Minnesotans. Our shared vision for health equity in Minnesota, where ALL communities are thriving and ALL people have what they need to be healthy is the foundation of our partnership to bring readers our feature, Parenting Today. Good health starts with family! To view our weekly collection of stories, go to our website or scan the code.

Don’t forget to check your blood pressure

Ramsey County offered hypertension screenings for Black women

By Sheletta Brundidge Contributing Writer

ccording to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Black women are statistically at higher risk for a number of serious and dangerous health conditions.

The CDC statistics note that African American women have the highest rate of death due to heart disease and are nearly 60 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than White women. High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for heart disease.

In addition, African American women have the highest rate of death from stroke compared to other ethnic groups.

Free Home Modifications

That’s why Ramsey County Public Health Department staged a blood pressure screening specifically targeting Black women. The afternoon screening took place at Flava Cafe, a St. Paul coffee shop owned by Shaunie Grigsby, a Black woman herself, on Saturday, Sept. 9.

“Sometimes we forget to check on ourselves first,” warned Darcea Handy, a registered nurse who conducted the screenings. “As Black wom-

en, we aren’t taught to do that.”

By taking two blood pressure readings, Handy was able to identify women whose blood pressure was too high. She was also able to provide them with medical information about heart health and encouragement to see their healthcare provider for diagnosis and possible medication to manage their blood pressure.

Handy said that reducing sodium intake, watching food intake, and adding light exercise, even light movement, can all contribute to lowering blood pressure or keeping it out of the dangerous range.

She said that managing stress is also critical. “Stress can be a silent killer, and we’re not paying attention to that.

“It’s very important to have balance in our life as well,” Handy said. “You’ve got to take time out for yourself. You’ve got to make time in your day to sit with your thoughts; there’s nothing wrong with that.”

The strongest reminder was for Black women to remember what is at stake in managing their health.

“You want to be there for your children, for your family,” she said. “Take a walk, get a breath of fresh air. We can break that cycle.”

Sheletta Brundidge welcomes reader comments at sbrundidge@spokesman-recorder.com.

“Stress can be a silent killer, and we’re not paying attention to that.”

Evgeny Atamanenko via 123RF

Photo by Designecologist on Pexels.com

Darcea Handy (r), registered nurse conducting screenings Photos by Travis Johansen

A business built on beats and songs

By Chris Juhn Staff Contributor

hen Cameron Nelson started Syndicate Music Group in 2011, you could say that music was in his blood. His father, Craig Dion, was on the Minneapolissound circuit in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s playing drums and even backing up Mint Condition. “I was exposed to this industry early on, you know,” said 35-year-old Nelson. “I got my first keyboard for Christmas when I was five years old. As a kid, I rewired my headphones and made a microphone so my karaoke machine had the ability to record. I didn’t even know what I was doing at the time, but I was produc ing. From that point, it just kind of snowballed.” Syndicate Music Group makes beats (music tracks used by hip hop artists) and writes songs, which it sells to recording companies and artists. In turn, the company gets producer and song writer credits for the beats and songs it produces.

MSR: When did you realize you were making beats and the business started to come together?

CN: Probably when my sister and I formed a band. It was then that I realized I’m actually record ing tracks. It wasn’t top tier like what we’re working on now, but I understood the basic concepts early on. Probably when I was like eight, nine, or 10, I was getting the concept. As my experience, knowledge, and my equipment grew, I was able to learn and get to that industry-standard level.

MSR: How does your business impact the com munity?

CN: So as a part of Syn dicate Music Group, we partnered with a friend of mine and we developed a nonprofit organiza tion called No Locked Doors. What we did with that program, or nonprofit, is we started community outreach.

And we did a cou ple of music programs at the Boys and Girls Clubs—one at Pow derhorn and Pow ell. So we have one running over South [Minneapolis] and one over North. And then there’s an afterschool, sum mer school type of setting. We meet

sic, videos, cameras, editing and engineering.

MSR: What is your most popular product or service? Music is the main thing—just the production stuff that we create.

MSR: What artists have you worked with that someone would recognize? I did some work on Mint Conditions’ last holiday album that they produced a few years back called “Healing Season.” Normally, when I produce or sell beats, I put, like, a specific stamp on the beat so you can hear it in the first seven bars of the song. That’s how they can recognize my music and they just listen to the beat. It’s like a little stamp or tag. But I’ve worked with many local artists.

MSR: What has been your biggest challenge in owning a business?

CN: Not biting off more than I can chew with running a multimedia company,

MSR: What has been the most rewarding part of owning your business?

CN: Just the recognition. I think, honestly, when Mint Condition was nominated for that Grammy back in, I think it was 2017. Helping them out with two or three out of the 10 songs that they had on the album, I think it’s my biggest accomplishment at this point.

MSR: What does success look like for you?

CN: Ideally, I’d like to get some type of production deal. Whether that’s with a record company or some sync licensing [synchronizing music with any form of visual media],

where I can sustain it on my own and not have to worry about working nine-to-five. I want to be able to do this full time and not worry about where the next meal is coming from.

Speak it into existence. Say it so many times that it’s embedded in your mind.

MSR: Did the pandemic change anything?

CN: Temporarily. There weren’t any shows going on for a while. A lot of people had to pivot and that’s where social media kind of blew everything up. These 10-15 second TikTok clips kind of changed the game and kind of changed the music.

But me personally, with the pandemic I was kind of grounded at home, and it forced me to just get creative and find different ways to stay busy and stay working.

MSR: What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

CN: I don’t mean to sound corny or cheesy, but if you dream it you can achieve it.

When I was eight or nine, playing drums, I always secretly pictured myself at the Grammys accepting my award. Speak it into existence. Say it so many times that it’s embedded in your mind. Don’t give up. There are those days that things don’t work out. But push through it because those are the moments that count. And that can change your life.

Syndicate Music can be found on social media: @syndicat4 music group, syndicatemusicgroup@ icloud.com.

Chris Juhn welcomes reader comments at cjuhn@spokesman-recorder.com.

Cameron Nelson in Syndicate Music Group studio

Photos by Chris Juhn

SRO s

Continued from page 1

not sure why the conversation was important. “What is it that people are fighting for?

To get [police officers] in?” she asked Ellison. “I’m confused as to why there’s someone on the other side fighting for them to come in and hurt our children.”

Some schools have successfully met their security needs for years without using SROs. However, “There are some people who believe that having an SRO in the school is beneficial to order and safety in the school,” Ellison said, in response.

State Representative Cedric Frazier, who was also on the call, said, “The long-term effect [of not having SROs] would really mean that folks would learn that you don’t need SROs in your school to have safety… The school district isn’t forbidding [SROs] from coming into their buildings anymore. [Law enforcement is] deciding to pull back, and they are using this law as a reason why.”

Michael Smith of the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) said that the use of school resource officers is too small to meet the security needs of students and reflects a lack of investment in education. “We have a resource officer who comes into the school and has to deal with 1,400 kids in the city, down to 600, depending on where they may be. I feel like that’s a lot for a single individual to take on,” Smith said.

“If we know the crisis that we are in right now, as far as school shootings and excessive violent crimes that are happening in our country, where is the investment in our schools in regard to the

COBB

Continued from page 1

with our work immediately upon receipt of the file,” said Moriarty in a statement. Moriarty also called for patience from the community, some of whom demand Londregan be fired and charged, as they work on the case.

3RD PRECINCT

Continued from page 1

forward [which include a hotel], and even more importantly, we are holding up building out the First Precinct.”

Councilmember Andrew Johnson agrees, insisting that Third Precinct officers need to be headquartered in the Third Precinct. “What we need is officers back in the Third Precinct. We need to identify a location there. I do not support $30 million, ten years, zero community engagement,

STILLWATER

Continued from page 1

mentioned it did not find any levels of coliform, leading the MDH to believe that H. pylori, a bacteria that causes stomach inflammation known as gastritis, would not be found in the water supply.

The report also noted concerns about the water infrastructure at Stillwater and recommended that the DOC notify staff and prisoners about the water report; clean, maintain and flush the building’s water infrastruc-

basic necessities of just metal detectors for walking into the building?”

In the virtual meeting, one of the few supporters of bringing SROs back to Minneapolis Public Schools was Lynne Crockett, a Northsider. “Our buildings are safer with SROs,” she said in the meeting. “Our SROs have relationships with our kids. And in my 22 years of involvement with Minneapolis Public Schools, North High in particular, I have never once witnessed use of force.”

Over the last 22 years, Crockett has served as staff and volunteered in MPS. During that time, she has observed school resource officers building relationships with the kids, staff and families. In fact, during a general assembly Crockett attended at Loring for her granddaughter’s last day at the elementary school, all the students were sitting on the floor listening to the principal when the door opened and Officer Mike Kirchen, who was the SRO for Lucy Laney, walked in.

“The kids jumped up and ran to him,” Crockett explained in speaking with the Spokesman. “The principal was trying to get order back. For me to see that, all kids, all colors, jumping up and running to this officer,” she continued.

“Northsiders are not known for embracing White police officers.”

Mike Kirchen began his SRO career at Lucy Laney on Penn Avenue in North Minneapolis in September of 2008. After six years there he worked fulltime on a program he started with another resource officer called Bike Cops for Kids.

In his interview with the Spokesman, Kirchen did not want to address the use-offorce language in the current law. But he offered that SROs get to know students

The Cobb family attorneys, former South Carolina state representative Bakari Sellers, Harry Daniels and F. Clayton Tyler, thanked Moriarty in a statement and added that they remain hopeful the investigation will result in a charging decision despite uncooperative state troopers.

“While we are disappointed and deeply troubled that some

on a personal level. “Those relationships that we would build all school year were so valuable,” he said. “You really have a good relationship that you nurture throughout the school year. And those kids really trust you as a police officer wearing that uniform.”

Instead of school resource officers, Minneapolis has instituted what are called community security specialists, who call 911 if a problem arises and law enforcement is required. A patrol officer is dispatched who does not have a relationship with the students in the school.

“If there was a fight, I could go up and start calling some of them by their first names and kind of de-escalating the situation,” Kirchen explained.

There were 16 resource officers in Minneapolis when the program began, and it was important to get officers who would make connections with children. Kirchen said when juvenile crimes occurred, they were able to handle it at the school level, keeping the child in school and out of the system.

In St. Paul Public Schools,

state patrol officers have refused to cooperate with the BCA in-

support for the use of SROs is divided, according to the “SPPS Family Safety Survey Results: School Safety” survey. However, the introduction to the survey states, “Respondent demographics are not representative of the SPPS student population and family population. Most clearly, white parents and families are overrepresented in the survey responses.”

In a similar survey done with students, “Ninety-one percent of high school students who responded to the survey said they think that SSLs (School Security Liaisons) are a good idea,” said Erica Wacker, SPPS director of communications.

As part of their training, School Security Liaisons or SSLs complete two weeks of training in crisis intervention.

“They are not police officers, so they can’t arrest anybody. But they carry handcuffs. They carry Narcan for overdoses,” Wacker explained. “In certain circumstances, they will call SPPD if it goes above and beyond what they can handle.”

Wacker says that although they do not use SROs, they

only for the family of Ricky Cobb II, but for all the people of Min-

“The old ways of silence and turning a blind eye are over. Accountability is coming no matter how hard you try

vestigation, we remain hopeful that this investigation will lead to a semblance of justice, not

nesota,” said the attorneys. The attorneys also warned Londregan and his colleagues

quarters, but did not specify where. He and his aides did not respond to inquiries asking about the site.

Jenkins, who is in a tough reelection race against Soren Stevenson for her seat in November, abstained from voting. Before she voted, she expressed her frustration over not being a part of the conversations about moving the Third Precinct somewhere else.

have a strong relationship with the St. Paul Police Department (SPPD) through communication with staff, security, and their emergency management department. “It really is a collaborative effort between the schools. And when needed, the police department and other first responders are always a phone call away.”

Having to make a call is what concerns some community members like Lisa Delgado who worked as a Washington, D.C. police officer. Delgado, her brother, and her son all graduated from North High School in Minneapolis. She said SROs are essential when used correctly.

Prior to districts severing SRO contracts, Delgado said they had resource officers who were community-oriented. Though the district could only make suggestions on the

students and staff.”

She also says SROs had good communication with school administrators, so if there were rumors of a child in the building with a gun or a parent showing up upset to the point where the situation is dangerous or violent, they could have a discussion about the best course of action. As it stands, when an officer is called, the school has no control over who will show up.

“If I were a police officer and I just got off a call where I had to do CPR on a baby that died, and then I got to go deal with somebody’s drama at the high school or middle school, I might not be in the right frame of mind answering that phone call,” said Delgado.

Attorney General Ellison has issued a binding legal opinion in another attempt to provide law enforcement with clarity. And the legislature is taking further action.

by the way, around this,” said Johnson.

He added that he had

ture; have a licensed plumber inspect the facility’s water pipes; and draft a water management plan.

Meanwhile, activists allege a just-released prisoner was retaliated against who was outspoken about the Stillwater water crisis. They say he was taken into custody for bringing a bottle of tainted water out of Stillwater prison. “He’s in custody because he violated one of his conditions of release, which was to have no contact with a victim,” said DOC spokesperson Andy Skoogman. The DOC also announced earlier last week that water

identified yet another site in the precinct area that could be used as a precinct head-

tested at the Lino Lakes prison yielded elevated levels of lead that exceeded Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

Three of ten testing sites in the bathrooms of “programming” buildings yielded water that had elevated levels of lead. The DOC will provide bottled water for prisoners, with a prisoner reporting that they will receive seven 16.9 oz. bottles of water per day—one at lunch, one at dinner, and five before bedtime.

H. Jiahong Pan welcomes reader comments at hpan@ spokesman-recorder.com.

officers MPD sent to schools, if the person wasn’t a good fit, MPS could request that they be removed. Over the years, this resulted in resource officers that were representative of the student body and there were few complaints.

As a result of MPS’ decision, “The officer that was at Henry graduated from Henry. The officer that was at North graduated at North,” said Delgado.

“They were working in schools with their family members as

about not cooperating with the investigation. “The old ways of silence and turning a blind eye are over. Accountability is coming no matter how hard you try to hide,” said the attorneys.

Meanwhile, Imran Ali, the former Washington County attorney and current president of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, lambasted Moriarty’s com-

termined,” said Jenkins. “I fully believe that we need to come to some kind of resolution around the Third Precinct for our staff who are working in unsuitable conditions now.”

“Today, we are announcing a commitment to hold public hearings about SROs in the House and the Senate within the first two weeks of the 2024 legislative session,” according to a September 21 statement from state legislators. “After discussions with law-enforcement organization leaders, we all believe these latest developments will help to return SROs to schools as soon as possible.”

Further clarification of the language in the legislation and public hearings will have no impact this school year on the metro area’s two largest school systems—Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools— unless they reconsider their decision to abandon their SRO programs.

Vickie Evans-Nash welcomes reader comments at vnash@ spokesman-recorder.com.

ments as running afoul of her job and the profession. “As a former prosecutor, it’s clear her comments run contrary to due process rights. Prosecutors are the ministers of justice, and these statements unethically tip the balance,” said Ali.

H. Jiahong Pan welcomes reader comments at hpan@ spokesman-recorder.com.

“I don’t think I’ve been a part of any of these broad conversations. I’m not sure where that consensus was determined or how it was de-

Meanwhile, as the city figures out what to do about

the Third Precinct, its officers congregate at the City of Lakes building diagonally across from City Hall. The city says the building, completed in 1959 as part of the city’s larger urban renewal efforts in the Gateway district, is “inadequate” for police operations. The city wants to demolish the building for a development that could include a combination of housing, hotels, offices and parking.

H. Jiahong Pan welcomes reader comments at hpan@ spokesman-recorder.com.

“The long-term effect of not having SROs would really mean that folks would learn that you don’t need SROs in your school to have safety.”

Northsider Lynne Crockett supports bringing back SROs.

Photo by Chris Juhn

to hide.”

“What we need is officers back in the Third Precinct.

We need to identify a location there.”

Tale of two Underground Railroad communities

By Christopher J. Miller, Sr. NNPA Newswire

eptember is International Underground Railroad Month. This proclamation began in the State of Maryland in 2019, and now 12 states officially celebrate one of the most significant eras in U.S. history. With the signing of Ohio HB 340 in June 2022, Ohio became the 12th state to designate September International Underground Railroad Month.

Many history enthusiasts and scholars hope the momentum of the proclamation spreads to other states so that all our forebears of freedom are remembered. Examining this era, the Ohio River Valley is instrumental in the many narratives of freedom seekers. These stories are critical to the understanding of race relations and civic responsibilities.

Before the Civil War, many communities in the Ohio River Valley were part of an elaborate system that provided re-

sources and protection for enslaved persons from Southern states on their journey to freedom. Once someone crossed the Ohio River, they traveled along unknown terrain of trails to safe houses and hiding places that would become known as the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was composed of courageous

people who were held to a higher law that confronted the institution of slavery with acts of civil disobedience by helping freedom seekers elude enslavers and slave hunters and help them get to Canada.

Many communities were a force for freedom along the more than 900-mile stretch of the Ohio River Valley, but I

would like to focus on two significant communities. Southern Indiana was a major part of this history. It was originally believed that there were stops from Posey to South Bend, Corydon to Porter, and Madison to DeKalb County, with many stops in between.

In further examination, the Underground Railroad in Indiana was a web of trails through the forests, swamps, briars and dirt roads. The city that is often overlooked in reflecting on the history of the Underground Railroad is New Albany, Indiana.

By 1850, New Albany was the largest city in Indiana, with a population of 8,632. Free Blacks accounted for 502 of that population. Across the river, Louisville was Kentucky’s largest city, with a population of 42,829. A quarter of the 6,687 Black population were free in Louisville.

Louisville and New Albany would grow to become a significant region for Underground Railroad activity. People like

Henson McIntosh became a prominent community member and major Underground Railroad conductor. McIntosh was one of approximately 10 Underground Railroad agents in New Albany who used their wealth and influence to impact the lives of freedom seekers crossing the Ohio River.

The Carnegie Center for Art & History is an outstanding resource that continues to preserve New Albany’s role during the Underground Railroad era. Approximately 104 miles east along the Ohio River is another institution that plays a critical role in elevating the profile of the Underground Railroad on a national scope.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is located on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio. By 1850, Cincinnati would grow to be the sixth-largest city in the Union, with a sizable Black population.

The Freedom Center is prominently located in the heart of a historic Black com-

munity called Little Africa. Although the community no longer exists, its legacy lives on through the Freedom Center.

As with New Albany, the community that resided along the banks of the river served an important role in the story of the Underground Railroad. Little Africa was the gateway to freedom for thousands of freedom seekers escaping slavery. Although there were Underground Railroad networks throughout the country, Ohio had the most active network of any other state, with approximately 3,000 miles of routes used by an estimated 40,000 freedom seekers who crossed through Little Africa. Despite the growth of enslavement leading up to the Civil War, communities such as Little Africa and New Albany reveal the realities regarding race relations and a model for the dignity of human life through their respective efforts to be kind and resilient friends for the freedom seekers.

For more information:

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center – freedomcenter.org

Cincinnati Tourism – www.visitcincy.com

Carnegie Center for Art & History – carnegiecenter.org

Southern Indiana Tourism – www.gosoin.com

Christopher J. Miller, Sr. is the director of education & community engagement at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Gateway to Freedom sign

Town Clock Church (aerial view)

Inside Town Clock Church, a New Albany, Indiana safe house

277

Ronald L. Scott

Sunrise, June 26, 1940—Sunset, September 16, 2023

After the Army, Ronald enrolled at the University of Minnesota (Mpls) and received a bachelor’s degree. He then entered into a human services career working in a variety of positions in the Twin Cities area. His last position was at the Ramsey County Human Services Department in St. Paul, where he worked on behalf of foster children. He was well-liked and respected by the staff and children alike.

Because of the health challenges that Ronald had endured over the years, he moved in with his sister, Lilene (Liz) Moore, in Minneapolis, who provided loving care to him with the help of a personal health care attendant and a strong support network of relatives and friends.

R

Ronald lived in Minneapolis and Gary, Indiana, in his youth. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Gary, Indiana, in 1958. He joined the United States Army in 1960. He was an Airborne Ranger and attained the rank of staff sergeant (E6) before he was honorably discharged in 1966.

onald L. Scott was born on June 26, 1940 in Des Moines, Iowa. He passed away on September 16, 2023 in Minneapolis. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Verga Whitmore.Ronald leaves to cherish his memory a host of relatives and friends in the Twin Cities and throughout the United States.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, October 2, 2023 at Brooks Funeral Home, 862 Concordia Avenue, in St. Paul. Following the service is a repast from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at the Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington counties, 450 Syndicate Street (University and Syndicate), Suite 35, in St. Paul.

N

Obituary

Nothando Zulu

Nothando, which means “mother of love” in the Zulu language, was proud to say that she was a country girl from rural Franklin in Southampton County, Virginia. Born a sharecropper’s daughter, she came to Minnesota at the age of 16.

Nothando was best known as a warm, loving community advocate whose storytelling prowess earned her numerous national and international awards for oral storytelling in the African and African American traditions. Nothando will be honored at this year’s 33rd Master Storytellers Festival on September 28-30.

othando Zulu, master storyteller, cofounder and president of the Black Storytellers Alliance (BSA) and producer of the annual Black Master Storytellers Festival, “Signifyin’ & Testifyin’” for the past 32 years, entered the Village of the Ancestors at the age of 78 on September 11, 2023.Nothando leaves to mourn her loss her husband, Vusumuzi; children, Makeda, Keke, Terrence, David and Stephanie; her sister-in-law, 17 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, seven nieces, five nephews, seven great nieces, six great nephews, and numerous extended family, community children and friends.

The funeral was held on Wednesday, September 27 at New Salem Baptist Church, 2507 N.

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with the state legislator.

“That was my biggest concern about the NIL stuff. Sharks in the water trying to capitalize off [college athletes]. And I’m sure [Dexter’s] situation was not the first or the only. It’s just the one that we’ve heard about.”

We’ve known Shuck for several years. Her doctorate work at Indiana focused on college student athletes’ experiences, specifically Black athletes. Shuck’s work also included listening to taped interviews conducted by athletic historian John Richard Behee, who interviewed 28 Black University of Michigan athletes between 1969 and 1974 for his book “Hail to the Victors” (1974), which at the time was considered a pioneering study on race and athletes.

“His work was my guiding

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Continued from page 12

of pride myself on building a solid foundation in terms of the culture, one of togetherness and just doing things as a team at all times.”

A recent example occurred during the Gopher football home opener that she, the coaches and players all attended. They all gathered around their coach’s phone and watched Coco Gauff compete, winning the US Open, en route to a Gopher victory .

Arterberry conveniently used this as a teachable moment: “It’s a huge impact to obviously see a young [Black] female to be able to play at that level,” noted the head coach. “I tried to tell my student-athletes that you have to be like that on a daily basis.” She specifically pointed to the 19-year-old Gauff’s “grit.”

“You can model whoever you want as an athlete. But

star,” recalled Shuck, who added that years later she finally got to meet him in person. Behee knew of her work, which surprised her, Shuck added.

“He was complimenting me on my work. I have been trying to find this man throughout my whole study. And last year…he approached me to help him,” she continued, with a study he is doing on Black female athletes. “Because I’m a Black woman, he thought that that would add more credibility.”

Shuck also has been a longtime advocate of college athletes getting paid. She thought NIL might be a step towards this. But it also has its drawbacks, she added.

Now the executive director of the Chicago-based Seneca Foundation, an organization that works with Black and Latino recent high schools graduates hoping to work in the tech industry, Shuck told us that when

just know if you want to get to that level, there’s going to be certain things that you’ll have to do,” she said. “You have to be open-minded and be willing to change those things,” said Arterberry referring to Gauff’s accomplishment.

“The last year she started working with a new coach. And the impact he has had on her in one year, I think kind of inspires our girls.”

After San Diego, the Gophers have a couple more events before the fall season concludes in November. But for Arterberry and her two assistant coaches, there’s little time to rest.

“We’re constantly recruiting,” she pointed out. “You’re never done recruiting. We’ll go out and travel whenever we get breaks during the year, during the fall semester. It’s a constant process.”

The ongoing reccruiting process goes on while Arterberry strives to rebuild a Gopher team whose 2022

signing these NIL deals, college athletes must be better advised. If it is true that Dexter was duped into a bad NIL deal, that shows once again, the importance of fully protecting Black athletes on and off the field, she continued.

“Number one, I feel that schools need to be providing these kids with [legal advice support]. The school should take responsibility for helping educate these kids. Those are the concerns I’ve been having.”

Shuck wants to continue her work with young people to prepare them for life after sports by starting her own nonprofit organization. “One of the things that I want to do is develop a sports-medicine program for athletes. We have to let kids know, especially our [Black] kids that are so fixed on sports,” that there’s more.

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

season was cut short in April, because of too few healthy players. They had to forfeit their last five matches.

“I believe that once we set that foundation, the tennis portion of it follows, if we have a team that works together with one common goal,” said Arterberry. “Every single day, we literally try to make this place one that the student-athletes look forward to coming to every single day.

“So, we create an environment where they feel like they can come and get away from class and get away from all the craziness that happens in their life on a daily basis,” said Arterberry.

“I think the challenge, as we move forward, is obviously to continue to build a competitive team that will be able to compete in our conference.”

Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments at challman@ spokesman-recorder.com.

Nurturing children with a heart for justice

By Marian Wright Edelman

Delivering climate resilience funding to communities that need it most

By Erik A. Hooks NNPA Newswire

We know that disasters do not discriminate. Yet, recovery from the same event can be uneven from community to community, perpetuating pre-existing inequalities. Recognizing these disparities, FEMA and the entire Biden-Harris administration have prioritized equity when it comes to accessing federal programs and resources.

The numbers tell the story.

Just last month, FEMA announced nearly $3 billion in climate mitigation project selections nationwide to help communities build resilience through its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) national competition and Flood Mitigation Assistance program. In total, more than 50 percent of these projects will benefit disadvantaged communities, and in particular, 70 percent of BRIC projects will do the same.

These selections further underscore the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to equity and reaffirm FEMA’s mission of helping people before, during and after disasters, delivering funding to the communities that need it most.

Building on this momentum and our people-first approach, FEMA recently announced the initial designation of nearly 500 census tracts, which will be eligible for increased federal support to become more resilient to natural hazards and extreme weather worsened by the climate crisis.

FEMA will use “Community Disaster Resilience Zone” designations to direct and manage financial and technical assistance for resilience projects nationwide, targeting communities most at risk due to climate change. More Community Disaster Resilience

Zone designations, including tribal lands and territories, are expected to be announced in the fall of 2023.

These types of investments have and will yield a significant return on investment for communities nationwide. For example, in my home state of North Carolina, the historic community of Princeville, founded by freed African American slaves, uses BRIC funding to move vulnerable homes and critical utilities out of flood-prone areas.

With extreme weather events becoming increasingly intense and frequent due to climate change, we must keep pressing forward and continue investing in ways to better protect ourselves and our neighbors.

In East Harlem, BRIC dollars will provide nature-based flood control solutions to mitigate the impacts of extreme rainfall events in the Clinton low-income housing community. While we are encouraged by these investments, we know more must be done.

Not every community has the personnel, the time or the resources to apply for these federal dollars. Fortunately, FEMA offers free, Direct Technical Assistance to help under-resourced communities navigate the grant application process and get connected with critical resources.

Under the leadership of FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, this assistance has been a gamechanger, reducing barriers and providing even more flexible,

customer-focused, tailored support to communities interested in building and sustaining successful resilience programs.

In Eastwick, Philadelphia, FEMA’s dedicated support helped the city with outreach to multiple federal agencies. Together, we built a comprehensive community-led flood mitigation strategy. When applied and implemented, this will make this community more resilient to hazards like flooding, which was negatively affecting many neighborhood blocks.

In DePue, Illinois, we worked hand-in-hand with communities to improve their ability to submit high-quality funding applications for hazard mitigation projects. We are happy to share that DePue is the first Direct Technical Assistance community to be selected in the BRIC national competition.

We know they will not be the last. Thanks to this assistance and their ambition, DePue was awarded more than $20 million to build a new wastewater treatment plant, which will reduce flooding and raw sewage backup into the basements of homes.

In total, our agency is working with over 70 communities, including tribal nations, to increase access to funding for mitigation projects that will make communities more livable and resilient.

With extreme weather events becoming increasingly intense and frequent due to climate change, we must keep pressing forward and continue investing in ways to better protect ourselves and our neighbors. And we are encouraged that local officials are engaging with us to learn more about the benefits of the BRIC non-financial Direct Technical Assistance initiative.

Just last week we saw hundreds of participants nationwide register for a recent webinar on this important topic. We want to see even more communities take advantage of this initiative, and, ultimately, obtain grants for innovative and forward-looking resilience projects.

I recently shared several passages from a sermon my dear friend Rev. Dr. Shannon DaleyHarris, who served Children’s Defense Fund for 30 years, preached at Princeton University Chapel titled “Draw the Circle Wide.” In it, Rev. Daley-Harris spoke about the need for all of us to draw circles wide enough to see and welcome others in, instead of creating walls that keep others out.

She also asked an important question: How do we learn to act with love and justice? Rev. Daley-Harris shared that thanks to a grant from the Children’s Spirituality Research and Innovation Hub at Union Presbyterian Seminary, she has been engaged in a research project, “Nurturing Children with a Heart for Justice,” to understand how children from birth to age eight develop an understanding of justice.

She explained some of her first findings: “The surprising bottom line is that children understand justice much sooner than we might assume… From the time they are babies, children are putting together many of the pieces that will develop into an understanding of justice. While still infants and toddlers, children prefer those who help to those who hinder, and want to help. They expect resources to be shared equally and want to share equally.”

She also shared research showing that even young children value equity more than strict equality following explicit conversations with adults that show them the difference in ageappropriate ways. Absent these conversations, children often default to equality or to explanations like personal effort or per-

sonal qualities to understand why things seem unfair.

But when children as young as five understand that a high-status group created, maintains, and perpetuates structures that lead to inequality, it reduces children’s bias and increases their efforts to rectify inequality. Rev. Daley-Harris added, “That means we adults must not shy away from these brave and honest conversations.”

Rev. Daley-Harris is studying “how children create ‘moral circles,’ and how they are helped to understand differences they observe. From infancy, children develop a familiarity bias; those whom they see, interact with, are cared for by, are familiar.

As they observe who is around

“None of us, not even babies, is ‘color blind’ when it comes to seeing people.”

them, children develop ‘moral circles’ defined by researchers Chalik and Rhodes as ‘boundaries within which we view others as worthy of moral concern.’ Researcher Paul Bloom notes that children sort people into three large circles: ‘Kin,’ ‘In-Group,’ and ‘Strangers.’

As they are developing these circles, based on familiarity, of who is kin, in-group and strangers, babies are also observing characteristics of people. They notice languages, accents, genders, ages, skin tones, and more, preferring those that are familiar. And so, we see in babies that it is an inevitable part of human nature to categorize; none of us, not even babies, is ‘color blind’ when it comes to seeing people.”

But, she emphasized, “babies

and young children don’t attach values to any of these observed categories automatically. Children first look to adults to discern what significance differences have.”

She continued on this critical point: “If we treat people with different skin tones, languages, sexualities, genders, as bad or less than, our children will. If we wall ourselves off, hem ourselves into homogenous circles, our children will see those unlike themselves as ‘other.’ But, if we seek out or create a diverse community, an inclusive circle of chosen family or ‘kin,’ that’s how our children will regard them.

Researcher Bloom observes that “the categories of kin, ingroup, and stranger are porous. Getting to know those who seem ‘other’ personally, through stories, by joining in common cause, and focusing on individual identities, all help widen our moral circles.

“And the powerful metaphor of kinship affects children’s perceptions, emotions and actions as well. If we lean into our shared identity as children of God, which makes everyone ‘kin,’ then our children will too.”

This is a call to us. Helping children see that we all share a common kinship—and should all treat others as we want to be treated—is a critical step towards nurturing and preserving their innate sense of justice. Rev. DaleyHarris summed up: “It’s never too soon and it’s never too late to proclaim, teach, remind and enact the truth that each person is kin as a beloved, precious child of God.”

Amen!

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To that end, FEMA recently published a blog with five steps to help local communities and tribal nations learn more about the benefits of this non-financial technical assistance to access federal funding. I hope your community will take action and submit a letter of interest for this exciting opportunity and increase meaningful mitigation work throughout the country.

With the pace of disasters accelerating, communities can utilize federal resources to reduce their risk and take action to save property and lives. FEMA stands ready to be a partner and collaborator with any community that is ready to implement creative mitigation strategies and help build our nation’s resilience.

By Sonali Kolhatkar

The United Auto Workers (UAW), a union of nearly 150,000 workers at America’s “Big Three” automakers, are on strike.

On the face of it, UAW’s demands sound audacious. They’re calling for a 46 percent pay raise and a four-day workweek, among other things. But in the broader context of a decades-long decline in labor rights and wages, they’re perfectly reasonable.

What’s unreasonable is massively profitable corporations’ insistence on squeezing every last drop of productivity from their workers with paltry wages, long hours, and little-to-no job security—and then feigning outrage at union demands.

The Big Three made more than $20 billion in profits in the first half of 2023 alone. Their CEOs are compensated to the tune of tens of millions of dollars a year. Meanwhile, even the toppaid auto workers earn less than six figures a year. Temporary workers start at only $17 an hour.

After years of making concessions, auto workers believe they— and not just their bosses—should share in the industry’s record profits. “Record profits mean record contracts,” as UAW President Shawn Fain put it.

Linking worker pay to CEO compensation is a savvy move. As unions remain popular, the idea of sharing the wealth appeals to a basic sense of fairness among the public.

It also makes financial sense for the automakers themselves. When GM workers went on strike in 2019 for 40 days, the cost to the company was far

greater than anticipated—nearly

$4 billion.

NBC News estimates that meeting the union’s salary demands today would cost the companies comparable amounts but spread out over much longer periods. “A 40 percent wage bump for UAW members would cost GM $4 billion to $5 billion and Ford $5 billion to $6 billion over four years,” they report.

But rather than offer salaries that enable workers to budget their lives, buy homes, and project expenses, the Big Three want to pay workers individual bonuses during years when profits are high. Their ostensible reason is to remain flexible as the industry is pressured into evolving away from fossil-fuel based vehicles to all-electric vehicles in the face of a warming climate.

lock federal funding, avoid disruptions to their inventories, and ensure that their financial losses are spread out over several years rather than just a few months—all by simply meeting UAW’s salary demands.

What more incentives do the big companies need?

There’s another beautiful winwin opportunity for workers and automakers in the EV transition. It takes significantly less labor to make an EV compared to a gasrun car. According to Ford, it’s 40 percent more labor efficient to make EVs.

According to UAW, auto workers “are working 60, 70, even 80 hours a week just to make ends meet.” But if they’re making EVs, they could work fewer hours at a higher rate without impacting production or their yearly salaries. Studies show that the companies would likely remain profitable and retain employees better if they switched to a fourday workweek with no loss of pay.

UAW’s demands, in short, are hardly unreasonable. But with corporations insistent on squeezing more profits no matter the cost, merely pointing out the mutually beneficial rewards of meeting union demands isn’t enough to sway shareholders and their allies.

But President Joe Biden’s administration just announced a massive funding plan to boost EV production and tied it to labor rights. “Building a clean energy economy can and should provide a win-win opportunity for auto companies and unionized workers who have anchored the American economy for decades,” Biden said.

In short, automakers can un-

So, the striking workers are fighting for their demands. It remains to be seen how much autoworkers can flex their power. The Big Three can certainly test their patience and find out.

Sonali Kolhatkar is the host and executive producer of “Rising Up with Sonali.” Her column is syndicated by OtherWords.org.

Marian Wright Edelman is founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund.

Erik A. Hooks is the deputy administrator for FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Meeting union demands would be a win-win for automakers

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“Building a clean energy economy can and should provide a winwin opportunity for auto companies and unionized workers who have anchored the American economy for decades.”

Looking back at the Spokesman-Recorder

Voter Registration

By MSR News Service

With changes in state law, more people can register to vote than ever before.

Earlier this year, Minnesota restored voting rights to those convicted of a felony provided they are no longer incarcerated for a felony offense, including non-incarcerated felons who are on probation or are part of work release programs. Approximately 55,000 Minnesotans now have their voting rights restored.

State law also allows those under the age of 18 to pre-register to vote. The voting age has not changed; you still have to be at least 18 years old to vote. However, 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds can now pre-register so their voter registrations will become active when they turn 18 and they will be on the voter registration rolls when they go to the polls or vote early or by mail.

s part of our celebration leading up to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s 90 years of continuous publication, over the next several months the MSR will be republishing notable stories from our extensive archives of weekly issues, chronicling the history of African Americans in Minnesota. That history began when the founder, Cecil E. Newman, published two weekly newspapers—the Minneapolis Spokesman and

the St. Paul Recorder—on August 10, 1934. Although the separate weeklies had similar content, it wasn’t until 2000 that the two papers merged, becoming the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Many of our readers will recognize friends, family and neighbors from the distant and not-so-distant past. In the year leading up to the MSR’s anniversary in 2024, we invite readers to share their memories of the Spokesman-Recorder as we mark milestones

in the newspaper and Minnesota’s Black history.

In the photo from the December 15, 1944, issue of the “Minneapolis Spokesman,” seven G.I.s from St. Paul who were stationed in the New Hebrides are featured. The soldiers were members of a quartermaster company and were shown unloading supplies. One of the men shown, Harold Howland, had returned to the U.S. by the time the photo was published.

If you’ve never voted before and need to register, now is the perfect time. If it’s been more than four years since you last voted, or you’ve moved or changed your name since you last registered, you’ll also need to re-register.

To check your voter registration, go to the MNVotes website to see if you are registered to vote at your current address. To register to vote in Minnesota, you must be a U.S. citizen; at least 18 years old on Election Day; a resident of Minnesota for 20 days; not serving a prison sentence for a felony on Election Day.

Anyone under guardianship can vote unless a judge has specifically revoked their right to vote. If a court has ruled that someone is legally incompetent, they are not eligible to vote.

Registration deadlines

In Minnesota, voters can wait until Election Day to register. The City of Minneapolis encourages voters to register before Election Day to save time at the polling place. Voters can register online up until 11:59

p.m. on Oct. 18. Paper voter registration is due by 5 p.m. on Oct. 18. If you miss this deadline, you may register in person at the Early Vote Center or at your polling place on Election Day. When registering either at the Early Vote Center or on Election Day, a voter must bring proof of residence.

Confirm your polling place location

Many Minneapolis voters have a new polling place because of the redistricting process. On Election Day, Nov. 7, anyone who hasn’t voted early can only vote at their assigned polling place. All polling places are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. You can find your polling place at pollfinder.sos. state.mn.us. More information is available at vote.minneapolismn.gov.

Ranked-choice voting

Minneapolis voters use ranked choice to elect members of the City Council. Ranked choice voting is a way of voting that eliminates the need for separate primary elections. For each of the 13 wards, voters rank up to three candidates for each office, in order of preference. Ranked choice voting is used only for municipal elections in Minneapolis. More information on ranked-choice voting is available at vote.minneapolismn. gov/rcv.

Upcoming Minneapolis City Council Candidate Forums

The League of Women Voters Minneapolis (LWV) is co-sponsoring forums this fall with local community organizations. The forums will include candidates for Minneapolis City Council representing Wards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.

The forum series and co-sponsors are as follows:

● Ward 1: October 4, 7 to 8 p.m.; candidate meet-and-greet 6:30 to 7 p.m.; Northeast Recreation Center, 1530 Johnson St. NE; Co-sponsors: Logan Park Neighborhood Association, Northeast Park Neighborhood Association, Waite Park Community Council

● Ward 3: The video recording of the forum conducted on September 21 is available for viewing at the League of Women Voters Minneapolis website (www.lwvmpls.org).

● Ward 3: October 23, 7 to 8 p.m., MCN6 Studios, 1229 2nd St. NE; Co-sponsors: Marcy Holmes Neighborhood Association, Sheridan Neighborhood Association, St. Anthony West Neighborhood Association

● Ward 4: The video recording of the forum conducted on September 20 is available for viewing at the League of Women Voters Minneapolis website (www.lwvmpls.org).

● Ward 5: The video recording of this forum conducted on August 24 is available for viewing at the League of Women Voters Minneapolis website (www.lwvmpls.org).

● Ward 6: The video of the forum conducted on September 14 is available for viewing at the League of Women Voters Minneapolis website (www.lwvmpls.org).

● Ward 7: Loring Park /Downtown Area–September 28, 5:30 to 8 p.m., The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St; Cosponsors: Citizens for a Loring Park Community (CLPC), Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association, The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis

● Ward 7: Neighborhood Area–October 12, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church, 2020 W. Lake of the Isles Parkway; Co-sponsors: Kenwood Neighborhood Association, Hill and Lake Press, Cedar-IslesDean Neighborhood Association (CIDNA), West Maka Ska Neighborhood Council, Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association, East Isles Neighborhood Association

● Ward 8: October 3, 7 to 8:30 p.m., candidate meet-and-greet afterwards, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center, 4055 Nicollet Ave. S.; Co-sponsors: Field Regina Northrop Neighborhood Group, Kingfield Neighborhood Association, Lyndale Neighborhood Association, Make Voting a Tradition (NACDI), Community Power MN, Ayada Leads

● Ward 9: October 10, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Powderhorn Recreation Center, 3400 15th Ave. S.; Co-sponsors: Ayada Leads, Community Power MN, Longfellow Community

Council, Make Voting a Tradition

● Ward 10: October 2, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Abyssinian Cultural Center, 3rd Floor 322 W. Lake St.; Co-sponsors: Ayada Leads, Community Power MN, East Bde Maka Ska Neighborhood Association, Make Voting a Tradition, MN Youth Collective, South Uptown Neighborhood Association, Whittier Alliance

● Ward 11: September 27, 7-8 p.m., candidate meet-and-greet 8 to 8:30 p.m., Mayflower Church, 106 East Diamond Lake Road; Co-sponsors: Field Regina Northrop Neighborhood Group; Hale, Page, Diamond Lake Neighborhood Group; Tangletown Neighborhood Association; Windom Community Council; Community Power MN

● Ward 12: The video recording of the forum conducted on September 13 is available for viewing at the League of Women Voters Minneapolis website (www.lwvmpls.org).

● Ward 13: The video recording of the forum conducted on September 6 is available for viewing at the League of Women Voters Minneapolis website (www.lwvmpls.org)

The forums will also be livestreamed and video recorded for later viewing. Go to the League of Women Voters Minneapolis website (www.lwvmpls.org) to find the link to livestream or view the recording.

All candidates filing for office will be invited. The League of Women Voters Minneapolis will not conduct candidate forums

for any uncontested races. Candidates will respond to questions on a wide variety of issues of concern to voters. The forums are free and open to the public.

The League of Women Voters Minneapolis is cosponsoring these events with local co-sponsors to provide nonpartisan voter education to the community. The LWV does not support or oppose candidates for office or political parties. Questions can be submitted in advance or at the event. The League also has an email (www.vote@lwvmpls.org) for voters to submit questions in advance. Voters attending the forum will have the opportunity to submit written questions for the candidates.

According to League of Women Voters policy, the identity of the person asking the question is confidential. Any questions submitted via email will remain confidential with all identifying information removed before the event. Audience members also can submit questions in writing at the event.

Links to the recordings for all 2023 City Council candidate forums already held can be found at. www.lwvmpls.org/for-voters/.

The League of Women Voters Minneapolis, a nonpartisan 501(c)3 political organization, encourages informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership is open to all citizens.

(l-r), Otis Carson, Clarence Patrick, Harold Howland, Leonard Broden, John Watts, Dewey Hill and Sergeant Chester Oden

Changes in the law mean more people can register to vote in November’s election

Employment & Legals

STATE OF MINNESOTA IN DISTRICT COURT

COUNTY OF HENNEPIN FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Case Type: Condemnation Court File No.: 27-CV-23-12843

State of Minnesota, by its Commissioner of Transportation, Petitioner, vs. Kraus-Anderson, Inc.

Respondents. IN THE MATTER OF THE CONDEMNATION OF CERTAIN LANDS FOR TRUNK HIGHWAY PURPOSES NOTICE

To the Respondents hereinabove named:

You, and each of you, are hereby notified that on December 8, 2023, at 1:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as counsel can be heard, before Judge Patrick D. Robben, in the Courthouse at Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, via remote hearing, the Petitioner will present a Petition now on file herein for the condemnation of certain lands for trunk highway purposes.

This hearing will not be in person at the courthouse. The hearing in this matter will be held remotely via a Zoom call. You must contact Court staff to receive the Zoom link or call-in number in order to appear at this hearing.

The hearing before yours may run long. You may be placed on hold in the “waiting room” before Court staff is ready to begin the hearing. Please remain on the line until Court staff permits you to enter the hearing.

Each party MUST: · Contact Court staff a minimum of 3 days before the hearing date to receive the link or call-in number to appear at this hearing and provide a valid telephone number and email. The Court’s contact information is below.

· Notify the Court if your address, email, or phone number changes.

· Be fully prepared for the remote hearing.

· Contact the Court if you have concerns about the format for this remote hearing. Visit the Court’s website at www.mncourts.gov/Remote-Hearings for more information on remote hearings.

Court contact information:

· Phone: 612-348-0198

· Email: 4thJudgeRobbenChambers@courts.state.mn.us”

A copy of the Petition is attached hereto and incorporated herein.

YOU, AND EACH OF YOU, ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED, that Petitioner will also move the court for an order transferring title and possession to Petitioner of the parcels described in the Petition in accordance with Minn. Stat. §117.042, as of January 12, 2024.

YOU, AND EACH OF YOU, ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED, that all persons occupying the property described in the petition must VACATE THE AREA BEING ACQUIRED AND MOVE ALL OF YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY FROM THE AREA BEING ACQUIRED ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 12, 2024. All advertising signs or devices located in the area being acquired must be removed by January 12, 2024. YOU, AND EACH OF YOU, ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED, that (1) a party wishing to challenge the public use or public purpose, necessity, or authority for a taking must appear at the court hearing and state the objection or must appeal within 60 days of a court order; and (2) a court order approving the public use or public purpose, necessity, and authority for the taking is final unless an appeal is brought within 60 days after service of the order on the party.

Dated: August 31, 2023

KEITH ELLISON

H&R Block Enterprises LLC, Panda Express, Inc., Party City Corporation, Petco Animal Supplies Stores, Inc., Restwell Mattress Company, Salon Oriana, LLC, Sally Beauty Supply, LLC, Schuler Shoes, Incorporated, Starbucks Coffee Company, also known as Starbucks Corporation, Ly, Inc., doing business as Southtown Nails, DC Group Professional Corporation, Taher, Inc., The TJX Companies, Inc., Market Square Travel LLC, Lucky 13 of Minnesota, LLC, Acer America Corporation, Bala Rajagopala, Christopher & Banks, Inc., Apple Minnesota LLC, Thomas M. Meyer Enterprises, Inc, doing business as Home Energy Center, Southtown Office Park L.L.P., also all other persons unknown claiming any right, title, estate, interest or lien in the real estate described in the Petition herein, Respondents.

- - - - -

IN THE MATTER OF THE CONDEMNATION OF CERTAIN LANDS FOR TRUNK HIGHWAY PURPOSES - - - -PETITION - - - - -

To the District Court above named the State of Minnesota brings this Petition and respectfully states and alleges:

I.

That Trunk Highway Legislative Routes numbered 394 and 393, which have been renumbered 35W and 494, respectively, and which has been located according to law

and designated as a controlled access highways, pass over the lands herein described.

That it are duly covered by Right of Way Plat Order numbered 99920; Designation Orders numbered 28880 and 29050; Definite Location Order numbered 28000; Width Order numbered 99952; and Temporary Order numbered 100027.

II.

That the Commissioner of Transportation deems it necessary that the State of Minnesota for trunk highway purposes obtain an easement as to Parcel 322F, together with the following rights: to acquire all trees, shrubs, grass and herbage within the right of way herein to be taken, and to keep and have the exclusive control of the same, to acquire from the owners whose lands front thereon any existing right of access to said highway in those cases which are herein particularly mentioned, and to keep and have the exclusive control of all access to said highway in accordance with the law governing controlled access highways, and to acquire a temporary easement in those cases which are herein particularly mentioned.

It is the intention of the above-named Petitioner to move the court for an order authorizing the Court Administrator to accept and deposit payments, in an interestbearing account, from the Petitioner to the court pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 117.042.

Further, it is the intention of the above-named Petitioner to move the court for an order transferring title and possession of the parcels herein described, prior to the filing of an award by the court appointed commissioners, pursuant to Minn. Stat. §117.042. Further, it is the intention of the above-named Petitioner to move the court for an order requiring the parties to exchange any appraisals at least 14 days prior to a commissioners’ hearing, pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 117.036.

The Petitioner reserves its right to recover costs of clean up and testing and all other damages arising from the presence of pollutants, contaminants, or hazardous materials on the property described herein, from all potential responsible parties, including respondents herein where appropriate, in a separate legal action to the extent permitted by law.

III.

That the following described lands in these proceedings taken are situated in Hennepin County, Minnesota; that the names of all persons appearing of record or known to your Petitioner to be the owners of said lands or interested therein, including all whom your Petitioner has been able by investigation and inquiry to discover, together with the nature of the ownership of each, as nearly as can be ascertained, are as follows:

All of the following:

Parcel 205 C.S. 2782 (35W=394) 913

S.P. 2785-424RW

All right of access to Lot 1, Block 1, WALSER 2ND ADDITION, as shown by the access control symbol(s) as Parcel 205 on Minnesota Department of Transportation Right of Way Plat Numbered 27-242 as the same is on file and of record in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota; the title thereto being registered as evidenced by Certificate of Title No. 1422354; together with other rights as set forth below, forming and being part of said Parcel

205:

Temporary Easement:

A temporary easement for highway purposes as shown on said plat as to said Parcel 205 by the temporary easement symbol, said easement shall cease on December 1, 2028, or on such earlier date upon which the Commissioner of Transportation determines by formal order that it is no longer needed for highway purposes.

Names of parties interested in the above-described land and nature of interest:

UAG Minneapolis B1, LLC Fee

BMW Financial Services NA, LLC Mortgage and Financing Statement

County of Hennepin Taxes

All of the following:

Parcel 501

C.S. 2785 (494=393) 903

S.P. 2785-424RW

All right of access to Lot 1, Block 1, FORD LEASING DEVELOPMENT COMPANY ADDITION, as shown by the access control symbol(s) as Parcel 501 on Minnesota Department of Transportation Right of Way Plat Numbered 27-242 as the same is on file and of record in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota; the title thereto being registered as evidenced by Certificate of Title No. 1188584; together with other rights as set forth below, forming and being part of said Parcel

501:

Temporary Easement:

A temporary easement for highway purposes as shown on said plat as to said Parcel 501 by the temporary easement symbol, said easement shall cease on December 1, 2028, or on such earlier date upon which the Commissioner of Transportation determines by formal order that it is no longer needed for highway purposes.

Names of parties interested in the above-described land and nature of interest:

Bloomington Lincoln Mercury Real Estate, LLC Fee Bloomington Lincoln Mercury, Inc. Lessee Ford Leasing Development Company LLC Lessee County of Hennepin Taxes and Special Assessments Parcel 224 C.S. 2785 (494=393) 904 S.P. 2785-424RW

The right to use that part of Tract A described below for highway purposes, which right shall cease on December 1, 2028 , or on such earlier date upon which the Commissioner of Transportation determines by formal order that it is no longer needed for highway purposes:

Tract A. Lot 1, Block 1, SOUTHTOWN SHOPPING CENTER 3RD ADDITION, according to the plat thereof on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Hennepin County, Minnesota; which lies westerly, northerly and easterly of the following described line:

Beginning at the intersection of the north line of Lot 1, Block 1, said SOUTHTOWN SHOPPING CENTER 3RD ADDITION, and a line run parallel with and distant 40 feet easterly of the east line of Lot 1, Block 1, SAM & ESTELLE ROSENBURG

1ST ADDITION, according to the plat thereof on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for said Hennepin County; thence southerly parallel with said east line and its southerly extension for 100 feet; thence westerly at a right angle to an intersection with the southerly extension of said east line; thence southerly along said southerly extension to an intersection with a line run parallel with and distant 45 feet southerly of the south line of said Lot 1, Block 1, SAM & ESTELLE ROSENBURG 1ST ADDITION; thence westerly at a right angle for 55 feet; thence northerly at a right angle for 40 feet; thence westerly parallel with said south line to an intersection with the southerly extension of the westerly line of said Lot 1, Block 1, SAM & ESTELLE ROSENBURG 1ST ADDITION; thence northerly for 5 feet to the southwest corner of said Lot 1, Block 1, SAM & ESTELLE ROSENBURG 1ST ADDITION, and there terminating; containing 7756 square feet, more or less.

Names of parties interested in the above-described land and nature of interest:

parallel with the easterly line of said Lot 1 for 185 feet; thence northeasterly to a point on said easterly line, distant 220 feet north of said southeast corner and there terminating; containing 1418 square feet, more or less; also a right to use the following described strip for highway purposes, which right shall cease on December 1, 2028, or on such earlier date upon which the Commissioner of Transportation determines by formal order that it is no longer needed for highway purposes:

A strip being that part of Tract A hereinbefore described, adjoining, westerly and northerly of the above described strip, which lies easterly of a line run parallel with and distant 12 feet westerly of the easterly line of said Tract A; containing 5750 square feet, more or less.

Names of parties interested in the above-described land and nature of interest: Southtown Office Park L.L.P. Fee County of Hennepin Taxes and Special Assessments WHEREFORE, Your Petitioner prays that commissioners be appointed to appraise the damages which may be occasioned by such taking, and that such proceedings may be had herein as are provided by law.

Dated: August 11, 2023

KEITH ELLISON Attorney General State of Minnesota

s/Mathew Ferche

MATHEW FERCHE

Assistant Attorney General Atty. Reg. No. 0391282 445 Minnesota Street, Suite 1800 St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-2134 (651) 757-1457 (Voice) (651) 297-4077 (Fax) mathew.ferche@ag.state.mn.us

ATTORNEY FOR PETITIONER 100939 MINN. STAT. § 549.211

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The party or parties on whose behalf the attached document is served acknowledge through their undersigned counsel that sanctions may be imposed pursuant to Minn.

Champagne flows as Twins make the playoffs

By Charles Hallman Sports Columnist

he Minnesota Twins finish the 2023 regular season this weekend before heading to the postseason for the first time since 2020.

Last Friday, the Twins clinched a playoff berth at home for the first time since 2010. It is the ninth Central Division crown in club history, but the first since 2020, and the third time in five seasons Minnesota finished atop the division. Minnesota was out of first place for only three days this season.

“We feel like we’re playing our best baseball right now,” Manager Rocco Baldelli told the MSR inside the clubhouse with the champagne popping and flowing after his team’s 8-6 playoff-clinching win over the Los Angeles Angels. “No matter what happened, the guys continually work their tails off every single day.”

“We never doubted our-

selves,” said Michael A. Taylor, one of four U.S.-born Black players on the team.

When Minnesota suffered a mid-season swoon, the Twins’

young players, led by Royce Lewis, picked up the veteranladen club. The Twins got rolling after the All-Star break.

“I think that was all they

College athletes need help negotiating NIL deals

hicago Bears rookie

Gervon Dexter is suing over an NIL deal he signed back in college, because it may have gone against Florida’s NIL law.

Supposedly, Dexter agreed to pay a firm 15 percent off his pre-tax NFL earnings for the next 25 years after getting a one-time payment of over $436,000 in 2022, when he was attending the University of Florida. This past June, he signed a four-year nearly $7 million contract with the Bears.

them “perpetual, irreversible” rights to his name, image and likeness, along with providing BLA with such perks as attending NFL-sponsored events.

needed,” added LaTroy Hawkins, baseball operations special assistant and television analyst.

The retired pitcher who played 21 MLB seasons told the MSR,

“The older guys were struggling a lot. The younger guys picked up the older guys, and that’s why we are here celebrating with champagne.”

Lewis, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain last week

Gopher tennis coach rebuilds a competitive team

he Minnesota tennis team goes west this weekend to compete in the San Diego State University Invitational, from September 29 – October 1. It’s the second tournament of the 2023 fall season for first-year Head Coach Lois Arterberry.

“We literally every single day try to make this place one that the student athletes look forward to coming to every single day.”

According to the deal he signed with Big League Advance Fund (BLA), Dexter now owes them about $1 million over the life of the deal because he supposedly gave

Florida NIL law states, “The duration of a contract for representation of an intercollegiate athlete or compensation for the use of an intercollegiate athlete’s name, image or likeness may not extend beyond her or his participa-

tion in an athletic program at a postsecondary educational institution.”

Florida State Rep. Chip LaMarca, who proposed the initial 2020 NIL legislation that allows college athletes in Florida to profit off their name, image and likeness, told ESPN that Dexter’s deal is a “predatory loan.”

Dr. Johari Shuck agrees

At the 2023 Gopher Invitational the weekend of Sept. 15, Minnesota finished with a 12-6 record in doubles and 14-4 in singles against North Dakota, South Dakota, Northern Iowa, Marquette, Omaha, and her former school St. Thomas, where Arterberry once was head coach before the ‘U’ hired her last spring. We caught up with the school’s only Black female head coach during the home tourney.

“We got a couple of new players. I was able to sign two girls right away,” noted Arterberry. “We’re heading in the right direction.”

Lately, the sports catchphrase for success is “culture.”

Creating a successful culture is important to Arterberry, who has nearly 10 years of coaching experience along with be-

ing a student-athlete in her native Grenada and later as a three-time SWAC champion at Southern University.

“I think for us as a coaching staff,” the Gopher HC said, “it’s really important that we set the foundation culturally, and that’s something I’ve done throughout my career. I sort

Linemen lead St. Paul Central past city rival

ceiver Kaiden Thiers , and another scoring run was added courtesy of running back Lavonte Cox

ehind the blocking of offensive linemen Kurohn Davis, Fergus Oulman, Fela McConnell, Alex Dreher and Paul Mealy St. Paul Central erased a 0-13 first quarter deficit to lead the Minutemen to a 43-25 victory over city rival St. Paul Johnson on the Governors’ home turf last Friday.

Because of the protection provided by linemen most of the game, quarterback Allan Lankfard Jr. continued to demonstrate why he is considered one of the state’s top players. The junior, who stands 6’1” and 200 pounds, ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more in the win.

The touchdown passes were caught by senior re -

The first quarter was all Johnson, with two touchdowns coming with passes of 18 and 64 yards from sophomore quarterback Ali Farfan to fellow classmate and receiver Justice Moody, giving the Governors a 13-0 lead.

In the second quarter, Lankfard, who is also the starting guard for the boys basketball team, responded with a 14yard run, a 10-yard pass to Theirs, and a nine-yard run all for touchdowns.

Farfan struck back for the Governors with an 18-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Michael Ojeda, while Lankard connected with Theirs from 15 yards out as time ran out, giving the Minutemen a 28-19 halftime lead.

They led 36-19 after the third quarter thanks to Thiers’ 11-yard reception from Lankfard.

for the last time on Farfan’s seven-

Johnson scored

yard run in the final period, but Cox’s six-yard run put the game out of reach. Richard Magembe, a 2004 Johnson graduate who also

Michael A. Taylor

Photo courtesy of MN Twins

“Sharks in the water trying to capitalize off college athletes.”

Twins celebrating on the field

Photos by Charles Hallman played football at the school, coaches the Governors. Scott Howell, a 1984 Central graduate who played football as well, leads the Minutemen.

Both went on to outstanding collegiate careers at St. Cloud State University.

Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader comments at mcdeezy05@gmail.com.

St. Paul Central offensive lineman Fela McConnell (#58) blocks St. Paul Johnson defensive end Colin Moore Jr. (St. Paul Johnson) during a September 22 football game at Johnson High School, St. Paul Photos by Mitchell Palmer McDonald

St. Paul Central quarterback Allan Lankfard Jr. during a September 22 football game at Johnson High School, St. Paul

Lois Arterberry

Photo by Charles Hallman

■ See VIEW on page 7

Dr. Johari Shuck (l) and historian John Richard Behee Submitted photo

“The younger guys picked up the older guys, and that’s why we are here celebrating with champagne.”

Royce Lewis