19 students charged in connection with fight at St. Cloud Tech

Kristi Marohn writes for MPR: “Authorities have charged 19 students in connection with a riot last week at St. Cloud’s Tech High School. The fight broke out around lunchtime Sept. 25. It involved numerous students, and resulted in a temporary lockdown of the school. There were no serious injuries, but one student suffered a broken nose. The Stearns County Attorney’s Office charged 18 male students and one female student ages 14 to 17 with crimes ranging third-degree rioting to aiding and abetting in an assault.”

KSTP-TV’s Beth McDonough reports: “In a newly released accident report from the Burnett County Sheriff’s Office, a high-ranking deputy from Hennepin County admitted to drinking, driving and ditching his county-issued, taxpayer funded Chevrolet Tahoe. Bob Staupe, a member of the Command Staff, was demoted Wednesday from the rank of major to lieutenant. He oversaw several units, including patrol. He’s been a deputy since 1995.”

For the Star Tribune, Liz Sawyer writes: “Three St. Paul officers caught on camera in a struggle to arrest a 13-year-old girl last week are now facing an internal affairs investigation into their conduct, one day after Mayor Melvin Carter described the video as “disturbing” and called for an inquiry. In an emotional news conference Thursday night, the teen’s mother said her daughter has been battling mental illness and accused authorities of provoking her with an overly aggressive response. … But department officials say the incident began after the teen violated a no-trespassing order, fled police and ultimately resisted arrest.”

From the AP: “Trump Victory is organizing a counter-impeachment protest outside the Detroit Lakes office of Democratic U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, of Minnesota. The Republican National Committee says Friday’s event is part of a nationwide effort to hold vulnerable Democrats accountable for the impeachment push. Among those appearing will be former Lt. Gov. Michelle Fischbach, who’s running against Peterson.”

At MPR, Elizabeth Dunbar says, “Jeremy Olson has a skill that has come in handy multiple times during his last few years as a school superintendent — bus driving. … He first got a license to drive school buses a few years ago as superintendent for schools in Underwood and Henning. Olson said there’s an overall labor shortage in his area of the state, plus a statewide shortage of school bus drivers. And the sugar beet harvest that’s underway right now isn’t helping because substitute drivers are busy hauling beets.”

In the New York Post, Kirsten Fleming writes, “This weekend, New York teams are facing a double hit of the most fearsome, unhinged fanbase known to man. We’re talking about Minnesotans — the same folks who brought us Betty Crocker, the Nordic Track, MyPillow and Zubaz. Friday, the Yankees take on the Minnesota Twins in the first game of the ALDS. Then on Sunday, the Giants and the Vikings play at MetLife. Are you ready to rumble? Politely? I, a lifelong Yanks and Giants fan, flew to Minnesota to let them know we’re about to eat their lunch. Turns out, they’re more than happy to share their lunch. …  Not one person in the group gave me a ‘F— you.’ If this was Boston, where it’s customary to yell ‘Yankees suck’ at most events, including funerals, I would have returned with missing teeth. But in Minnesota, they offer a hearty, ‘Well, bless you.’”

In the Star Tribune, Bob Timmons writes: “For all its rugged, punishing reputation, the Superior Hiking Trail is becoming a place people go fast. For the third time in 2019, a hiker has set a speed record for thru-hiking the North Shore path. Rory Anderson, 39, of Lonsdale, Minn., set the new “fastest known time,” or FKT, Sept. 28, covering the 310-mile trail in seven days, 13 hours and 25 minutes.”

For FactCheck.org Mitchell Aronoff writes, “Rep. Ilhan Omar is not proposing a nationwide ban on ‘unhealthy and immoral’ bacon. A self-described ‘satire’ website published that made-up story, and it has since been shared by other websites that did not label the claim ‘satire.’ … the story has been copied by other sites that do not have any such disclaimer, and the Facebook pages that have shared the story don’t either.”