Minnesota Supreme Court OKs Minneapolis police ballot question

The AP reports, “The Minnesota Supreme Court cleared the way Thursday evening for voters in Minneapolis to decide on the future of policing in the city where George Floyd was killed, just ahead of the start of early and absentee voting. The state’s highest court overturned a lower court ruling that rejected ballot language approved by the City Council. A district judge said the wording failed to adequately describe the effects of a proposed charter amendment that would replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety that ‘could include’ police officers ‘if necessary’.”

Related. In the Star Tribune, Faiza Mahamud writes: “Election judges were busy preparing for the start of a historic, nationally watched election Thursday that could remake the city of Minneapolis. Voting in the municipal races — the first since George Floyd’s murder by police — is set to begin Friday morning with a ballot that includes a question on whether officials should be allowed to replace the city’s Police Department with a Department of Public Safety. Ballots will also feature questions on rent control and division of power at City Hall along with a near-record number of candidates vying to fill elected positions; 102 people have filed to run for public office.”

Reports a FOX 9 story: “An 18-year-old man has been charged in the shooting death of 12-year-old London Bean in Minneapolis earlier this month.  Jeremiah Grady of Minneapolis is charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of attempted second-degree murder in the deadly shooting on Sept. 8. He is not currently in custody and his whereabouts are unknown.”

From the Star Tribune’s Jeremy Olson, “More than 400 coronavirus infections were reported in the week ending Sept. 4 among pre-K-12 students and workers who were likely infectious while inside school buildings, the Minnesota Department of Health reported on Thursday. The total of 410 more than doubles the 152 from the previous week. While the increase is not surprising, coinciding with the return to K-12 classes, state health officials said they are concerned about the potential for school buildings and unvaccinated students to heighten spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.”

For MPR, Kirsti Marohn writes, “Minnesota regulators have ordered Enbridge to pay up to $3.32 million for allegedly violating state environmental law by piercing a groundwater aquifer during construction of the Line 3 oil pipeline. On Thursday, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued a restoration order and administrative penalty order against the Canadian-based company over the breach, which the agency says occurred in late January near the Clearbrook Terminal in Clearwater County. The breach resulted in millions of gallons of groundwater flowing out of the aquifer, posing a risk to rare wetlands nearby, the DNR says.”

Mary Divine writes in the Pioneer Press: “Citing the current political divide in the Stillwater community, Stillwater Area Board of Education Member Matt Onken announced Thursday that he is resigning from the school board. Onken, who was elected in November, wrote in a statement that the political divide in the district “is beginning to impact my physical and mental health, as well as my work and home life.” His resignation is effective Friday. Onken is the fourth school board member to resign during the past 14 months. Liz Weisberg resigned at the end of July, citing an opportunity to train to become a reading tutor. Shelley Pearson and Mark Burns resigned in July 2020.”

In the Star Tribune, Chao Xiong says, “Citing his risk to public safety, a Hennepin County judge set bail options at $2 million or $1.5 million for the man accused of fatally shooting another driver on a Plymouth highway in July. Jamal L. Smith, 33, of Chicago, made his first court appearance Thursday after being extradited from central Illinois. He is charged with one count each of intentional second-degree murder and aiding an offender for allegedly killing Jay Boughton, 56, of Crystal, on Hwy. 169 near Rockford Road on July 6. … Smith has a girlfriend and son in Minnesota and was working construction in the state while looking after his disabled son.”

Also in the Pioneer Press, Deanna Weniger writes: “One of the largest ticket exchange and resale companies in the nation has agreed to pay $1.87 million in refunds to Minnesotans who lost money when events were canceled due to the pandemic, the state Attorney General’s office announced Thursday. California-based StubHub, Inc. faced multiple lawsuits after it refused to pay refunds to hundreds of thousands of buyers nationwide, including more than 5,500 Minnesotans.”