Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis business owners face 'almost impossible' challenges including crime, regulations
In the early days of the George Floyd riots, while the police were overwhelmed, someone smashed a car into Thurston Jewelers on Lake Street in Minneapolis. The store was overrun by looters. The display cases were smashed. Lloyd Drilling says he was lucky that the most expensive jewelry was in the safe. Anything that could be carried out the door was stolen.
“So, that basically put us out of business for a few months, and we had to rebuild the store and fix it back up,” says Drilling.
RIOTING, LOOTING LINKED TO GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS LEAVES TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION ACROSS AMERICAN CITIES
The jewelry store bounced back, but the customers did not.
In the town that pioneered the movement to defund the police, the homeless population is present on most city blocks. Open-air drug use is so common it doesn’t attract attention and petty crime plagues the businesses who were able to re-open.
Minneapolis residents awoke to assess the damage after rioters ignited fires and looted stores all over the city, as peaceful protests turned increasingly violent in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd during an arrest. Here, the 190-unit apartment building under construction, tentatively known as Midtown Corner (right), was burned to the ground at 26th Ave and 29th Street. (Photo by Brian Peterson/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
As a result, Drilling says, the suburban population which used to push his business from surviving to thriving does not come downtown anymore. “I think they feel like they are unsafe in the city, in this area and in the [other] areas. They’re a little scared to come down here,” says Drilling.
SHOP OWNER REVEALS HEART-WRENCHING EXPERIENCE AFTER BLM RIOTS ‘DESTROYED’ HIS STORE ON GOV WALZ’S WATCH
Criminals make every aspect of business difficult in downtown Minneapolis. Koby Rich opened a cosmetic store. He keeps a painted rectangle of plywood on the front door of Rich Girl’s Cosmetics because vandals keep breaking the glass on his front door. He’s tired of spending money to fix it.
“It makes it tough because vandalism it causes, you know, when your windows get busted out, when you get your doors kicked in when you get your whole store tore up,” says Rich.
A protester holds a sign that says Blue Lives Murder on Friday night, May 29, 2020. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Jim Schultz with the Minnesota Private Business Council says there is a direct link to the rise in criminal activity and the leadership of Governor Tim Walz. “A lot of Democrat leaders in the state got behind really reckless policies when it comes to policing and crime,” says Schulz. “And the result was the greatest increase in violent crime in Minnesota’s history. And Tim Walz has presided over that. Minnesota’s businesses continue to feel the effects of that.”
Even without the crime, business owners and business leaders say Minnesota, with Governor Walz at the helm, has not been friendly to job creators.
EX-OFFICER DEREK CHAUVIN CONVICTED IN GEORGE FLOYD’S KILLING IS MOVED TO NEW PRISON MONTHS AFTER STABBING
The state has the highest statutory corporate tax rate in the United States at 9.8 %. Doug Loon with the Minnesota Chamber of commerce says the Walz administration missed opportunities to grow jobs because the Governor had other priorities. “Many progressive policies passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor have limited the private sector from reaching its economic potential,” says Loon.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic nominee for president, attends a rally to kick off their campaign at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pa., on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The chamber says Minnesota now ranks 47th out of all the states in the nation for job creation and 46th for Gross Domestic Product.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Kent Bergman opened the Campanelle restaurant in Lino Lakes, a suburb of Minneapolis. He endured the covid lockdowns. But burdened with taxes and regulations, he’s still living off his own savings, unable to take home a profit. “With all the mandates and everything coming down on us as a restaurant a small business we are in, the state’s making it almost impossible for a small business or a restaurant to make it,” says Bergman.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A 21-year-old man was killed after a motorcycle crash early Friday morning in Minneapolis, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Fatal motorcycle crash
The backstory:
The State Patrol responded to the crash at about 1:20 a.m. on April 17 on northbound I-35W at Johnson Street in Minneapolis.
Authorities say a man operating a Suzuki motorcycle was heading northbound on I-35W when it made contact with the left side median guard rail before it continued to head north. It traveled for about another quarter mile before coming to rest on the right side guard rail.
Authorities located the motorcycle’s operator on the left side shoulder. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Crash under investigation
Crash victim ID’d:
The State Patrol identified the motorcyclist as 21-year-old Andrew James Neuberger of Minneapolis. According to a GoFundMe set up for the family, Neuberger is the oldest of seven children.
What led up to the crash remains under investigation.
Minneapolis, MN
Between Minneapolis And Lake Superior Is The ‘Agate Capital Of The World’ With Cozy Charm And A State Park – Islands
For anyone eager to see Minnesota’s state gem, the Lake Superior agate, there’s one destination in central Minnesota not to miss. Moose Lake is a great stop on a road trip up north on Interstate 35 from the Twin Cities to Lake Superior, the cleanest lake in America. The city is also known for its agates, outdoor fun, and water activities at Moose Lake State Park, a hub for outdoor recreation, as well as friendly independent businesses that lend it a relaxed, small-town charm.
Agates are a colorful type of microcrystalline chalcedony quartz, and according to Explore Minnesota Tourism, Moose Lake is known as the Agate Capital of the World. The city is home to the largest Lake Superior agate, located at First National Bank — it weighs 108 pounds. You can view geological displays at the Moose Lake State Park Visitor Center, or even try your luck picking agates at the Soo Line Pit. A permit is required, and it’s best to go after rainfall. Visit in July for Agate Days, an annual festival with a gem and mineral show featuring over 100 vendors, as well as an agate “stampede,” where you may find your own treasure in the gravel.
What to do at Moose Lake State Park
Just a few minutes from town, iMoose Lake State Park was established in 1971 and is a top spot for outdoor recreation in the area. After exploring the rock and mineral exhibits at the visitor center, head outside to enjoy fun activities around the park. You may see wildlife such as white-tailed deer, otters, and butterflies, or birds like loons, waterfowl, bluebirds, and swallows. The park is centered around the peaceful Echo Lake, where you can get out on the water for a paddle. Boat, canoe, and kayak rentals are available if you don’t have your own gear. You can also go for a dip at the lake’s beach or cast a line from the accessible fishing pier, where you may reel in northerns, panfish, largemouth bass, or walleyes.
Hiking is also popular, with about 5 miles of hiking trails through woodland, ponds, hills, and fields. The 1.5-mile Rolling Hills Trail is a great pick for spotting wildlife, while the 0.9-mile West Echo Loop offers beautiful lake views. Keep an eye out for trumpeter swans and other birds on the 1.2-mile Wildlife Pond Trail. Although there are no groomed trails in winter, you can still snowshoe and backcountry ski here.
If you’d like to spend a night under the stars, stay at Moose Lake State Park campground. There are 33 drive-in sites, including 20 electric sites, 2 walk-in sites, and a group campground that can sleep up to 45 campers. Showers and flush toilets are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, while vault toilets are available year-round. All campsites have a picnic table and a fire ring.
Discover Moose Lake’s small-town charm
One of Moose Lake’s highlights is its welcoming atmosphere and relaxed pace of life. See a movie at the Historic Lake Theater, a friendly, family-owned movie theater that has operated at its current location since 1937. Lazy Moose Grill and Gifts serves breakfast favorites and tasty dishes like burgers, sandwiches, and wild rice meatloaf, earning it a 4.4-star rating on Google with over 1,400 reviews. Kick back and relax with a beer at Moose Lake Brewing Company, where the paio overlooks the lake. The swimming beach at Moosehead Lake is a great way to spend more time outdoors — the beach is sandy and shallow, making it a good option for families with kids.
Moose Lake is located about two-thirds of the way between Minneapolis and the outdoor lake town of Duluth, a port city on Lake Superior. Duluth International Airport is the closest major airport, while Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), the best airport in North America for passenger satisfaction, is about a 2-hour drive away and offers the most flight options. Having a car is the easiest way to explore the area, though Jefferson Lines buses stop in Moose Lake along the route between the Twin Cities and Duluth.
The scene of the crash at 26th Avenue North and Emerson Avenue North in Minneapolis. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A Minneapolis woman was sentenced for her role in a deadly crash that killed two women and injured two other people in December 2024.
READ MORE: Minneapolis woman charged in fatal high-speed crash faces additional charges
Woman sentenced in fatal Minneapolis crash
Big picture view:
Prosecutors say Teniki Steward drove a Buick Enclave into a bus shelter and a Ford Explorer after speeding through a red light.
Both of the women in the Ford Explorer died in the crash. They were identified as 53-year-old Ester Jean Fulks and 57-year-old Rose Elaine Reece.
During the crash, the Ford Explorer went off the road, injuring a 17-year-old boy who was waiting for a school bus.
The passenger in Steward’s vehicle also suffered injuries.
Minneapolis police said that Steward was also injured in the crash.
Steward pleaded guilty to multiple murder charges.
What they’re saying:
During the sentencing, the daughter of one of the victims had a statement read on her behalf:
“There’s nothing that can truly prepare you for the moment your entire world is taken from you. Losing my mom has left a pain in my heart that words will never be able to explain.”
What’s next:
Minnesota law requires that Steward serves at least two-thirds of her sentence, a bit under eight-and-a-half years, in prison.
Fatal Emerson and 26th crash
The backstory:
According to the criminal complaint, through surveillance videos from the scene of the crash and witnesses, investigators learned that Steward, driving the Buick Enclave, had been driving at a high rate of speed northbound on Emerson Avenue North.
Before the fatal crash, Steward sped through the intersection of Emerson Avenue North and Broadway Avenue North, running a red light and nearly causing a crash, the charges said.
Steward then continued to speed northbound down Emerson Avenue North, and ran another red light at 26th Avenue North, hitting the Ford Explorer, which was traveling eastbound, according to the complaint.
The Ford Explorer had been at the intersection of Emerson and 26th on a green light.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty shared the following statement:
“This was an egregious act that took Rose and Esther’s lives and injured a child waiting to go to school at a bus stop. Ms. Steward was driving at extremely dangerous speeds on city streets and narrowly avoided multiple collisions before the incident occurred. Third-degree murder charges are appropriate to hold her accountable and protect our community.”
The Source: This story uses information gathered from an Olmsted County court appearance and previous FOX 9 reporting.
-
Technology10 minutes agoThis pasta sauce wants to record your family
-
World16 minutes agoMassive 7.5-magnitude earthquake hits off Japanese coast, tsunami alert issued
-
Politics22 minutes agoUS military announces another deadly strike against ‘narco-terrorists’
-
Health28 minutes agoCancer tied to woman’s vaping habit since age 15 as she’s now given just months to live
-
Sports34 minutes agoPolice report details Zachariah Branch’s arrest days before NFL Draft over sidewalk incident
-
Technology40 minutes agoBMW puts humanoid robots to work building EVs
-
Business46 minutes agoAMC’s Adam Aron backs David Ellison’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery
-
Entertainment52 minutes agoBob Spitz proves the Rolling Stones are rock’s greatest band in magnificent new biography