Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis outlines enhanced policies and oversight for violence prevention programs
Violence interrupter program faces council scrutiny
The Minneapolis’ Neighborhood Safety department faced questioning on Monday over the city’s violence interrupter program.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Newly hired Neighborhood Safety Deputy Director Lea Lakes outlined a set of changes in the department to better monitor compliance and enhance the results of violence prevention groups hired by the City of Minneapolis.
Changes to Neighborhood Safety Department
What’s new:
The city has been accused of awarding violence prevention contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars without verifying how the funding was actually used.
As part of a legal settlement last year, the city agreed to audit invoices for violence prevention contracts and to require more documentation before paying or reimbursing those groups.
In addition to the legal settlement, the Neighborhood Safety Department is providing regular updates to city council members about the department’s funding, staffing and oversight.
The department was directed to provide those updates last year after a series of allegations were made about the management of violence prevention efforts.
On Monday, Lakes outlined a new set of internal changes to Neighborhood Safety Department operations.
“We have intensified our focus on strengthening data reporting processes with our vendors to ensure contracted services are being delivered as specified and that our funded programs are effectively contributing to neighborhood safety,” Lakes told a Minneapolis City Council committee.
Among the changes, Lakes said the department is enhancing its application vetting processes and improving financial oversight by ordering all payments be made through approved methods, such as money order or payroll documentation based on recommendations from the Minneapolis City Attorney’s office. Minneapolis is no longer accepting payments through peer-to-peer platforms.
“NSD (Neighborhood Safety Department) will only provide payment for work that has been performed and verified,” she said, adding the department does not cover costs related to incentives such as gift cards, prizes or entertainment expenses per city policy.
Minneapolis City Council members questions
What they’re saying:
Several council members had questions for the department, which is currently without a director following last month’s resignation of Luana Nelson-Brown.
LaTrisha Vetaw asked, “Where the questions come at for me in Ward 4 is about the violence interrupters and specifically encounters violence interrupters make with people. How are we tracking that? How are we managing those contracts?”
Fellow council member Linea Palmisano wanted to know, “What are those things that we do to make sure that when we get an invoice saying that one of our contractors was working out in the community, that they actually were?”
Lakes explained that department staff is closely scrutinizing billing statements from the various groups and organizations.
“We are looking at the invoices they submit, the things that they’re saying they need reimbursement for, and we are taking that, and we are matching it up to the work that was outlined in the contract,” said Lakes. “And we are looking for discrepancies, and we are looking for things that make sense.”
Dig deeper:
Court records from a lawsuit filed against the city of Minneapolis, obtained by FOX 9, show some organizations routinely submitted invoices for tens of thousands of dollars without providing receipts, detailed timesheets or descriptions of their work.
In that lawsuit, the city was accused of continuing to pay violence prevention contractors after it “intentionally or ineptly failed” to request proper documentation.
What’s next:
As part of a legal settlement reached last August, the city must now require organizations that receive violence prevention contracts to provide canceled checks for personnel expenses and receipts for non-personnel expenses.
Shortly after the settlement was reached, the city council directed the Neighborhood Safety Department, which oversees violence prevention efforts, to produce regular updates on staffing, financial oversight and compliance, including Monday’s update.
Minneapolis, MN
Marilyn Savage, St. Cloud State Educator And Media Pioneer, Remembered July 18 In Cokato
June 24, 1938 – June 19, 2026
Marilyn Ardis Savage, 87 died from Parkinson’s disease on June 19, 2026 at Ave Maria. She was born June 24, 1938 in Minneapolis, MN to Elmer S. and Mabel A. (Salmela) Sako.
Marilyn graduated from North High class of 1956. She went on to get a Bachelor’s of Science at the U of M. In 1960 she started teaching at John Hay Elementary. In 1975 she married Carl Savage and they went on a leadership conference for media specialists for their honeymoon. In 1982 Marilyn completed her Masters of Science in Information Media at SCSU. Marilyn and Carl were active in the MN Educational Media Organization and published the Minnesota Media magazine. They worked in a group to create Information Media guidelines for the state of MN and Marilyn spoke at events and invited other teachers to observe the curriculum in her media center.
Marilyn touched a lot of lives as a teacher. She was well liked and respected by her students. She commented that it was important to have good relationships with students because you never know when one is going to become your anesthesiologist!
Marilyn and Carl loved to travel and spent many summers in TN visiting his family and in FL where they bought property where they planned on retiring. Their trips were full of adventures like when they unknowingly traveled with a couple of identity thieves.
Marilyn became a widow in 1991 and retired from Zachary Lane Elementary in 1997. Retirement gave her the opportunity to pursue her love of travel. She and her best friend, Jan Sorell, traveled to China and Hawaii together as well as many other smaller trips. Marilyn also visited her nephew in Alaska and even volunteered at a summer camp in Finland. She remained active in her community, helping plan YMCA fundraising events. One of her greatest joys was spending time with her close friends in the “Lunch Bunch,” who gathered each week at their favorite restaurant.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Carl, sister Evon and fur babies Sase, Sadie and Chloe.
She is survived by nieces Lauren Sako (Scott Krein) Jamestown, ND; Elaine (Keith) Pyle Crystal Lake, IL; stepson Clay (Anita) Savage Hernando, MS; nephew Dave (Lisa) Hendrick Anchorage, AK; niece Theresa Brown Counce, TN; grandnephew Benjamin Salomonsen Hubert, NC; grandniece Natalie (Nik) Eccless Duelm, MN; two great grandnieces and many cousins.
A celebration of life will be held at Benson Funeral Home on July 18th. Visitation at 10am and service at 11am. Lunch after the service. Following the luncheon, Marilyn will be laid to rest at the Cokato Finnish Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the Carl & Marilyn Savage Scholarship in Information Media at St. Cloud State University. https://scsu.mn/give
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis chief communications officer Adam Fetcher out amid possible criminal charges
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Minneapolis’ chief communications officer, Adam Fetcher, is out of his job and now faces possible legal trouble.
Adam Fetcher’s departure from city hall
What we know:
City officials say Adam Fetcher’s last day as chief communications officer was Monday, July 1.
Fetcher, who previously worked in the Obama administration, started his role with the City of Minneapolis last year. The city has not shared any further details about the circumstances surrounding Fetcher’s departure.
Legal questions for the former official
What they’re saying:
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says it has received a case involving Fetcher and added that charges are possible. Fetcher’s attorney had no comment.
The nature of the case has not been made clear by officials.
What we don’t know:
It is not clear what the case involving Fetcher is about or what specific charges, if any, might be filed.
The Source: Information from the City of Minneapolis and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, Hamel women accused of stealing millions in federal funds due in court Thursday
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS continues to track the latest fraud developments.
Two of the 15 defendants accused of stealing federal program money back in May are due in court on Thursday morning, and a deal with prosecutors could be taking shape.
Fahima Egeh Mahamud, 50, of Minneapolis, and Jillaine Mertens, 42, of Hamel have plea agreement hearings at the Minneapolis federal courthouse.
Prosecutors say Mertens collected more than $400,000 in fraudulent claims across three childcare centers in Ramsey, Rochester and Kasson.
Mahumud is accused of taking $5.5 million in taxpayer money through her daycare, Future Leaders.
Both cases are set for plea agreement hearings Thursday morning in federal court.
Top federal officials came to Minnesota in May to announce the charges against the 15 defendants.
PREVIOUS: DOJ charges 15 defendants accused of collectively defrauding $90 million
They are alleging that fraudsters exploited programs meant to help vulnerable populations — including the now-defunct Housing Stabilization Services program, which was designed to connect homeless Minnesotans with housing, and the Early Intensive Behavioral Development Intervention (EIDBI) program for children with autism.
This is a developing story. Download the KSTP app below to get the latest updates.
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