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Minneapolis police, city employees clear out Near North encampment

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Minneapolis police, city employees clear out Near North encampment


Minneapolis police and metropolis officers performed an early-morning clearing of a longtime homeless encampment within the Close to North neighborhood Thursday, prompting criticism from anti-poverty advocates.

A lot of police and metropolis staff cleared out the Close to North neighborhood encampment Thursday morning, at 205 Girard Ave. N., with these on the camp saying they got little time to reply and collect their belongings.

A Metropolis of Minneapolis spokesman claims the world “posed public security and public well being challenges” and was being “used as a storage space for stolen items.”

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“The Metropolis’s homeless response group has made frequent visits to the positioning previously two years to supply details about providers and shelter choices, however the majority of individuals residing on the encampment have declined these assets in addition to a possibility to retailer their private belongings by way of the Downtown Enchancment District,” the spokesperson instructed Carry Me The Information.

“‘No trespassing’ indicators have been posted on the website a number of occasions previous to at the moment’s closure. Metropolis crews supplied ample time for folks to collect their private gadgets, essential paperwork, and different valuables they personal earlier than crews began clearing the positioning.”

Nevertheless, based on encampments spokesperson Reed Eliot, the unhoused residents had little time to behave.

“The Close to North Encampment was evicted this morning, the residents scattered, with 5 minutes of discover to residents to gather what they might and depart,” he said in a statement.

“Squad automobiles, police bicycle models, SWAT vans, arrest vans, undercover automobiles and a number of semi vehicles rolled as much as the camp en masse simply earlier than 7 a.m. and started organising roadblocks,” Eliot mentioned, including that police appeared to arrest two encampment defenders for “obstruction.” 

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Eliot says an individual had not too long ago secured housing however misplaced her keys and cellphone within the eviction. She reportedly wasn’t allowed by police to return and get the gadgets. One other individual had their automotive towed away, with others shedding their tents and campers. 

Eliot claims “hundreds of {dollars}” put into assets, provides, heat climate clothes, meals and medication “have been destroyed.”

“Many residents misplaced each private possession they owned, together with medicines, paperwork, telephones and heat clothes for the chilly nights forward,” Eliot mentioned, including that “solely housing solves the financial, private and rising disaster of houselessness.”

Benjamin Melançon, who was on the website Thursday morning, referred to as the clearing an “evil act.” Melançon believes each town and police might collaborate higher in creating higher options.

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“The town might have non-violently provided folks even six months [to stay] at a motel or [living space] and other people would have moved. As a substitute, town provided nothing,” Melançon mentioned.

Even with town stating they’ve provided totally different residing conditions and that folks have “declined” the choices given, Melançon says most individuals he has spoken with are vital of the shelter areas out there for a mess of causes.

“Folks have demonstrated willingness to remain outdoors in -20 diploma climate quite than go into ‘enough secure shelter house’, and momentary shelter isn’t any substitute for a long-term camp.”

Melançon claims that it turns into harder for these in search of shelter to get involved with social staff and different assets when staying at momentary shelters.

The town mentioned that the closures of the encampments occur when “situations change into harmful or encampment residents refuse to interact within the providers that can change their circumstances.”

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In keeping with town, its Homeless Response Workforce visited the encampment 27 occasions from July to September, “offering outreach, engagement, storage and shelter choices.”

The town mentioned the Close to North website is near a future reasonably priced housing improvement that is set to interrupt floor subsequent week. 

“It’s going to embody 187 rental models that embody some reasonably priced models. Closing this encampment is essential to make sure the success of that mission,” town acknowledged.

Final week, police cleared out a homeless encampment close to the Greenway on E twenty eighth St. and Bloomington Ave. The town mentioned this was as a result of it was on non-public property, with the clearing carried out in collaboration with the property proprietor, however some group members are voicing their complaints.

The newest claims that unhoused residents’ private belongings are being thrown out, confiscated or destroyed comes at a time when town is dealing with a federal lawsuit for a similar alleged actions.

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The lawsuit was filed in October 2020 by the ACLU of Minnesota, Mid-Minnesota Authorized Help and Ballard Spahr.

The federal class motion lawsuit alleges that Hennepin County, the Metropolis of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and particular officers in every company “performed ‘sweeps’ throughout which [they] seized and destroyed the property of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness who stay in encampments in Minneapolis parks.” 

Eliot mentioned anybody seeking to assist out these affected by the elimination Thursday morning ought to direct donations and helpful gadgets to the Sanctuary Provide Depot.





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Minneapolis, MN

Country star hit in the face onstage with X-rated item

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Country star hit in the face onstage with X-rated item


Celebrities often deal with unruly fans at their concerts, so it’s not the first time Wallen has had something thrown at him. Last year, an irritated fan chucked a boot at the country singer as they waited for him to sign an autograph. Instead of signing it, he turned to throw it away from where it came from.

I Had Some Help recently enjoyed five undisrupted weeks at the top of the charts, allowing the Cowgirls singer to take the crown for the most weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in the 2020s from Taylor Swift.

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Wallen is currently in the North American leg of his One Night at a Time World Tour, performing at stadiums around the globe. He’ll be performing at shows across the US until August 9, before jetting off to Europe for a slew of more shows from August 28.

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Many of Wallen’s North American concerts had to be cancelled and rescheduled last year after the singer needed to treat vocal fold trauma, which the National Institute of Health explains is “caused by excessive or improper use of the voice”.

He was able to return to the stage a month later after being given the all-clear by his doctors.

On April 7, Wallen was arrested on three felony counts after he allegedly threw a chair off the bar roof of a six-storey building in Nashville.

A group of police officers were on the ground outside the building when the chair landed about 1 metre away from them. They entered the building and went up to Nashville’s Chiefs Bar, and staff identified Wallen as responsible for throwing the chair.

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Later that month, the country singer addressed concerned fans by sharing a statement accepting fault for the incident on X.

Morgan Wallen’s One Night at a Time tour is taking him across North America and Europe over the next few months for a slew of stadium shows. Photo / AP

“I didn’t feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks. I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility,” Wallen wrote.

“I have the utmost respect for the officers working every day to keep us all safe. Regarding my tour, there will be no change.”

Despite his apology, Wallen’s arrest has landed him in hot water with the Nashville Metro Council. In a 30-3 vote last month, Nashville council members rejected an application to install a billboard sign atop Wallen’s under-construction This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen in central Nashville, reported People.

Explaining her decision, Councilwoman at Large Delishia Porterfield pointed to the singer’s controversial past.

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“We want to make sure that Nashville was a supportive place for everyone, so I don’t want to see a billboard with the name of a person who’s throwing chairs off balconies and who is saying racial slurs, using the n-word, so I’m voting no,” Porterfield said.

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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis’ contested housing development plan plows forward

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Minneapolis’ contested housing development plan plows forward


Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other government officials celebrated moving forward with the city’s housing development plan, the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, on Tuesday.

The plan had been in a years-long court battle. Opposing organizations alleged that the city should have conducted an environmental review before approving the plan. 

The 2040 plan aims to establish more densely built and affordable housing for Minneapolis’ future development. 

“This is a day that has been six years in the making, in that when Minneapolis recognized that we had an affordable housing shortage, we recognize that we like so many other cities throughout the country needed to increase our supply of housing. The 2040 plan helped us get there,” Frey said.

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Legislation in the 2024 session clarified the bill, allowing for stalled housing projects to begin again. 

“Our legislative intent was very clear that this was a bill to end this lawsuit and to defend the Minneapolis 2040 plan,” said Rep. Sydney Jordan, DFL-Minneapolis. “We believe in this plan. We took huge steps this year to defend it and we will continue to do so as necessary.” 

Jack Perry, the attorney for opposing groups like Smart Growth Minneapolis and Minnesota Citizens for the Protection of Migratory Birds, said their fight is far from over. They filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. 

“Almost every project is financed and it is pretty hard to finance something when the authority is based upon a 2040 plan that is tied up in litigation,” Perry said. “The mayor says they’re going forward. That’s all fine but the actual developers will have to worry about this litigation. He may not because it’s not his pocketbook that’s being opened up to build things based upon a foundation of a plan that is highly suspect.”

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The press conference celebrating the 2040 plan was held at Wakpada Apartments, a new complex that’s a product of the 2040 plan.

One of the apartment’s developers, Sean Sweeney, said the 2040 plan has allowed him to be creative and “do things that benefit the community.”

“I’ve worked in several markets around the country, and I can say without a doubt that being a developer in Minneapolis, especially now with the 2040 plan, is an absolute dream,” Sweeney said. 

The plan began in 2018. Since then, Minneapolis has invested over $360 million into affordable rental housing and homeownership programs.

“Minneapolis is being seen around the country as a leader in the affordable housing space, we’re seen as a leader in this push to desegregate cities. And we’re seen as a municipality to copy and to replicate in the work that we’re having right now,” Frey said.

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Minneapolis, MN

32-year-old charged with hiding body of Minneapolis woman

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32-year-old charged with hiding body of Minneapolis woman


A 32-year-old Iowa woman was charged on Tuesday with concealing the body of Liara Tsai, 35, of Minneapolis.

Court records show that Margot Lewis made her first appearance in Olmsted County Court Tuesday morning.

According to a criminal complaint, authorities were called to a one-vehicle crash at the intersection of I-90 and Highway 42 in Olmsted County on Saturday.

Based on tire tracks, authorities believe the driver, identified as Lewis, was speeding eastbound on I-90 when she went into the median.

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Bystanders told responding deputies there appeared to be a deceased or injured person in the car.

Inside, deputies found a body wrapped in a bed sheet, a blanket, a futon-style mattress and a tarp, court documents state. The person, later identified as Tsai, was obviously deceased and authorities said she didn’t seem to have been killed in the crash. She was cold to the touch and there was dried blood on the blanket.

Investigators later found a large wound on the right side of Tsai’s neck.

Lewis was medically cleared at the hospital and then booked into Olmsted County Jail. She did not respond audibly to law enforcement.

Lewis’ mugshot is not yet available on the Olmsted County Jail roster. This article will be updated when it becomes available.

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The Medical Examiner confirmed on Sunday that Tsai was killed before the car crash.

Monday evening, Minneapolis police and members of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension executed a search warrant of Tsai’s home on 16th Street East and found a scene “indicating violence.”

Investigators have not announced any arrests for Tsai’s death.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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