Minneapolis shelter open 24 hours as weekend temperatures drop
Catholic Charities’ Minneapolis-based shelter is operating as a 24-hour warming center this weekend, in an effort to keep more people out of dangerously cold temperatures.
The Higher Ground Minneapolis shelter plans to stay open 24 hours a day until Monday or longer if temperatures remain low, according to Keith Kozerski, chief program officer at Catholic Charities Twin Cities, during an interview on Saturday.
“Starting yesterday afternoon, through the end of the weekend, we’ll be open 24/7 to make sure that our most vulnerable neighbors have someplace safe to be. That means we stay open, provide extra meals, and just support in social activities for people who otherwise would need to be out on the street,” Kozerski said.
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Resident Maurice Harmon was among those seeking warmth and food on Saturday, and he emphasized the widespread need for assistance.
“From St. Paul to Minneapolis, there’s individuals that need the help, need the shelter, food, clean water, etc.,” said Harmon.
The more than 200-bed Higher Ground shelter has been operating above capacity well before the cold set in, Kozerski said.
“So last night, we were at our full, even over-capacity capacity, which was 10 mats on the floor… which isn’t the normal dignity we’d like to provide people, but it keeps them alive,” he said.
Catholic Charities also operates two day centers and the Dorothy Day Place shelter in St. Paul. All are experiencing similar capacity challenges, Kozerski said.
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“They are. Everybody’s bursting at the seams.”
Asked what’s behind the influx in need, Kozerski said, “You know, I think it’s about really complex stuff. It’s about people that have chronically been homeless. It’s about people who are hitting this tough job market and are laid off and are experiencing homelessness for the first time … and we know that seniors are the fastest growing population within the homeless community.”
Harmon shared his perspective on the situation. “Different reasons that have brought us here, ” he said. “Others, mental health. It’s really bad. I see it a lot. … Some individuals don’t have family, like myself.”
Harmon also expressed concern about public perception of homelessness. “No. It’s, it’s gotten worse, in my opinion. But, like I said, there’s always room for improvement … Open hearts, open minds. Seriously. The world needs more of it,” he said.
An ICE agent facing several assault charges in connection with a January shooting involving two Venezuelan people in Minnesota has been arrested in Texas, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.
Christian Castro was charged earlier this month with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime.
CNN is working to determine whether Castro has an attorney and has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
Castro faces those charges in connection with the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man shot in the leg through the front door of a Minneapolis home. The incident took place during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement blitz in the Twin Cities.
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Originally, Sosa-Celis and his cousin Alfredo A. Aljorna were facing federal charges after DHS said they had attacked an agent, prompting him to fire a defensive shot.
But the Justice Department dropped the charges in February, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement said two of its agents, who made false statements about the incident under oath, were placed on administrative leave.
FOX 9’s Erika Mrazik has your Thursday evening and extended forecast. Our temperatures continue to feel more like July than May, and we’ll continue to see plenty of sun.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air quality alert for the Twin Cities starting Friday.
Air quality alert in Twin Cities
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What we know:
MPCA says that ground-level ozone will be at unhealthy levels in the Twin Cities on Friday. An air quality will be in place from noon to 9 p.m.
An air quality alert in the Twin Cities. Graphic courtesy of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. (Supplied)
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Sunny skies, low humidity and warm temperatures make for favorable conditions pollutants to react with sunlight to make ground-level ozone. MPCA says the ozone will subside as the sun sets.
Who is most affected by poor air quality?
Dig deeper:
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People with asthma or other breathing conditions like COPD, chronic bronchitis and emphysema will be affected by poor quality. They can experience symptoms like difficulty deep breathing, shortness of breath, throat soreness, wheezing, coughing and unusual fatigue.
Additionally, children, teenagers and people of all ages who are doing heavy physical activity outside.
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What you can do:
MPCA recommends taking it easy while outside and limiting physical activity.
To help reduce pollution, use public transit or carpool when possible, fill up your car’s tank at dawn or dusk and avoid backyard fires.
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The Source: A press release from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
After the murder of George Floyd, the Minneapolis Police Department lost hundreds of officers and was a “depleted police department,” a statement from former Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara’s attorney said.
The chief “made significant progress in rebuilding community trust and pride within the ranks of MPD,” the statement reads.
At the memorial to Alex Pretti, who was killed during Operation Metro Surge, part of the attorney statement hits home. It says the city was constantly on the “precipice of igniting the spark that would set the city on fire again” and it claims O’Hara helped mitigate the violent clashes.
Most people WCCO spoke with around several Minneapolis neighborhoods say O’Hara had their respect.
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“I was watching the Twins game on my phone and the announcement came over and I was like, ‘Whoa, what’s that all about?’” said Marta Knick as she was heading to the Guthrie Theatre.
“I was very sad because we’re more than the sum of our mistakes,” said Minneapolis resident Howard Dotson.
Hours after the announcement, community members were eager to learn more about the one challenged with leading the most scrutinized police department in the country.
“What’s heartbreaking the most is he was in a high-level position of leaderhip and he dropped the ball,” said Michael Wilson, who works at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen.
Some are giving grace more than others.
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“He may have made a mistake but that doesn’t erase his four years of transformational work in the MPD,” Dotson added.
O’Hara joined the department in November 2022, two-and-a-half years after the murder of Floyd.
“You have to reestablish culture. I feel like he did an amazing job at that and was front-facing, which is good,” said Wilson.
That wasn’t the chief’s only challenge. Just within the past year, he responded to the Annunciation Catholic School shooting and Operation Metro Surge.
“I was pleased with the whole way he handled the Metro Surge thing,” said Ruth Lipker on the Stone Arch Bridge.
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In the statement from his attorney, O’Hara says he was “proud to serve Minneapolis and remains grateful to the officers and community partners who did difficult work under extraordinary pressure.”
“Yeah, he was invested in his job and the community. but he had personal investments in that job as well,” said Minneapolis resident Donald Turner.
Now, Minneapolis residents are looking ahead.
“We have change, again, and because we have change, I think we’re in the place to create a positive outlook or negative outlook,” Wilson told WCCO.
“I always have hope for the city. The city’s bigger than any of us and I love living here,” another man added while walking the Stone Arch Bridge.
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In the recent statement from his attorney, there was zero comment on the investigation that occurred. Those WCCO spoke to continued to have questions about that.
