Minneapolis, MN
Sabathani Community Center in Minneapolis transitions to clean energy example and resilience hub
Within the cavernous basement of Sabathani Group Heart in south Minneapolis, two huge, 50-year-old boilers are present process upkeep earlier than one other lengthy winter.
Thelma and Louise, because the boilers are recognized, are the first warmth sources for town’s unique African American neighborhood middle. Sabathani spends about $20,000 yearly simply getting the machines prepped for winter, constructing supervisor Jesus Dominguez mentioned.
The practically 100-year-old constructing had an Power Star score of zero when Sabathani carried out an audit in 2019. Winter utility payments may be as excessive as $27,000 a month, in response to Sabathani Chief Government Scott Redd.
“We should always be capable of take that cash and do one thing else with it,” he mentioned.
Sabathani Group Heart was based in 1966 by Black members of a south Minneapolis Baptist church. At the moment, it serves as a one-stop store for built-in neighborhood companies, with a big meals shelf, workforce coaching and medical reference facilities. Sabathani additionally hosts 25 organizations in its constructing, together with a Montessori faculty and a printing enterprise. Every year, about 150,000 individuals come by means of its doorways.
Sabathani calls itself “the center of south Minneapolis,” and the group goals to make that coronary heart beat greener. As a primary step, the middle is considered one of three buildings chosen by Xcel Power for the $9 million Resilient Cities Minneapolis undertaking, an initiative that may set up rooftop photo voltaic and a big vitality storage battery on the location. The purpose is to make sure that Sabathani is usually a refuge for the neighborhood throughout energy outages brought on by excessive climate or to chill off throughout warmth waves.
As local weather change brought on by the burning of fossil fuels continues to heat the ambiance, excessive climate occasions and heatwaves are coming with extra frequency, specialists say.
However Sabathani is not stopping there. It is within the midst of a inexperienced vitality renovation to decrease the constructing’s carbon footprint and utility prices.
The Resilient Minneapolis undertaking emerged from Xcel Power’s Built-in Distribution Plan, an effort required by the Minnesota Public Utilities Fee for energy suppliers to map out their coming investments within the native vitality grid.
The undertaking started with Xcel Power and the Minneapolis authorities in search of clear vitality sources within the metropolis and methods to develop vitality storage capability. The purpose was so as to add extra “non-wired” alternate options that may distribute energy with out connection to energy strains and poles. After George Floyd’s homicide in Might 2020, Xcel needed to develop partnerships with organizations which might be led by and serve native communities of shade, in response to Xcel coverage and outreach supervisor Nick Martin.
Xcel and Minneapolis selected three facilities to turn into resilience hubs: Sabathani, the Minneapolis American Indian Heart and Renewable Power Companions on the North Facet.
Every web site will obtain a rooftop photo voltaic array and an onsite storage battery. In regards to the dimension of a delivery container, the battery will probably be on the outside of the websites, mentioned Andre Gouin, a enterprise know-how marketing consultant with Xcel. The batteries will usually be a part of the bigger electrical grid, taking energy from the photo voltaic panels and distributing it all through the service space. However throughout outages, the batteries may be “islanded,” or remoted from the bigger grid to energy the person websites.
Will probably be the primary islanding-capable battery system in Minnesota and relies on a mannequin Xcel developed in Colorado, Gouin mentioned. On a full cost, the battery might energy a constructing reminiscent of Sabathani for practically 10 hours. With direct connection to the photo voltaic arrays, it might energy the buildings perpetually if Minneapolis had been to face a long-term outage.
Building on the resilience hubs is anticipated to start in summer time 2024.
Sabathani Group Heart’s inexperienced vitality journey began with an vitality audit by the Heart for Power and Setting, a nonprofit group that helps Minnesotans enhance vitality effectivity. The previous brick junior excessive constructing, with lengthy hallways, excessive ceiling lecture rooms, and a yellowing hardwood health club ground had nowhere to go however up from its preliminary rating of zero.
Sabathani began small. It transitioned to LED lighting and put in sensible thermostats all through the constructing. The neighborhood middle acquired grants from town’s Inexperienced Value Share Program and the Minneapolis Basis to cowl about $90,000 value of enhancements in late 2021.
The adjustments are already noticeable on month-to-month electrical payments, Redd mentioned, with estimated annual financial savings of $28,000.
Sabathani Group Heart now has its sights set on changing Thelma and Louise with a geothermal heating system by elevating $11.2 million to fund the improve.
“We’re all in,” Redd mentioned.
Decreasing the carbon footprint of Sabathani and the encircling neighborhood is a serious purpose for the neighborhood middle, he mentioned.
If all the middle’s plans come collectively, it’s going to serve for instance of the way it’s doable to retrofit an older construction. There’ll all the time be a necessity for Sabathani, Redd mentioned, and saving cash on energy will let the group spend these {dollars} serving different wants.
This story involves you from Sahan Journal, a nonprofit newsroom devoted to masking Minnesota’s immigrants and communities of shade. Join its free e-newsletter to obtain tales in your inbox.
Accused drunk driver arrested by ICE
The man accused in a deadly drunk driving crash, who has been freed from Hennepin County Jail twice despite ICE detainers, has now been arrested by ICE.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A man accused of causing a fatal crash while under the influence and being in the country illegally is now set to be deported before he can be tried in Hennepin County court.
White House officials previously criticized Hennepin County authorities for not honoring an ICE retainer request, while the attorney’s office calls the federal government’s actions an “overreach.”
German Adriano Llangari Inga, an Ecuadorian national, was initially arrested after a deadly Minneapolis crash in August 2024.
Court records show future Hennepin County court dates for Inga have been canceled.
READ MORE: White House blasts Hennepin County, Democrats over immigrant drunk driving case
Inga set for deportation
What they’re saying:
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office released the following statement:
“German Llangari Inga was deported and the resulting harm to Victoria Eileen Harwell’s loved ones was entirely foreseeable and preventable.
“The federal government’s dangerous, mindless commitment to deporting people who should be held accountable in the communities they harmed is devastating to victims and their loved ones.
“Prosecutors seek justice. We care about victims of crime and their families. Our victim support staff build meaningful connections with them that can last for years. This case is ours to seek accountability on behalf of the community Mr. Llangari Inga harmed.
More importantly, ICE will fly him to his home country where he will not be detained, stripping away any possibility of justice for the people traumatized by his actions.”
Records show that Inga was transferred into ICE custody and is at a staging area in Louisiana as of Wednesday evening.
German Adriano Llangari Inga charges
The backstory:
German Adriano Llangari Inga was arrested in August 2024 after prosecutors said he smashed head-on into an SUV in Minneapolis, killing the driver and injuring two others. The crash happened at the intersection of Lowry and James Avenues North.
Inga was not initially charged for the crash and was released from jail. ICE officials said they issued a detention order for Inga, but Hennepin County Jail did not honor it.
In a statement from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, FOX 9 was told, “The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office works with all federal, state, and local partners on criminal investigations and to enforce criminal statutes. An ICE hold is not a judicially signed warrant and courts have determined they are unconstitutional.”
Hennepin County prosecutors say they received Inga’s toxicology report four months after the crash, which showed his blood alcohol levels were more than twice the legal limit.
However, court documents show charges were not filed against him until May 2, nine months after the crash. He was then arrested on May 10.
READ MORE: Fatal DUI suspect, in US illegally, released from Hennepin Co. Jail again
Dig deeper:
The reason for the delay in criminal charges is not clear, and a judge questioned prosecutors about the delay during a brief court appearance.
The judge then set Inga’s bond at $200,000 with no conditions and $100,000 with conditions. Prosecutors in court said they wanted him to be held accountable in Hennepin County and fear he could be arrested by federal authorities if he posts bond.
Inga did post bond and was arrested by federal authorities, who are now processing his deportation back to Ecuador.
READ MORE: Alleged drunk driver in fatal crash now in ICE custody
Hennepin County vs. White House
The other side:
The White House released a statement on Monday criticizing Hennepin County authorities, saying, “An illegal immigrant drove drunk, killed an innocent mother and was on the run because Democrats didn’t do their most important job: protect their constituents.”
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office stood by their process, saying, “Mr. Llangari Inga’s case was handled the way all cases are handled when toxicology reports are necessary to complete an investigation and submit a case. After the incident occurred in August 2024, Minneapolis police waited until they had the results of the toxicology report to submit the case to us, as is appropriate and common.”
Policy Director for the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota argued that, “The jails are not allowed to hold somebody for ICE if the jail would not otherwise be holding that person. That is asking the local jurisdiction to do immigration enforcement’s job for them, and the local jurisdiction – that is not the local jurisdiction’s job.”
The Source: This story uses statements from the Hennepin County attorney’s office, court records and past FOX 9 reporting.
Minneapolis, MN
Upscale Minneapolis pizzeria Young Joni to close on Sept. 14 amid financial troubles
Young Joni will close at the end of the summer after an award-winning decade in business, restaurant owner Ann Kim announced on social media.
Its last day is set for Sept. 14.
“All things in life come to an end and this is our moment to make room for the next chapter,” Kim said in an Instagram post. “It has been a privilege to work with our dedicated teams and serve the greater community with heart, creativity and purpose. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created and we look forward to serving our beloved guests one last time over the next few months.”
The northeast Minneapolis eatery, known for its inventive wood-fired pizzas, opened in 2014 and won Kim Best Chef Midwest honors at the 2019 James Beard Awards.
Last year, the chef closed another of her restaurants, Kim’s, shortly after her employees voted to unionize with Unite Here! Local 17.
Kim and Conrad Leifur, her husband and business partner, also run Pizzeria Lola in Minneapolis and Hello Pizza in Edina under the banner of Vestalia Hospitality.
Landlord sues for unpaid rent
Court records indicate some financial trouble was brewing under the surface at Young Joni.
A lawsuit filed by property owner 1300 LLC alleges Young Joni owes more than $140,000 in unpaid rent.
The landlord had leased the restaurant space to Young Joni for a 10-year term that expired in August 2024. When the lease came up for renewal, the two parties discussed the new terms.
1300 LLC, citing comparable market rates, wanted to charge $30-36 per square foot. Young Joni countered with a rate of $18 per square foot.
In June 2024, when they still hadn’t agreed on a rate, the landlord proposed going through arbitration to resolve the dispute, but Kim declined because she didn’t have “the time and energy to go through such a process” due to a labor dispute at her other restaurant.
When the original lease expired and there was still no renewal agreement for Young Joni, the landlord retained the restaurant as a month-to-month tenant and imposed a higher rent.
The lawsuit claims Young Joni is now in default on its lease, owing more than $100,000 in rent underpayments dating back to Aug. 1.
“Young Joni has not paid the appropriate amount of holdover rent for August 2024 or any subsequent month,” the filing states.
Additionally, in 2020, the landlord had agreed to defer more than $42,000 in rent due to COVID-19, with the condition that it be paid back once Young Joni was operating at full capacity. That rent deferment was still unpaid as of this month.
Minneapolis, MN
A restaurant in Minneapolis and a chef in St. Paul each claimed a 2025 James Beard Award
Fried food recipes to celebrate any holiday
No matter the holiday, fried food brings the party. Get 7 crave-worthy recipes and smart frying tips to make it all golden.
A restaurant that serves French-American cuisine in Minneapolis is the winner of the 2025 James Beard Award for best new restaurant.
Bûcheron – a French word that translates to lumberjack – claimed the prestigious award, one of several that recognize “excellence in the culinary arts, food and beverage, and hospitality industries,” according to a June 16 news release from the James Beard Foundation.
The best new restaurant recognizes establishments that opened between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024, and “already demonstrates excellence in cuisine, seems likely to make a significant impact in years to come and demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations,” the news release says.
And Bûcheron wasn’t the only Minnesota restaurant to be recognized. Karyn Tomlinson, of St. Paul’s Myriel, was named best chef in the Midwest region, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
“It’s with deep celebration that we congratulate the 2025 restaurant and chef award winners – distinguished culinary, beverage, and hospitality leaders whose talent and vision are shaping our dining landscape,” said James Beard Foundation CEO Clare Reichenbach.
Which restaurants received awards?
- Outstanding Restaurateur: Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, Frenchette, Le Veau d’ Or and Le Rock, New York, New York
- Outstanding Chef: Jungsik Yim, Jungsik, New York, New York
- Outstanding Restaurant: Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, Colorado
- Emerging Chef: Phila Lorn, Mawn, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Best New Restaurant: Bûcheron, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Outstanding Bakery: JinJu Patisserie, Portland, Oregon
- Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Cat Cox, Country Bird Bakery, Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Outstanding Hospitality: Atomix, New York, New York
- Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: Charleston, Baltimore, Maryland
- Outstanding Bar: Kumiko, Chicago, Illinois
- Best New Bar: Identidad Cocktail Bar, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: Arjav Ezekiel, Birdie’s, Austin, Texas
- Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: Ignacio “Nacho” Jimenez, Superbueno, New York, New York
Which chefs received awards?
- Best Chef, California: Jon Yao, Kato, Los Angeles, California
- Best Chef, Great Lakes: Noah Sandoval, Oriole, Chicago, Illinois
- Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic: Carlos Delgado, Causa and Amazonia, Washington, D.C.
- Best Chef, Midwest: Karyn Tomlinson, Myriel, St. Paul, Minnesota
- Best Chef, Mountain: Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, Idaho
- Best Chef, New York State: Vijay Kumar, Semma, New York, New York
- Best Chef, Northeast: Sky Haneul Kim, Gift Horse, Providence, Rhode Island
- Best Chef, Northwest and Pacific: Timothy Wastell, Antica Terra, Amity, Oregon
- Best Chef, South: Nando Chang, Itamae AO, Miami, Florida
- Best Chef, Southeast: Jake Howell, Peninsula, Nashville, Tennessee
- Best Chef, Southwest: Yotaka Martin, Lom Wong, Phoenix, Arizona
- Best Chef, Texas: Thomas Bille, Belly of the Beast, Spring, Texas
Protesters are chasing federal agents out of L.A. County hotels: ‘A small victory’
2025 Emmy predictions: Best TV movie
Luxury Sector Will Continue to Slip, Bain Forecasts
Commentary: Archbishop Gomez starts to stand up for L.A. right when the city needs him
'We are still here, yet invisible.' Study finds that U.S. government has overestimated Native American life expectancy
-
Business1 week agoYale’s Endowment Selling Private Equity Stakes as Trump Targets Ivies
-
Culture1 week agoBarbara Holdridge, Whose Record Label Foretold Audiobooks, Dies at 95
-
Science1 week agoIn Taxicab Geometry, Pi Equals 4 and Circles Aren’t Round
-
News1 week agoYosemite Bans Large Flags From El Capitan, Criminalizing Protests
-
Culture1 week agoA Murdered Journalist’s Unfinished Book About the Amazon Gets Completed and Published
-
Culture1 week agoHow Many Memorable Lines Can You Match Up With Their Novels?
-
Business1 week agoWaymo halts service in downtown Los Angeles amid ICE protests
-
Politics1 week agoFox News Politics Newsletter: Hillary ‘Can’t Handle the Ratio'