Minneapolis, MN
Smith Foundry in Minneapolis to shut down in August
Mpls community meeting discusses pollution
A community meeting was held in the East Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis on Monday to discuss pollution coming from a Smith Foundry building that’s in violation of the Clean Air Act.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Smith Foundry in the East Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis announced it would close its doors after issues with air quality standards with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The full closure is set to happen by August 15, ending more than a century of operations at that location. Furnace melting and core making operations ended on Friday, according to Smith Foundry officials.
What we know
Smith Foundry leaders decided to shut the operation down after getting an ultimatum from MPCA. The foundry was told it must demonstrate that the company can meet federal standards set by the Clean Air Act or forgo an air quality permit.
The closing of the foundry brings about the end of a dispute between government regulators and Smith Foundry that spilled into public view last year.
Read more: Smith Foundry ordered to end some operations by EPA
Some people living in the East Phillips neighborhood made clear during community meetings that they wanted the foundry shut down.
What they’re saying
Smith Foundry officials say they were left with no choice because of the “unreasonable” demands made by MPCA related to the air permit.
President Smith Foundry Adolfo Quiroga released a statement on the foundry’s closing:
“”The MPCA had a chance to make these air permitting demands from the previous owner, Neil Ahlstrom, for decades which would have shut down the foundry a long time ago, but they didn’t. And then, when Zynik purchased Smith Foundry, the MPCA approved the transfer of the existing air permit without a single question and without expressing any concerns. They never informed us they had any concerns about the foundry, its operations, or its existence in the neighborhood, which has operated in Minneapolis for over one hundred years,” said Quiroga.
“Now, for reasons the MPCA did not provide and despite our compliance with all environmental laws and regulations and our commitment to alter our operations, significantly reduce emissions and save jobs in East Phillips, Minneapolis, and Minnesota, the MPCA is making unreasonable and unjustified demands through their arbitrary and opaque air permitting process that are essentially forcing us to close the furnace sooner than expected. They are in essence rejecting our agreement with the EPA. We are left with no other choice but to shut down the foundry. Unfortunately, our employees and their families will be impacted the most by this closure, which I deeply regret. I wish there was more we could do.”
The MPCA also released a statement regarding the closure:
“The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s long-standing focus is to protect the environment and ensure the health and wellness of all Minnesotans, and we expect all companies in Minnesota to follow our environmental laws.
“The MPCA supported the EPA’s enforcement action with Smith Foundry and agreement, which requires the company to obtain a new air permit from the MPCA. Smith Foundry is located in an area of the state that demands additional information demonstrate that the company could operate while meeting air quality standards set by the Clean Air Act in order to receive an air quality permit. The company informed the agency today that it will shut down all operations by August 15, 2024, rather than provide information necessary for an operating air permit.
“The MPCA is committed to protecting the environment, health of Minnesotans, and the economic vitality of our neighborhoods and businesses. The agency regulates 55,000 facilities who hold environmental permits, including 2200 that hold air permits, that adhere to Minnesota’s strong environmental laws.”
Read more: Residents sound off at community meeting about Smith Foundry
During a community meeting co-hosted by the Minneapolis Pollution Control Agency and the East Phillips Improvement Coalition in November, a resident said “No matter what they are emitting, it’s killing us. It’s killing our children. You are supposed to be the one to help us and prevent this from happening and you are failing at your job.”
Background
Air quality concerns drove public outcry in November when residents complained about fumes and smoke plumes in the East Phillips neighborhood.
EPA officials said that after a surprise May 2023 inspection, they found the foundry violated the Clean Air Act by emitting fine particulates at twice the amount allowed since 2018. However, the MPCA rejected the EPA’s reported findings and said it hadn’t found any violations at the state or federal level.
The Smith Foundry later reached an enforcement agreement in June with the EPA that included ceasing some of its operations and paying an $80,000 fine.
Smith Foundry, which manufactures castings while providing geometric design and engineering services along with finishing work, has been operating in Minneapolis since 1923 and was purchased by Zynik Capital Corporation in December 2022.
Minneapolis, MN
Woman dies in Minneapolis hit-and-run crash, driver still at large
Minneapolis police respond to a hit-and-run that left a woman seriously injured, (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A woman hit by a vehicle that fled the scene in Minneapolis over the weekend died Monday from her injuries, according to Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
Minneapolis hit-and-run crash
The backstory:
Police say they responded to reports of a hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian at about 3:10 a.m. on Sunday in the 1600 block of Marshall Street Northeast.
Officers then found a woman in her 20s suffering from potentially life-threatening injuries. She was taken to the hospital.
Investigators say the woman was crossing Marshall Street while carrying a bag of food when she was struck by a speeding vehicle.
Driver still at large
What you can do:
Police say no arrests have been made in connection with the incident. The vehicle is described as a dark-colored sedan that was possibly driven by a man.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Minneapolis police by emailing policetips@minneapolismn.gov or calling 612-673-5845 to leave a voicemail.
Minneapolis, MN
ICE at US airports: No sign of agents at MSP
ICE at airports on Monday: No sign of agents at MSP
There are no signs of ICE agents at MSP Airport on Monday morning. ICE is being sent to some airports to help TSA during the partial government shutdown, which has led to long lines to get through airport security.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – ICE agents are set to assist TSA officers at airports nationwide due to staffing shortages caused by the ongoing partial government shutdown.
However, it remains unclear whether Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport will be among the locations receiving additional personnel.
ICE agents to assist TSA at airports
What we know:
The decision to deploy ICE agents comes as TSA officers have been working without pay for more than a month, leading to widespread staffing challenges. Hundreds of TSA employees have reportedly resigned, while others have called in sick, contributing to long security lines during the busy spring break travel season.
Federal officials say ICE agents will not replace TSA officers but would likely assist with certain tasks, such as monitoring exit lanes or checking passenger identification. The goal is to free up trained TSA officers to focus on more specialized duties like X-ray screening.
The Department of Homeland Security has not released a list of airports that will receive ICE support. In a statement Monday, the agency said in part, “President Trump is using every tool available to help American travelers who are facing hours-long lines at airports across the country.”
Security at MSP Airport
Local perspective:
At the MSP airport, operations appeared to be running smoothly. However, some passengers are skeptical about the effectiveness of using ICE agents. “Yeah, not a fan of that, I don’t think it will make the situation any better,” said a couple.
MSP officials would not confirm or deny if ICE agents would be deployed locally, but emphasized that wait times at MSP have remained relatively low.
“During the partial government shutdown, wait times have consistently remained under 30 minutes at MSP Airport, despite heavy spring break travel. The relatively low wait times are a testament to the commitment of the local TSA team,” a statement read. “We’re grateful for the TSA’s continued service to maintain smooth and secure travel for MSP passengers.”
What we don’t know:
It’s still unclear how many ICE agents will be deployed or which locations will be impacted.
The Source: This story uses statements from DHS and MSP Airport officials.
Minneapolis, MN
Heartbreak in Minneapolis: Ole Miss Falls to Minnesota 65-63 in Final Seconds – The Rebel Walk
MINNEAPOLIS — Ole Miss women’s basketball had the type of game expected against Minnesota in a NCAA Tournament Round of 32 game — on the opponent’s home court. As anticipated, Sunday’s contest was a low-scoring game with big momentum swings, decisive moments and a large, loud crowd. Sure enough, it came down to last second — the final .8 to be exact — and within mere inches of being an epic moment in Ole Miss’ history. Alas, it’ll go into Minnesota’s history books as a 65-63 victory.
First Half
With both teams being so strong on defense, the expectation that this game would be a defensive battle was indeed correct.
Both sides had a combined 14 turnovers in the first 20 minutes and each forced the other’s offense into several awkward possessions. Ole Miss had two fewer turnovers but spent most of the half trailing the Gophers.
Having star player Cotie McMahon on the sideline for most of the first quarter with two fouls didn’t help the Rebels’ offensive struggles. In the first half, she played just ten minutes of the 20. Half. That’s it.
After the game, Coach Yo talked about what it meant to have her out for what ended up being almost 20 minutes of the 40-minute game.
“I was in the locker room, just thinking about other star players on teams. I haven’t seen them foul out in a March Madness game. Paige, Caitlin…I just haven’t seen the best players get fouled out. From my point of view, the last call was incorrect We watched it 1500 times. One of the things I do understand is officials are human….I don’t think that is why we lost the game. I just know that Cotie is the leading scorer, the Newcomer of the Year, all the things — and she plays 20 minutes (of the game). It’s disappointing because these fans deserved more than that, the game deserves more than that. I just feel officiating as a whole needs to be looked at. I’m not just talking about this game..”
Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin
Minnesota ended the first quarter on a 15-6 run while McMahon was on the bench.
The Gophers shot 50% from the field in the first two quarters, including 4-for-6 on three-pointers. One of those threes was a halfcourt, buzzer-beater that gave them a five-point lead.
The second quarter was better for the Rebels, but even McMahon’s return to action couldn’t help fully close the gap. Several trips to the charity stripe (10-of-12) helped make the deficit just three points at halftime.
Second Half
McMahon’s foul trouble ended up being very costly.
Ole Miss had its chances in the final four minutes after McMahon fouled out of the game with the Rebels leading 59-54. She was a big reason, when in the game, Ole Miss played more like its usual “dictate and disrupt” style, going fast, forcing turnovers and getting to the foul line.The Gophers were the ones who looked out-of-sync. But once McMahon left, so did a key part of the Rebels’ offense.
Minnesota ended the game on an 11-4 run — yet only regained the lead back with 14.2 seconds remaining in the game.
Ole Miss had its chance and they nearly won the game that would have sent them to the Sweet 16.
Latasha Lattimore’s baseline drive for a layup was well drawn up and executed even better. However, it left 3.2 seconds on the clock which was more than enough time for the Gophers to inbound, dribble a few steps and drain the game-winning bucket.
Even then, Ole Miss wasn’t beaten. With 0.8 seconds on the clock, the Rebels drew up another play that gave Tianna Thompson a good look for a three. The shot, though, bounced off the front of the rim and the season comes to an end with the 65-63 loss.
Give Coach Yo’s Rebels credit. They never quit. When the regular season ended with a four-game losing streak and everyone had written them off, they dominated at the SEC Tournament, easily handling Gonzaga in the first round and come up just inches short of another Sweet 16 trip.
Team 51 didn’t achieve all of its goals, but it should be proud of the season it had and look towards a bright future for this program.
Ole Miss Leaders vs. Minnesota
- Points: Sira Thienou, 18
- Rebounds: Christeen Iwuala, 6
- Assists: Cotie McMahon, 4
Next Up
The NCAA transfer portal opens April 6 for 15 days. With seven seniors on the current roster, look for Coach Yo to be very active — and very successful — yet again. Of course the Rebels do have some very talented players — like sophomores Sira Thienou and Tianna Thompson — who will be anchors for Team 52.
Related
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
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