Minneapolis, MN
Violence interrupter contract controversy creates service gap on Minneapolis' North Side
The controversy over violence interrupter contracts at Minneapolis City Hall has left a gap in prevention services on the city’s North Side as of Tuesday, as several newly selected violence interrupter groups took over services across the city.
Previous contracts expired on Monday, and with it, funding for the group “We Push for Peace,” which was not re-contracted for services on the North Side.
Another group, “21 Days of Peace,” was supposed to step in until the city withdrew its contract two weeks ago amid concerns surrounding its founder, Rev. Jerry McAfee, leaving a gap with no end in sight.
RELATED: Minneapolis City Council member’s proposal to transfer $1.1M for violence intervention to Hennepin County sparks heated debate
The historically underserved, higher crime area has notably seen a drop in violent crime recently, but area council member and longtime North Sider LaTrisha Vetaw said she fears that progress could halt without city funding for services like 21 Days of Peace that she said neighbors have come to rely on.
“When it kind of like, registered, ‘Whoa, we’re losing… ‘We Push for Peace,’ and we’re losing Rev. McAfee, potentially, like that was a hard pill for me to swallow, especially when the news reports were coming out that crime is down on the North Side,” Vetaw said during an interview at her Ward 4 office on Tuesday.
“It’s not better yet. Like, it’s not over. We still need to continue doing the work to make it better.”
Community members rallied in support of McAfee and his organization outside City Council offices, citing similar concerns.
As of this report, no one was scheduled to take over the area, which includes the historically troublesome West Broadway corridor.
The city’s Neighborhood Safety Department did not have an answer on when it would contract a group to fill the gap, saying they are “…still reviewing events…” that led them to reconsider the contract with McAfee, and “…no decision has yet been made on how to proceed.”
“I have not gotten any answers yet,” Vetaw said.
“There’s an investigation going on. I don’t know of what, but that’s what they keep saying. ‘There’s an investigation.’”
In the meantime, Vetaw said about 10 jobs are also at stake.
“You know, people focus on Rev. McAfee. There are people who work for ’21 Days of Peace,’ who live in this community, that have a job that is going to lose their jobs because they don’t have that contract. That’s important,” she said.
McAfee did not previously have a city contract and has said he’ll continue to work with or without city funding.
Vetaw worried that would not be a long-term solution and without a contract, officials don’t have control over these services, nor can they track their effectiveness.
Vetaw said she’s exploring alternatives to bring before the city council in a resolution.
Timeline: Violence interrupters and Minneapolis city government
- December 2020: For the first time, the Minneapolis city budget includespermanent funding for violence interrupter programs through the MinneapolUS Strategic Outreach Initiative. The program received $2.5 million in its first year.
- May 2021: The Rev. Jerry McAfee sets out to achieve “21 Days of Peace” with volunteer patrols in the wake of three shootings over the span of a month that killed two young children and severely injured another.
- February 2022: The Minneapolis City Council approves an additional $5 million for violence interruption contracts, despite concerns about transparency and accountability.
- August 2022: Then-Commissioner of Community Safety Cedric Alexander calls for more hard data surrounding the city’s violence interrupter program.
- October 2023: Minneapolis authorizes a one year, $200,000 contract with Salem Inc., McAfee’s nonprofit, for violence intervention services.
- April 2024: Minneapolis City Council Member Robin Wonsley accuses the city’s Neighborhood Safety Department (NSD) of “mismanagement” and wrongly withholding funds from violence interrupter groups. Former NSD Director Luana Nelson-Brown later told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS she stopped payments to certain organizations over a lack of receipts and data.
- Feb. 10, 2025: McAfee blows up at Minneapolis City Council members over a plan to offload oversight of $1 million in violence interrupter contracts to Hennepin County. Council members condemned the tirade and accused him of hurling threats and homophobic remarks.
- March 10, 2025: Two 21 Days of Peace members are involved in a shootout in north Minneapolis and are later criminally charged.
- March 17, 2025: Minneapolis city officials withdraw a request for Minneapolis City Council action on violence interrupter contracts over concerns surrounding McAfee and 21 Days of Peace.
- March 25, 2025: The Minneapolis City Council Committee of the Whole accepts a new request for violence interruption contracts that excludes Salem Inc.
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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