GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — St. Paul schools to end contract with SPPD, vote to remove school resource officers
Saint Paul Public Schools will remove seven school resource officers from their high school buildings during the upcoming school year following a 5-1 vote by the school board on Tuesday to end contract negotiations with St Paul Police Department. By withdrawing from negotiations the board will effectively allow the current contract to expire in seven days, at the end of its scheduled term. The move follows a similar decision by the school board in Minneapolis, which terminated a partnership with Minneapolis police just days after the killing of George Floyd. Saint Paul Public Schools spent more than $700,000 on the 2019-2020 contract with St. Paul police, providing seven school resource officers only in the district’s high school buildings. But some students and community members argued the money could be spent elsewhere. Miski Omar, a 2019 Central High School graduate, served as one of the leading voices in this effort and organized a social media campaign to pressure the school board to act. School board director Chauntyll Allen agreed, saying that the presence of a badge and gun makes some students uneasy. School board treasurer John Brodrick cast the lone “no” vote to the measure, arguing that SROs develop relationships with students, chaperone events, and can respond to emergency situations such as school shootings.
When planning a bike ride, a helmet is a must. Sometimes Helena Howard brings her adorable pup Grazie along too. Other things are optional for Helana though, including a shirt. Howard has been biking topless for a while now. She said her curiosity about what the state allowed in terms of her being topless was triggered when she was cited for being topless on a Minneapolis beach about two years ago. The Minneapolis Park Board ordinance states, "No person ten (10) years of age or older shall intentionally expose his or her own genitals, pubic area, buttocks or female breast below the top of the areola, with less than a fully opaque covering in or upon any park or parkway..." But Howard, in her research to fight the citation, found that the state of Minnesota doesn't say it's illegal for a female to be topless. The State statute just defines indecent exposure as "engag(ing) in any open or gross lewdness or lascivious behavior, or any public indecency other than behavior specified in this subdivision." Knowing this, Howard said she hit the road on her bike staying just a few feet away from parks and parkways where she still could be cited. She said she was nervous at first, but now feels safe riding topless solo.
The Minnesota Zoo has announced a new, limited drive-thru experience to help raise critical funding as the zoo faces a major financial shortfall due to the coronavirus pandemic. Beastly Boulevard will offer families a chance to drive a special route on the Minnesota Zoo's Northern Trail, where visitors can view bison, camels, horses, llamas, and many other species. Tickets will cost $25 for Minnesota Zoo members, and $50 for non-members. The drive takes about 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Guests will also receive a kid-friendly interactive educational booklet, and a link to a special Spotify playlist to stream an animal-themed soundtrack for the drive. Beastly Boulevard will be open from June 24 to July 5, with timed entry available between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The Minnesota Zoo has been closed to the public since March 14 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In May, zoo officials announced they would need to eliminate 125 positions, including 48 layoffs, due to the financial challenges of the closure.
