Protests break out following indictments related to ICE surge

Protests broke out outside of the federal courthouse in St. Paul on Tuesday afternoon following the indictment of 15 Minnesotans charged with “conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers” during Operation Metro Surge. According to MPR News, “U.S. marshals sprayed pepper spray and released aerosol grenades after protesters tried to hold open a door.”

President Donald Trump’s approval ratings remain low among likely Minnesota voters, according to a recent poll conducted by KARE 11, the Star Tribune and Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The survey, recorded earlier this month, shows 56% of respondents disapprove of the job Trump is doing while 41% said they approve, according to KARE 11. 

Residents of Elk River, Minn., raised major concerns to their city council Monday night about a proposed 24-hour, 33-megawatt data center along Industrial Boulevard, according to CBS News. The backlash comes as residents elsewhere in the state, from Hermantown to Pine Island, raise similar concerns around noise levels, water usage and electrical demand. The Elk River City Council could make a final decision by early July.

Blackduck, Minn., a town of 800 people about 25 miles north of Bemidji, followed the lead of several small towns in the state deciding to disband its police department in favor of a contract with Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, according to KAXE. Although the city budgeted for a full-time police chief and patrol officer, the positions have recently been filled part-time by Beltrami County sheriff’s deputies.

Minnesota chefs and restaurateurs left the James Beard Awards empty-handed on Monday night, KSTP reported. The state’s lone finalist, Kado No Mise’s Shigeyuki Furukawa, was nominated for “Best Chef: Midwest” for the second year in a row. He lost out to Loryn Nalic of the Balkan Treat Box near St. Louis, Missouri. Earlier in the year, 10 Minnesotans earned nods as semifinalists.

Need a summer getaway that’s a step up from camping? A luxury resort called The Harbors recently opened on the shore of Lake Superior, a few miles south of downtown Two Harbors, according to Bring Me the News. Geodesic domes are available for an elevated “glamping” experience. Glamping not your style? A‑frames, cabins and villas are also available.

Lily Kopp is MinnPost’s University of Iowa summer intern.

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