Your Daily Guide

St. Paul Encampment on Polluted Site

The homeless encampment at Randolph Avenue and Shepard Road sits on a state superfund site. MinnPost reporters sent soil samples to University of Minnesota researchers, with results showing high lead levels. “The site has become a perfect storm – land never intended for human habitation has become a home for people who say they have no place else to go,” write reporters Maddie Robinson and Shay Scanlan. One organizer estimated about 400 people live at the encampment, whereas the city puts the number at 150 to 200. [MinnPost]

• Pause: Last week, the St. Paul City Council passed a non-binding resolution which would prevent the city from clearing an encampment before a 60-day period. During that time, on-site staff would connect residents with resources and temporary housing. However, advocates have said the timeline is still too short and worry sweeps could happen in the winter. [Sahan Journal]
• Closure planned: Mayor Kaohly Her told MPR News she supports the City Council plan, but argues her administration is already taking the steps laid out in the resolution. Her said she still plans on closing the Shepard Road encampment, though she didn’t say when. [MPR News]
• Across the river: Meanwhile, the Minneapolis City Council will soon vote on a proposal to allow unhoused residents to sleep in their cars at designated parking lots. Denver and Duluth have launched similar programs. [Bring Me The News]

Hot ticket item: State Sen. Omar Fateh (previously a Minneapolis mayoral candidate) hosted a sold-out show with U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and popular streamer Hasan Piker on Monday night. Top DFL politicians, including DFL gubernatorial nominee Sen. Amy Klobuchar, released statements criticizing Piker in the lead-up to the event. MPR News was denied access to the event at the last minute, but left-wing political commentator Amber Alton posted their take on the conversation. [MPR News / KARE 11]

‘Taken’: Zong Yang was deported to Laos in May, but he still tells his sons to get ready for school – through the various Ring cameras in the house. Sahan Journal's Katelyn Vue profiles the Yang family's new lives in the aftermath of their father’s deportation. It’s the latest story in an ongoing series called “Taken: A Family’s Story of Deportation.” [Sahan Journal]

Mergers: After South Dakota-based Sanford Health acquired North Memorial, the state faces two other major hospital mergers. In response, a coalition of healthcare workers, faith leaders, and other organizers are backing a “community benefits agreement” to secure legal protections for workers and patients. Wanda Malden with ISAIAH and Dr. Matt Hoffman, an Allina family physician and union member, joined the show to talk about what's on the line for them. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

‘Funk-a-fried’: A BP car wash station in northeast Minneapolis has been transformed into a fried chicken restaurant called “The Bird.” For about $15, I got three tenders with their signature Lebanese sauce, seasoned fries, and a drink. The tenders were crispy even after a 20-minute drive home (there’s no indoor seating); I didn’t find the dipping sauce spicy (it was a little reminiscent of tartar sauce), but I enjoyed the tang. [Bring Me The News]

‘Resign today’: Activists pushing for the closure of the Hennepin County trash burner say county employees have been tracking their movements. The Minnesota Environmental Justice Table and the Zero Burn Coalition obtained public records which they say show county staff attending their meetings, and then reporting back to higher-ups as well as employees of the private company that operates the HERC incinerator. Members are also calling for the resignation of two county employees. [Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder]

• Organ Procurement Surgeon at LifeSource | $300k–$350k per year
• Cultural Liaison, Community Specialist, Spanish Language at City of St. Paul | $53k–$73k per year
• Brand Enhancement Technician at 7-Eleven | $18–$32 per hour
• St. Paul Tour Guide at US Ghost Adventures | $50 per tour plus tips (PT)
• Golf Dome Ball Retriever at City of Edina | $25 per hour (PT, Seasonal)