By Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald

Calling Colombian President Gustavo Petro “an illegal drug leader,” President Donald Trump announced Sunday the end of all U.S. aid to the South American country, upending the relationship with one of the region’s closest military allies at a time of a massive U.S. buildup near neighboring Venezuela.

Trump said Petro, who he said has “a fresh mouth toward America,” is “strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs, in big and small fields” throughout Colombia, which the president misspelled as Columbia. “Petro does nothing to stop it, despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America.”

“AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLUMBIA,” Trump said. “Better close up these killing fields immediately, or the United States will close them up for him, and it won’t be done nicely.”

In a series of posts on X, Petro responded Sunday that “trying to promote peace in Colombia is not being a drug trafficker” and that “Trump is deceived” by his advisers.

Tensions with the Colombian left-wing leader have escalated recently.

On Friday evening, Petro accused the U.S. of killing a Colombian fisherman in a boat strike last month that he said happened in Colombia’s territorial waters.

“U.S. government officials have committed murder and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters,” Petro wrote on X. “Fisherman Alejandro Carranza had no ties to drug trafficking and his daily activity was fishing. The Colombian boat was adrift and had a distress signal on.”

The Trump administration is carrying strikes in Caribbean waters near Venezuela in what it says is a counternarcotics operation, but seems also to be a push to oust Venezuela’s strongman Nicolás Maduro. The legality of the strikes has been questioned internationally and at home, and the administration has yet to provide Congress any evidence the people killed were trafficking drugs.

Last month, the U.S. State Department revoked Petro’s visa after he urged the U.S. military to disobey Trump, amid comments about the war in Gaza during a rally in New York.

“Do not point your rifles at humanity,” he said. “Disobey Trump’s order, obey humanity’s order.”

Petro, a former guerrilla member, has called Trump “an accomplice of the genocide” in Gaza.

Colombia is the recipient of the largest amount of U.S. aid to any country in Latin America and is a key military ally in the region. President Joe Biden designated Colombia as a major non-NATO ally in 2022.

Congress appropriated $377.5 million for foreign assistance for Colombia in 2024 and a similar amount for 2025, with certain restrictions out of concerns over Petro’s policies and counternarcotics efforts.

For first time since 1997, Trump administration said last month that Colombia was not compliant with its obligations as a drug-control partner, but issued the country a waiver on national security grounds to maintain cooperation.

Trump and Petro clashed early in January over migrant deportation flights. After both leaders slapped tariffs on each other’s countries following Petro’s initial refusal to allow two U.S. military flights carrying deported Colombian migrants to land in his country, Petro quickly backtracked.

Petro’s popularity has dipped in Colombia, where he faces tensions with the Colombian congress amid allegations of taking money from drug trafficking for his presidential campaign.

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©2025 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

PHILADELPHIA — When he took his first shift on Saturday night versus the Flyers in South Philly, Tyler Pitlick became the 36th Minnesota-born player to wear a Minnesota Wild sweater in a game. He also became the second member of his Twin Cities family to don the green and Iron Range red in a game.

A little more than three years ago, Tyler’s first cousin Rem was acquired by the Wild from Nashville, played 20 games with Minnesota, and was promptly traded to Montreal in the midst of the 2021-22 season.

Tyler needs 20 more games to become the Pitlick family’s iron man in a Wild uniform.

“It was awesome,” Pitlick said after the Wild’s 2-1 overtime loss to Philadelphia. “I was obviously really excited to play for the hometown team, but more importantly just to get back to the NHL after a year-and-a-half hiatus. It was pretty special, and it was great.”

The Wild are Pitlick’s ninth NHL organization after he signed a pro contract with Edmonton back in 2010. He has more than 400 NHL games under his belt but spent all of last season in the AHL, playing in the Boston Bruins’ system.

After a good training camp with the Wild, Pitlick, 33, found himself back in the AHL with Iowa, but getting lots of minutes.

“I thought I had a decent camp. Obviously, it could have been a little bit better,” he said Saturday. “But I think it wasn’t a horrible thing for me to go down and play a lot of minutes, 20 minutes a night, and getting that juice going and take it into here.”

Pitlick and the Iowa Wild were in North Carolina on Friday night, where they fell 6-2 to the Charlotte Checkers. Not long after he changed out of his hockey gear that night, Pitlick got the call to “the show” and was handed a plane ticket for Philadelphia.

“I found out after the game about 11 or 11:30,” recalled Pitlick, who played prep hockey at Centennial and spent a year each at Minnesota State Mankato and with Medicine Hat in the Canadian major junior leagues. “Got my itinerary for the flight in the morning. Then 7:45 car, 9 flight, got here for pregame meal, took a nap and ready to roll.”

Wild coach John Hynes put Pitlick on the fourth line with right wing Danila Yurov at center and Yakov Trenin on the other wing. With all three of them standing 6-foot-1 or better, Hynes is clearly looking for a size line, and Pitlick recorded four hits in the game, skating more than seven minutes.

“I thought Pitlick brought good energy and speed,” Hynes said postgame. “I liked the line with him and Yurov and Trenin. They had some zone time, and I thought he had a good outing.”

While the team’s sole focus with two games remaining on their current road trip is to get back in the win column — they went 0-2-1 in visits to Dallas, Washington and Philadelphia — Pitlick likes being a member of the Wild and playing on a line he feels suits his game.

“Some big bodies,” he said. “We’ve got some speed, we play a north game. I think we’re gonna get all over some defensemen and they’re not gonna like playing against us.”

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FINANCIAL SERVICES

Patrick Pierce

City & County Credit Union, St. Paul, announced the planned retirement of President and CEO Patrick Pierce in April 2026. Pierce has been with the organization since 2001. Thomas Coulter, executive vice president of operations, has been chosen to succeed Pierce. … U.S. Bancorp, the Minneapolis-based parent company of U.S. Bank, announced the hire of Christopher Paulison as senior executive vice president and chief audit executive. He succeeds Kandace Heck, who plans to retire later this year. Paulison most recently was a managing director of financial services at Protiviti Inc. 

ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS

Zeus Jones, a Minneapolis ad agency, announced it has named Brad Surcey and Rocky Novak as co-CEOs. Surcey has the additional role of chief creative officer at the firm and Novak as president/CEO. Surcey previously was partner and design director at the firm; Novak previously was CEO at Fallon.

EDUCATION

The Goddard School, a national early childhood education franchise, announced the opening of a second location in Woodbury at 645 Settlers Ridge Parkway. Franchisees Rick and Shannon Gehrmann also own Goddard School locations on Radio Drive in Woodbury, in Eagan, and in South Chandler, Ariz.

GOVERNMENT

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, an independent federal agency, announced the relocation of its St. Paul office to the Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, 316 Robert St., Room 304.

HEALTH CARE

Nura Pain Clinics, a subsidiary of the Capitol Pain Institute family of practices, announced that Dr. Angelito Sajor and Dr. Owen Vincent have joined as pain management providers at clinics in Edina, Coon Rapids and Woodbury. … The Minnesota Dental Association announced that Dr. Scott Wagnild, a Fergus Falls dentist, has been installed as president of the organization for the 2025-2026 term. … Accra a Minnetonka-based provider of homecare services to people with disabilities and older adults, announced the promotions of Rochelle Wodarz to vice president of agency; Tyler Langenfeld, vice president of 245D, the Minnesota statute covering homecare standards, and Hannah Rutt, vice president of caregiver experience. The three previously were senior directors with the agency. Additionally, the company updated the positions of the following executives to reflect their areas of focus: Amy Hilsgen, chief people officer; Timothy Jones, chief information officer, and Chad Gruzin, chief strategy officer. … The Minnesota Medical Association announced that Dr. Lisa Mattson, a retired Plymouth OB/GYN, was installed as the organization’s 159th president on Sept. 26.

HONORS

The Metropolitan Airports Commission announced it has received state and national honors for its support of National Guard and Reserve employees, including the 2025 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. MAC owns and operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and six general aviation airports in the Twin Cities.

LAW

Fredrikson, Minneapolis, announced that attorney Ryan P. Meger has joined the firm’s Patents, Intellectual Property Due Diligence and Intellectual Property groups. … Gov. Tim Walz announced the appointment of Stefanie Menning as a District Court Judge in Minnesota’s Fifth Judicial District, succeeding the Honorable Allison L. Krehbiel and chambered in St. Peter in Nicollet County.

MANUFACTURING

apg, a Columbia Heights-based maker of secure cash drawers for retail businesses, announced the appointment of Heather Stewart as president and chief executive officer, effective Oct. 1. Stewart has held senior leadership roles with Illume, Good Chemistry, Würth Adams, Duke Cannon Supply Co. and The Village Co.

NONPROFITS

CaringBridge, an Eagan-based social network that helps people connect during a health journey, announced the promotion of Stephanie Schmid to president, effective Oct. 1, and interim CEO, effective Jan 1, 2026. Schmid previously was chief growth officer. She succeeds Tia Newcomer, who will be transitioning out of her role as CEO, stepping down at the end of the year.

SERVICES

Marsden Services, a St. Paul-based provider of janitorial and other facilities services to business, announced the hire of Ewan Stewart as president of its Mechanical Services divisions. Stewart previously held senior leadership roles at Comfort Systems USA and Johnson Controls.

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EMAIL ITEMS to businessnews@pioneerpress.com.

Across America, churches meant to be sanctuaries are facing deadly threats in the 21st century, and safeguarding congregations from attacks has become increasingly challenging.

Church security is a hugely complicated field, experts say, one that brings no one-size-fits-all solutions and few easy answers. Churches range in size from tiny congregations in storefronts to conglomerate-style enterprises in amphitheaters so big they feel like sports arenas — all with unique layouts, from the placement of windows and hallways to the size and configuration of rooms.

Unlike some public buildings, churches need open access to carry out their functions, said Michael Toomey, the president of Secom, a Columbia firm that provides protective technologies for government agencies and houses of worship across the U.S.

“You want people to be able to walk around freely, not be faced with a lot of security barriers,” Toomey said. “That’s one of the things that makes churches a ‘soft target.’”

Secom and other firms have developed new tools to counter attacks, including AI-equipped surveillance cameras that detect suspicious behavior and send instant alerts — or even lockdown signals — within seconds.

They might have prevented such tragedies as the mass shooting that killed 27 people at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in 2017. The assailant in that case fired at individuals outside the building and might have been stopped before entering the church.

One problem is the price. A full-fledged state-of-the-art security system can cost between $40,000 and $100,000. It could include anything from apps that can buzz congregants, take over their laptops, or alert law enforcement, to alarms that trigger sirens and flashing strobes.

But an investment of $3,000 can mean a significant upgrade, said Geno Roefaro, the CEO of SaferWatch, a Florida company that provides advanced security technology.

“How many more warning signs do you really need to prioritize safety?” he said.

Government programs do offer security grants to vulnerable nonprofits, including houses of worship and parochial schools. The federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides funding for security upgrades, while Maryland offers two state options — the Protecting Against Hate Crimes Grant and the Hate Crimes Grant through the Maryland Center for School Safety.

Critics argue that taxpayers’ funds should not be used for religious establishments, but proponents claim that the economic impact of upgrades can be both direct and indirect, reducing crime, boosting local businesses, and increasing property values.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has no uniform security policy for its parishes but urges each to prioritize safety, said Tom Alban, the diocese’s director of risk management. The archdiocese offers training for hundreds of volunteers who serve on church security teams. Many are armed and have military or law enforcement backgrounds.

Parishes also follow best-practice procedures such as having single points of entry, providing bullet-resistant glass, keeping close ties with police and other agencies, and simply encouraging greeters and parishioners to engage with all who enter.

Some have been able to provide armed private security and upgrade surveillance, Alban said, adding that the archdiocese is applying for the DHS grants.

So are officials at Grace Fellowship Church in Timonium, a congregation with about 4,000 members. Pastor Vincenzo Leone has trained teams of volunteers to monitor the church, many of them quietly armed. Officials have a well-rehearsed action plan in place for when a pastor senses anything amiss from the pulpit.

But the system continues to evolve, and Leone said his team is applying for grants in hopes of making them even stronger.

“It’s sad, but the world has changed,” he said.

Have a news tip? Contact Jonathan M. Pitts at jonpitts@baltsun.com.