Rebutting arguments against administrative citations in St. Paul

I want to debunk some of the recent arguments against Administrative Citations and tell you why I will be voting yes on City Question 1.

Administrative Citations are simply the ability for the city to issue fines for violations of ordinances. St. Paul is the only major city in Minnesota without them. Just look at the vacant Snelling Avenue CVS for how well the current system is working. Only now after three years of calls to police has the property been declared a nuisance and can be potentially demolished. With administrative citations, we could have had accountability and responsibility long ago.

Argument: The City Council sought to circumvent voter participation.

False. State law has allowed since 1973 the ability for cities to amend a charter by a unanimous city council vote, and allowed for a referendum by petition, which is why we are even having a referendum in the first place. The amendment has had rigorous vetting, three public hearings over three months, and dozens of public testifiers.

Argument: Administrative Citations is supported by “city special interests.”

False. Question 1 is supported by over a dozen labor, faith and community groups, including the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation AFL-CIO, HOME Line, and Faith in Minnesota.

Argument: Administrative Citations was passed as a revenue raiser.

False. The charter amendment received a unanimous vote only on the condition it will not be a revenue raiser. Additionally, the St. Paul City Council unanimously voted to create an advisory committee to ensure it can be fairly and equitably implemented, and how to return fines to rental assistance, affordable housing, worker protections, and others.

The No Campaign’s arguments fall flat. While I think forcing a referendum on a unanimous issue is a waste of taxpayer money, we have the opportunity to vote for common sense in November. I want to live in a city where we can have accountability against absentee landlords, discriminatory employers, and fairness in our city.

Chris Olendorf, St. Paul. The writer is is co-lead of the Housing, Zoning & Development Committee of Sustain Saint Paul, which has endorsed City Question 1.

Not then, not now

As a Vietnam War Veteran, I recall the massive protests against the war in the ’60s and ’70s.  The mantra was “I hate the war, but I love our troops.”

The recent massive protests in some of our cities carry a similar message.  As participants carried the American flag the message was, “I hate our president but love our country.”

Sorry to say, I didnt believe your message then, I don’t believe your mantra now.

Jerry Wynn, St. Paul

Will it be too late?

We have all heard about people — very nice, normal, well-meaning, and otherwise intelligent people — who have been swindled by a smooth-operating con. Maybe these people have been swept off their feet by the con’s good looks. Or by the voice on the other end of the phone. Or by the uniform and ID that the con is wearing.

In some cases, people have been conned simply by a person’s apparent fame and fortune. By their opulence and their glamorous lifestyle.

It happens. Every day of every week of every month of every year. And, while everyone else within their network of friends, relatives, co-workers and such can see right through this person, the victim is simply blind and willing to go along with the con.

Blind and willing, that is, until they check their bank balance and find out that their life savings is gone. Or, more globally, that their country is missing.

Usually, it is only a matter of time before a person recognizes that they have been conned. But, when that time comes, when they finally do become “woke,” the question is, will it be too late?

John Fineberg, St. Paul

Tighten up, St. Paul

Time for the St. Paul to tighten its belt. Probably should have happened earlier. Things have changed quickly to where we need to be judicious where we put our resources. Instead of lofty plans only spend what is necessary.

Spending money to make a bike path on Summit Avenue is wasteful. The average household sees what is coming and is making adjustments. So should the city. City leaders should concentrate on encouraging more businesses to come to downtown St Paul. That could help ease the burden on the homeowners
Perhaps we need an audit to see where the money has gone so that we could prioritize for the future. We need leaders who can deal with the hard times coming.

Judy Schultz, St. Paul

Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, speculation has swirled that he would try for a third term in 2028.

He is not ruling it out, to the terror of his critics. On Monday, in an exchange with reporters during his Asia trip, Trump, referring to the third term idea, said, “I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever,” Reuters quoted him as saying.

When a reporter asked whether he was not ruling out a third term, Trump replied, “Am I not ruling it out? I mean, you’ll have to tell me.”

His acolytes have been promoting the prospect. Trump craves power and won’t easily relinquish it.

The U.S. Constitution’s 22nd Amendment would appear to prohibit Trump from another presidential term, according to legal scholars. If he does go down the third term road, a bevy of court challenges will take it to the U.S. Supreme Court. Since Trump enjoys a favorable reception from that body, brace for the possibility that it will give him the nod.

Wait. There could be an upside for Trump opponents. It’s a stretch, but maybe, just maybe, a big, ripe plum could drop from the tree. That juicy fruit’s name is Barack Hussein Obama.

If Trump can run for a third term, so can his ultimate nemesis.

Former President Obama could mount a comeback to take Trump out and save our democracy. Would he or wouldn’t he? (Only Michelle knows for sure.)

There is no stronger candidate for the Democratic Party than Obama. A recent poll found that Obama far outstrips Trump in popularity. “The poll found that 42% of Americans said they view Trump favorably, while 57% said they view him unfavorably, leaving the president with a net favorability -15 points,” according to an Oct. 1 report in Newsweek magazine.

Meanwhile, 57% of Americans said they view Obama favorably, while 40% saying they view him unfavorably, for a net favorability of +17 points.

The poll, conducted in September by Marquette University Law School, surveyed 1,005 adults nationwide, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

Obama’s “personal appeal, inspirational rhetoric, and unanticipated success in the 2008 presidential race continue to have strong public support,” Meena Bose, executive dean of Hofstra University’s Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs, told Newsweek.

“The promise of hope and change are defining features of the Obama presidential campaign and still influence assessments of his presidency,” Bose added.

Trump knows just how dangerous Obama is. That’s why Trump has been attacking, demeaning and undermining Obama since he entered national politics.

The biggest political challenge the Democrats face today is not Trump and his scorched-earth assault on democracy, social justice and equity, and all the other things their party cherishes.

Their overarching problem is that there is no leadership at the top. A horde of prominent Democrats aspire to take on Trump, but no one has been able to capture the prevailing imagination and allegiance of the party’s base.

The list of Democratic hopefuls is mind-bogglingly long. Nationally known governors, including JB Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, Wes Moore and Josh Shapiro, as well U.S. senators, including Cory Booker, Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff, John Fetterman and more.

Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ 2024 presidential nominee, recently suggested she might consider another run.

However, a contest among these aspirants would be a squabble in a teapot. None have Obama’s experience, charisma and vote-getting ability. He would clobber everyone else in the ring and clear that field.

With the specter of another Trump presidential term, Obama would energize the party’s base. Latino voters will reconsider their past support for Trump, whose administration vows to give every immigrant in the nation a one-way ticket to Palookaville.

Progressives have their problems with Obama, but he would be the only one standing among the Democratic White House hopefuls. All others would fade away in comparison.

Imagine, Obama versus Trump. In 2028, Obama will be sharp at 67. Trump, an 82-year-old dinosaur. That’s a match with betting odds that would favor the Democrats. FanDuel and DraftKings would have a tough time finding Republicans to bet on Trump.

A challenge from Obama would put Trump into an unprecedented tizzy. Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize, something Trump craves but knows he will never get.

Let’s hope Trump won’t be in the ring in 2028, but if he is, there is one powerhouse candidate to take him on. If Trump wants to open the third-term door, bring on Obama.

Laura Washington is a political commentator and longtime Chicago journalist. She wrote this column for the Chicago Tribune.

By BECKY BOHRER, Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A fragment of a mask that was preserved for hundreds of years in permafrost sat in the muck of a low tide in the western Alaska community of Quinhagak. Wooden spoons, toys, a fishing lure and other artifacts were strewn, in some cases for miles, along the beach.

The Yup’ik community near the edge of the Bering Sea was spared the widespread devastation wrought by the remnants of Typhoon Halong on its neighbors further west earlier this month. But it suffered a different kind of blow: The lashing winds and storm surge devoured dozens of feet of shoreline, disrupting a culturally significant archaeological site and washing away possibly thousands of unearthed artifacts.

About 1,000 pieces, including wooden masks and tools, were recovered in Quinhagak after the storm ravaged parts of southwest Alaska on Oct. 11 and 12. But many more pieces — perhaps up to 100,000 — were left scattered, said Rick Knecht, an archaeologist who has worked on the Nunalleq, or old village, project for 17 years. That’s roughly the number of pieces previously recovered from the archaeological site.

Meanwhile, freezing temperatures and ice have settled into the region, stalling immediate efforts to find and recover more displaced artifacts on searches done by four-wheeler and foot.

Knecht called what happened a major loss. The site has yielded the world’s largest collection of pre-contact Yup’ik artifacts. Much of what’s known about Yup’ik life before outsiders arrived stems from the project, said Knecht, an emeritus senior lecturer in archaeology at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

“When there are holes or disturbances in the site, it’s like trying to read a book with holes in the pages. You’re going to miss a few things,” he said. “And the bigger those holes are, the weaker the story gets. There’s a few holes in the book right now.”

While the name of the original village isn’t known, it was attacked by another village and burned around 1650, he said. Knecht has worked with elders and others in Quinhagak to combine their traditional knowledge with the technology and techniques used by the archaeology teams to study the past together.

Quinhagak has about 800 residents, and subsistence food gathering is critically important to them.

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The storm dispersed artifacts from a site long preserved by permafrost, Knecht said. A longstanding concern has been the threat that climate change — melting permafrost, coastal erosion, the potential for more frequent or stronger storms — has posed to the site, he said.

It poses risks to the community itself. Erosion threatens major infrastructure in Quinhagak, including a sewage lagoon, homes and fish camps. Thawing permafrost is also unsettling and undermining buildings, according to a 2024 report from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

The excavation project itself began after artifacts began appearing on the beach around 2007. Part of the site that washed out had been excavated previously.

“There was a big chunk where we’d only gone about halfway down and left it for later because we prioritized parts of the site that were most at risk from marine erosion,” Knecht said.

When he left in July, there was a roughly 30-foot buffer to the sea. The storm took out the buffer and another 30 feet of the site, he said. It also left what Knecht described as piano-sized clumps of tundra on the tidal flats.

Knecht didn’t recognize the site at first after Halong.

“I just drove right by it because all the landmarks I’m used to on the beach and at the site were gone or changed,” he said.

Work to preserve the rescued artifacts has included soaking the marine salts from the wood and placing the pieces in special chemicals that will help them hold together when they dry out, he said. If one were to just take one of the wooden artifacts off the beach and let them dry, they’d “crack to pieces, sometimes in a matter of hours.”

There is a lab at the museum in Quinhagak where the artifacts are kept.

Archaeologists hope to return to the site next spring for a “rescue excavation” of layers exposed by the storm, he said. In some ways, it feels like when teams saw the site in 2009: “We’ve got this raw site with artifacts popping off in every way,” he said. “So we’re starting from scratch again.”

Football teams across the East Metro will play Friday for a chance to reach the state tournament. Here are our thoughts and predictions on each game.

Class 6A, Round 2

Moorhead (5-4) at Woodbury (7-2), 7 p.m.

Woodbury is aiming for its first state tournament trip since 2021. It’ll have to win a rematch against a Spuds team that’s whole again with the return of star quarterback Jett Feeney. He was injured in the Week 2 matchup between the two teams, which Moorhead hung on to win 34-27, and didn’t return to action until the final week of the regular season.

The Royals must find a way to at least slow Moorhead’s passing attack, while scoring a healthy amount themselves.

Our pick: Moorhead 35, Woodbury 28

East Ridge (5-4) at Maple Grove (9-0), 7 p.m.

Credit to East Ridge quarterback Cedric Tomes, a star basketball player who made the effort to work his way back from a finger injury to finish out his senior football season.

The Raptors are always a tough postseason out, but there’s little to suggest the Crimson can be had. The defending champs have obliterated everything in sight all season.

Our pick: Maple Grove 34, East Ridge 19

Shakopee (6-3) at Centennial (8-1), 7 p.m.

One of the more intriguing matchups Friday. Centennial has dominated the battle up front all season. Can the same be true against the tough Sabers?

Our pick: Centennial 22, Shakopee 14

St. Michael-Albertville (4-5) at Rosemount (8-1), 7 p.m.

Our pick: Rosemount has officially flipped its record from a season ago, going from 1-8 to now 8-1. But Round 2 is never the goal for the Irish, especially not with a defense surrendering just 10 points per game.

Our pick: Rosemount 21, St. Michael-Albertville 10

Mounds View (5-4) at Lakeville South (7-2), 7 p.m.

A rematch of a season-opening matchup in which the Cougars ran all over Mounds View. That could again be the case Friday, but Mounds View has found more offense in recent weeks thanks to a reliance on the arm of quarterback Beckham Wheeler.

Can the Mustangs keep pace?

Our pick: Lakeville South 27, Mounds View 17

Class 5A., Section 3 final

Two Rivers (5-4) at St. Thomas Academy (9-0), 6 p.m.

Our pick: Two Rivers avenged its heartbreak in last year’s section semifinals by breaking through this fall. Its reward is a date with perhaps the best team in Class 5A. The Cadets are again a major threat to win the state title that’s been so elusive for the program. They figure to come out ready to perform at every step along the way.

Our pick: St. Thomas Academy 45, Two Rivers 17

Class 5A, Section 4 final

Cretin-Derham Hall (6-3) at Mahtomedi (8-1), 7 p.m.

These two teams played a thriller just three weeks ago, with a Cretin-Derham Hall unsuccessful 2-point attempt late serving as the difference in a one-point Zephyrs win. Expect something similar Friday.

Our pick: Cretin-Derham Hall 27, Mahtomedi 20

Class 5A, Section 6 final

Buffalo (6-3) at Spring Lake Park (9-0), 7 p.m.

Spring Lake Park ran for 252 yards against Buffalo in a 21-7 victory a few weeks back. That’s what the Panthers have done to all comers this fall.

It’s difficult to foresee a different result this time around.

Our pick: Spring Lake Park 17, Buffalo 10

Class 4A, Section 3 final

South St. Paul (8-1) at Hill-Murray (8-1), 6 p.m.

Hill-Murray comfortably won the regular-season meeting between these two teams, but South St. Paul started that night off on the wrong foot with a turnover.

The Packers have a veteran squad who will be prepared to meet the moment, though it’s the Pioneers who have more experience in this spot in recent years as a program.

Our pick: Hill-Murray 27, South St. Paul 22

Class 3A, Section 4 final

St. Croix Lutheran (10-0) at Minneapolis North (9-0), 6 p.m.

Immovable object, meet unstoppable force. Two teams that have blitzed everyone in their paths all fall finally meet with everything on the line.

The Crusaders are likely going to have to hit a few plays in the pass game in order to keep pace.

Our pick: Minneapolis North 34, St. Croix Lutheran 20

Wisconsin Level-2 playoff games

La Crosse Central (7-3) at River Falls (9-1), 7 p.m.

Our pick: River Falls 42, La Crosse Central 21

Platteville (6-4) at Baldwin-Woodville (10-0), 7 p.m.

Our pick: Baldwin-Woodville 30, Platteville 13

Hudson (8-2) at DePere (6-4), 7 p.m.

Our pick: Hudson 24, DePere 21

Wauwatosa East (6-4) at Rice Lake (9-1), 7 p.m.

Our pick: Rice Lake 38, Wauwatosa East 14

Oshkosh North (9-1) at New Richmond (8-2), 6 p.m.

Our pick: New Richmond 17, Oshkosh North 7

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