By ADRIAN SAINZ and TRAVIS LOLLER

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A historic Black church in downtown Memphis that was the organizing point for Martin Luther King Jr.’s final campaign in 1968 caught fire early Monday morning and suffered significant damage.

“The inside is a total loss, but we’re still somewhat hopeful that some of the façade will be able to be left standing,” Memphis Fire Chief Gina Sweat said at a Monday morning news conference. She said the fire was reported at 1:39 a.m. through a commercial alarm service. Local fire and police officers are investigating the cause, along with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is “way too early” to know anything more, Sweat said.

King was drawn to Memphis in 1968 to support some 1,300 predominantly Black sanitation workers who went on strike to protest inhumane treatment. Two workers had been crushed in a garbage compactor in 1964, but the faulty equipment had not been replaced. On Feb. 1, 1968, two more men, Echol Cole, 36, and Robert Walker, 30, were crushed in the compactor. The two men were contract workers, so they did not qualify for workmen’s compensation, and had no life insurance.

Workers wanted to unionize, and fought for higher pay and safer working conditions. City officials declared the strike illegal and arrested scores of strikers and protesters.

Before the fire, the Clayborn Temple was undergoing a $25 million restoration that was slated for completion in 2026. The initiative aims to preserve the architectural and historical integrity of the Romanesque revival church and includes the restoration of a 3,000-pipe grand organ. At the same time, the project seeks to help revitalize the local neighborhood with a museum, cultural programing and community outreach, according to a news release on the renovation.

“This morning we woke up to heartbreaking news: a devastating fire has ravaged one of our city’s greatest treasures, Clayborn Temple,” Memphis Mayor Paul Young wrote in a statement posted to social media. “Clayborn is more than a historic building. It is sacred ground. It is the beating heart of the civil rights movement, a symbol of struggle, hope, and triumph that belongs not just to Memphis but to the world.”

Just south of Beale Street, Clayborn Temple was built in 1892 as the Second Presbyterian Church and originally served an all-white congregation. In 1949, the building was sold to an African Methodist Episcopal congregation and renamed Clayborn Temple, according to the release.

Memphis sanitation workers started striking in February 1968 after Cole and Walker were killed on the job.

The Clayborn Temple hosted nightly meetings and the campaign’s iconic “I AM A MAN” posters were made in its basement. The temple was also a staging point for marches to City Hall. They included a March 28, 1968, march led by King, a rally that turned violent when police and protesters clashed on the iconic Beale Street, and a 16-year-old was killed.

When marchers retreated to the temple, police fired tear gas inside. People broke some of the stained-glass windows to escape. King promised to lead a second, peaceful march in Memphis, but he was killed by a sniper while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel on April 4.

After King was assassinated and the strike ended with the workers securing a pay raise, the church’s influence waned. It fell into disrepair and was vacant for years before the renovation effort that took off in 2017 thanks to a $400,000 grant from the National Park Service.

Clayborn Temple was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Anasa Troutman has been leading the restoration effort as executive director of Historic Clayborn Temple.

“To everyone who has loved, supported, and prayed for Historic Clayborn Temple, we are still committed to her restoration,” she wrote in a Monday statement urging supporters to donate money if they are able.

Jimmie Tucker, one of the architects who has worked on the restoration for years, spent Monday morning working on a plan to try to shore up the exterior walls.

“As a native Memphian, this project is personal,” he said. “It has so much meaning.”

Tucker said he had been speaking to some of the people who helped after a similar Memphis fire at First United Methodist Church in 2006. He said that project gives him hope because they were able to rebuild. He was also encouraged that the mayor pledged to support the project.

Young said in a social media statement that the city will “help ensure this sacred place rises again.”

Loller reported from Nashville, Tennessee.

Delay the rent vote

The St. Paul City Council is considering a permanent exemption to the rent stabilization law voters approved just five years ago. On April 8, the City took public comment on this motion. Billion-dollar developers like Ryan Construction support this permanent exemption. We oppose it, and further request that action on this be postponed at least until the fall, both to gather accurate data and evidence and to democratically elect a new city councilor from Ward 4.

Supporters argue that this permanent exemption is needed because housing development in St. Paul has fallen over the last five years. However, speakers on April 8 pointed out that Minneapolis, with no rent stabilization, has experienced exactly the same reduction in development as St. Paul. On April 8, Sczepanski and Hoang published a letter to the editor with solid research showing rent stabilization has not affected housing development in other cities; Sczepanski testified at the hearing, presenting some of that same research evidence. But the Council appears to be ignoring the data in a rush to vote on May 7. This rush to offer developers permanent exemptions for new builds must not amplify a pattern already occurring here — naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) is being torn down in order to build new housing that is not affordable to working people. Surely any permanent exemption to rent stabilization should exclude new higher-priced construction that destroys affordable housing.

Of course St. Paul needs more housing for a range of incomes, but the Ccty needs to be more thoughtful and creative in producing housing specifically for low-income residents. Please delay the vote on exemption, and use the time to consider alternatives.

John Slade and Elaine Tarone, St Paul
The writers are members of the St. Paul Chapter of MICAH (Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing)

Don’t sacrifice worker safety

We will remember all workers in the U.S. on April 28, who were killed, disabled, injured, or made unwell by their work. The day marks the legislative anniversary of OSHA (occupational safety and health act) of 1970.  On average, 344 workers a day die on the job or from occupational diseases. Let that sink in and let us remember all the families that are affected.

In this time of chaos in Washington, D.C, let us not sacrifice worker safety in the name of streamlining or cost-cutting.

Bernie Hesse, St. Paul

A great disconnect

In his opinion piece, “It’s Time for a Civic Uprising,” David Brooks sets the terms for a non-violent civil war, though he may not call it that. He insists that President Donald Trump cares nothing about the strictures of our Constitution and rule of law; that his goal is power.

Remarkably, millions of those who elected President Trump argued the same about Presidents Obama and Biden. In many ways, it’s what motivated them to vote for Donald Trump.

We have a great disconnect here. Brooks urges that residents unite against the president in a series of peaceful moves, a powerful alliance of those who fear him. He especially urges us to use lawsuits to stifle the president’s actions; lawfare, that is a term we’ve heard repeatedly in the last few years.

Thankfully, he does not urge violence, but it is sure to come. A massive civil movement rising up against the wishes of the 77 million who voted for Trump will not end well, that is, unless our civil and legal institutions right themselves and reduce the tension.

Dave Racer, Woodbury

Correct, violence has no place

The letter writer from Owatonna is correct in saying that violence has no place in our disagreements and political differences.

When he asked, “What could be more anti-democratic than that?” — I immediately wondered what he thought of the riot at the capitol on Jan 6, 2021, influenced by Donald J Trump. I still cannot understand anyone who could vote for him after he sat, watching the violence unfold and escalate. It was an attempt to disrupt one of the most important processes in our democracy. Trump had every means to stop the attack, but obviously preferred to watch from the sidelines for several hours. And then, after becoming elected, President Trump let these people off the hook, maybe giving the country and the world the impression that there is an acceptable place for violence, which is a terrible thing.

Colleen Flaherty Hocking, Hugo

Where is the evidence?

The column by David Brooks (“It’s time for a civic uprising”, April 19) didn’t disappoint. And I’m sorry my newspaper wasted a half-page of ink on this screed. Everything isn’t about President Trump. He dared to address the financial and philosophical excesses of our society. He dared to represent half of the population of our country — as attested to by the last national election.

Mr. Brooks labels what he calls “Trumpism” as evil.  And he accuses President Trump of being “… primarily about the acquisition of power — power for its own sake.” Where is the evidence?

The present administration is facing a bureaucracy that was and is out of control. There has apparently been nobody leading the country for four years, and Mr. Brooks, by his silence, was part of that coverup. Laws were not being enforced even when the police did their job. Limits were set on when they were allowed to pursue investigations or even provide safety. Hundreds of thousands of children are unaccounted for. Immigration was not just allowed but encouraged — with accommodations not heretofore offered.  Election security laws and rules were relaxed. Those last two were for the acquisition of ongoing power — there could be no other reason.

And that is only the beginning. This country cannot afford to continue on the path on which we live. We have exceeded most, if not all economists’ published estimates of how much debt the United States can safely carry. With our debt load accompanied by increasing ongoing spending and increasing borrowing rates, we are one hiccup from financial disaster. All we need is one major power to boycott our bonds.

Mr. Brooks and those in his camp apparently have no counterarguments to the efforts to reduce the bloat caused by our out-of-control grant system, so this is the language they employ. Attack and vilify and dehumanize the person. And this isn’t about President Trump. It wouldn’t make any difference what his name is. The actions of the present administration threaten the entrenched system of spending and anarchy. This with the most open administration of my nearly 80 years of following the news (my opinion).

Art Thell, West St. Paul

Where we would be? Well …

“Just imagine where this country would be had Trump not won last November,” says an April 20 letter writer. Oh my.

Well, I know that we wouldn’t have to get up every morning with a sense of dread, wondering what he’d destroyed THIS time. I know that we wouldn’t have thrown our foreign allies to the wolves. I know that Canada, Denmark, and Panama would still be our friends. I know that those in charge of our military, our law enforcement and cybersecurity would still be competent people with the knowledge and experience to keep us safe. I know that any other president would not have fired anyone with brains and replaced them with his boot-licking cronies. I know we wouldn’t have a president who turned his best bud Musk loose to run amok in our federal agencies. I know that we would not have a president obsessed with illegally throwing immigrants out of the country to be incarcerated in some hellhole in a foreign land (even those here legally, who have committed no crimes). I know that our president would not be talking about doing the same to U.S. citizens. I know our president would not be hellbent on taking down our major universities and law firms. I know that we would not have a president who hates our judicial system — and flaunted his disobedience of a Supreme Court ruling. I know that our president’s only goals would not be retribution, chaos and destruction. I know we wouldn’t have a toddler in the White House.

Carol Turnbull, Woodbury

If he’d been at the office …

I’ve been seeing some stories about the man in Minneapolis who “allegedly” was caught on camera vandalizing six privately owned Teslas. A guy who the DA over there refuses to charge. I’m surprised she didn’t charge the cops for arresting him. Turns out the vandal is a state employee. That in itself is ironic. My thought is: If he had been working at the office instead of out walking his dog, he might not have found the time to be such a mindless, heartless and cowardly piece of humanity.

Mark Ruecker, Roseville

Privilege

A white, middle-class professional, who is an employee of the State of Minnesota, gets off with a wrist slap after vandalizing several Tesla vehicles around downtown Minneapolis. This sounds like the very definition of white privilege. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy in this? I guess that if you are the correct color, and you work for the State, and you have the correct politics, you can get away with writing a check and avoiding jail time.

Gregory A. Beckstrom, Minneapolis

A slap on the wrist

Mighty Mary Moriarty strikes again. Yep, just when you think the Hennepin County attorney’s office can’t be laxer about crime, Moriarty sides with Tesla felony vandal and Minnesota state employee Dylan Brian Adams with the “diversion” program. We know Adams vandalized at least six Teslas and got a slap on the wrist. What incentives does this signal to Minneapolis Police investigators to do their job so diligently when you pull these political stunts?  I can only imagine if this suspect were not a state employee, but a conservative who vandalized a vehicle, the book would be thrown at them with jail time.

Bobby Reardon, Pelican Lake Township

Where is the sense of humility and integrity?

I don’t say this lightly, but I’m writing in response to all the tired lecturing and petty grievances that I hear on a daily basis from individuals who have too much time on their hands, defending scam artists who don’t care about them one bit, as well as lectures from individuals who have their own indiscretions, Bill Cosby style. Where is the general public’s own sense of humility and integrity? And why use wokeism as an excuse to compensate for your own fragility and lack of self-esteem?

Dana W. Carlson, Woodbury

People, not pawns

Prophetic words of Pope Francis:

Refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of life.

Gerry Del Fiacco, Eagan

It all goes into the river

In the spirit of Earth Day let’s go to the store. Walk the aisles of bodywash, shampoo and conditioner, laundry soap, dish soap, all the superdooper cleansers, then tell yourself, “Everything in these containers is going into the Twin Cities sewer systems and will eventually end up in the Gulf of Mexico.” And the shelves will be restocked again and again. Folks, at the very least, use less of these. Please. Experiment to learn what is the smallest amount you actually need to use.

Linda Bryan, Maplewood

Sainted

A big thank you to all the individuals who recently picked up trash along West Seventh Street, St. Paul Avenue and Davern Street.  Your many hours of hard work have not gone unnoticed and are much appreciated. You are truly Saints!

Kay Reich, St. Paul

Demonization and dehumanization, evil twins

“What we should demonize is people like Elon Musk,” declared former vice-presidential candidate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at a recent Ohio town hall. Just days later, Cody Balmer allegedly set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s home — a chilling reminder of where escalating political hostility can lead.

Increasing political violence germinates in a climate where demonizing opponents has been normalized. Walz’s rhetoric reflects a perilous and disturbing trend: the weaponization of the Us-vs-Them divide that sets us on a diabolical collision course because demonization and dehumanization are evil twins.

The Us-vs-Them divide dictates our perceptions, trust and even moral judgments. We extend generosity, the benefit of the doubt, and leniency to Us while scrutinizing, distrusting, and shaming Them. Us-vs-Them divisions and conflicts seep into every aspect of our lives but now are on full display in politics and acts of violence.

Gov. Walz could hardly contain his glee on stage over the decline of Tesla’s stock price. Tesla cars were set on fire, and its dealerships were vandalized. Meanwhile, over 48% of people on the left believe that murdering Elon Musk is justifiable, according to a new report from Rutgers University. It makes you wonder: Which direction are we steering into?

The roots of this Us-vs-Them divide run deep. Our brains are wired to categorize people into Us and Them primarily based on similarity. Such judgments come at lightning speed. Studies show that 6-month-old babies already prefer those who share something in common. Ask a 4-year-old boy to choose a playmate. His preferences center on the similarities in age, gender, language and accent.

The consequences of this unconscious divide are profound. Brain-imaging studies reveal that when we see images of Us, areas for social bonding activate, but when we see Them, our brain’s fear centers switch on. Worse, extreme Them groups — such as marginalized communities — trigger strong emotions such as disgust, as if you just swallowed a nasty bug. The brain has a built-in mechanism to dehumanize Them.

Once we stop acknowledging that our opponents are humans, there is only one rule left for the game: those identified as Them are fair game.

Aggression toward Them is part of unflattering human nature. Studies show that toddlers want to bond with those who are similar to them but punish those who are different. This tendency gets worse with age. In Jane Elliott’s classic 1960s experiment, third-grade children separated by eye color quickly began bullying those deemed inferior, showing how readily arbitrary distinctions foster division.

History offers chilling reminders of how demonization and dehumanization have been exploited to fuel atrocities. Nazi propaganda labeled Jews as “rats” during the Holocaust. During the Rwanda civil war, Hutus called Tutsis “cockroaches” before slaughtering 800,000 of them.

But do we even know who is Us and who is Them? Not long ago, Elon Musk was one of Us who would save our planet. Now, to many, he is one of Them. Not long ago, Gov. Walz promoted the adoption of electric vehicles. Now, he gets a boost when Tesla’s stock price plunges. Not long ago, more than 1 million Minnesotans owned Tesla stock through the state retirement plan. Today, they still do.

The fast-changing line between Us and Them can easily turn today’s hero into tomorrow’s villain. Then, who is safe and who won’t get demonized and dehumanized next?

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Criticizing Musk is healthy in a democracy. Publicly calling for demonizing people like him by a former vice-presidential candidate is against what our democracy stands for. The exploitation of Us vs. Them always starts at the top and will never get old.

When we recognize that today’s Them might fight tomorrow’s disease alongside Us or help after a natural disaster, we can see our shared humanity.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together like fools.”

Terry Wu, Plymouth

Officials will break ground on the first construction project at Rice Creek Commons this week — the start to a 427-acre development in Arden Hills.

The parcel of the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, purchased from the U.S. government by Ramsey County in 2013, will be redeveloped for businesses, retail and proposed housing. The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved terms for a phased development of a 40-acre commercial parcel called “Outlot A” – which is adjacent to the Rice Creek Commons – earlier this month.

A ground breaking will be held this week at Outlot A, north of the Rice Creek Commons development site in Ramsey County, for the new headquarters of Micro Control Company, a test equipment manufacturer for the electronics industry. It will take up approximately 10 acres of the 40-acre Outlot A. (Courtesy of Ryan Cos.)

The total future estimated development value is $1 billion. The groundbreaking will include officials from Ramsey County, the city of Arden Hills and developer Ryan Cos.

The new facility is a 157,000-square-foot advanced technology project that will be the headquarters of Micro Control Company, a test equipment manufacturer for the electronics industry. It will take up approximately 10 acres of the 40-acre Outlot A, which is on the north end of Rice Creek Commons.

Sustainability guidelines

Micro Control Company will brings jobs to the area and the company was open to working within sustainability guidelines set for the development, making it a good fit for the parcel, said Ramsey County Commissioner Tara Jebens-Singh.

Ramsey County is the most fully developed county in the state, so adding a large development is significant, Jebens-Singh said. It comes at a time when the county is in need of housing, jobs and green space and the large space allows officials to think of how to meet those needs, said Jebens-Singh, who also is a member of the Joint Development Authority.

“It’s very forward thinking,” she said. “So in some ways, not only is that good for our local region, for Arden Hills and for the district that I represent in Ramsey County, but as a model for these kind of developments across the Midwest and hopefully across the country.”

The Joint Development Authority’s vision for the site is to “create economic prosperity, build an inclusive economy, have a long-term sustainable development and develop an energy-forward community by providing much-needed housing at a variety of income levels – including affordable housing – and creating well-paying jobs,” according to a county release.

“It’s fantastic to see this first phase of development at Rice Creek Commons begin to come to life and see the sustainability and clean energy measures that are being incorporated in the project. We look forward to welcoming Micro Control Company to our city as our first new neighbor in this great Arden Hills community asset,” said Tena Monson, Arden Hills city councilmember and Joint Development Authority commissioner, in a statement.

‘Generational development’

Clean-up of the site — previously the largest contaminated site in the state — is complete.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have removed the site’s soil and surface water from the state and federal Superfund lists, and the U.S. Army will continue to operate the groundwater cleanup system as needed.

Other plans for the area include Spine Road, a future county road that will run through Rice Creek Commons. Construction is anticipated in the next year.

Joint Development Authority Chair Jon Wicklund, in a statement, called the first phase of Outlot A a “generational development.”

“This is an excellent first step in advancing our vision for a vibrant community that will spark economic development and meet the needs of the region for decades to come — and we look forward to celebrating additional site developments in the months ahead,” Wicklund said.

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By NICOLE WINFIELD

VATICAN CITY (AP) — As the Vatican switches gears from saying goodbye to Pope Francis to electing his successor, the status of a once-powerful Italian cardinal and whether he can vote in the May 7 conclave have been a constant question and source of gossip.

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Cardinal Angelo Becciu was once an influential Vatican chief of staff who was a leading papal contender himself. But he fell from grace in 2020 when Francis forced him to resign his job as head of the Vatican’s saint-making office and his rights as a cardinal because of allegations of financial misconduct.

Becciu denied wrongdoing but was put on trial in the Vatican criminal court and convicted of finance-related charges in December 2023. He is appealing the conviction and 5 1/2-year prison sentence and has participated in the pre-conclave meetings, but there is a lingering question about whether he can actually vote in the conclave.

On Monday, cardinals entering the pre-conclave discussions were inundated with questions by journalists about whether Becciu would be allowed in the Sistine Chapel or not. No decision was taken, but Italian media reported late Monday that Becciu told his fellow cardinals he would withdraw his participation.

Becciu rose to prominence and power under conservative Pope Benedict XVI and is very much affiliated with the conservative Vatican old guard. While he initially became a close adviser to Pope Francis, Becciu’s subsequent downfall at the hands of Francis might suggest he would vote for someone keen to undo some of Francis’ reforms.

At 76, Becciu is under the age limit of 80 and technically eligible to vote, but the Vatican’s official statistics list him as a “non-elector.” When he was ousted in 2020, Becciu told a hastily arranged news conference that he would not be voting in any future conclave. But recently he has insisted he is entitled to vote and canon lawyers have been poring over the Vatican document regulating the conclave to determine if he’s right.

The document, known by its Latin name Universi Dominici Gregis, lays out the criteria for electors, making clear that all under-80 cardinals have the right to elect the pope, except those who have been “canonically deposed or who with the consent of the Roman Pontiff have renounced the cardinalate.” It adds that after a pope has died, “the College of Cardinals cannot readmit or rehabilitate them.”

There has never been any clarity on what exactly Becciu renounced or how: The one-line statement issued by the Vatican press office on Sept. 24, 2020 said merely that Francis had accepted Becciu’s resignation as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints “and his rights connected to the cardinalate.” There is no indication he has been sanctioned canonically.

After he forced Becciu’s resignation, Francis visited Becciu on occasion and allowed him to participate in the life of the Vatican. But Francis also changed Vatican law to allow the city state’s criminal tribunal to prosecute him.

Italian daily Domani reported last week that during the initial pre-conclave discussions, Becciu was presented with two letters signed by Francis before he died indicating he should not participate in the conclave. But it wasn’t clear what weight those letters have or whether the College of Cardinals can override Francis’ wishes.

The issue is not minor, since Becciu’s participation or lack thereof could invalidate the election.

Asked again Monday if Becciu would participate in the conclave, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni demurred. He said the issue was discussed but that there was “no resolution.”

Questions, meanwhile, have continued to swirl about the integrity of the trial that convicted Becciu and eight others. During the proceedings, the court heard that Francis intervened on several occasions on behalf of the prosecutors and that the prosecution’s prime witness against Becciu was coached and manipulated by outsiders.

The appeal is scheduled to begin in September.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.