Jason Zimmerman, interim community development director in Stillwater, is dropping the “interim” from his title.

Zimmerman, who has served as the city’s part-time interim community development director since February, has been hired for the permanent position.

Jason Zimmerman (Courtesy of Jason Zimmerman)

He will be transitioning to the new position during the rest of July and August and will start full-time Sept. 2. His salary will be $158,538.

Zimmerman, 52, of Minneapolis, has worked as a planner for HKGi since January 2024. He previously worked as the planning manager and as a planner for Golden Valley.

Stillwater City Administrator Joe Kohlmann said Zimmerman impressed officials with his “can-do attitude” and ability to “address issues head-on.”

“Jason is an articulate professional who has demonstrated a strong commitment to the betterment of Stillwater,” Kohlmann said. “He gets along very well with coworkers, elected officials, and members of the public.”

Zimmerman grew up in Waconia, Minn., a rural community west of Minneapolis, and said “Stillwater has that same small-town feel, but with an oversized impact on the surrounding area due to its history and draw for visitors.”

“I’m looking forward to helping capture that enthusiasm and sense of pride as we work to update and improve policies, procedures, and a shared vision for the future,” he said. “Stillwater seems poised to cement itself as a premiere city, and I’m excited to be a part of that.”

Zimmerman has a master’s degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Carleton College.

In his spare time, he enjoys running ultra-marathons — “50 miles, 100 miles and even some that are over 100 miles,” he said. “The longest distance I’ve ever run at one time is 180 miles. That was in Moab, Utah. That took a little more than four days. There was some sleep sprinkled in there.”

He and his wife, Amie DeHarpporte, have four children and numerous household pets.

Tim Gladhill, who previously held the position, left Stillwater in August 2024 to become community development director in Brooklyn Park.

Danette Parr, the community development director in Maplewood, was hired in November to do the job; she resigned effective Dec. 31. Parr, who returned to her job in Maplewood, said Monday that Stillwater “wasn’t the fit (she) was looking for and, unfortunately, sometimes you just don’t know that until you get there.”

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A group including First Avenue CEO Dayna Frank has purchased the downtown Minneapolis property containing the Fine Line music venue.

The purchase was led by JoAnna Hicks of Element Commercial Real Estate, Frank confirmed. The property includes not just the Fine Line but also the adjoining six-story Consortium Building, which includes offices and Gidi Bar & Lounge.

The 650-capacity venue, which typically hosts indie artists, opened in 1987. Entrepreneur and former state politician Dario Anselmo bought the property and the venue in 1993 and has continued to own the property since then, though he sold the venue itself in 2013 to Entourage Events Group. First Avenue took over the venue in 2018.

In addition to owning or managing other venues, including St. Paul spots like the Turf Club and Palace Theatre, First Avenue also runs a pair of restaurants: The Depot, adjacent to the flagship venue and 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis, and the new Palace Pub downtown.

Frank did not address an emailed question regarding the future of the Gidi Bar & Lounge or whether First Avenue plans to open a restaurant of its own near the Fine Line.

Hicks also did not respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon.

The property was purchased for $3.2 million, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, which first reported the sale.

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By JANIE McCAULEY

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A beloved therapy bunny named Alex The Great, who provided snuggles and comfort from ballparks to NBA arenas, airports, farmers markets and even Easter egg hunts and NASCAR races, has died. He was 4.

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A floppy-eared Flemish giant who was larger than life in both size and spirit, Alex suffered complications from cancer treatment and died early Monday, his owners said. The rabbit had undergone care at the renowned UC Davis Veterinary Hospital in recent days.

Alex appeared June 4 sporting his signature cap for Padres-Giants at Oracle Park. At 4 months old, he attended his first Giants game in April 2021 — believed to be the first bunny in the stands at the waterfront ballpark.

He loved wearing bow ties and riding in his remote-controlled car, which Alex did in November 2021 following an Arizona Fall League appearance at Scottsdale Stadium where he saw now-Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe as a rising prospect.

Owners Kei Kato and Josh Row saved Alex from a slaughterhouse — but, really, it was the bunny who saved them. They took Alex on all their trips and he spent hours at San Francisco International Airport with a golden retriever friend offering travelers emotional support.

FILE – Kei Kato, left, and her fiance, Josh Row, hold a therapy bunny named Alex during a baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Miami Marlins in San Francisco, Thursday, April 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Janie McCauley, File)

“He saved us and saved so many people,” Kato said via text message Monday. “All the stories people are sharing are so overwhelming.”

Fans stopped in awe when they saw Alex The Great wherever he went, often surprised by his size and always eager to snap a photo or selfie. Kato and Row were thrilled to share him with the world because Alex had brought them so much love and joy and they wanted to spread that to anyone who might need a lift or a smile. Or provide a chance to pet Alex’s soft orange fur or give him a hug.

“We remember him well for his surprise frequent visits to the ballpark,” Giants CEO Larry Baer said in a text message. “We remember the comfort he brought those who loved him and the joy he brought so many.”

Kei Kato and Josh Row pose with their therapy bunny Alex The Great during an Arizona Fall League Game at Scottsdale Stadium, Nov. 6, 2021, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Janie McCauley)

Kato lost her brewery restaurant during the pandemic and adopting Alex provided her with a new purpose. He helped Kato deal with the anxiety and stress of no longer having her main source of income and the fulfillment her business brought.

“I lost it all because of COVID, so I’ve been really stressed a lot,” Kato said at the ballpark that spring night in 2021. “We support local. I was a local. He’s well trained, too.”

When Alex became such a hit on the big screen, quick-thinking Daniel Kurish of the Marlins’ media relations staff went to find the bunny in the seventh inning to deliver some Miami gear.

Less than a month later, in May 2021, Alex appeared at a Suns-Warriors game at Chase Center. Of course, they loved him there, too. He’d also pop up outside the arena in Thrive City every now and then to greet fans before games.

“Let his legend continue,” Kato and Row wrote on Alex’s social media, “he was very loved.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

By COREY WILLIAMS

DETROIT (AP) — For Black youth and teens growing up in the mid-1980s, “The Cosby Show” offered something rarely seen on television up until that time: a sitcom that placed characters who looked like them in a positive light.

And Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Theo Huxtable was the character Generation X most related to. Fans took quickly to social media on Monday as news of Warner’s accidental drowning in Costa Rica spread.

“It’s like losing one of us,” said Harriet Cammock, a 58-year-old Detroit author and speaker. “This is the thing with television. When you’re watching people every week on television, you think you know them and you’re related to them.”

Warner was swimming Sunday afternoon at Playa Cocles in Costa Rica’s Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the Caribbean, according to that country’s Judicial Investigation Department.

First responders found him without vital signs.

Cori Murray, executive vice president of content at Ebony Magazine, was saddened upon hearing about Warner’s death. She said his Theo character mirrored the everyday Black teenager, which was rare to see on TV at the time.

While so many portrayals of young Black teenagers leaned negative, “The Cosby Show,” especially Theo, showed warmth, joy and relatability.

“He wasn’t just a character. We saw ourselves in him,” Murray said. “You know how Kendrick Lamar has the song ‘Not Like Us’? Well, Theo was one of us. He was like us.”

Murray, who met Warner a few times, recalled his character off-screen matched the warmth he exuded on television. She called him respectful and pleasant and said he had a “megawatt smile” that lit up the room.

“His energy stayed with you,” Murray said. “You don’t have a bad memory when it comes to Theo or Malcolm-Jamal Warner. As much as we loved the character, we also watched Malcolm grow up in real life. No scandals. No mess. Just a talented young man who matured into an upstanding, handsome adult.”

FILE – Malcolm-Jamal Warner speaks on stage at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

“The Cosby Show” was groundbreaking and a ratings giant, drawing in viewers across racial, cultural and economic backgrounds. The show ran for 197 episodes from 1984 to 1992. In 1986, Warner earned an Emmy nomination for supporting actor in a comedy.

The show starring Bill Cosby as Cliff Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad as his wife, Clair, “made the wider society aware that there are Black people who live like white people do,” said Cammock, who is Black. “The perception that we don’t live like they do was hurtful.”

Gil Robertson, co-founder and president of the African American Film Critics Association, reflected on Warner’s rare path in the entertainment industry.

“There was never any scandal, no controversy,” said Robertson. “He transitioned from a teen star to a respected adult without the baggage we often see from others in his generation. That’s no small feat.”

Robertson added: “The legacy of Theo Huxtable — and Malcolm’s performance — will live on. It left an imprint that will continue to resonate in our culture for generations.”

Lynn Reasonover, 62, of Oak Lawn, Illinois, began receiving messages Monday afternoon about Warner’s death. Her initial thoughts were “Nope, didn’t happen.”

“Then, I kept seeing the news flashes and friends started sending texts,” Reasonover said. “So, it’s sinking in. Makes you realize how much some celebrities help shape our memories. His work had such a huge impact. I’m feeling a personal loss because we grew up with him. It’s like losing a part of our childhood.”

Reasonover saw much of her family in the Huxtables, where both parents were professionals who valued education and handled family issues with understanding and love.

“They had similar problems to what we experienced growing up,” she said. “We could relate and that’s why we laughed.”

Rasheda Williams, 46, of Detroit was about the same age as Rudy, the youngest character on “The Cosby Show” and Theo’s little sister. Williams said she and others are mourning Warner’s passing because of what they saw in the character he played.

“He’s like the ideal cousin you wish you had,” Williams said. “Hearing the news has really affected some of us. It was unexpected. He wasn’t sick. That makes it even more tragic.”

“He wasn’t just an actor,” she said. “He was also an activist, a positive role model, not just for young Black men, but for young Black women as well.”

AP Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. in Los Angeles contributed to this report.