A displaced Columbia Heights barber charged with setting a fire inside the Shoreview barbershop where he’d just started working has been put on probation and ordered to pay the shop’s owner for the damage.

Dennis Ambrose Manning was sentenced Friday by Ramsey County District Judge Andrew Gordon under a March plea deal that included the 55-year-old admitting to an added charge of negligent fire, a gross misdemeanor.

Dennis Ambrose Manning (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)

In turn, prosecutors agreed to dismiss first- and second-degree arson felony charges in connection with the Nov. 29 fire at Pauly Ray’s Sports Barbershop, which is in a strip mall at Highway 96 and Lexington Avenue.

Manning’s plea deal also includes a stay of adjudication, meaning if he successfully completes two years probation the charge will be dismissed and he won’t have the conviction on his criminal record. He must pay $5,475 in restitution to Paul Vandeveer, owner of Pauly Ray’s.

Vandeveer told investigators he believed Manning started the blaze as a way to get him to open a new location with him elsewhere.

For 22 years, Manning had run his own shop, Sportsmen’s Barbers in Columbia Heights, before the owner of the building forced him out in November after finding another tenant.

Manning’s customers set up a GoFundMe page for him after word spread that he would be displaced. The effort, which drew local media attention, raised about $8,400 for Manning to set up shop in another location.

In the meantime, Manning called up Vandeveer, who rented a chair from Manning at Sportsmen’s for four years before he opened Pauly Ray’s in 2017. Vandeveer offered Manning a chair to rent at his shop, going so far as to let him set up a few of his arcade games and put a small Sportsmen’s sign outside.

He said he lit a string

Ramsey County sheriff’s deputies and firefighters were sent to Pauly Ray’s just before 7 p.m. Nov. 29 on a report of a fire inside the closed business. Manning had been working from the shop for just two days.

Firefighters forced their way into the barbershop, which was fully engulfed in smoke.

The shop’s floors were flooded with water from the sprinkler system, which put out the fire. Firefighters determined the fire started in the northeast part of the shop near a video game area.

According to the criminal complaint, surveillance video showed Manning inside the barbershop just before 6:30 p.m. He pulled a lighter from his pocket. He bent down and sparked the lighter, igniting a cloth on top of an arcade console, the complaint says.

Manning turned around and walked to an exit, looking behind him as he left the shop. The fire burned continuously and accelerated in intensity, with embers from the lit cloth falling onto chairs underneath the arcade console and igniting them as well.

A photo on a GoFundMe page set up in November 2023 shows Dennis Manning outside Sportsmen’s Barbers, his now-shuttered Columbia Heights business. Friends of Manning had set up the page in an effort to raise money for Manning to relocate the barbershop elsewhere. (Courtesy of GoFundMe)

Surveillance video then showed that mall patrons congregating at the barbershop doors leading into the mall. Several tried to open the doors, but they were locked.

Just before 8 p.m., a sheriff’s deputy saw Manning standing in a doorway and on his phone, either recording the scene or speaking to someone on FaceTime.

Manning was arrested, and denied starting the fire. He had a red lighter on him. While in the back of a squad car, he said he didn’t have a lighter and didn’t start anything on fire. He then said, “How would a lighter start them games on fire?” the complaint says. “Doesn’t make sense. Those are my games.”

Manning later said, “There’s no footage of me having a lighter to start anything on fire. It’s ludicrous.” He then changed his story and said, “Oh, you know what? I did take the lighter and lit a string on a cloth that was hanging on the game. That was it. I did not start the fire. And it fell on the chair. I did not start the fire.”

Wanted to move

Manning agreed to speak to an investigator. He said Vandeveer left the shop about five minutes before he did. Manning denied intentionally setting the fire, claiming he saw a string hanging down from a tablecloth by the arcade games and took out a lighter to burn it. He said he thought he patted the cloth down after burning the string to prevent a fire from starting, the complaint says.

Manning said he had no reason to burn down the barbershop and noted how he and Vandeveer had items worth thousands of dollars inside. When asked why he didn’t grab one of the several scissors available to cut the string, Manning said he was exhausted and just wanted to remove the string quickly, so he used his lighter, the complaint says.

Manning said that he and Vandeveer planned to move the barbershop to a spot in Columbia Heights off Central Avenue.

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Meanwhile, Vandeveer told deputies that Manning had been repeatedly asking him about opening a shop in Columbia Heights with him. He said he had no intention of closing his shop and moving, and that he believed Manning set the fire to close the business so he would join him at the new spot, the complaint says.

Before the plea deal, Manning’s attorney filed in court a list of seven prospective witnesses for a trial and summaries of phone interviews with them by a hired investigator. The seven, which included Manning’s son, a former employee and a former customer who is also an Osseo police officer, all said Manning was a smoker and that they had seen him use his lighter to remove a strand of string at his Columbia Heights shop.

The criminal complaint notes that Vandeveer told deputies, when asked, that he’d never seen Manning burn a string in the four years he worked with him at his old shop.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) — Seven people in southern Texas have been charged after endangering nearly two dozen migrants smuggled in a secret trailer compartment during high temperatures and with little water, authorities said. One person remained hospitalized on Friday.

Following a tip of a smuggling operation, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputies Thursday morning found 26 migrants in a residence near San Antonio that Sheriff Javier Salazar called a “shack” with holes in the floor and no water.

Salazar said he did not know when the migrants crossed the border but believed they were driven to the area from the border city of Laredo, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) away.

The migrants had been in the trailer’s secret compartment for three hours, Salazar said. Temperatures in San Antonio were in the high 90s Thursday afternoon and were expected to top 100, according to the National Weather Service.

Seven men ranging from 21 to 45 years old were arrested and are facing state felony charges that include human smuggling, engaging in organized criminal activity, operating a stash house and evading arrest.

Twelve people were initially sent to the hospital for minor and heat-related injuries, but by Friday, only one migrant remained hospitalized due to dehydration and “cardiac related issues,” according to a Friday news release.

The smuggled people were originally from Mexico, Honduras, Venezuela and Guatemala and their ages ranged from 18 to 54. Six of them were women.

San Antonio was the site of the nation’s deadliest human smuggling episode in June 2022, when 53 migrants, including eight children, died after being trapped in a sweltering semi-trailer that had been driven from Laredo.

That trailer had a malfunctioning air-conditioning unit. When authorities found it on a remote San Antonio road, 48 migrants were already dead and five more later died at hospitals.

As the architect of the team that recently brought Minnesota the first Professional Women’s Hockey League championship, Natalie Darwitz added another significant accomplishment to an already stellar hockey resume.

On Friday, she was out as the team’s general manager.

Front office personnel decisions are made by PWHL officials, and while the league has not officially released the news, Darwitz confirmed to at least one news outlet that she has been
relieved of her duties.

Darwitz did not respond to a text message from the Pioneer Press seeking comment.

A sign that all was not right within team leadership emerged during a postseason press conference when Darwitz was noncommittal when asked if Ken Klee would return next season
as head coach.

A team spokesperson said on Friday that Klee was not currently available for comment.

Thus, the inaugural season began and ended on a tumultuous note. Klee joined the team a week before the start of the regular season when Charlie Burggraf resigned for personal
reasons.

Darwitz, who had a storied playing career with the University of Minnesota and on the international stage, appeared to be moving forward with business as usual earlier this week when she talked about the teams plans for the PWHL draft, which will be held on Monday at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul.

By all indications, she was preparing to make the team’s picks in the seven-round draft.

Following her playing days, Darwitz, an Eagan native, enjoyed a successful coaching career at both the high school and college level, including as a Gophers assistant. She left the Gophers prior to this season and was set to coach the girls’ team at Hill Murray before being named Minnesota’s GM.

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Will Essilfie | (TNS) Bankrate.com

Delta Air Lines is one of the largest airlines based in the United States, having transported over 190 million customers to 290 destinations around the world in 2023, the company says, with plenty of options for frequent flyers and occasional travelers alike.

But for its most premium flyers, Delta offers two options that enable you to have a more comfortable and efficient journey from check-in to landing. Continue reading to learn about Delta’s premium cabin offerings — Delta One and First Class — and what to know about both before you book your next flight.

Delta One and Delta First Class are the most premium cabin options on Delta flights. Delta One is the airline’s most premium cabin offered on long-haul routes as well as select transcontinental flights within the United States. It offers a lie-flat seat that turns into a bed and premium food and drink options.

Although “first class” usually denotes the best an airline has to offer, Delta First refers to the airline’s domestic front-of-cabin seats that are a larger recliner seat vs. a lie-flat experience.

Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect from Delta One and how it differs from Delta First Class:

Delta One

Delta One is the airline’s most premium cabin offered throughout its fleet. Every Delta One flight includes lie-flat seats, access to the Delta Sky Club airport lounges, and SkyPriority to ensure fast and smooth check-in and boarding experiences. Once in the air, Delta One passengers also receive a refined culinary experience with a variety of seasonal meal options inspired by regions around the world, wine pairings and complimentary spirits and handcrafted amenity kits.

But the airline didn’t stop there.

In 2017, Delta began flying an updated version of Delta One seats known as Delta One suites. In addition to being a lie-flat seat, these suites include a full-height door that passengers can close for additional privacy along with a Do Not Disturb sign that can be activated. The seats include enhanced memory foam cushioning, improved storage options within the suite for your shoes and underseat carry-on, customizable ambient lighting, and upgraded high resolution entertainment screens.

Delta One suite seats have direct aisle access and can be found on board the airline’s Airbus A350 and A330-900neo planes. For passengers on Delta’s Boeing 767-400 fleet, you can expect a modified version of the suite, but without a door.

Regardless of seat, expect a premium environment and a seat that can lie-flat for sweet dreaming on all Delta One experiences. Delta One is available on long-haul international flights (like New York to Accra, Ghana or Atlanta to Cape Town, South Africa) and select domestic transcontinental routes (like San Francisco to New York).

Delta One airport amenities

The perks of being a Delta One passenger begin at the check-in experience. Included with your ticket is Sky Priority, which provides access to dedicated check-in areas, priority security lines (at select airports) and early boarding. If you check a bag (two free checked bags are included with your Delta One ticket), your bags will be expedited to arrive first at baggage claim once you reach your destination. In select airports, including LAX in Los Angeles and JFK in New York, Delta One passengers have access to exclusive entrances and premium check-in areas.

Once you’ve made it through security, you have access to Delta’s airport lounges, the Delta Sky Clubs, where you can enjoy free food, drinks, WiFi, TV and even a shower in some locations prior to boarding. Starting later this year, Delta plans to begin opening exclusive premium lounges, starting in New York-JFK and Los Angeles-LAX, that will be accessible to select people, including Delta One passengers. Details are limited, but expect an even better on-ground experience once these lounges open.

Delta One seat options

While all Delta One cabins offer lie-flat seats, the experience and seat offerings can vary depending on the operating aircraft for your flight.

On older aircraft (including the Boeing 767-300, premium 757s, Airbus A330-300 fleets), Delta One seats offer an older seat with a smaller entertainment screen and no doors. On premium 757 planes, seats are in a 2×2 configuration, meaning not all seats have direct aisle access.

On newer aircraft (including the Airbus A330-900 neo and Airbus A350-900 fleets), you can find the latest Delta One suites product.

If you want to know the aircraft for your route to ensure you are in a Delta One suite, check for the Delta One suites tag when searching flights on Delta’s website.

Delta One flight amenities

Once you’ve boarded and found your seat, expect to find a handcrafted amenity kit by Someone Somewhere. Inside the kit, you will find a toothbrush, lotion, lip balm and other tools to help make your flight more comfortable.

Alongside the kit will be a comfortable duvet and pillow to use during the flight. On select ultra long-haul flights you will also be offered a lumbar pillow that can also function as a mattress pad.

Your suite also includes a larger entertainment screen (and access to hundreds of TV shows, movies, podcasts and music through Delta Studio), WiFi, universal outlets and high-powered USB ports to keep your devices fully charged during the flight.

Delta also offers free messaging through iMessage, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp on all WiFIi enabled flights.

Delta One meal options

Delta continues to elevate meal options onboard its aircraft. In addition to offering a variety of meal options to meet most dietary needs (must be reserved ahead of your flight), the airline has been rolling out the ability to pre-select or opt-out of a meal for your upcoming flight, giving you better clarity into what to expect once onboard.

Food and drink offerings

Delta has spent the last few years upgrading its onboard product offerings, including its food and beverage program.

Delta One passengers can enjoy a dining experience with seasonal, chef-curated meals (your choice of entrée, bread and dessert) made with locally sourced ingredients and paired with wines, top-shelf spirits or assorted beers. Entrees can change depending on your departing airport. On flights from Japan, you might be offered ramen noodles as an entree versus on a flight from Accra you may be offered local jollof rice, letting you try dishes from around the world.

*****

Delta First Class

Delta’s First Class fare option offers many of the same amenities as Delta One, though it’s missing some of the special touches that set the Delta One experience apart.

Delta First Class airport amenities

Customers flying First Class on Delta Air Lines enjoy many of the same airport amenities as Delta One passengers, including SkyPriority services (accelerated check-in, security and baggage handling), priority boarding and two free checked bags weighing up to 70 pounds each. What First Class doesn’t come with, though, is day-of-departure Sky Club access and a guaranteed lie-flat seat once on board.

Delta First seat options

Most Delta First seats are recliner style with a large, push seat and entertainment screen. On newer A321neo aircrafts, Delta is rolling out a new first class seat that provides privacy shields, more space to store your phone during the flight and larger, high resolution entertainment screens. All seats provide a comfortable experience to help your journey fly on by.

Delta First Class flight amenities

Delta’s First Class cabin provides premium perks similar to that of Delta One, with a dedicated flight attendant and chef-prepared meals that can vary depending on your route.

While there are differences depending on the aircraft, seats in First Class offer an extra eight inches of legroom and can recline an additional 50 percent compared to seats in the Main Cabin.

Many First-Class seats also feature seatback screens of up to 11 inches, albeit with fewer entertainment options than those in Delta One suites, and flyers who forget their headphones will be offered a free pair of earbuds.

Other Delta First Class benefits include plenty of built-in outlets and fast WiFi to help you stay productive in the air but the pillow and blanket waiting at your seat — while flimsier compared with Delta One’s bedding — may entice you to have a snooze so you can arrive at your destination rested and refreshed.

Delta First meal options

Delta First provides a meal option on most flights with a variety of fresh and delicious options. Similarly to Delta One, Delta often allows passengers in First Class to pre-select their meal ahead of their flight via the Fly Delta app or main website.

Food and drink offerings

Delta Air Lines’ First Class food and drink offerings vary by mileage. Here’s what you can expect based on the length of your flight:

—Less than 900 miles: Prepackaged snacks (one sweet and one savory, these may include the airline’s now-ubiquitous Biscoff cookies, goldfish crackers, potato chips and Clif bars); bottled water, tea and Starbucks coffee; complimentary beer and wine service as well as mini cans of soda, juices and mixers

—900 to 2,299 miles: All of the above, and may include meal service depending on the time of day (breakfast for flights between 5 a.m. and 9:45 a.m., lunch on 9:46 a.m. to 3:59 p.m. flights, dinner on 4 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. flights)

—2,300+ miles: All of the above, plus full meal service 24 hours per day

How to use your Delta SkyMiles for a cabin upgrade

The number of Delta SkyMiles required for a cabin upgrade varies based on the flight, time of year and what kind of upgrade you want.

Delta SkyMiles are dynamically priced, so there’s no fixed award chart to make an easy estimate. (That said, we peg the value of Delta SkyMiles at around 1.2 cents on average, according to our latest airline mile valuations.)

Luckily, using your Delta SkyMiles to book a cabin upgrade is easy. All you have to do is choose “Upgrade with Miles” in your Trip Summary on Delta.com prior to finalizing your purchase.

If you already booked your ticket, log in at Delta.com or the Fly Delta app, find your reservation in “My Trips,” pick an available seat and choose “Pay with Miles.” (You can also set your account preferences to automatically request an upgrade whenever you make a reservation with your SkyMiles number.)

If you don’t see an option to upgrade your seat online or in the app, you may be able to get help from a SkyMiles representative. Here’s how:

—Call Delta Reservations at 1-800-221-1212.

—Ask to book a mileage upgrade award.

—If an upgrade is available, your reservation is eligible and you have enough SkyMiles in your frequent flyer account, the representative can confirm your upgrade over the phone.

In addition, all Delta Medallion members (regardless of their tier) qualify for unlimited, complimentary upgrades to First Class — no miles required. (You could even get a day-of-departure upgrade to Delta One on U.S. flights, when available.)

Medallion members who have Diamond status can use a global upgrade certificate on both international and domestic Delta flights in addition to select flights with Delta Air Lines partners, such as Air France or Virgin Atlantic.

Diamond and Platinum members alike can trade in a regional upgrade certificate to move up to First Class or the domestic Delta One experience on the same routes that qualify for free upgrades.

Delta cabin upgrades are refundable for credit after purchase, which means you’ll receive your upgrade cost back as miles or eCredit depending on how you purchased your upgrade.

FAQs

—What is Delta business class called? Delta’s premium business class product is known as Delta One. It’s an enhanced business-class option the airline offers on longer international flights and select domestic routes.

—Can I use the Delta lounge when flying business class? While Delta One passengers have full access to Delta airport lounges before flying, First Class customers on domestic flights do not — unless you’re a SkyMiles member with Diamond, Platinum or Gold Medallion status (or hold a qualifying Delta credit card, such as the Delta SkyMiles Reserve or Reserve Business).

—Is Delta First Class better than Delta One? Delta First Class is a different level of service and seat features compared to Delta One but is still considered a premium offering. On domestic flights and select short-haul international flights, Delta First Class is the highest service class offered on the plane. When flying on routes with Delta First Class, you can expect a larger seat (but most likely a non lie-flat seat) and other premium class amenities. Be sure to review which service class you will be in before purchasing your ticket.

The bottom line

If you are looking for a more premium experience when flying with Delta, Delta One and Delta First Class are both great options for ensuring a more comfortable journey. Delta aircraft only offer one, not both of these cabins on flights. When flying domestic, expect that you will be in a Delta First cabin barring select premium transcontinental routes. For long-haul international routes, relax and unwind in Delta One with a lie-flat seat, amenity kits and premium food and drink offerings to make your trip a memorable one.

Delta is almost always near the top of J.D. Power’s North America Airline Satisfaction study and offers a great experience for passengers for both short and long-haul flights. Ultimately, when considering a premium experience or upgrade, be sure to keep in mind if the cost and other benefits make sense for you. If they do, Delta One and Delta First can make a long journey even more pleasurable.

___

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