The Forest Lake School board and close to 100 school board members from districts across Minnesota are asking the state education department and the state governing body for high school athletics to comply with a Trump administration demand to bar transgender athletes from girls sports.

Forest Lake board members voted to send a letter to statewide leaders last week after a federal civil rights investigation found that Minnesota and the Minnesota State High School League had violated Title IX, federal law banning sex discrimination in education, “by allowing males to compete in female sports and occupy female intimate facilities.”

In a ruling released last Tuesday, the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services’ civil rights offices gave the league and the state of Minnesota 10 days to make changes or risk losing federal funding.

A group of close to 100 school board members from around 40 districts from across the state independently signed on to a similar letter on Monday, largely from smaller communities outside the Twin Cities metro, though a few signed on from Washington County Schools, Anoka Hennepin Schools, and other suburban communities.

Forest Lake School Board President Curt Rebelein introduced the letter to members at their Oct. 2 meeting, saying the district needed to push the state and league to act as noncompliance could risk continued funding.

“As recipients of federal financial assistance, failure to correct these violations directly threatens our schools’ ability to serve our students and communities,” Rebelein wrote in a letter, which also was signed by school board member Tessa Antonson.

“Protecting fairness in women’s sports is paramount,” the letter continues. “The federal determination highlights how permitting males to compete on female teams displaces female athletes from podiums, denies them advancement opportunities, and diminishes their visibility and recognition in competitions.”

4-3 vote by Forest Lake school board

A resolution to send the letter passed on a 4-3 vote of the school board, with opposed members raising concerns that it was not placed on the agenda and that they did not have enough time to review the letter.

Board member Gail Theisen voted against sending the letter because it came as a surprise and because school district attorneys hadn’t reviewed the language. Rebelein said he had his own attorneys review the letter and that he wanted to send it as soon as possible because federal officials had given state officials just a little over a week to comply.

As of Monday, the Minnesota Department of Education and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison had not released their plans on how they will react to demands from the administration of President Donald Trump.

In a statement last week, the department said it was reviewing the letter and “remains committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and supportive school community.”

Transgender athletes

It’s unclear just how many transgender athletes participate in Minnesota school sports. Federal officials said they found transgender athletes had participated in girls’ sports, including lacrosse skiing, track and field, volleyball and softball.

The Minnesota State High School League, which has allowed students to decide whether to participate in boys or girls sports based on their gender identity since 2014, had not publicly signaled its plans as of Monday.

MSHSL Executive Director Erich Martens couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Monday.

The recent Title IX investigation is the latest development in the Trump administration’s push to end transgender participation in girls’ sports. Trump issued an executive order on the issue earlier this year and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi threatened Minnesota officials with legal action if they did not comply.

The MSHSL following the order would likely violate the state Human Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause of the state Constitution, which includes protections for different sexual orientations and gender identities. But the group said it would cooperate with a Title IX investigation.

The league also sought advice from Ellison, who later issued an opinion supporting their stance.

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A security guard at a St. Paul nightclub has been charged with first-degree assault after he allegedly punched a customer early Sunday morning, causing the man to fall and hit his head, inflicting grave injuries.

Jose Eucario Conejo Marquez, 28, of North St. Paul, was charged Monday in Ramsey County District Court.

The criminal complaint said the customer, a 33-year-old man, is on life support and not expected to survive.

The complaint gave the following details about the weekend incident at the North End nightclub:

The 33-year-old customer, who was on a first date at the Blues Saloon at 1638 Rice St., reportedly became jealous after multiple men made advances on his date. He became upset and was asked to leave the club.

Surveillance video showed that after the man was in the parking lot, he pointed at his date. At that time, the security guard stepped between them and punched the man in the head. Then, while the customer was leaning against a vehicle in the parking lot, the security guard allegedly punched him again.

The man fell and hit his head on the pavement, losing consciousness. His date asked for help. A security guard allegedly told her to pour water on her date and that he would be fine. Two men then carried the unconscious man to his pickup truck.

Ten minutes later, at about 2:20 a.m. Sunday, the man’s date flagged down police officers who were in the area investigating a hit-and-run. The officers found the 33-year-old slumped over inside a red Dodge Ram with Wisconsin license plates. The date said that the man had been unconscious about 10 minutes after getting punched by a security guard. Officers saw that the man had a small amount of blood coming from both nostrils. He was unresponsive and didn’t appear to be breathing. An officer began CPR and saw that the man had a faint pulse and shallow breathing.

Officers spoke to Marquez, who was back inside the Blues Saloon, after employees said that the security guard was allegedly the one who punched the man, according to the complaint.

Marquez allegedly told officers that the man was drunk and was being “belligerent.” He then allegedly said that he was frustrated with the man for fighting inside the bar and being verbally aggressive with his date.

Marquez allegedly admitted to punching the customer at least once.

The 33-year-old was taken to Regions Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a “devastating brain bleed.”

Marquez is in custody, and his first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.

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Summer’s ended, and now the slow changing of the seasons is underway in northeastern Minnesota. With the arrival of fall comes a riot of yellows, oranges, and reds as trees begin to change their colors in preparation for winter.

But don’t worry, you have a few weeks yet to appreciate the colors of autumn, so hop in the car and get ready for a drive.

Carlton

Jay Cooke State Park near Carlton is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and features a hiking, camping, a swinging bridge over the St. Louis River, a historic cemetery, and the views of the Thomson Dam gorge.

It also is home to more than 170 species of birds, and plenty of other wildlife, some of which may be visible from the car.

Jay Cooke State Park visitors walk across the swinging bridge over the St. Louis River on Thursday, April 25, 2024.Wyatt Buckner / Duluth Media Group

If you’re short on time, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends parking at the historic River Inn and heading straight to the bridge, which is accessible. From there, visit Oldenburg Point to see the Civilian Conservation Corps facilities and stop to take in the view over the St. Louis River valley. On your way back, visit the Thomson Pioneer Cemetery, which dates back to the late 1800s.

Lutsen

Head out to Lutsen, and you can take a ride on the Summit Express Gondola in the Sawtooth Mountains to see the breathtaking fall colors.

The enclosed gondola cars take visitors to and from the top of Moose Mountain, 1,000 feet above Lake Superior. And if you’re lucky, you might glimpse eagles, pine martens, bears, wolves, or perhaps even a moose along the way. Tickets start at $35 per adult and $20 for children ages 6-12. Each gondola can accommodate a maximum of eight guests.

Jay Cooke State Park visitors walk across the swinging bridge over the St. Louis River on Thursday, April 25, 2024.Wyatt Buckner / Duluth Media Group

Two people ride the gondola through the fall colored trees in Lutsen on Monday, October 10, 2022.
At the top of the mountain, take in the sights from the observation deck, stop at the Summit Chalet for lunch or a snack, or take a hike down one of the many trails.

The gondola rides are available daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 19, 2025, and limited to two Saturdays — Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 — in late fall. Summit Chalet closes a half-hour prior to the gondola, so don’t be caught going hungry.

Duluth

Hiking enthusiasts need not stray too far from Duluth to catch a fabulous view from on high — Ely’s Peak offers both a challenging trail and a far-reaching view on a clear day.

From the Superior Hiking Trail trailhead, hikers are encouraged to follow the blue markings up to the peak. For a more detailed account that will clear up the various ways you can be led astray by other signs, former News Tribune reporter Adelle Whitefoot documented her August 21 hike.

The view from the top of Ely’s Peak overlooks the St. Louis River and Duluth’s Gary-New Duluth neighborhood.Adelle Whitefoot / Duluth News Tribune

For a closer view of the city itself during the fall, check out Enger Tower in Enger Park. The park overlooks the Blatnik Bridge and Garfield Avenue, and also provides a view of the Aerial Lift Bridge.

Folks look out from the top of Enger Tower at Enger Park in Duluth on Monday afternoon, July 1, 2024. Jed Carlson / Duluth Media Group

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to protect Google from a year-old order requiring a major makeover of its Android app store that’s designed to unleash more competition against a system that a jury declared an illegal monopoly.

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The rebuff delivered in a one-sentence decision by the Supreme Court means Google will soon have to start an overhaul of its Play Store for the apps running on the Android software that powers most smartphones that compete against Apple’s iPhone in the U.S.

Among other changes, U.S. District Judge James Donato last October ordered Google to give its competitors access to its entire inventory of Android apps and also make those alternative options available to download from the Play Store.

In a filing last month, Google told the U.S. Supreme Court that Donato’s order would expose the Play Store’s more than 100 million U.S. users to “enormous security and safety risks by enabling stores that stock malicious, deceptive, or pirated content to proliferate.”

Google also said it faced an Oct. 22 deadline to begin complying with the judge’s order if the Supreme Court didn’t grant its request for a stay. The Mountain View, California, company was seeking the protection while pursuing a last-ditch attempt to overturn the December 2023 jury verdict that condemned the Play Store as an abusive monopoly.

In a statement, Google said it will continue its fight in the Supreme Court while submitting to what it believes is a problematic order. “The changes ordered by the U.S. District Court will jeopardize users’ ability to safely download apps,” Google warned.

Google had been insulated from the order while trying to overturn it and the monopoly verdict, but the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that attempt in a decision issued two months ago.

In its filing with the Supreme Court, Google argued it was being unfairly turned into a supplier and distributor for would-be rivals.

Donato concluded the digital walls shielding the Play Store from competition needed to be torn down to counteract a pattern of abusive behavior. The conduct had enabled Google to to reap billions of dollars in annual profits, primarily from its exclusive control of a payment processing system that collected a 15-30% fee on in-app transactions.

Those commissions were the focal point of an antitrust lawsuit that video game maker Epic Games filed against Google in 2020, setting up a month-long trial in San Francisco federal court that culminated in the jury’s monopoly verdict.

Epic, the maker of the Fortnite game, lost a similar antitrust case targeting Apple’s iPhone app store. Even though U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rodgers concluded the iPhone app store wasn’t an illegal monopoly, she ordered Apple to begin allowing links to alternative payment systems as part of a shake-up that resulted in the company being held in civil contempt of court earlier this year.

In a post, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney applauded the Supreme Court for clearing the way for consumers to choose alternative app payment choices “without fees, scare screens, and friction.”

Although the Play Store changes will likely dent Google’s profit, the company makes most of its money from a digital ad network that’s anchored by its dominant search engine — the pillars of an internet empire that has been under attack on other legal fronts.

As part of cases brought by the U.S. Justice Department, both Google’s search engine and parts of its advertising technology were declared illegal monopolies, too.

A federal judge in the search engine case earlier this year rejected a proposed break-up outlined by the Justice Department i n a decision that was widely seen as a reprieve for Google. The government is now seeking to break up Google in the advertising technology case during proceedings that are scheduled to wrap up with closing arguments on Nov. 17 in Alexandria, Virginia.