MN News
JANITORS UNION-STRIKE AVERTED Janitors reach tentative contract, avert strike ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – About 4,000 janitors in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area are voting this week on a tentative contract agreement with about a dozen office cleaning companies. The union representing the janitors says it reached an agreement with the employers on Saturday – averting a strike. The Services Employees International Union Local 26 says the tentative contract includes raises of $1.20 an hour over three years and better health care coverage. The janitors are employed by third-party contractors to clean corporate offices, including Target and Best Buy. A phone listing for the Minneapolis St. Paul Contract Cleaners Association was not immediately available Sunday. The union also represents security officers, who did not reach an agreement after talks broke down Friday. The union says security officers could go on strike as early as Monday.
FRACK SAND LOBBYING-MAYOR Red Wing mayor resigning to be frack sand lobbyist (Information in the following story is from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com) RED WING, Minn. (AP) – The mayor of Red Wing says he will resign amid public pressure over his second job as a frack sand lobbyist. The Star Tribune reported Sunday that Mayor Dennis Egan said he could have legally continued on as mayor while he worked as the executive director of the Minnesota Industrial Sand Council. But he says he’ll resign April 1st because his second job had become a distraction. Red Wing City Council member Peggy Rehder says a special election for Egan’s replacement will be discussed Monday. The City Council will drop its plan to investigate Egan’s business dealings with the frack sand industry. Red Wing is in frack sand territory. Demand for silica sand is high because it’s used in hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” that produces oil and gas in neighboring North Dakota and other states.
SNOWMOBILE-TRAIN FATALITY Snowmobiler dies after being pulled under train DASSEL, Minn. (AP) – A 31-year-old Minnesota man who was riding a snowmobile alongside railroad tracks in Dassel died after he lost control, slid into a moving train, and was pulled underneath. The Meeker County Sheriff’s Office says Paul Fenske of Silver Lake was traveling eastbound along the tracks Saturday night. A Burlington Northern Santa Fe train was heading eastbound at the same time. Fenske lost control and slid into the side of the train. Authorities say the snowmobile got caught and was dragged down the tracks, and Fenske was pulled under the train. The crash happened several cars back from the locomotives, so the crew didn’t know about it and kept going. The train was later stopped. Another snowmobiler with Fenske saw the accident, but wasn’t injured. Authorities and the railroad are investigating.
TWO DEAD-LITTLE FALLS 2 found dead in Little Falls Township home LITTLE FALLS, Minn. (AP) – Two people have been found dead in a home in Little Falls Township. The cause of death was not immediately released but Morrison County Sheriff Michel Wetzel says authorities are not searching for any suspects and the public is not in danger. Authorities say they got a call Saturday evening that someone had found the two people dead in their home. Their identities have not been released. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner was determining the cause of death.
ST PAUL BAR DEATH Officials ID man who died in St. Paul bar assault ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Police are seeking the public’s help in finding suspects in an assault at a St. Paul bar that left one man dead. On Sunday, authorities identified the victim as 28-year-old Cher Vang of St. Paul. Police say he was stabbed several times in the upper body early Saturday at the Moonshine Saloon. Another person suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and is hospitalized in stable condition. Police are still piecing together what happened moments before the assault.
BODY IN CAR-MINNESOTA Woman found in car was last seen about 2 weeks ago ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Family and friends of a woman whose body was found hidden in a car in an impound lot say she left her St. Paul home about two weeks ago and never returned. Family and friends identified the woman as 18-year-old Brittany Clardy. St. Paul police spokesman Paul Paulos confirmed her identity Sunday to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Clardy’s body was found Thursday, eight days after the car was towed from Brooklyn Park. Authorities say the towing company did not see her body in the car. Todd Schwartz worked with Clardy’s mother. He tells the Star Tribune that Clardy left her parents’ home February 11th to go to a store. The family reported her missing when she didn’t return. Details about how she died haven’t been released.