January 17, 2017 by The Minnesota Daily

TOP HEADLINES INSIDE:

CITY SHOWS SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WITH NEW PLAN PG 14

■■ 12 regent candidates announced as finalists

CITY WILL PUSH $100K CONTRACTS TO SMALL BIZ.

■■ U’s human research protections reaccredited

Thirty six applied for the Board of Regents openings. PAGE 2

The program was overhauled after 2015 criticism. PAGE 12

SUNNY HIGH 30° LOW 17°

U OF M

MINNEAPOLIS

ST PAUL

EARLY WEEK

JAN. 17-18, 2017

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT MNDAILY.COM

FOOTBALL

Turbulent month roils football program The Gophers’ new head coach, P.J. Fleck, brings high energy, recruiting acumen to Minnesota. BY MIKE HENDRICKSON mhendrickson@mndaily.com

CARTER JONES, DAILY FILE PHOTO

im Tressel maintained shor t but high-tempo football practices. The former Ohio State head coach wanted his team to perform at “100 miles per hour” every day. Only one of the team’s assistants in 2006 — a 25-year-old P.J. Fleck in his first coaching job — had the stamina to run alongside the players while the rest of the staff trailed behind. “He was a guy who had unbelievable energy,” said Tressel, who had an impressive 94 wins with Ohio State from 2001-10. “His ability to connect with our players was really a bonus for us.” That energy served Fleck well. By 32, after brief coaching stints at Northern Illinois University, Rutgers and the NFL, Fleck was named Western Michigan’s head coach, making him the youngest in high-level college football at the time. Four years have passed. Fleck is on to his next gig. He walked into TCF Bank Stadium Jan. 6 as the University of Minnesota’s next head

Newly appointed Gophers football head coach P.J. Fleck speaks during a press conference on Friday, Jan. 6 at TCF Bank Stadium.

u See FLECK Page 9

Sex assault allegation spur suspensions; boycott, firings follow After 10 suspensions following a U Title IX investigation, team boycott sparks controversy. BY JESSIE BEKKER jbekker@mndaily.com

A woman repor ted a sexual assault to the Minneapolis Police Depar tment four months ago, and a storm ensued, roiling the University of Minnesota’s Athletics Department over winter break. Prior to the suspension of 10 University of Minnesota football players connected to the alleged assault, restraining orders were ser ved and lifted, and angr y reactions from Gophers players spawned a turnover in team leadership. Now, the team will kick of f their 2017 season under P.J. Fleck, former Western Michigan University head coach who, at 36, will be the youngest to lead a team in the Power 5 conferences and will be the highest-paid head coach in University histor y at $18 million over five years. It’s the latest update since the team staged a less-than-48-hour boycott of all football activities, “in solidarity,” they said, with their 10 “brothers” who they believe were unfairly suspended from the team in connection with the alleged Sept. 2 assault. The boycott, publically suppor ted by many on the coaching staf f, pitted u See RECAP Page 8

LEGISLATURE

CHRIS DANG, DAILY FILE PHOTO

Left: Senior wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky addresses reporters at a news conference Dec. 15, 2016 at the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex in Minneapolis. Right: Protesters rally to support victim-survivors in front of TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016.

For some regents, coaching expenses a source of unease BY KEVIN BECKMAN kbeckman@mndaily.com

In the next five years, new Gophers football head coach P.J. Fleck could rake in $18 million, generating concern among some University of Minnesota regents. The compensation — making Fleck the highest paid state employee — makes a few on the Board of Regents uneasy. But even some regents comfortable with

the cost complain the level of authority the board has over employment contracts is unclear. At the same time, the football team’s sexual assault scandal that led to Fleck’s hiring could overshadow the school’s lobbying efforts this legislative session as it pushes for over $390 million from the state for infrastructure projects and University initiatives.

Average first contract salary for head football coaches* Jerry Kill: $1.2 M Tracy Claeys: $1.5 M P.J. Fleck: $3.6 M

u See REGENTS Page 9

SOURCE: GOPHERS ATHLETICS, DAILY ARCHIVES

*values adjusted for inflation

BUSINESS

U budget may face hurdles at Capitol

New Chinese restaurant slated for WaHu The Chicago-based chain, Lao Sze Chaun, will open its first location in Minnesota Feb. 1.

The University budget request is asking for more than an 11 percent increase in funding.

BY ANDREW HEISER aheiser@mndaily.com

BY MAX CHAO mchao@mndaily.com

With a changing political climate at the Minnesota Capitol, the University of Minnesota’s budget may face changes. The University recently unveiled its nearly $1.4 billion biennial budget request. The request includes $147.2 million in state spending — a more than 11 percent increase in state money — for University initiatives like student success and af fordability, research and others projects such as the Bell Museum of Natural Histor y renovation. But with a new GOP-controlled state Legislature, the budget may need to undergo drastic changes before it can be passed. u See BUDGET Page 3

MADDY FOX, DAILY

Students walk past the spot where Lao Sze Chuan will be opening in February. The restaurant will be an addition to a collection of Chinese restaurants in the Stadium Village area.

Adding to the likes of Kowloon and Hong Kong Noodle, another Chinese restaurant is slated for Stadium Village. Lao Sze Chuan, a Chinese restaurant chain based in Chicago, plans to open its first Minnesota location below the WaHu apartment complex on Feb. 1. Franchisee Tony Yang said the restaurant will serve both authentic Sichuan-style entrees and Chinese-American food, like General Tso’s chicken. The Huron Boulevard iteration of the popular chain will feature full-service dining space for 101 guests, as well as a small bar area. During the lunch hour, Lao Sze Chuan will offer a buffet that changes daily. Yang said u See RESTAURANT Page 5 VOLUME 117 ISSUE 30

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Daily Review

THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1950 Eleven men steal more than $2 million from the Brinks Armored Car depot in Boston, Massachusetts. HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH

ATHLETICS Tuesday, January 17, 2017 Vol. 117 No. 30

An Independent Student Newspaper, Founded in 1900. 2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: (612) 627-4080 Fax: (612) 435-5865 Copyright © 2016 The Minnesota Daily This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted. OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Dylan Scott Editor-in-Chief dscott@mndaily.com (612) 435-1575 Elizabeth Luke Business Operations Officer eluke@mndaily.com (612) 435-2761 NEWS STAFF Chris Aadland Managing Editor caadland@mndaily.com Allison Dohnalek Managing Production Editor adohnalek@mndaily.com Emily Polglaze Sports Editor epolglaze@mndaily.com Jack White Assistant Sports Editor jwhite@mndaily.com Sophia Vilensky A&E Editor svilensky@mndaily.com Bridget Bennett Multimedia Editor bbennett@mndaily.com Alex Tuthill-Preus Assistant Multimedia Editor atuthill-preus@mndaily.com Haley Hansen Copy Desk Chief hhansen@mndaily.com Sheridan Swee Assistant Copy Desk Chief sswee@mndaily.com Harry Steffenhagen Visuals Editor hsteffenhagen@mndaily.com Cedar Thomas Visuals Editor cthomas@mndaily.com Brenna Bast Chief Page Designer bbast@mndaily.com Jackie Renzetti Campus Editor jrenzetti@mndaily.com Ethan Nelson City Editor enelson@mndaily.com Nick Wicker Policy Editor nwicker1@mndaily.com Jessie Bekker In-Depth Editor jbekker@mndaily.com Lucy Carey Social Media Manager lcarey@mndaily.com =

Gophers defenseman Steve Johnson follows Michigan’s Alex Kile into the corner on Friday at Mariucci Arena.

STATE REPORT MINNESOTA STATE FAIR ADMISSION GOES UP IN 2017 FALCON HEIGHTS — The cost for admission to the Minnesota State Fair is going up by $1. The State Fair announced Sunday that it will now cost $14 for those ages 13 to 64 to enter the fair, while seniors and children ages 5 through 12 will be admitted for $11. Kids under 5 can still get into the fair for free. Advance tickets will cost $11 for all ages. State Fair general manager Jerr y Hammer cited rising costs in putting on the fair, guest services and facilities upkeep as reasons for the increase. The State Fair’s board of managers also approved $8 million in improvements. Those include a new elevator in the Grandstand, upgrades to the Swine Barn, two new information booths and a new per formance space outside the Education Building.

MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO STEALING TREE TOPS FROM CHIPPEWA FOREST ST. PAUL — A Grand Rapids man has pleaded guilty to cutting thousands of tree tops from black spruce in the Chippewa National Forest. Seventy-year-old Joseph Edminster pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court to one count of theft of government property. Prosecutors say he admitted to cutting more than 2,700 tree tops from the forest from October 2008 to October 2014. He then admitted to selling the tree tops to wholesalers for use as Christmas decorations. The wholesalers then sold them to retailers in Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. It’s estimated Edminster stole more than $24,000 worth of spruce tops from federal land since 2008. Black spruce is a North American pine species that’s widespread across Canada and the northern U.S. It’s illegal to cut timber on national forest land unless specifically authorized. ASSOCIATED PRESS

CAMPUS BRIEFING

Final regent pool narrowed to 12 The final candidates will be voted on by a joint session of the state legislature. BY KEVIN BECKMAN kbeckman@mndaily.com

The list of candidates vying for a seat on the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents has been narrowed to 12 after three days of interviews. The 12 finalists, which include three current regents, the CEO of General Mills, a former Gophers and Green Bay Packers football player and a Twin Cities radiologist, among others, are competing to fill four seats on the board. The Regent Candidate Advisory Council — the body that screens and recommends

candidates — released its recommendations Jan. 6. The council received 36 applications, choosing 17 to be inter viewed earlier this month, before narrowing down the field to 12. Seats from three legislative districts and one at-large seat are at stake in this year’s election. A joint legislative committee will select one candidate for each vacant seat to for ward to the Minnesota Legislature. The full state Legislature then elects regents during a joint session. Candidates not selected, considered or for warded by the RCAC,

or chosen by the legislative committee, can still be nominated by a legislator for potential election to the board. Finalists for the state’s second district are Ian Benson, Jim Carter and Sandra Krebsbach. The state’s third district finalists include Walter Erickson, Tammy Lee Stanoch and incumbents Thomas Devine and Darrin Rosha. Cur r ent boar d V ice Chair David McMillan and Curtis Teberg will compete in the state’s eighth district. Kent Molde, Kendall Powell, John Regal and Devine are up for consideration for the at-large position. Because of redistricting, Devine — incumbent second congressional district

regent — now resides in the third congressional district, and the RCAC opted to recommend him as a candidate for both the third district and the at-large seat. RCAC chair Ardell Brede thanked all 36 applicants in a statement, saying the Council is confident the University will be well-served by the elected regents. “T he wi l l i n g n es s o f these people to give of their time, talent and energy to ser ve the University and the state as a regent speaks well of them as individuals and shows that the governing board of the University attracts people who are well-credentialed, experienced and interested in ser ving,” the statement said.

NATIONAL BRIEFING

Thousands rally to Fla. airport shooting nexus between resist Republican reveals mentally ill, law forces health law repeal BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WARREN, Mich. — Thousands of people showed up in freezing temperatures on Sunday in Michigan to hear Sen. Bernie Sanders denounce Republican efforts to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care law, one of dozens of rallies Democrats staged across the country to highlight opposition. Labor unions were a strong presence at the demonstration in a parking lot at Macomb Community College in the Detroit suburb of Warren, where some people carried signs saying “Save our Health Care.” Lisa Bible, 55, of Bancroft, Michigan, said she has an autoimmune disease and high cholesterol. She said the existing law has been an answer to her and her husband’s prayers, but she worries that if it’s repealed her family may get stuck with her medical bills. “I’m going to get really sick and my life will be at risk,” said Bible, an online antique dealer. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to overturn and replace the Affordable Care Act and majority Republicans in Congress this week began the process of repealing it using a budget maneuver that requires a bare majority in the Senate. “This is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. It is time we got our national priorities right,” Sanders told the Michigan rally. The law has delivered health coverage to about 20 million people but is saddled with problems such as rapidly rising premiums and large co-payments. Britt Waligorski, 31, a health care administrator for a dental practice, said she didn’t get health insurance through work but has been covered through the health law for three years. While the premiums have gone up, she said she is concerned that services for women will be taken away if it is repealed.

EXTENDED WEATHER FORECAST WEDNESDAY THURSDAY HIGH 35° HIGH 41° LOW 27° LOW 33° Partly cloudy

CARTER JONES, DAILY

Mostly sunny

FRIDAY HIGH 41° LOW 39° AM showers

FOR T LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Just weeks before a gunman opened fire at Fort Lauderdale’s airport, authorities said he walked into an FBI office in Alaska, telling agents the government was controlling his mind and that he was having terroristic thoughts. It’s a daily occurrence for law enforcement agencies and authorities say the difficulty is in assessing whether people are reporting a credible threat, whether or whether they need medical help. “A lot of resources, time and effort are all put into dealing with mentally challenged people and tr ying to sort through that type of information to find out what’s valid,” said Pat O’Carroll, former supervisor with the Secret Service and executive director of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association. Relatives of the alleged airpor t gunman, Esteban Santiago, said his behavior had grown increasingly erratic in the year before the shooting. While in Iraq, his family said, he witnessed a bomb explode near two friends. Santiago’s brother Br yan said at one point his bother requested psychological help but barely received any, and it’s not clear to what extent he was ever diagnosed or treated, if ever, for mental illness. After the incident at the FBI office, Santiago was held for four days for an evaluation and released. Law enforcement says each hotline tip and visit is documented, but there is usually no record of whether someone appears to be mentally ill because authorities don’t have the expertise to make that determination and don’t want to stigmatize people. “There are times of lucidness and you can’t just reject ever ything the person says. Even if they have a frequent track record of calling up, they are going to be given the same amount of attention ... so it is even more time consuming,” O’Carroll said.

SATURDAY HIGH 43° LOW 36° Showers

SUNDAY HIGH 40° LOW 37° PM showers

EDITORIAL STAFF Grace Thomas Editorials & Opinions Editor jthomas@mndaily.com Anant Naik Senior Editorial Board Member anaik@mndaily.com BUSINESS Catherine Vaught Retail Sales Manager cvaught@mndaily.com Emily Vermeulen Creative Director evermeulen@mndaily.com CORRECTIONS The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately. THE MINNESOTA DAILY is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future. The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations. The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn. Midwest News Service distributes the 13,000 issues daily. All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste. U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Bell Museum. For Higher Education Asset Preser vation and Replacement projects and six other infrastr ucture initiatives, the University wants the Legislature to provide over $245 million this session. Gov. Mark Dayton recommended earlier this month that the school receive nearly $155 million of that request. Lawmakers in the House and Senate have yet to release their recommendations.

BIENNIAL BUDGET REQUESTS VS. APPROVED BUDGET

2014-2015 Request

2016-2017 Request

*Not yet approved

requested approved

$147.2 million

At last week’s press conference, Kaler outlined the University’s budget request, which covers three areas: student success and affordability, research and “unfinished business.” For student success and af fordability, the University wants $90.2 million from the state to advance STEM education, increase undergraduate retention and graduation rates, enroll more in-state minority students and minimize tuition hikes, among others. T h e U n i v ers i t y a l s o wants state money to help fund school research

programs, like the MnDRIVE initiative and Natural Resource Resarch Institute. The university also is asking the state to help pay for cancer research, clean water and develop data technology across Minnesota. The University’s r equest also includes funding for “unfinished business,” which includes spending on health training and programs previously covered by UCare, as well as programs for the

$52.2 million

The University’s request

ERIC KALER University president

$148.2 million

ELLENTON, Fla. — After 146 years, the curtain is coming down on “The Greatest Show on Ear th.” The owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus told The Associated Press that the show will close forever in May. The iconic American spectacle was felled by a variety of factors, company executives say. Declining attendance combined with high operating costs, along with changing public tastes and prolonged battles with animal rights groups all contributed to its demise. “There isn’t any one thing,” said Kenneth Feld, chairman and CEO of Feld Enter tainment. “This has been a ver y dif ficult decision for me and for the entire family.” The company br oke the news to circus employees Saturday night after shows in Orlando and Miami. Ringling Bros. has two touring circuses this season and will per form 30 shows between now a n d M a y. M a j o r s t o p s include Atlanta, Washington, Philadelphia, Boston and Brooklyn. The final shows will be in

Providence, RhodeIsland, on May 7 and in Uniondale, New York, at the Nassau County Coliseum on May 21. The cir cus, with its exotic animals, flashy costumes and death-defying acrobats, has been a staple of enter tainment in the United States since the mid-1800s. Phineas Taylor Bar num made a traveling spectacle of animals and human oddities popular, while the five Ringling br o th e rs per formed juggling acts and skits from their home base in Wisconsin. Eventually, they merged and the moder n circus was bor n. The sprawling troupes traveled Saround America by train, wowing audiences with the sheer scale of entertainment and exotic animals. B y m i d c e n t u r y, t h e circus was routine, wholesome family enter tainment. But as the 20th centur y went on, kids became less and less enthralled. Movies, television, video games and the inter net captured young minds. The circus didn’t have savvy product merchandising tie-ins or Saturday morning car toons to shore up its image.

“If I were the University of Minnesota, considering what happened to its budget in a Republican-controlled House, considering … what happened to the higher [education] budget the last time the Republicans controlled both houses, I think I’d buckle up,” Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, told the Minnesota Daily last month. Aside from Republicans’ fiscally conservative nature, there are other political reasons for this, said Larry Jacobs, University public policy professor and director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance. For instance, he said, there has been a simultaneous growth of the University in metro areas as the Republican Party grows in rural areas. “It’s harder for the University to make the case persuasively to Republicans in greater Minnesota,” Jacobs said. “They literally don’t see the tangible payoffs of the University in the way that they once did.” Jacobs said Minnesota Republicans also have a general sense the University has been given enough money and now must make due with internal reallocations. In rural areas, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system has more influence, he said. While state funding fluctuates in cycles, MNSCU has secured

“By just about every measure I can think of, the University is on an upward trajectory on the quality of the students, the diversity of our research and the impact of our publich engagement.”

$78.25 million

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

u from Page 1

more funding proportionally than the University in recent years, Jacobs said. Despite the new makeup of the state Legislature, University President Eric Kaler at a press conference last week said his message about the value the U niv ersity ha s to the state has remained constant. “By just about ever y measure I can think of, the University is on an upward trajector y on the quality of the students, the diversity of our research and the impact of our public engagement,” Kaler said. He did, however, concede that the University needs to make its impact on greater Minnesota clearer. “We are not the University of Minneapolis, we are the University of Minnesota,” he said.

$91.6 million

Ringling Bros. circus is closing

Budget

2018-2019 Request

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Lao Sze Chuan slated for WaHu complex Restaurant u from Page 1

the buffet is designed for students who need a quick meal in between classes. Lao Sze Chuan has several locations in Chicago, Los Angeles and Connecticut, but this will be the chain’s first restaurant in Minnesota. Yang said he regularly visited Chicago on weekends during his time as a student at Winona State University, where he helped oversee the school’s food service. Yang, who is originally from China, said he was surprised by the amount of Chinese food available in Chicago. “I’m always looking for home food,” Yang said. “It really shocked me. I never imagined we’d have regular Sichuan food in the U.S.” He said students would come from all around just for Chicago’s selection of Chinese food. Yang would frequent the city’s Lao Sze Chuan locations with his friends whenever he made the trip. Now, Yang is bringing his favorite tastes to Minnesota with his first venture as a business owner for the Lao Sze Chaun chain. With more than 3,300 square feet of space on the first floor of the recently-con-

structed WaHu apartment building, Yang is putting his own touch on the restaurant. He ordered decorative materials from China so he could dress it up with authentic flair. “It is totally a brand-new building, and this place [was] empty, so I can build the restaurant in my way,” Yang said. He also said he hoped to serve Chinese international students living in the apartments above, too. “But it’s not just for Chinese people,” Yang said, adding that his recipes are designed to have broad appeal. Owners of other Chinese restaurants in Stadium Village were unsure how Lao Sze Chuan would affect their businesses. U Garden owner Spencer Ung expressed concern that Lao Sze Chuan might cut into his restaurant’s revenue. U Garden, which is located nearby on University Avenue, also has a daily lunch buffet. “There’s a lot of competition out there for business,” Ung said. “It’s kind of saturated with all the Chinese restaurants. Eventually, someone will lose.” Other nearby Chinese restaurants include Hong Kong Noodle, Kowloon, Little Szechuan and Tea House. Village Wok — a Stadium Village mainstay for more

MADDY FOX, DAILY

Lao Sze Chaun, a Chicago-based Chinese restaurant chain, will be opening a location below WaHu in early February. The restaurant will be an addition to a collection of established Chinese restaurants in the Stadium Village area.

than 40 years — closed in the wsummer to make way for a new apartment tower on

Washington Avenue. Yang said he expects Lao Sze Chuan to contribute to the

vibrancy of Stadium Village and have good relationships with other restaurant owners.

“We can work together to bring people into this area,” Yang said.

Syrian opposition: Destruction of shelter kills 12 BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BEIRUT — Syrian government forces shelled a village in a rebel-controlled area near Damascus on Sunday, killing at least 12 civilians and injuring several others who were taking shelter in a banquet hall. The violence in the waterrich Barada Valley, which has raged since Dec. 22, has tested the country’s fragile cease-fire and restricted the flow of water to the capital. Despite an agreement to allow maintenance workers in to fix the water facility in the

rebel-controlled valley, the violence continued, also trapping an estimated 100,000 residents. On Sunday, shells fell on al-Reem banquet hall in Deir Qanoun village in the valley that houses hundreds of civilians who had escaped the intensified fighting. The activist-operated Wadi Barada Media Center said 12 were killed and more than 20 were injured. The group posted pictures of the bloodied floors of the hall, some of them showing bodies with severed limbs. In a video posted by

the opposition Step News agency, a civilian in the hall said the shelling killed his wife, daughter and niece. The distressed man called for help as he tried to piece together the bodies of his killed family. “Their flesh was torn apart, so if there’s someone to help us out,” the man said as he walked away from the camera. There were signs of massive destruction in the hall, with furniture broken, walls destroyed and blood stains on the tile floors. Fuad Abu Hattab, an exiled resident of Barada Valley

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and an activist with the group, said medical teams have been unable to move around the valley because of the fighting and it is not clear if the dozens of injured are getting any immediate care. Abu Hattab said the center has served as a shelter for many displaced civilians who escaped the ongoing violence in the valley and other parts of rural Damascus. The hall has an area for weddings, as well as a restaurant and a number of rooms. It had largely been spared the intense fighting, Abu Hattab said. The Syrian Civil Defense,

a team of volunteer first responders in the rebel-held parts of Syria, also put the death toll at 12, saying the shelling hit a displaced people’s center. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at seven but said it was likely to rise because some of the injured are in critical condition. Fighting has raged in the valley that provides the Syrian capital with most of its water supply. In recent days, government and allied troops have been advancing in the valley despite talks to stem

the violence. The Lebanese Hezbollah group, which has fighters on the side of the Syrian government, said pro-government troops seized a hill overlooking the water source in the valley Sunday. In easter n Syria, Islamic State group militants kept up their offensive on government-held areas of the contested city of Deir elZour, attacking a military air base from several fronts. The group stated on social media it attacked the airport from the west, seizing a goverment sentry base.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Sports

@MNDAILYSPORTS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S HOCKEY

woes Gophers sweep Wolverines Shooting lead to secondMEN’S HOCKEY RESULTS

FRIDAY Michigan Minnesota

SATURDAY Michigan Minnesota

1 1 3

2 1 1

3 0 1

FINAL 2 5

1 0 1

2 0 1

3 2 2

FINAL 2 4

straight defeat

SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

CARTER JONES, DAILY

Gophers forward Mike Szmatula looks for a passing outlet against Michigan on Friday, Jan. 13, at Mariucci Arena.

Minnesota is tied for first in the Big Ten with Penn State through six games. BY DREW COVE dcove@mndaily.com

We e k e n d s w i t h t w o victories are becoming business as usual for Minnesota. No. 9 Minnesota (13-52, 5-1 Big Ten) emerged victorious on both Friday and Satur day over Michigan (8-11-1, 1-5 Big Ten). Friday, the Gophers dominated the Wolverines en route to a 5-2 victor y with an opening goal from for ward Rem Pitlick. “We had good energy early,” said head coach Don Lucia. “Rem’s goal was important… The next

two goals, a nice deflection goal and I thought the real impor tant goal was the one [with] under two seconds left.” For ward Mike Szmatula was down in front of the net, and like any for ward with his nose to the net, he found a rebound and put it past the Michigan goaltender with less than two seconds left in the first period to put the Gophers up 3-1. Minnesota’s top goals c o r e r, f o r w a r d T y l e r Sheehy, scored two goals and recorded an assist Friday. “Anytime you’ve got diverse scoring out there it’s great for the team,” Sheehy said. “It’s awesome to see other guys get goals and hopefully they can keep putting the puck in the net.” The sophomore

increased his point total on the season to 28 in just 19 games. Pitlick was able to get on the scoresheet with two points Friday, and although he had 10 assists coming into the game, he shot the puck instead — and it worked. The freshman has been urged by coaches to shoot more, and he has proven he can. He led the USHL in scoring last season with 46 goals. The Gophers managed to keep the puck away from the Wolverines due to their speed and possession advantage. Minnesota recorded a game-high in shots this season with 45 during Friday’s game, and only allowed 24 shots for Michigan. Saturday the Gophers had the chance to get the

sweep, and they did just that. Minnesota beat Michigan 4-2 in the series finale Satur day, and for war d Vinni Lettieri recorded his first career hat trick. “It feels good,” Lettieri said. “Along with the other guys in the locker room, we put in a lot of work ever y day before and after practice, in the summertime, and when you get rewarded for three goals, obviously it feels good.” The senior recorded his ninth, tenth, and eleventh goals of the season Saturday — the tenth being the game-winning goal. Defenseman Ryan Collins had the other tally for Minnesota, and a lot of it had to do with the chemistr y he and his defensive par tner, Ryan Zuhlsdor f, are developing. “Ever ything just clicks sometimes,” Collins said. “Zuhlsdor f and I have found some chemistr y and we have good communication on the back end and I think that’s crucial for a [defense] pair to have.” Goaltender Eric Schierhorn was able to back-stop the Gophers to two more consecutive wins this weekend, bringing his and Minnesota’s win streak to six games.

WRESTLING

Minnesota fights back to win border battle Junior Chris Pfarr won the dual’s final and deciding match with an upset. BY KYLE STEINBERG ksteinberg@mndaily.com

For redshir t junior Chris Pfarr, no moment is too big when he doesn’t know the score. Pfar r’s comeback 7-4 win over No. 20 R yan Christensen at 174 pounds lifted No. 12 Minnesota (42, 3-1 Big Ten) to a hardfought 18-15 victor y over No. 21 Wisconsin (3-3, 1-3 Big Ten) at the Sports Pavilion Sunday. “I knew it was close, and I knew I had to win,” Pfarr said. “I didn’t have that

WRESTLING RESULTS

SUNDAY No. 21 Wisconsin No. 12 Minnesota

FINAL 15 18

SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

pressure because I knew I just had to go up there and do the best I could.” The Gophers needed Pfarr to earn any type of decision to beat the Badgers with the dual tied at 15 heading into the final match. It didn’t look good early on, as Pfarr conceded three points in the first period. The tide turned when he scored a takedown late in the second, which lit up the Pavilion crowd and

MEAGAN LYNCH, DAILY

Junior Chris Pfarr takes on Ryan Christensen in the Gophers match against the Badgers at the Sports Pavilion on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017. Pfarr beat Christensen 7-4.

“I knew it was close, and I knew I had to win. ... I didn’t have that pressure because I knew I just had to go up there and do the best I could.” CHRIS PFARR Redshirt junior

sent the match to the third frame tied at three. Pfar r dominated the third frame, scoring twice more to win the match 7-4, and give the Gophers the dual. Early on, neither team gained an edge and split the first four matches with two r egular decisions each. Head coach Brandon Eggum said he was not surprised, however. “When you look at the bout cards, you see a lot of matches that are very close rankings-wise and can go either way,” Eggum said. “We knew we had to win the close ones.” The first inkling of a momentum shift came just before the break, when Minnesota’s No. 16 Mitch McKee pinned Wisconsin’s freshman Eli Stickley just 1:20 into the match. The pin got the crowd on its feet and sent the Gophers into the break with a sixpoint advantage. The pin was the first for the freshman in a dual meet during his college career. “Throughout this season, one thing I’ve realized about myself is that I wrestle better when I come out and I’m ready to go right away,” McKee said.

It looked like that strategy would pay dividends for the Gophers when No. 13 Tommy Thorn capitalized on the momentum after the break with a win and put Minnesota up 15-6 with four matches remaining. Yet, the Badgers didn’t go away, as they put together a run of three consecutive victories to even the dual at 15 with 2016 NCAA Qualifier Ryan Christensen set to wrestle in the final match. That’s where Pfarr — a Le Sueur, Minnesota native — stopped the bleeding and gave the Gophers a victor y over a major rival. “It’s huge,” Pfar r said of the rivalr y. “Tons of fans come up here from [my] hometown because [it’s] only an hour away. It’s always huge and always a good feeling to get that win, especially in a dramatic fashion like tonight.” Looming next for Minnesota is a meet with fifth-ranked Nebraska Friday night. Eggum said he knows it will be a challenge for the Gophers. “Ever y week in the Big Ten is going to be a gr ueling duel,” he said. “Nebraska’s a great team.”

“Throughout this season, one thing I’ve realized about myself is that I wrestle better when I come out and I’m ready to go right away.” MITCH MCKNEE University wrestler

CHRIS DANG, DAILY FILE PHOTO

Junior center Reggie Lynch and freshman guard Amir Coffey defend against junior guard/forward Bashir Ahmed at Williams Arena on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016.

Minnesota shot just 37.7 percent from field goal range against Penn State. BY JACK WHITE jwhite@mndaily.com

The Gophers didn’t find resiliency from loss for the first time all season over the weekend. No. 24 Minnesota (154, 3-3 Big Ten) lost 52-50 to Penn State (11-7, 3-2 Big Ten) in State College, Pennsylvania on Jan. 14. “It was about as disappointing as it gets,” head coach Richard Pitino told repor ters. “Not sure what we were doing at the end.” The loss marked the second consecutive conference defeat for Minnesota and the fourth consecutive time Penn State has defeated the team. Minnesota lost its lead with six seconds to go in the game when point guard Tony Carr hit two free throws at the line. The free throws were his only two points of the game. The Gophers trailed for just 45 seconds in the second half. After Carr helped Penn State take the lead, Minnesota guard Nate Mason missed a long three-point shot off the backboard. The ball went right to guard Akeem Springs, but he couldn’t finish the contested layup for the tie. Nittany Lions for ward Payton Banks missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer with 30 seconds to go, but guard Josh Reaves rebounded the ball. Gophers forward Eric Curry blocked Carr’s shot on the next possession. Mason fouled Carr on the inbound pass after the block. Center Reggie Lynch was the only Minnesota player who tallied double-digit points with 12. Lynch didn’t foul out for the first time in two games and played a total of 32 minutes. L ynch’s 32 minutes were tied for a season-high. The Nittany Lions tied the game on a 9-2 run in the second half. Forward Mike Watkins had five points during that stint. “[Watkins] is a very good player off the pick-and-roll,” L ynch told reporters. “So you’ve always got to make sure that when you’re defending the screen-and-roll that you’re able to contest

MEN’S BASKETBALL RESULTS

SATURDAY Minnesota Penn State

1 32 22

2 18 30

FINAL 50 52

SOURCE: GOPHERSPORTS.COM

the dribble.” Penn State’s shot defense improved greatly in the second. The Nittany Lions held Minnesota to 28 percent from the field in the second compared to 46.4 in the first. Minnesota took a 10-point lead into halftime. Not a single player had double-digit points, but five different players scored five or more. The Nittany Lions scored as the first half came to a close when point guard Shep Garner drove into the paint and passed to Watkins under the rim. Watkins caught the pass and dunked the ball with 1.1 seconds to go. The Gophers mostly held of f the Nittany Lions in the first half. They kept Penn State at 28.6 percent from the field, and got out to an early lead when they star ted the game with a 9-4 run. Guard Amir Cof fey star ted out the game going 2-2 with a made jump shot and layup during that stretch. However, Cof fey would finish with just six points in the game. Cof fey caught a pass in transition with 8:13 to go in the second half. Reaves went up to contest the shot and clipped Coffey’s body, bringing him to the ground. Reaves was tagged with an intentional foul, and Cof fey was visibly shaken up after the play. Mason scored seven points in the game, the lowest amount he’s had since Dec. 23, 2015. The Gophers have gone 0-2 since ear ning a top25 ranking in the Associated Press poll. Minnesota plays No. 18 Wisconsin at home for its next game. “We didn’t block out twice, we got stops, obviously,” Pitino told r e p o r t e r s . “ Yo u h o l d a team to 30 percent, you think you have an oppor tunity to win the game.”

“It was about as disappointing as it gets. ... Not sure what we were doing at the end.” RICHARD PITINO Wrestling coach

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

TIMELINE: EVENTS LEADING UP TO AND FOLLOWING BOYCOTT Friday, Sept. 2 Alleged sexual assault occurs night of home-opening game, after midnight. Victim-survivor reports to police the next day. Saturday, Sept. 10 Four football players — KiAnte Hardin, Ray Buford, Tamarion Johnson and Dior Johnson — suspended from team for violating team rules. Minneapolis Police Department announces it is investigating the four players for possible connection with a criminal sexual assault case.

Athletics Director Mark Coyle explains his decision to fire Gophers football head coach Tracy Claeys Tuesday, Jan. 3, at TCF Bank Stadium.

CHRIS DANG, DAILY

Unrest leads to firings, new coach Recap u from Page 1

the team against the University’s administration — which stood by its decision to suspend the players after an inter nal University investigation of the incident — and victimsur vivors and advocates. After the alleged assault, the victim-sur vivor, a University football gameday employee and student, repor ted the incident to Minneapolis police on Sept. 3. News broke on Sept. 12 that four football players — KiAnte Har din, R a y B u f o r d , Ta m a r i o n Johnson and Dior Johnson — were being investigated by Minneapolis police. Former head coach Tracy Claeys suspended the players for violating team rules. But no ar rests were made, and one month later, the Hennepin County attor ney’s of fice announced it wouldn’t pursue charges against the four players. On Oct. 4, Claeys lifted the players’ suspensions. But two weeks later, the four players, plus an additional — Carlton Djam — were ser ved with restraining orders from the victim-sur vivor, barring them from playing in home games. On Oct. 22, Kiondre Thomas, a sixth player, picked up a two-day restraining order. The six were barred from playing against Rutgers at TCF Bank Stadium. The six appeared in Hennepin County District Cour t T uesday, Oct. 25, though only five still carried restraining orders. Lee Hutton, their attorney, said he would pursue the dismissal of one restraining order as possible grounds for dropping the others. By Nov. 2, the alleged victim-sur vivor and football players r eached a settlement. The five remaining restraining orders were dropped, on grounds that the football players would stay at least 20 feet away fr om the woman. After that, the case left civil court. The Gophers continued their season with the accused allowed to play again. On Sunday, Dec. 4, the team was selected to play Washington State in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 27 in San Diego. The University announced Dec. 13 that (the six) players, minus Thomas and plus another five — Seth Green, Kobe McCrar y, Antonio Shenault, Mark Williams and Antoine Winfield Jr. — were suspended from the team. The school’s Of fice of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA)

CHRIS DANG, DAILY

University President Eric Kaler and Athletics Director Mark Coyle address media following the Gopher football team’s announcement to end their boycott on Saturday, Dec. 17.

had completed an investigation into the players and the alleged sexual assault. The University wouldn’t release more information at the time, but the 10 players were barred from playing in the Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl. Claeys didn’t speak publicly on the suspensions at the time, and at a Dec. 14 news conference, Athletics Director Mark Coyle said student privacy laws prevent him (meaning Coyle) from commenting any further on the suspensions. The next day, the team announced its boycott because they felt that their teammates had been treated unfairly. “We’re concerned that our brothers have been named publicly with reckless disregard in violation of their constitutional rights,” senior wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky said in a prepared statement at a Dec. 15 news conference. “This effor t is by players and for players.” The entire team congregated at the University of Minnesota Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex, where they requested a private meeting with Board of Regents members Michael Hsu and Darrin Rosha, and a reversal of the players’ suspensions. At the conference — despite federal requirements that schools investigate sexual assault reports — Wolitarsky called the Title IX investigation “unjust.” On social media, players and victim-sur vivor advocates alike expressed their beliefs. Using the hashtag #WeHadEnough, players responded to the suspensions. Claeys, along with defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel tweeted their

Monday, Oct. 3 Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announces no charges will be filed against the players. Suspensions lifted next day. Wednesday, Oct. 19 Carlton Djam, a player who wasn’t originally suspended, and Tamarion Johnson are served with restraining orders from alleged Sept. 2 victim-survivor, preventing them from playing in home games at TCF Bank Stadium. Friday, Oct. 21 Three additional players are served with restraining orders, and a sixth player, Kiondre Thomas, is served with a two-day restraining order the next day. Tuesday, Oct. 25 All six players appear in court, even though only five still have restraining orders. Their attorney, Lee Hutton, attempts to get orders removed without hearing evidence. Wednesday, Nov. 2 Restraining orders on five players dismissed after settlement reached between alleged victim-survivor and football players. The five players are ordered to stay at least 20 feet away from the reporting woman. Sunday, Dec. 4 Gophers are selected to play Washington State in Holiday Bowl on Dec. 27 in San Diego. Tuesday, Dec. 13 The University announces indefinite suspension of 10 players: Buford, Djam, Seth Green, Hardin, Dior Johnson, Tamarion Johnson, Kobe McCrary, Antonio Shenault, Mark Williams and Antoine Winfield Jr. Thursday, Dec. 15 The team announces it will boycott all football activities, including the Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl, until the 10 player suspensions are lifted by Coyle. Friday, Dec. 16 Players meet with University regents and President Eric Kaler issues statement saying, “The University of Minnesota will not change our values or our code of conduct for the sake of a bowl game.” Saturday, Dec. 17 The team ends its boycott and announces its intent to participate in the Holiday Bowl. Players call on the University to grant the 10 suspended players a “fair hearing,” and promise increased efforts as public figures to tackle sexual assault and violence. Tuesday, Dec. 27 Gophers defeat Washington State in Holiday Bowl 17-12. Tuesday, Jan. 3 Claeys fired as head coach of the Gophers football program. Friday, Jan. 6 Former Western Michigan University football head coach P.J. Fleck named new Gophers head coach. SOURCE: MNDAILY REPORTING

BRIDGET BENNETT, DAILY

A sign that reads “#FireKaler #FireCoyle #WitchHunt” hangs from an apartment’s balcony across the street from Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex on Friday, Dec. 16.

suppor t for the team. Both have since been fired. “Have never been more proud of our kids. I respect their rights & suppor t their ef for t to make a better world!” Claeys tweeted Dec. 15. The tweet received over 1,000 likes. Players and University administrators kept their dealings largely under wraps the next day. Members of the team met with regent members and University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler. Coyle and Kaler wrote an open letter to student athletes, stating “cer tain behavior is simply unacceptable and antithetical to our institutional values.” Kaler released a campus-wide statement the same day. It said upholding “institutional values” was “far more important than any football game.” Local ABC af filiate K S T P -T V r el ea s ed t h e

84-page EOAA repor t, which detailed the victimsur vivor’s account of the alleged assault. The University found it “more likely than not” that five of the football players committed sexual assault and sexual harassment, and another five committed sexual harassment. The team called of f their boycott at a 9 a.m. news conference the next day, Dec. 17. They continued to press for a “fair hearing” for their 10 teammates and promised to tackle sexual assault and violence as a team. “Sexual harassment and violence against women have no place on this campus, on our team, in our society, and at no time is it ever condoned,” Wolitarsky said, adding that the team recognized a difference between a “legal threshold” and a “moral threshold.” The team also requested a hearing pro-

cess through the University’s Of fice for Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, which, based on the EOAA repor t, recommended school expulsions for five of the players — Ray Buford, Carlton Djam, Dior Johnson, Tamarion Johnson and KiAnte Hardin — one-year suspensions for Seth Gr een, Kobe McC r a r y, M a r k W i l l i a m s and Antoine Winfield Jr., and probation for Antonio Shenault. About 250 demonstrators gathered outside TCF Bank Stadium that day to show solidarity with the victim-survivor. The pr otest was planned in advance of the boycott. Claeys spoke Dec. 18 in front of repor ters for the first time since the star t of the boycott, stating on multiple occasions his team boycotted to achieve “due process” for their 10 teammates. Claeys admitted a lack

of understanding of the University’s disciplinar y processes, adding that all University staf f and students should receive education on the dif ferences between the school’s student conduct code and criminal law. “We have to do a lot better — I have to do a lot better — on being trained on all those processes,” Claeys said. Higher education institutions are federally required to investigate sexual misconduct repor ts using dif ferent standar ds and a lower burden of proof than the U.S. criminal justice system. And with the federal gover nment’s pr essur e on schools to clamp down on sexual misconduct, it’s become increasingly common (cannot access ar ticle) — and controversial — for colleges and universities to sanction accused students for sex of fenses, even if a criminal investigation or prosecution of the same allegation results in no charges or a not guilty verdict in court. The Gophers went on to defeat Washington State in the Holiday Bowl 17-12 without the team’s 10 suspended players. Claeys didn’t address the status of his contract at the time but was fired Jan. 3. P.J. Fleck’s hiring was announced three days later. An energetic Fleck said in a news conference he “eats dif ficult conversations for breakfast and that is why I took this job.”

Tuesday, January 17, 2016

Fleck brings energy, recruits to program Fleck

P.J. FLECK’S OFFER

u from Page 1

football coach — and the highest paid in school history.

Jan. 6 FLECK’S STARTING DATE

The Energizer

5 years CONTRACT LENGTH

Fleck dreamed of playing football in the Big Ten when he was young. But a Big Ten coach never came to his home with an offer, so the 5-foot-10-inch wide receiver stayed close to home to play for Northern Illinois. Still, he enjoyed an illustrious career at the school, finishing with the third-most receptions in Northern Illinois history. His play earned him a contract with the San Francisco 49ers upon graduation in 2004 — a rarity for players exiting second-tier collegiate football programs. “He wanted what he wanted — and not always did he get it — but he had to work harder to prove that he could’ve had it,” said Fleck’s mother, Linda Fleck. Fleck calls himself “the King of Too’s.” Too short, too young, too inexperienced. As a child, Fleck was a selfprofessed runt — and yet, he roughhoused with the bigger kids on the block and played baseball on a team of older kids. “I think that gave him more of the push, the drive,” Linda Fleck said. “He was going to fulfill his dreams.” Fleck doesn’t just have a chip on his shoulder, he said at a Jan. 6 press conference — it’s more like a crack. At Northern Illinois, Fleck met teammates like him: players not worthy of a spot on a Big Ten team, but who worked hard. Joshua Haldi, quar terback at Northern Illinois for the 2003 season and Fleck’s former roommate, said Fleck “hasn’t really changed.” “He played with that edge,” Haldi said. “He played with love of the game of football but was really energetic.” Fleck was the kind of guy to make friends with a room full of strangers, Haldi said. “He’s not shy. He’s not bashful,” he said. “He’s energetic. That infectious attitude is just how he’s always been.”

$1 million ANNUAL BASE SALARY $50,000 ANNUAL INCREASE STARTING IN THE SECOND YEAR

$2.5 million ADDITIONAL ANNUAL

COMPENSATION FOR CONTRIBUTING TO UNIVERSITY FUNDRAISING AND ENDORSEMENT

$600,000 WESTERN MICHIGAN BUYOUT $18 million TOTAL CONTRACT WORTH COURTESY OF GWEN DE YOUNG

P.J. Fleck (middle) speaks with a coach during a Western Michigan game. Fleck went 13-1 in his fourth and final season with the Broncos in 2016.

It’s a trait Fleck has carried throughout his life, his mother said. Fleck dressed as famous athletes for Halloween growing up. For two years in a row, he went as former Chicago Bears quarterback, Jim McMahon. As a child, he would toss footballs through the air and sprint to catch them. That competitive edge stretched beyond the field. “‘I’m going to win that coloring contest,’” Fleck’s mother recalled him saying. “And sure enough, he would.”

The Recruiter Tanner Morgan and his dad sat in their car in a parking lot outside Western Michigan’s football facilities on April 7, 2016. While the two sat waiting for an assistant coach to meet them, Morgan’s dad turned to him. “Don’t feel like you have to commit,” Morgan recalled his dad saying. The high school quarterback from Kentucky with offers to University of Louisville and Wake Forest reassured his dad he was just there to check out the facilities. Plans changed that day. “I couldn’t stop myself from … committing. I was

literally jumping out of the seat on the couch,” he said. During his campus visit, Morgan observed Fleck interacting with the team. Players applauded Fleck as he entered team meatings. His team meetings were to the point. “I just sat back and said, ‘Wow, I want to be a part of that,’” Morgan said. “He’s just one of the most real, genuine and uniquely energetic coaches in America. I couldn’t not play for him.” Morgan gave Fleck his verbal commit that day, but it wasn’t enough for Fleck. He spent his 36th birthday visiting Morgan at his Union, Kentucky home, just to check in. Fleck’s energetic personality convinced Morgan to leave his home state for Western Michigan. It also convinced him to follow Fleck to the University of Minnesota and play for the Gophers — hours before he was supposed to get in a car to start his first semester at Western Michigan. Fleck’s knack for recruiting dates back to his days at Ohio State, said former Ohio State head coach, Jim Tressel. “He just has that openness to him. That genuine ability to connect,” Tressel said. “If P.J.

was with one of our top guys, I knew he was going to be in good hands.” He used the ability to land the highest-ranked recruiting class in the history of the Mid-American Conference in 2014, despite Western Michigan’s 1-11 record in 2013. From then on, Western Michigan had the top recruiting classes in the MAC in 2015, 2016 and in 2017 — until Fleck left for the Gophers. He was introduced to Minnesota at 3 p.m. on Jan. 6. By 11 p.m., six former Western Michigan recruits had announced they had flipped their commitments to Minnesota. Morgan was the first to announce. “It was an eventful day,” Morgan said. “I loved the opportunity to follow him. That’s why the commitment was so quick.” Morgan moved to the Twin Cities Saturday, his first visit to the state. To him, that didn’t matter. He just wanted to join his coach.

The Rebuilder Winning a football game at Western Michigan had been a challenge. Before Fleck joined in

2012, the team never scored double-digit wins in a season, and the program was 0-5 in bowl games. That quickly changed under Fleck. After starting 1-11 his first season, he had back-to-back 8-5 years and recorded the Broncos’ first ever bowl win. The team reached its pinnacle in 2016. They were ranked in the top 25 for the first time in school history and finished the season 13-1. Fleck popularized the mantra “Row the Boat” while coaching the Broncos. He used the battle cry to inspire his Western Michigan team before games and plans to introduce it at Minnesota in combination with the Gophers’ slogan, “Ski-U-Mah.” “It was him. It was how his players played for him. It was his coaching staff. It was everything,” recruit Tanner Morgan said. “He literally changed that entire program into what they are today.” Fleck won’t need to rebuild Minnesota on the field but will face a long road ahead off it. The program’s nine wins this season were overshadowed by the team’s less than 48-hour boycott over the suspension of 10 teammates connected to an alleged Sept. 2

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS

sexual assault. Game attendance was at its lowest in more than a decade, and Minnesota’s 2017 recruiting class was at the bottom of the Big Ten for the first time since 2013. On the day of his hiring, Fleck said he looked forward to the challenges the position may bring. “I got news for everybody: change has arrived,” Fleck said at the Jan. 6 conference. He can’t fix issues around attendance and the culture within the athletics department overnight, but Fleck seemed to mitigate problems related to recruiting — Minnesota’s 2017 class rose from 14th to 12th in the Big Ten by the end of the weekend. But Fleck has been chasing challenges since he was a child. One of the youngest in his class, Fleck had to re-enroll in preschool because of his age. Even then, he complained to his mother that the level of difficulty was too low. “Way back then, he needed those challenges,” Linda Fleck recalled. “He takes on a program that he wants to change the culture and the whole school, and that’s amazing. You look back at that, and he was ready to conquer his world at age 4.”

For some regents, coaching costs spell unease Regents u from Page 1

Fleck’s proposed 5-year, $18 million contract — the largest in Gophers sports history — will be reviewed and voted on by regents at the board’s next meeting on Feb. 10. Administrators’ choice to name Fleck head coach sparked conversations over whether the board should vote on the appointment and not just the contract. While the authority to approve coaching contracts was removed from Board policy in 1995, the current policy states regents have the authority to approve any commercial transaction, including employment contracts of great public interest or valued over $2 million. More recently, regents have discussed whether the board should have more control over large coaching contracts. Regent Dar rin Rosha said he wants more clarity in the board’s policies regarding which positions need board approval. “If the administration is honest in reading the regents’ policy, it clearly states that these types of contracts are already subject to regent review and approval,” he said. The firing of former head coach Tracy Claeys and subsequent hiring of Fleck didn’t require a sign-off from regents, said board Chair Dean Johnson. An attempt to clarify which positions require regent approval will be addressed at the Febr uar y meeting, he said. The board will also discuss whether to do away with the requirement to approve contracts valued at the $2 million threshold, Johnson said.

ZACH BIELINSKI, DAILY FILE PHOTO

The decision to hire P.J. Fleck as Gophers football head coach reignited questions about the board’s authority in approving coaching contracts.

Regent Michael Hsu proposed a memorandum last spring that would give regents authority over large employment contracts, including those of major sports coaches like Fleck. While the proposal was tabled, Hsu said he expects Fleck’s hiring will spark reexamination of the policy. Rosha said it shouldn’t be the board’s responsibility to find and choose athletic coaches, but sees a need for board approval if their contracts are as large as Fleck’s. “The board is the public’s last opportunity to review and ensure that not only the selection, but the compensation … is consistent with our expectations as an institution and as a state,”

he said. Hsu said he asked the University for a detailed financial plan to show how the athletics department will cover the costs for Fleck’s contract. “Right now, no one’s said anything about how we’re going to pay for it,” he said. “We, as regents, have a fiduciary responsibility to make sure that we understand what we’re approving, and we should be approving large contracts.” Hsu said assistant coaches’ contracts should also require board approval, given some will carr y lofty price tags. “I would like to see a budget to show how this is all going to be paid for before

we approve it,” he said. While Johnson said Fleck’s proposed contract is expensive, that doesn’t mean Fleck — who Johnson expects could lead the Gophers football team to more wins — isn’t worth it. “Some would argue it’s ludicrous, some would argue ‘let’s be competitive,’” he said. “I do know many people who want a very competitive winning football team, and we’ll just have to see.” Rosha said regents should also scrutinize how administrators reacted after learning of the sexual assault allegations and find out why scandals are a recurring issue for the athletics department. “It’s the regents’ job

to continuously exercise oversight of the administration,” he said. “It certainly warrants the board taking the time to understand how things were handled.”

Scandal could impact state allocation

Minnesota legislators have also expressed concerns that the hefty price tag on both Claeys’ $500,000 buyout and Fleck’s contract might impact the way the state allocates funds for the University this session. Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona and member of the House higher education committee said the controversy surrounding

allegations of sexual assault by football team members may distract from the University’s funding requests. “The University has an unfortunate challenge for having a scandal almost ever y legislative session … Then the scandal becomes the issue and deflects or obscures the University requests to the Legislature,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot of discussion, but unfortunately it’s going to be on this, and it won’t be on the primary budget requests of the University,” he said. At a press conference outlining the school’s legislative priorities last week, University President Eric Kaler reassured legislators that tax dollars won’t go to coaching buyouts or contracts. But House higher education committee chair Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls, said while the football team’s scandal may not weigh heavily on the minds of all committee members, the money spent on the coaching transition will be something University lobbyists must address. “I think it’s probably in the back of certain people’s minds that are on the committee,” he said. “In some ways, answering some questions as to the size of the contracts both in the firing and hiring [will] be the main question members will want to hear an answer for.” Johnson said he hopes the culture in Gophers athletics will change. “My new year’s resolution is simple,” he said. “Get the University of Minnesota Department of Athletics off the front page of papers and off TV screens unless we’ve won a championship.” Fleck, the new $18 million coach, has said he’ll do just that.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

No early ‘red flag’ Resolution passed PBS: on funding under Trump for Syrian refugees BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Minneapolis’ resolution follows similar efforts in other cities. BY MELISSA STEINKEN msteinken@mndaily.com

Minneapolis City Council unanimously passed a resolution suppor ting the relocation of Syrian refugees to the city Friday. The Syrian Refugee Resolution follows a similar resolution passed by Saint Paul City Council in 2015, which reaffirmed that immigrants are welcome in the city. “It aligns with our values,” said Minneapolis City Council Member for Ward 8, Elizabeth Glidden. “We have adopted several resolutions that express our support in welcoming all communities and standing up against bias.”

The Minnesota chapter of Amnesty International — an organization fighting for justice and human rights — has pushed for resettlement in the Twin Cities after cities across the United States have taken similar steps, said Erin Niehof f, a member of the organization. The movement for relocation of refugees started through Amnesty International’s “I Welcome” campaign, said Aaron Tovo, who volunteers for the group. Tovo, who presented the resolution to City Council, said it is more symbolic due to the small Syrian population here. “It does signal to other

refugees and immigrants that leaders in our communities are paying attention to the most vulnerable in our community,” Tovo said. Council Member Cam G or d on , Wa r d 2, s a i d that the resolution has humanitarian significance as well, and the city benefits from the culture and businesses that refugees bring. For 2017, the Minnesota Department of Human Services has received approval for the resettlement of up to 2,505 individual Syrian refugees from the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration at the U.S Depar tment of State, accor ding to the Minnesota Depar tment of Human Services.

PASADENA, Calif. — PBS is waiting, but not quietly, to see what the Trump administration’s impact on public broadcasting and its federal funding may be, PBS chief executive Paula Kerger said. “It’s too early to tell. But there’s been no red flag,” Kerger said in an interview Sunday. Given that change always presents uncertainty, she said, and “in this case, more uncertainty,” PBS and its member stations are conducting a vigorous effort to remind lawmakers about public television’s value. “We’re spending time talking to as many people as we can — but particularly legislators, both sides of

the aisle, Senate and House — making sure they understand the role we play in civil discourse” and in providing meaningful programming, Kerger told a TV critics’ meeting. “Stay tuned,” she added. The effort coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Public Broadcasting Act that created what Kerger called “the best public-private partnership.” “For about $1.35 a citizen a year, we provide an extraordinary service,” she said. Federal money represents 15 percent of public TV stations’ funding overall, with the rest provided by private and corporate donors, PBS said. Most of that approximately $400 million is divided annually among 1,500-plus locally owned-

and-operated TV and radio stations nationwide. Individual TV stations’ reliance on federal funds varies widely — for those in Alaska, for instance, the money represents as much as 50 percent of their budgets, Kerger said. Government support for public broadcasting periodically comes under scrutiny. Many Republicans vowed to eliminate subsidies in 1995, but the effort fizzled. In 2005, Republicans controlling the House tried to cut subsidies for PBS, National Public Radio and hundreds of public radio and TV stations by $100 million, igniting an outcry from fans of “Sesame Street” and other defenders of public broadcasting. That bid failed, as did the most recent effort in 2011.

NY venue where a young Dylan played repaired and reopened BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Bob Dylan would surely still recognize the lowceilinged room in Caffe Lena where he played a couple of gigs almost 60 years ago. But just about everything else about a venue that bills itself as the nation’s oldest continuously operating coffeehouse has undergone some major upgrades as part of a $2 million renovation project bankrolled in part by folk music performers themselves. Dylan performed twice there early in his career, when the young singer born in Minnesota as Rober t Zimmerman was just making his way onto New York City’s folk scene. The same brown wooden shutters bracket the windows and the same exposed brick wall provides background for the corner where he sang and played acoustic guitar during

weekend performances in 1961 and ‘62. But the old plank floor worn smooth by countless tapping feet is gone, replaced by a new hardwood version. The narrow staircase leading to the second-floor venue also has been replaced, as has the small stage, sound system, kitchen and restrooms. Seating has been boosted from 85 to about 105, and wine and beer are being served for the first time in the venerable coffeehouse’s history. Yet when the newly installed lighting dims and the night’s performer hits the first chord, Caffe Lena still has the intimate setting that generations of musicians and folk music fans have come to revere. “It’s a legendary place,” said Jeff Place, archivist for Smithsonian Folkways, the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. “For singer-songwriters, playing

there is like playing Carnegie Hall for classical musicians.” Caffe Lena recently reopened after being closed for six months for the renovations. Performances were moved to other nearby venues in Saratoga Springs, the famous resort and thoroughbred racing town 165 miles north of New York City. Under a philanthropic partnership with a local developer, the organization turned over its adjacent small parking lot to the builder, who’s constructing a four-story building that will house condos and retail businesses. In return, Bonacio Construction has put $500,000 into the renovation project, including installing an elevator that will make Caffe Lena fully accessible to the disabled. A campaign has raised another $1 million. Caf fe Lena is still raising the final $500,000 for the upgrades, scheduled to be completed this spring.

Editorials & Opinions COLUMN

hat hybrid of characters from The Of fice are you? I’m a Creed-Michael with rising Kelly. You’ve got your Ryans, your Merediths, your Dwights — rarely though do you ever hear anyone talk about speed bump Karen Fillipelli. Her stint on the show was brief, but left me pondering bigger questions of relationships and how to be “eternally chill.” Karen is a more complex character than she’s given credit for. When she’s introduced in season three, we’re predisposed to dislike her as she is a direct obstacle to Jim and Pam getting together. What’s interesting, though, is that if I were asked to point out Karen’s flaws, I would find it difficult to pinpoint any faults of character. The writing on the show is so skilled and subtle that Karen is never an out-and-out nuisance, or even any sort of classic villain. She’s a completely probable, pleasant woman. Karen is a per fectly kind woman

KATE MCCARTHY columnist deser ving of a lovely relationship, and yet it’s joyous to see her union with Jim implode and to watch her subsequent departure. The end comes when it’s revealed that Jim has been up late several nights in a row, having long talks with Karen about their relationship. We see Pam of fer her suppor t to a beleaguered Jim, and we’re awash with just how understanding Pam is. She would never put him through that. This is when I started to get a little sweaty. In that moment, it clicked: You never want too much agitation in a relationship. It’s best to be cool and go along with the flow. The moment you demand discussion, dissection and accountability of your relationship, you’ve become a big, old drag. Whenever I’ve felt bubbling anxiety or

dissatisfaction in my own relationships, I remember Karen. I remember watching that par ticular episode of The Of fice and realizing that being a bummer in a relationship can be as easy as wanting to talk things out. Karen represented every girl gone wrong, who couldn’t keep calm and serene without some extensive relationshipassessing and airing of feelings. I recently ran my Karen theor y by a friend of mine and expressed my own fears . She replied, “But the thing is, you’re not the Karen. You’re the Pam.” I realized then that it wasn’t aboutthe act of talking, but rather the person. If you’re with the right person, for however long that’s supposed to be, you’ll be able to have your needs met. Expecting just a basic level of open communication is not an outrage. The stor y arc will write itself. The writers have set it up that way, perhaps. But, then again, maybe I need to stop watching so much of The Office. Kate McCarthy welcomes comments at kmccarthy@mndaily.com.

2017 U.S. GUN VIOLENCE Total gun-related incidents: 2,191 Total number of deaths: 582 Total number of mass shootings: 12 Data compiled by gunviolencearchive.org

GUEST COLUMN Dear campus, consider writing a guest column for the Daily. We are happy to introduce a brandnew feature to the Minnesota Daily’s Editorials & Opinions page: The guest column. Star ting this semester, each paper will highlight the perspective of a dif ferent member of our community. Whether you’re the leader of a student group on campus — or a perceptive individual that has an engaging stor y wor th sharing — we’re looking for your voice. The new guest column section will replace the content traditionally housed in “Daily Discussion” — readers’ comments from our website, which the Minnesota Daily’s editorial board decided was not cultivating a thoughtful, productive dialogue on issues af fecting our campus community. While we’ve always accepted letters to the editors from our readers, we hope this new section will ser ve a broader purpose. If you’re a leader of a group on campus, you could use the space to pitch your group to perspective members or iron out misconceptions some may have about the purpose of your organization. Or perhaps you’re a student wanting to ar ticulate your opinion on a University policy that affects our campus community; or maybe you’d like to elicit suppor t for a specific event that your fellow students may find important. Our hope is that this space will be a hub for discussion of impor tant campus topics. We want our readers to be engaged and learn from the great diversity of perspectives and lived experiences on our campus. Have an idea? Email our Editorial & Opinions Editor Grace Thomas (jthomas@mndaily.com) if you are interested in par ticipating. We look for ward to hearing from you.

Maxwell Smith welcomes comments at msmith@mndaily.com.

COLUMN

Trump dossier is ‘breaking’ news Trump’s allegations published on Buzzfeed were clickbait, but not tremendous journalism.

a s t week, Buzzfeed published 35 pages of allegations on president-elect Tr ump, which covered ever ything from potential treason to pee-soaked trysts with Russian prostitutes. It was perfect clickbait, but bad journalism. Before Buzzfeed leaked the dossier, the document circulated amongst multiple news outlets and high-ranking government officials, which, for some, justifies its publication. However, the potential noteworthiness of unfounded allegations doesn’t change the fact that they’re unfounded. This isn’t a stor y, but a prospective stor y, and now that Buzzfeed lifted the cur tain, news outlets are scrambling to decipher fact from fiction in full public view. While this “watching the sausage get made” approach worked last year for Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo,” journalism doesn’t lend itself to revision. The first stor y published matters, and that’s where Buzzfeed went wrong. If tr ue, these allegations are of urgent public interest, which undoubtedly influenced Buzzfeed’s decision to publish the dossier when they did.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Gopher Football and our responsibility as educators Dear President Kaler, Par t of the justification for coupling spor t with academe is that spor ts contribute to the development of character. Elements of developing good character include looking out for those less powerful,, standing up for what’s right over what’s popular and understanding that actions have consequences. Ten Gopher football players experienced consequences for their actions. It

appears, though, that the lesson hasn’t taken at the team level. As educators, let us not fail in our duty. Help these students understand what good character asks of them. Let them understand the consequences of their actions. Ours is a research driven institution. When asked about the possibility of losing their scholarships, one of the senior Gophers responded, “We’re in this together. What, are they going to pull 120 guys off the team?” If this is the nature of inquir y they’re passionate about, I urge you to let them explore the possibilities inherent in their question.

THE EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPARTMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEWSROOM

EDITORIALS

The Karen Filippelli Factor An infamous character on a beloved TV show, and what her arc suggests about relationships.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

CHANCE WELLNITZ columnist

Can the public be trusted to distinguish between fact and fiction, or should the media continue to take on that burden? However, even if these unsubstantiated claims are later proven true, their publication has strengthened public distrust of media outlets and further blurred the division of fantasy from reality. The publication of the dossier isn’t a democratization of information, but rather one of potential non-information, and ethical debates on its publication only pose this question: Can the public be trusted to distinguish between fact and fiction, or should the media continue to take on that burden? Chance Wellnitz welcomes comments at cwellnitz@mndaily.com.

As for those 120 scholarships, I expect we could find 120 University students who could use them. If the team believes their actions are principled, let them have the courage of their convictions. This too is a great lesson. Ever yours in the advancement of knowledge, Erin Cole Doctoral Candidate Department of Communication Studies

Editor’s Note: This letter was written before news of Tracy Claeys’ termination broke, but we believe the sentiment and ideas in this letter are still relevant to our campus community. This letter has been lightly edited for style.

A new, darker year arrives with less optimistic priorities

ext Friday, Donald Tr ump will become the new president of the United States — the first in many current university students’ lifetimes that they voted for or against, and the first Commander in Chief in a generation to instill the kind of fear Trump has for many members of our campus community. These past few months have induced a lot of soul-searching among students across many different demographics, perspectives and interests — including the members of this very editorial board. In some of our past writings, we’ve put emphasis on fostering unity in our campus community. Through one lens, that’s a string of buzzwords that you can find in some form from just about ever y college administration on the planet, but in an ideal world, that calm homeostasis is something that we should be striving for — to understand and respect our peers different views. We now live in a world that may not be amenable to that goal. The time for a healing campus climate conversation event has passed, as many in our community are now presented with clear dangers born out of the hate speech and oppressive rhetoric that different student groups have continued to back with outsized voices.

In some of our past writings, we’ve put emphasis on fostering unity in our campus community. Through one lens, that’s a string of buzzwords that you can find in some form from just about every college administration on the planet, but in an ideal world, that calm homeostasis is something that we should be striving for — to understand and respect our peers different views. Muslim students are faced with the strong possibility of federally-mandated, apartheid-like policies, such as a registr y, that would affect them and their families because of their faith. Already, a federal version of the infamous “Hear tbeat Bill” has been introduced to the House of Representatives, threatening a decade-old standard of allowing a woman the right to choose how to care for her body. Not to mention, the defunding of Planned Parenthood and deconstruction of the Affordable Care Act, which are already in motion. And he still won’t stop talking about that damned, near-apocalyptic wall, which, if it is ever constructed, would stand as a monument of bigotry for years to come. We can, in good faith, call for the oppressed to meet their abusers halfway with terms like ‘unity.’ This is not a call for even disrespect, let alone violence, but it’s outlandish to act as if the terms of our lives and our loved ones lives’ have not changed. This is not a game where it doesn’t matter who wins or loses. It was silly of us to ever act like it was. EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.

SHARE YOUR VIEWS The Minnesota Daily welcomes letters and guest columns from readers. All letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. The Daily reserves the right to edit all letters for style, space, libel and grammar. Letters to the editor should be no more than 500 words in length. Guest columns should be approximately 350 words. The Daily reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column. Submission does not guarantee publication.

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Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Human research program reaccredited The protection program underwent dozens of changes after widespread criticism. BY RILYN EISCHENS reischens@mndaily.com

Following dozens of changes prompted by a critical report, the University of Minnesota’s human research protection program has been reaccredited. The University announced the reaccreditation of its Human Research Protection Program Jan. 11. The program was reaccredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. — the same group that managed a 2015 investigation that found the University inadequately protected human research par ticipants.

That review was par t of several investigations in 2015 that revealed a litany of ethical concerns with how the University conducted research, spurring 62 changes to how the school oversees research. “The University has demonstrated its commitment to meeting, upholding and exceeding the highest ethical standards in research practices involving human par ticipants,” said University President Eric Kaler in a press release announcing the reaccreditation. “This reaccreditation with special distinction provides strong recognition of the U nive r sity faculty a n d staf f who have commit-

ted considerable time and energy to improving our practices.” While some faculty members say the changes put the University in a better place to continue impor tant research, others still aren’t confident in the program. The AAHRPP, an organization that ensures research institutions meet quality and pr otection standards, began the reaccreditation process in April 2015. The University was then required to make changes to meet cer tain criteria before regaining full accreditation status in December 2016. Over $7 million was spent to overhaul the human research protection program, nearly doubling the of fice’s previous budget, said Dan Gilchrist,

communications director for the University’s Office of the Vice President for Research. Additionally, the University’s Institutional Review Board was expanded to include more panels, staff and meetings, he said. The University also received a special distinction with its reaccreditation for its policy protecting adults who are unable to consent to research participation. “As of now, there are no federal regulations that define that level of protection, so our bar is pretty high,” Gilchrist said. The changes and reaccreditation come 12 years after the high-profile suicide of Dan Markingson, a participant in a Universityr un, anti-psychotic dr ug trial. Years of scr utiny prompted the internal and

World diplomats tell Trump and Israel that Mideast needs peace BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PARIS — Sending a forceful message to Israel’s prime minister and the incoming Trump administration, dozens of countries called Sunday on Israel and the Palestinians to revive work toward long-elusive peace — including an independent Palestinian state. The closing declaration at a Mideast peace conference in Paris urged both sides to “officially restate their commitment to the two-state solution” and disassociate from voices that reject this. It also warned them against taking one-sided actions that could hurt talks, an apparent reference to Israeli settlement building. While the Palestinians welcomed Sunday’s declaration, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the conference “rigged” and cooked up behind Israel’s back to force it to accept conditions against national interests. The French organizers argued the conference was necessary to keep hopes alive for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians — the solution favored by the international community for the past two decades. Many members of Netanyahu’s coalition want to abandon the two-state

solution and expand settlements, and some have even called for annexing parts of the West Bank. Trump’s campaign platform made no mention of Palestinian independence. In a nod to Israel, the final declaration of Sunday’s conference included criticism of incitement and “terror,” a reference to Palestinian attacks. And some of the pro-Palestinian language in an earlier draft was removed after diplomats huddled in Paris. Secretary of State John Kerry, who has been increasingly critical of Netanyahu, represented the U.S. at the talks and defended the effort. He rejected Israeli criticism of the conference, saying the concept of a two-state solution to the conflict is “threatened” and must be reinforced if it is ever to happen. The communique, he said, endorses that without imposing a resolution. “Given where things are going and what is happening, that is particularly important,” he said. He also warned that it’s too early to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to contested Jerusalem, as proposed by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. “This is not the right time,” he said. “We think it’s ill-advised.” Trump’s administration

did not take part in the meeting and didn’t immediately comment on its final statement. While Netanyahu has voiced support for a two-state solution, his critics, including Kerry, have said that continued settlement construction on occupied territories raises questions about his commitment to pursuing a peace deal. Israeli Foreign Ministr y spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon dismissed Sunday’s conference, tweeting that it was “flat as a failed soufflé.” “A big show is no replacement for direct negotiations between the parties,” he said. French President Francois Hollande agreed on the need for direct talks. “It is not a question of dictating to the parties ... Only direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians can lead to peace. No one will do it in their place,” he said. “The world cannot, should not resign itself to the status quo,” Hollande told the gathered diplomats from across Europe, the Mideast and other regions, as well as from the United Nations, the Arab League and other international organizations. Hollande said he was sounding an “aler t” that

peace talks should be revived before violent extremists and Israeli settlements destroy any hope of a twostate solution. Hollande urged the diplomats to support peace efforts by offering economic incentives to Israelis and Palestinians. The chief Palestinian representative to France warned the Trump administration not to “underestimate” the message of peace sent by the conference, or the U.N. resolution last month condemning Israel’s construction of settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Salman Elher fi, speaking to The Associated Press, insisted “the option of two states is not the dream of a single countr y, but it has become the concern of the whole world to protect it.” Palestinian officials hope the conference can lay out terms for eventual negotiations, notably on how to share Jerusalem and the need to stop Israeli settlements. France and others expressed concern that the Trump administration could unleash new tensions in the region by condoning settlements on land claimed by the Palestinians and moving the U.S. Embassy. The embassy issue wasn’t mentioned, however, in the final declaration.

external reviews, which led to the changes. The Minnesota Legislature mandated last year that oversight of psychiatric drug trials be handled by the state. A May 2016 review by the Minnesota Legislative Auditor — the office’s third look at University research since 2015 — found that concer ns in previous repor ts were being addressed by the University. “We are always looking for ways to improve our practices,” said Dr. Sophia Vinogradov, the Depar tment of Psychiatr y head. “This is how we establish trust, improve care and advance science all at the same time,” adding that the University is better able to complete important research as a result of the changes. But despite the

changes, some faculty still aren’t assured of the program’s effectiveness. University bioethics professor Carl Elliott, an outspoken critic of the human research program and University’s response to criticism of its research practices since Markingson’s death in 2004, questioned AAHRPP’s support of the University’s bolstered program. “AAHRPP accredited the U’s research protection program during its darkest period, when the Markingson scandal was playing out … The research protection program was a disaster,” he said in an email. “Now both the U and AAHRPP are saying again that all is well. Should we believe them? I have no idea.”

3 Nevada Democrats want ex-senator statue out of US Capitol due to racism BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Three Democratic congressional representatives are asking state lawmakers to act to remove a statue of former Nevada senator from the U.S. Capitol’s Statuar y Hall, alleging that he left a “legacy of racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia.” Nevada Reps. Dina Titus, Ruben Kihuen and Jacky Rosen raised their objections to the statue of for mer Sen. Patrick McCarran in a letter this week to Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, state Senate Majority Leader Aaron Ford and Assembly Speaker-designate Jason Frierson. “It is time to retire the McCarran statue to Nevada and choose a better suited individual to represent us in National Statuary Hall,” the letter said. The statue of McCarran, a Democrat in the Senate from 1933 until his death in 1954, was added to the hall in 1960, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The Reno native was a fer vent anti-communist

who advocated for severe immigration laws and was one of a few Democrats to oppose President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal program. McCarran also was influential in promoting the advancement of aviation, and the busy international airport in Las Vegas is named after him. But former Democratic U.S. Sen. Harr y Reid campaigned to remove McCarran’s name from the airport for his record of racism and anti-Semitism. Even before his retirement after 34 years in Congress including 10 years as Democratic par ty leader, Reid’s name has been floated for the airport. To replace the statue in the U.S. Capitol, the state Leg i s l atu r e m u s t p as s a resolution identifying the statue to be replaced along with the name of a replacement, and several other requirements. Each state is invited to place two statues in the National Statuar y Hall Collection. Nevada added its second honoree in 2005 with a statue of 19th century Northern Paiute author and educator Sarah Winnemucca.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Minneapolis helps out smaller businesses with city contracts

Gunman fatally shot by officer in Chicago

“[Small businesses] don’t have the same resources or market development as bigger companies.” MEGHAN ELLIOTT President, Preservation Design Works

BRIDGET BENNETT, DAILY

Owner Abdirahman Kahin helps prepare orders during a lunch rush on Wednesday, Nov. 16, on Afro Deli’s second to last day of being open in its West Bank location in Minneapolis.

A new program is intended to give small businesses a level playing field. BY RAJU CHADUVULA rchaduvula@mndaily.com

For small businesses, local stores and mom and pop shops, going up against big franchise businesses is never easy. To promote and maintain small businesses in Minneapolis, the city began the Target Market Program,

which allows small businesses to compete against one another for city contracts instead of against larger companies that may have more resources. The pr ogram allows small businesses to get city contracts for jobs wor th $100,000 or less, said deputy city coordinator Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde. If there’s a job that is wor th $100,000 or less, the program of fers small businesses that have been approved to do the work, instead of going to

“The city doesn’t do enough for small businesses. … If we want to reduce [the] gap in equity, we need to reduce [the] gap in income.” ABDI WARSAME

larger companies, RiveraVandermyde said. Two local businesses, Afro Deli and Preser vation Design Works, have been approved for the program along with over 400 businesses from the greater metro area. Abdirahman Kahin, owner of Afro Deli, said a lot of the money goes to big companies and smaller businesses, like Afro Deli, have a tough time getting business from the city. “If there’s a big catering job, usually a bigger company gets it,” Kahin said. Pr eser vation Design Wo r k s i n t h e M a r c y Holmes neighborhood was approved by the initiative and is yet to be given work from the city under the program. Meghan Elliott, president of the company, said

the city is the company’s biggest and most important client. The Target Market Program will help get more projects for the company, she said. Both Kahin and Elliott said the program will help small businesses gr ow because it focuses r esources and projects specifically towards them. “[Small businesses] don’t have the same resources or market development as bigger companies,” Elliott said. Kahin said the program is a good place to star t for small businesses to become more profitable. Ward 6 City Councilman Abdi Warsame said by allocating oppor tunities, specifically for small businesses, the city can foster and maintain small businesses for the long run. “’The city doesn’t do

enough for small businesses … If we want to reduce [the] gap in equity, we need to reduce [the] gap in income,” he said. Owners of established businesses understand how the system works, he said. The Target Market Program helps smaller businesses break into bigger projects and grow as a result. Small businesses must be within the 13-county metro area, be independently owned forprofit businesses and make less than a cer tain amount in profit during each fiscal year to be eligible for the program. For example, if there’s a printing job for a contract wor th less than $100,000, the Target Market Program will provide a few local companies that can do the work and the client can decide who to choose. Warsame said the program could also help minority and women-owned businesses, many of which are small businesses. R i v e r a - Va n d e r m y d e said the program will be looked at again in the future to gauge how much was accomplished. The city will review how many businesses registered with city, how many more were created, how much profit was accounted for and so on, she said. “By doing better with small businesses, [the city does] better as a whole,” she said.

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHICAGO — A police of ficer confronted by a fleeing gunman suspected of shooting three people fatally shot the m a n e a r l y S u n d a y, Chicago police said. Of ficers were on routine patrol in the East Gar field Park neighborhood on the city’s West side when they heard gunshots and began chasing a 34-year-old man, police said. “Of ficers initiated a foot pursuit during which the of fender ran to an alley and confronted them with a weapon. As a result of this action, one of the pursuing of ficers discharged his weapon striking the of fender multiple times,” police said in a statement. Of ficers requested medical aid for the suspect, police said. The man was later pronounced dead at a hospital, the statement said. The man’s name was not immediately released. Police did not release the race of the gunman or the officers. They recovered a weapon at the scene. No of ficers were injured. The Independent Police Review Authority is investigating the incident, police said. It said the of ficer who fired the shots will be placed on administrative duties for 30 days. Three people were found shot in the area where the of ficers initially heard the gunshots, police said. A 51-year-old female sustained a gunshot wound to her chest and was hospitalized in stable condition. A man, 30, who was shot in the buttocks was listed in stable condition. A 21-year-old woman was grazed on her left leg and listed in good condition.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

CROSSWORD Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle 14, 2016 FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 16, Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (1/17): Your professional leadership grows this year. Organize plans to realize dreams. Revise shared budgets this February, before launching a flourishing communications phase.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Written by Nancy Black

Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is a 7 — Work together over the next two days. Forgive miscommunications; it’s not personal. Ignore rumors and gossip.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is an 8 — Take time for yourself. Try a new look or style. You’re especially attractive today and tomorrow. Tackle a personal project. Get into a peaceful groove.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is an 8 — There’s plenty of work, and lots of distractions to keep you from it. Don’t drop out, exercise. Avoid idle chatter or silly arguments.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is a 5 — Avoid crowds and public events. Peace and quiet soothe over the next two days. Organize and plan. Clean and prepare.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is a 6 — You can have fun without spending a fortune. Make popcorn and play games. Share emotional support. Postpone important communications.

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 6 — Connect with friends over the next two days. Conflict could interrupt a group gathering. Avoid a potentially unpleasant discussion about money.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 7 — Authorize improvements. Domestic projects produce satisfying results. Consider long-term impact. Decisions made now last.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is a 6 — Tempers are short, and the pressure could seem high. Professional challenges have your focus today and tomorrow.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is a 6 — Don’t believe everything you hear. Misunderstandings spark easily, and talk is cheap. Balance logic with feelings. Organize your thoughts coherently.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 7 — Choose your road over the next two days. Stay or go? It’s not a good time to ask questions. Write your discoveries and share them later.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — The next two days could get especially profitable. Defer gratification, and save your earnings. You’re good with money; don’t talk about it, though.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 7 — Follow the rules, and avoid provoking jealousies. Handle bookkeeping tasks over the next two days, but discuss finances with your partner later.

DR. DATE Dear Dr. Date,

I met a girl a couple weeks ago, and we’ve really been hitting it off. We share many common interests. We both are passionate about ants. We both think Mark Walberg is a terrible actor in all of his movies with the exception of The Departed. Her family is Buddhist, mine is Roman Catholic. We’re basically the same person. I really dig her. There’s just one problem. I think her cat may be possessed by a demon. I’m generally a cat person, and Mr. Jingles and I got along just fine for quite some time. I’d feed him, bathe him and pack his lunch. He would read Keats to me while I fell asleep, clean my ankles and do my taxes. But then, I noticed something strange. Every time I would let him out into the yard to do his necessary, he would poop in the shape of crosses. But the crosses were upside down, just like the one St. Paul was crucified on. Sometimes, instead of a hairball, he will throw up green slime on me, and last night I woke up unable to breathe, only to discover that Mr. Jingles — all 25 pounds of him — was lying on my chest, crushing my lungs. I suspect he was trying to suffocate me in my sleep. I really like this girl, and I know how attached to Mr. Jingles she is. I don’t want to hurt her by telling her that her cat is most likely a spirit from the underworld inhabiting this furry, feline form. Should I tell my girlfriend? Should I exorcise Mr. Jingles? I’m stuck. Sincerely,

Purrsessed.

Dear Purrsessed,

This is a classic example of what I’ve been telling my readers for years. DO NOT, under any circumstances, break up with someone just because their pet is an agent of Satan. Let me explain. When I first started dating my husband, way back in 1967, he had an equestrian horse named Rafalka. Rafalka could dance better than the best of them, and I soon found out why. Rafalka had sold his soul to the Devil for magical hooves that allowed him to dance in a way that made Jason Derulo look like a limp gym sock. When I found out Rafalka was possessed, I had him exorcised by our priest, Father Karras, immediately. And you know what? The demon left Rafalka’s body, was transferred to the body of Father Karras, and Father Karras threw himself out a window to prevent anyone else from being harmed. Case closed.

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1/17/17 12/14/16 12/16/16 Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

AlexGrabowski Eaton-Salners By Gail

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12/14/16 12/16/16

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SUDOKU Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

I believe you’re thinking too hard about this. Find a priest, tie that cat down, and yank that demon out like you’re starting a lawnmower.

—Dr. Date

For strategies on how to solve sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk.

Dear Dr. Date,

The other day I had to break up with my boyfriend of two years. It wasn’t fun for me, and I’m not happy about seeing him go, but I feel like I had to do it. Here’s why: I’m leaving for a family vacation next week, and while we were discussing it, I playfully asked him what he was going to do while I was gone. He responded that his fleshlight would most certainly be getting more use while I was away. That made me do a double-take. “You have a fleshlight?” I asked him. He responded that it wasn’t entirely his, that he shared it with his roommate, Terry. What the f***. After I got my gorge under control, I notified him that I no longer had interest in being his girlfriend and left as fast as I could. I know he’s upset, but that really grossed me out. Am I out of line? Sincerely,

Freaked the Flesh Out Dear Freaked,

Rarely do letters from readers evoke a verbal reaction from me when I’m looking at them, but after I read yours, an “OHHH-HO-HO NOOOO” escaped my mouth. I had the exact same reaction when I saw Marvin get shot in the face in Pulp Fiction. Alright. Yeah, um…. Gotta get my bearings here. First of all, no, you’re not being out of line. That’s … that’s not something I would be cool with. However, I do think that you should evaluate how much he meant to you before you found that out about him. If he was just a guy you were seeing and it was nothing super special, I’d say can him. But if you guys really clicked, I’d be more inclined to tell you to sit down with him, explain why that’s not okay with you and ask him to cease said activity immediately. I’d also like to know if you’re upset that he has a fleshlight in the first place, or if you’re only disgusted that he shares it with his bro. I’d say weigh how much he means to you against how grossed out you are. If it’s truly a deal breaker for you, then rub that relationship out.

—Dr. Date

Need relationship advice? Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com.

1/17/17

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

EVENTS WHAT: Open Mic Night WHO: Weisman Art Museum WHEN: 5 p.m., Wednesday WHERE: Weisman Art Museum, 333 East River Parkway, Minneapolis PRICE: Free Flex your creative muscle at the Weisman Art Museum’s open mic night! This event is inspired by WAM’s exhibition The Talking Cure, and in collaboration with the University’s mental health awareness-raising organization, Active Minds. We welcome all students, staff, and faculty, and all forms of creative expression, including poetry, storytelling, rapping, singing, and performance art. This event serves to provide a safe and supportive environment for participants to reflect on mental health-related questions and experiences, but there is also no obligation for content to be explicitly mental-health related.

WHAT: 36th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert featuring V Bozeman WHO: University of Minnesota School of Music WHEN: 6 p.m., Thursday WHERE: Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 Fourth Street S, Minneapolis PRICE: Free The event will feature V Bozeman, Grammy-nominated singer, music producer and actress, best known for her recurring role in FOX’s Golden Globe-nominated hit drama Empire. The concert will also include performances from other artists, including the U of M Jazz Combo. Learn more about the MLK Jr. Tribute Concert.

WHAT: The Surprise of Trump’s Election: Polling, Election Analysis, and Populism WHO: Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, Humphrey School of Public Affairs WHEN: 12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m., Thursday WHERE: Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, 301 19th Ave S, Minneapolis PRICE: Free Political scientists, pollsters, election modellers, and pundits predicted Donald Trump’s demise months before the election right up until election eve. Why were they wrong? What did they miss? Are polling methods and the way that we study politics and elections the culprits?

If you would like your event promoted here, go to mndaily.com/contact and fill out the provided form.

CLASSIFIEDS The Minnesota Daily must approve all ad copy and reserves the right to request text changes, reject or reclassify an ad. Advertisers are responsible for the truthfulness of their ads. Advertisers are also subject to credit approval. Corrections are accepted until 2 p.m., Mon.-Fri., by calling 612627-4080. To cancel an ad, call 612-627- 4080. In order to ensure proper credit, cancellations must be made by 1 p.m.; otherwise the ad will appear in the following day’s paper and be charged accordingly. Prepaid ads will be refunded by mail or in person if canceled before the end date. Please check the ad carefully after its first run. HOUSING Cute, newly decorated 1BR apts Near Lake & Hennepin. Avail now. $875, month-tomonth lease. No pets, no smkg. We consider first-time renters. 763-546-4700

EMPLOYMENT Midwestern Talent Sought in Mid-Atlantic Are you a responsible, motivated and adventurous young woman who enjoys caring for children or babies? Are you seeking a challenging and fun summer job in or near the nation’s capitol? CAVAGA Ventures, LLC is seeking talented young women with midwestern values to match with D.C. families in need of temporary live-in child care. No prior nanny experience required. Email cavagaventuresllc@gmail.com PT Social/Digital Media Spclst 2 move whsl bus. 2 next level. Strong mktg bckgrnd or similar course study & able 2 achieve superior cust. engagement, website traffic/revenue by strategically exploiting all aspects of social/digital media roadmaps. If you can creatively handle various online marketing tools (websites/ blogs)-this position is for you. Email applicant.larfc@gmail.com

Love Dogs? Love people? Love Cleaning? Downtown Dogs is looking for energetic people who are passionate about the care and well being of dogs! If interested please email with questions and stop by for an application! Email erin@ downtowndogsminneapolis. com Part-time & full-time help. Award-winning Mexican restaurant, family-owned for 45 years in S. Mpls. Experience preferred but not required. Delivery drivers/ valet parkers. $13/hr plus tips. Evening shifts avail every day of the week. Email joeypepitojr@aol.com or call/text 612-695-2635 Seeking student boarder Vibrant, self-sufficient, memory-challenged adored Grandpa and executive wife with extensive travel schedule seeks student boarder for companionship and limited support. Free room and board in comfortable Minnetonka home. 612-987-1150 Email Sbonoff@gmail.com

If you would like to place a classified ad, call 612-627-4080 or email classifieds@mndaily.com

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Entertainers decline inauguration gig BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PASADENA, Calif. — Broadway star Jennifer Holliday has backed out as a performer at next week’s presidential inaugural following protests from her gay and black fans, further dimming the event’s already low celebrity wattage. Holliday, best known for her Tony-winning role in Broadway’s “Dreamgirls,” said in an interview Saturday she hadn’t considered that singing at a Thursday concert by Washington’s Lincoln Memorial would be judged a statement of support for President-elect Donald Trump. She decided to with-

draw at 3 a.m. after reading commentary about how her participation was being seen. She apologized for a lack of judgment. “It just really hit home for me,” she said. “The gay community has been a big part of my life and my career. I feel there really wouldn’t be a Jennifer Holliday or a ‘Dreamgirls’ in the 21st Century without them. I needed to at least hear them out and learn why it would be such a great disappointment for them.” Several prominent entertainers have declined to perform at Trump inaugural festivities. Country star Toby Keith, the rock band 3 Doors Down and actor Jon Voight

are in the lineup Thursday. Jackie Evancho will sing the national anthem at the inauguration Friday. Holliday said it was painful to read racial epithets, insults such as “Uncle Tom” and people wishing that she were dead “just for singing a song.” “I had no idea it would be interpreted as a political statement,” she said. “That’s my fault for not paying attention to what the climate is like in the country right now.” She cited an article by Kevin Fallon in The Daily Beast, which explained why Holliday’s role as Effie in “Dreamgirls” made her an icon in the gay and lesbian community during the initial

Death toll rises to 27 in latest Brazil prison riot BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

RIO DE JANEIRO — Twenty-seven inmates have died in er uptions of violence in two northern Brazilian prisons, officials said Sunday as they quelled the latest in a string of prison disturbances across the country in which more than 100 people have died within two weeks. State security of ficials said fighting between rival gangs broke out Saturday at the adjacent Alcacuz and Rogerio Coutinho lockups near the city of Natal in the Rio Grande do Norte state. Of ficials waited until dawn Sunday before entering to try to re-impose control, said state security chief Caio Cesar Bezerra. “This way we guaranteed a calm inter vention, a pacific inter vention without resistance from the

inmates,” Bezerra said. President Michel Temer expressed concern over the rebellion Sunday through his of ficial Twitter page, saying he had been following the situation closely. Like many prisons across the countr y, Alcacuz is overcrowded, with more than 1,000 inmates crammed into a facility meant for 620. The recent outbreak of prison violence began on Jan. 1-2, when 56 inmates were killed in the northern state of Amazonas. Authorities said the Family of the Nor th gang targeted members of Brazil’s most power ful criminal gang, First Command, in a clash over control of dr ug-traf ficking routes in nor thern states. Many of the dead were beheaded and dismembered. Four others died at a

smaller prison. Then on Jan. 6, in the neighboring state of R ora i ma , 33 pri s on ers were killed, many with their hearts and intestines ripped out. Exper ts say First Command is exploiting overcrowding and squalid conditions in the penitentiaries to expand its reach across the national prison system. Meanwhile, the prison chief for the southern state of Parana, Luiz Alber to Car taxo, told Brazil’s Globonews network that 21 inmates escaped from the Piraquara prison there on Sunday after using explosives to break through the prison wall. He said two other inmates died in a confrontation with police while tr ying to flee.

AIDS outbreak in the 1980s. In that context, learning Holliday was performing at the inaugural “feels like a betrayal,” Fallon wrote. “It is heartbreaking.” Holliday said she wasn’t concerned about a social media backlash from Trump supporters, or the presidentelect himself. It couldn’t be worse than what she had already read from her supporters, she said. President Barack Obama’s inaugurations attracted top names like Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and others, in sharp contrast to those Trump has gathered. But Trump has

insisted that’s how he wants it, saying the swearing-in festivities should be about the people, not the A-list. Star-studded inaugural events for Obama at the Lincoln Memorial in 2009, and for Bill Clinton in 1993, were televised at the time by HBO, but the network’s chairman said Saturday that won’t be the case this year. HBO had been contacted shortly after Obama’s election to discuss its interest in the inaugural show, and top talent had already committed to the project, said Richard Plepler, the network’s chairman and CEO, on Saturday. By contrast, he said the Trump transition team

contacted him two weeks ago and wasn’t saying anything about performers. “I didn’t know what the show would be,” Plepler said. “In order to do one of these things you must have the time and planning and coordination for the kind of production that would make it a good show.” He stressed that politics had nothing to do with HBO’s decision. Trump’s team has made the concert available to air at no cost but no network has publicly come forth to say it would. CNN said Saturday it would cover the event, but it wasn’t clear how much will be shown on the air.

Stopped train triggers major Serbia/Kosovo political uproar BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BELGRADE, Serbia — A Serbian train halted at the border with Kosovo and bearing signs reading “Kosovo is Serbian,” has fueled a major crisis in the Balkans and escalated a potential Russia-West row over dominance in the heart of the war-torn region. Serbia accused Kosovo’s leaders on Sunday of “wanting war” and warned that it would defend “every inch” of its territor y, a day after the train, provocatively decorated in Serbian Christian Orthodox symbols and flags, was prevented from entering the neighboring nation. Kosovo, suppor ted by much of the West, declared independence from Serbia in 2008. But, Serbia and its Slavic Orthodox ally, Russia, do not recognize the split. Serbia has sought to maintain influence in

Kosovo’s north, where most of the country’s Serb minority lives. NATO-led troops have controlled Kosovo’s borders since a three-month air war in 1999 to stop a bloody Serbian crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists. Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic issued the warning Sunday after the passenger train, inscribed with “Kosovo is Serbian” in 20 languages and painted in the colors of the Serbian flag, was prevented from crossing into Kosovo, where his government contends ethnic Serbs are under threat from Kosovo Albanians. “Yesterday, we were on the verge of clashes,” Nikolic said in the strongest rhetoric since the NATO-led troops took control of Kosovo’s borders in 1999. Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said he had contacted the United States and the European Union

to express his countr y’s concerns. “The time of provocation, conflicts and wars should belong to the past,” Mustafa said, adding that such moves “are unacceptable, unnecessary actions that do not contribute to the normalization of the relations between our two countries.” Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci said on his Facebook page that he hopes “Serbia has learned a lesson” from the latest incident. Serbia officially is seeking European Union membership, but has lately been sliding toward the Kremlin and its policies to increase its influence in the Balkans. Serbia has strained relations with most of its neighbors — something many analysts believe is a Russian influence. Nikolic, who is staunchly pro-Russian, said the EU and the West have never been on Serbia’s side or come to its aid.