Vol. 90
Inside this Edition...
Read about ‘The Conversations Project’ on page 7.
THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934
August 24 - 30, 2023
PRST STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID TWIN CITIES MN PERMIT NO. 6391
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Phone: 612-827-4021
www.spokesman-recorder.com
Former Minneapolis police chief reflects on 30-plus years of public service By James L. Stroud, Jr. Contributing Writer
made history when he be- ing the Chauvin trial, of police came the first Black police brutality and racial injustice, officer to be named chief of and the need for police reform. Recently, the Department “To Protect with Courage, the Minneapolis Police DeTo Serve with Compassion!” partment (MPD). It was a role of Justice released its findings, –motto of the MPD he served in until he retired in which covered the period unJanuary 2022, after 32 years der former Chief Arradondo’s leadership. Among the troun 1989, former Minne- in law enforcement. Since then, he has remained bling findings was that “MPD apolis police chief Medaria Arradondo, affectionately largely out of public sight, save officers stopped Black and referred to by his family and for his appointment earlier this Native American people six friends as “Rondo,” became a year to the Minneapolis Public times more often than White rookie Minneapolis police offi- Housing Authority’s Board of people, and stopped collectcer. In 2007, he and four other Commissioners. ing racial data for the peoArradondo’s biggest chal- ple they stopped after African American officers sued the MPD, alleging discrimina- lenge came in 2020 with the May 25, 2020.” With that as the tion in promotions, pay and dis- murder of George Floyd by cipline. The lawsuit was settled White police officer Derek backdrop, MSR recentby the city, and in 2012, Arra- Chauvin and the ensuing un- ly spoke with former dondo was promoted to head rest in Minneapolis and pro- chief Arradondo (MA) of Internal Affairs, the unit re- tests around the world. Arra- about his career in law sponsible for investigating of- dondo immediately fired the enforcement, working in officers involved as well as the very community where ficer misconduct. Over the next few years, Chauvin, but he became the he grew up. The interview Arradondo gradually moved public face in news confer- took place over several days up the ranks to deputy chief ences—along with Mayor Ja- and included some very pointof police. In 2017, Arradondo cob Frey—and afterward, dur- ■ See ARRADONDO on page 5
Cobb family hires attorneys as they await results of investigation
Ricky Cobb Sr. (r) embraces his son Rashad, twin brother of Ricky Cobb II, during the press conference. Photos by H. Jiahong Pan By H. Jiahong Pan Contributing Writer very time a person is killed by police in the state, the surviving family quickly goes into action. They usually denounce the police officers involved, hire an attorney, and threaten a lawsuit within days. The family of Ricky Cobb II, who was shot and killed by Minnesota state trooper Ryan Londregan on July 31, has decided on a different approach. They want to give Londregan what he did not give Ricky Cobb II, says the family. They plan to proceed with “deference, due process, and the opportunity for an investigation,” said attorney Bakari Sellers, one of three lawyers retained by the Cobb family ahead of a lawsuit against Londregan and potentially the state, depending on the outcome of the investigation. “It’s hard to be angry and grieve at the same time,” added Sellers at a press confer-
ence held by the legal team for the family last Friday. “We want to change the process. But this family is grieving right now. This family ain’t gonna crucify the officer.”
trooper Brett Seide to step out of his vehicle to discuss a hold-for-questioning that was issued for a violation of an order for protection. Cobb II refused because he said he wanted to discuss the hold with his attorney. As he tried “It’s hard to to drive away, Londregan be angry and shot Cobb II twice in the back. grieve at the same time. We The family’s legal team alwant to change leges breakdowns in procethe process.” dure. They contend the order for protection, which usually Last Tuesday, the family lasts for 72 hours, had expired of Cobb II announced they when Cobb II was pulled over. had retained Sellers, a former “So not only are we talking South Carolina state repre- about excessive use of force. sentative, along with civil We’re talking about an unlawrights attorney Harry Dan- ful use of force,” said Daniels. Cobb II’s family continiels of Atlanta, Ga., and Minneapolis defense attorney F. ues to miss him. “Ricky was Clayton Tyler. This comes as just a wonderful son to me. Londregan’s attorney, who And he was heroic,” said his chided Gov. Tim Walz and the mother, Nyra Fields-Miller, as Hennepin County Attorney she read a letter she wrote for meeting with the family, to him the day he was killed. threatened the family’s attor- “He wasn’t scared of anything and anybody. He had held his neys with a defamation suit. Cobb II was killed on July head up high every day. He 31 during a traffic stop on In- worked every day. He loved ■ See COBB on page 5 terstate 94. He was asked by
MPD Chief O’Hara with former chief Arradondo at George Floyd Square Photo by Chris Juhn
Activists want to close the downtown HERC trash-burner By H. Jiahong Pan Contributing Writer here’s a possibility you’re breathing in the stuff you threw out in the trash yesterday. That’s because, if you live in Hennepin County, your trash is likely being burned in a nondescript building just northwest of Target Field. That building, with its smokestacks, is the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center, or HERC, one of seven incinerators in Minnesota. It burns 365,000 tons of trash from Hennepin County residents and businesses annually, generating 350,000 pounds of steam per hour for heating downtown Minneapolis buildings. It also produces 720 megawatt-hours of electricity per day for Xcel Energy, enough to power an average of seven commercial or multifamily buildings in Minneapolis. Incinerators were once popular at a time when the state didn’t want to bury its trash, but some activists and legislators are calling for a change. Concerned about the facility’s effects on public health and the environment, they are calling for it, and similar facilities through-
Environmental Engagement Coordinator Joseph Vital at the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center Photos by H Jiahong Pan
Burning large amounts of trash, however, proved conWhy was it built in the first troversial. Hennepin County place? considered “processing” trash As a solution to groundwater where Minneapolis houses its pollution caused by dumping Solid Waste and Recycling faand burying waste, the state cilities today. However, they passed legislation prioritizing abandoned that plan in 1984. the construction of incinera- The county ultimately decided tors in the 1980s. The law also to build the HERC at the currequired all Twin Cities metro rent site near Target Field. The area waste to be disposed of by site was being used as a Greyincinerator by 1990. hound maintenance facility, and county officials thought that site was the best suited “With the Zero Waste because few people lived Plan that the county is there at the time. pushing through, which At the time the HERC was being proposed, the county will divert 90 percent of had no idea how polluting it what we’re seeing right would be until it was built and here, that leads us to that the Minnesota Pollution Conconversation of what trol Agency (MPCA) found toxic could then happen with chemical waste, dioxins and futhis facility.” rans already present in the air. Still, Earth Protector, run by Northside resident Leslie Davis, tried to sue to block its construction, contending the MPCA withheld information about its effects before a permit was issued. However, they were unsuccessful because they were not able to post a $4.4 million bond to stop construction. The HERC burned its first pieces of trash in October of 1989, emitting pollutants that Outside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center ■ See HERC on page 5 out the state, to be shut down.