2/10/2025 -- Daycare Facilities Under Scrutiny

🐶 Minnesota may not have participated in the Super Bowl, but we were well represented in the Puppy Bowl.

Safety

Minnesota Daycare Facilities Under Scrutiny After Recent Allegations

The Summary: Minnesota lawmaker Nolan West has proposed requiring cameras in daycare centers following recent allegations of child mistreatment at multiple facilities.

Recent Incidents

Plymouth Daycare: A teacher at Lil Explorers Daycare was recorded yelling at and roughly handling toddlers. Former assistant teacher Yanni Thomas reported the behavior after management failed to act on her complaints.

South St. Paul Home Daycare: A 3-year-old boy tested positive for amphetamines and methamphetamines after ingesting a substance at the daycare. The daycare's license has been suspended due to "imminent risk of harm".

Small World Learning Center in Blaine: Multiple allegations of child abuse, including an infant's leg being broken. Two former staffers face charges of assault on a child.

Proposed Measures: Representative West is advocating for several changes. Mandatory cameras should be installed in areas with toddlers and infants. Video records should be kept for 90 days. There should be a one-year mandatory sentence for those convicted of malicious treatment of a child.

Public Transit

Twin Cities Ridership Increases In 2024 While Crime Decreased 🚍

The Summary: Metro Transit experienced a 6% increase in ridership and a 6% decrease in crime in 2024, marking the third consecutive year of growth. Officials attribute these improvements to expanded services, reduced fares, and targeted safety initiatives.

Ridership Growth: Metro Transit provided 47.5 million rides in 2024, a 6% increase from the previous year. University students contributed significantly, with nearly 2.8 million rides through free university passes — a 33% increase from 2023. Reduced fares introduced on January 1, including $2 daily adult fares and $1 fares for youth, seniors, and Medicare recipients, further encouraged ridership growth.

Crime Reduction: Reported crimes on Metro Transit decreased by 6% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Of the 7,402 reported incidents, smoking accounted for 1,127 cases. Officials say enhanced safety measures under the Safety & Security Action Plan and increased enforcement by Metro Transit police have been contributed to improving security.

What Else We’re Reading…

Minnesota High School League to Ignore Trump Order on Transgender Athletes

President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender girls and women from participating in sports that align with their gender identity, threatening non-compliant schools with the loss of federal funding. However, the Minnesota State High School League announced it will continue allowing transgender student-athletes to compete according to their gender identity, citing protections under the Minnesota Human Rights Act and state constitution. Despite Republican efforts to align state law with Trump's order, such measures face significant hurdles in Minnesota's DFL-controlled Senate.

GAME: Wordle

Sports 🏀

🏀 The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Portland Trailblazers and are now 8-2 in their last 10 games. Jaden McDaniels has been a star during this stretch for the Wolves.

🏈 Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell has been named the 2024 NFL Coach Of The Year by the Associated Press.

🏀 The Gopher Men’s Basketball team’s lost at home to #23 Illinois. They’ll need to play well down the stretch to make the Big 10 Conference Tournament.

🏒 The Minnesota Wild have won back-to-back games after defeating the New York Islanders.

🏀 The Gopher women’s basketball team got back on track with a win over the Indiana Hoosiers. They sit in the middle of a jam-packed Big 10 Conference.

Quick hits

Headlines From Around The Twin Cities & Greater Minnesota ✔

❯ Minnesota AG Keith Ellison is suing the Trump administration over DOGE’s access to private information (KSTP)

❯ A space heater was the likely cause of a fire that killed two people in Saint Paul (Fox9)

❯ A new program from MPD is helping to identify suspects (WCCO)

❯ A St. Paul construction worker death has resulted in a $8.5 million settlement (Fox9)

The Final Word: At Least The Halftime Show Was Good?

Well, the Super Bowl was an absolute dud (unless you’re an Eagles fan). But, at least we saw a great halftime performance from Kendrick Lamar. It was an especially good halftime performance given the recent “beef” between Drake and Kendrick — listen to this podcast from the NY Times Daily if you need to get caught up.

-Patrick