Kare11
Be The Change MN transforms MOA into a Winter Wonderland
This community initiative brings joy, unity, and memorable experiences for more than 800 children and families.
MINNEAPOLIS — What if you could gift wonder for a day, free from responsibilities and tough circumstances? That’s the goal of Be The Change MN, an organization aiming to bring kids, families and communities together.
John Baker, the founder of Be The Change MN is from north Minneapolis. Baker’s hope for Be The Change MN is to connect the community, sponsors and families through curated experiences that foster joy, authentic connections and opportunities.
“I just know there’s a need there to help kids,” Baker emphasized.
With the help of Mall of America, The Minneapolis Foundation and the Pohlad Foundation, Be The Change took over Nickelodeon Universe and provided a free day at their Winter Wonderland.
More than 800 students from Bethune Arts, Hall STEM, and Nellie Stone Johnson, pre-K through 5th grade, and families from north Minneapolis enjoyed unlimited music, dancing, food and games.
Nellie Stone Johnson Elementary School Principal Kelly Wright said it is key to provide students and their families with experiences like Winter Wonderland. “Often, we don’t hear about the good things that happen in north Minneapolis and at our schools,” Wright said.
Toys For Tots Twin Cities donated hundreds of toys to help students have a happier holiday.
“These Marines are incredible. I mean, the time they dedicated. It’s just I just can’t thank them enough. They came in and they brought over 800 toys to these kids, you know, and they got a chance to see the Marines in action really helping and supporting the community,” Baker said.
Student Ambassadors from area private schools helped plan the Winter Wonderland.
“These kids have been amazing. I mean, they’ve done clothing drives, they’ve organized volunteers. They’ve talked in front of their student body about how important it is to volunteer and to work with underserved youth,” Baker said.”They got a chance to really see north Minneapolis…that these kids are the same as you and they’d love the same things.”
Kristian Baker, a Be The Change Junior ambassador, said working beside his classmates to give back is teaching him life lessons.
“Leading with Be The Change has been really nice because I get to lead younger kids, but also my peers,” Kristian said. “Getting a new toy and feeling the rush when you get something that you really wanted is just so amazing. So giving that feeling to these kids is just so important to me.”
Principal Wright said efforts like Winter Wonderland are a reminder of how important creating a village of support is. “Our scholars will never forget Winter Wonderland,” she beamed.
John Baker emphasized the positive impact such events have in dispelling misconceptions about North Minneapolis. “No one ever really talks about the good things,” he said, highlighting the appreciation the kids showed for the event.
If you’re interested in donating, you can drop off a new, unwrapped toy at KARE 11’s studios through Dec. 13.
KARE 11 is located at the corner of Olson Memorial Highway and General Mills Boulevard in Golden Valley.
The tent is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist:
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11’s newscasts. You’ll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
John Sawchak faces four felony charges after officials said he shot his neighbor on Grand Avenue South while trimming a tree on their shared property line.
MINNEAPOLIS — A man is recovering in the hospital after being shot outside his home in a dispute with a neighbor on Grand Avenue South in Minneapolis on Oct. 23.
According to a criminal complaint, Minneapolis police responded to a hospital for a report of a gunshot victim on Wednesday night. The injured man had been transported from his home on Grand Avenue South for an unknown medical condition that caused him to collapse. The man was found in the fetal position by his wife when she got home from work that evening.
Officials later identified the victim as Davis Maturi.
At the hospital, providers found a small puncture wound in the back of Maturi’s neck that led to the discovery of a bullet lodged near his spine. When he arrived at the hospital, he couldn’t recall what led up to him being shot, according to the criminal complaint.
Maturi’s wife told officials that he had been outside earlier in the day pruning a tree near their property line with a chainsaw. She said their neighbor, John Herbert Sawchak, 54, had “almost certainly” shot her husband.
In the previous week, Maturi’s wife said Sawchak told her husband “Touch my tree again and I’ll kill you.”
The criminal complaint goes on to detail numerous complaints of harassment the Maturi’s experienced since purchasing their house in September 2023.
Oct. 11, 2023: Maturi approached Sawchak to discuss the tree on their property line. Sawchak became irate, according to the criminal complaint, yelling at Maturi and using “racially charged language.” Sawchak told Maturi if he “touched” the tree, Sawchak would “take care of” him.
March 1, 2024: Sawchak approached Maturi while he was working outside his house on a ladder. While verbally harassing him, officials said Sawchak told Maturi that he would put him in the hospital.
April 5, 2024: Sawchak threw household items at Maturi from his 2nd-floor window.
May 28, 2024: Sawchak verbally threatened Maturi, calling him “a Black bastard,” and telling him “I’m going to kill you if you call the police again. All you people do is lie and commit crimes.”
Aug. 7, 2024: Sawchak verbally threatened Maturi from his 2nd story window. Maturi saw Sawchak holding up a large knife in the window while threatening to kill Maturi and his wife.
Oct. 8, 2024: Sawchak verbally threatened and screamed racial slurs at Maturi from his 2nd-floor window. Sawchak also, once again, brandished a knife from his window while threatening to kill Maturi.
Oct. 14, 2024: Maturi saw Sawchak outside Maturi’s home with a firearm. Sawchak pointed the firearm at Maturi through the window.
On the evening of Oct. 23, Maturi’s wife went home to pack some things and leave for the night, officials said. Sawchak verbally harassed her and shone a stone light on her as she left her home, the criminal complaint read. The next day, Maturi and his wife were able to access home security footage from their home cameras. The video shows Maturi working outside near the tree at the property line with his back to Sawchak’s home. A faint “crack” or “pop” can be heard, then Maturi collapsed to the ground.
Maturi remains hospitalized with a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion. He talked to KARE 11 from his hospital bed and said he feels the police failed to protect his family by not arresting Sawchak during one of the various other incidents.
“If you’re saying you’re scared, what does that do to me?” Maturi said. “You have this body armor, you have professional training… when I call for assistance, when I called for having a knife pointed at me, I had to wait hours and hours and hours.”
As of Sunday morning, Sawchak is not in police custody. According to the criminal complaint, Sawchak has at least three active warrants associated with prior threats or acts of violence against Matsuri and other neighbors. Sawchak has “actively evaded” police during their prior attempts to contact or arrest him.
A letter from ranking members of the Minneapolis City Council to Mayor Jacob Frey showed anger and blame directed at the Minneapolis police department for allegedly failing to act on Maturi’s numerous complaints against Sawchak before the shooting, and failing to arrest him immediately after the shooting.
“MPD still has not arrested the suspect despite charges from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for Attempted Murder, 1st Degree Assault, Stalking, and Harassment and a request from the HCAO for a warrant with $1 million bail. MPD told the HCAO they do not intend to execute the warrant ‘for reasons of officer safety,’” said the letter from the Minneapolis City Council.
Watch Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara’s response below:
Police are investigating after three men were shot early on Saturday morning.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police are investigating after three men were shot in the Ventura Village neighborhood early Saturday morning.
According to Minneapolis police, officers were called to the area around East 21st Street and South 15th Avenue around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Officers found three men had been shot. One of the men died and the two others were taken to the hospital with what police described as life-threatening injuries.
Officials said the shooting happened at a small homeless encampment.
Police have not announced any arrests as of Saturday morning.
KARE 11 will update this story as more information is made available.
This Halloween the chocolate shop is getting very festive.
MARINE ON SAINT CROIX, Minn. — A small sweet shop in a Minnesota river town has won some BIG awards for its chocolates.
St. Croix Chocolate Company in Marine on St. Croix has won national and international awards including Best of Show in this year’s America’s Division of the International Chocolate Awards.
Their chocolates are available at the St. Croix Chocolate Company kitchen or online.
This Halloween they are selling a Halloween Countdown Calendar that features 14 prize-winning recipes made into ghosts, bats, skulls and other spooky configurations. They also have a Boo Bag-handled tote that comes with their “best of” Halloween assortment.
Owner and Chocolatier, Robyn Dochterman, joined KARE 11 Saturday to share what St. Croix Chocolate Company has to offer.
Satellite images show damage from Israeli attack at 2 secretive Iranian military bases
JD Vance dismisses taking action against Russia for election interference
Transcript: “Face the Nation” excerpt of Norah O’Donnell interview with Vice President Kamala Harris
Satellite images show damage from Israeli attack at 2 secretive Iranian military bases
JD Vance dismisses taking action against Russia for election interference