Kare11
Duluth residents collect Cheerios, not ‘pee in’ them after flap
The group decided to capitalize on a derisive statement by Kathy Cargill, who was questioned by neighbors after purchasing a number of Lake Superior properties.
DULUTH, Minn. — A group of Duluth residents is celebrating after deciding not to escalate, but instead, put a positive spin on a very public dispute with a wealthy landowner.
The flap began when neighbors and the mayor began questioning the motives of billionaire Kathy Cargill, who has been buying up property and demolishing existing homes on Duluth’s Park Point, called the longest freshwater sandbar in the world. A reporter for the Duluth News Tribune says Cargill currently owns 22 properties on Park Point.
Concerned residents contacted Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert, who sent Cargill a letter asking to discuss her plans. The billionaire instead vented in an interview she did with the Wall Street Journal, saying she was quashing a plan that included beautifying Park Point and installing a sports court for everyone to use.
“I think an expression that we all know—don’t pee in your Cheerios—well, he kind of peed in his Cheerios right there, and definitely I’m not going to do anything to benefit that community,” Cargill was quoted in the WSJ. During the interview, Kathy Cargill called the homes that were destroyed “pieces of crap” and also referred to Duluthians as “small-minded.”
Recognizing an opportunity when they see one, a group of locals associated with community uplift organizations launched the Duluth Cheerio Challenge, a campaign to collect boxes of the icon cereal and other types of healthy food during the final days of Minnesota FoodShare month. Hundreds of boxes of Cheerios were donated, along with more than $22,000 to purchase food for those in need. And like the story of the Park Point flap, the desire to help has extended well over Minnesota’s borders. Organizers of the campaign say donations have come in from Arizona, Florida, Washington and many states between.
“We saw this as a positive opportunity to make a difference for those in need of food while showing the greater public that this is how people in our community stick up for one another,” reads a statement from campaign organizers, who have decided to remain anonymous. “We know the hunger need is great, and we hope our community rallies to show what we can do together.”
Organizers of the Duluth Cheerio Challenge have scheduled a news conference for 10 a.m. Monday to detail the results of the campaign and who will benefit. KARE 11 will share those details when they become available.
For more on the Duluth Cheerio Challenge and how to donate, check out the campaign’s Facebook page.
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.
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist:
A fire at the Gay 90’s was quickly put out thanks to the sprinkler system.
MINNEAPOLIS — A fire at the Gay 90’s Thursday afternoon damaged a pool table in the game room.
The Minneapolis Fire Dept. responded to reports of a fire at the Hennepin Avenue club at about 2:30 p.m. When they arrived, there was no active fire but there was smoke.
The fire was contained to a pool table in the game room and was extinguished by sprinklers, officials said. Fire crews ventilated the smoke.
The fire happened before the club opened. Officials said there were two employees in the building but was otherwise empty and no one was hurt.
The man was bitten numerous times and had to undergo emergency surgery.
PLYMOUTH, Minn. — A Plymouth man was hospitalized after being attacked by two pit bulls outside his home earlier this week.
Police said officers were called to a home shortly after midnight in the 15300 block of 60th Ave in Plymouth for a reported dog attack on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
When officers arrived, they found a man with serious injuries. The man, identified as Emil Mammedov, was taken to North Memorial Medical Center.
Eventually, the officers found the dogs at a nearby home.
“The owner of the dogs has been identified and the dogs are currently being quarantined in a secure police facility,” according to the Plymouth PD news release.
The dogs bit Mammedov numerous times — taking off a large piece of skin underneath his right eye, according to his GoFundMe page. Mammedov had to undergo emergency surgery.
“Emil is a breadwinner for his family as a professional chef, and together with {his wife} the family ran a small catering business,” the GoFundMe page stated.
Police said the incident is under investigation but no charges have been filed yet.
“[The officer] said in order for us to make [the dealerships] abide, we’re going to start citing the customers,” Rocha recalled the officer saying.
PROSPER, Texas — Daniel Rocha walked into a Prosper car dealership to test drive a truck, only to find himself in legal trouble within minutes.
Rocha was pulled over by police shortly after beginning his test drive. The officer informed him that the reason for the stop was the absence of a license plate on the back of the vehicle.
“When he stopped me, he asked for my driver’s license and said the reason why I stopped you is because you don’t have a license plate in the back,” Rocha explained.
Rocha received a citation for “Operating a Vehicle Without License Plates,” and he claims the officer suggested that this was an ongoing issue with the dealership.
“He said this has been ongoing with these dealers,” Rocha said. “‘We’ve been getting on these guys for doing that,'” he recalled the officer saying. “He said in order for us to make [the dealerships] abide, we’re going to start citing the customers,” he recalled.
The Prosper Police Department confirmed the violation, stating: “Failure to properly display dealer tags on test-driven vehicles is a violation of Texas law and can pose safety risks, potentially resulting in enforcement action by law enforcement. Under state law, vehicle operators are held responsible for any citations if this law is ignored.”
The dealership involved is Longo Toyota of Prosper. A general manager confirmed the event and told WFAA that this was the first time it had occurred at this dealership.
“Safety is a top priority at Longo Toyota of Prosper, and we are dedicated to providing a secure environment for everyone. Our community is very important to us, and we have been active supporters since we opened nearly eight years ago. We recently became aware of an issue during a test drive, which we are actively working to address and resolve. Driver safety is a core value for us, and we proudly sponsor a driver education program in our local area. Our team is dedicated to the well-being of our guests and the community we serve,” read a statement from Longo.
It is unclear how many incidents have occurred where drivers of test-driven vehicles have been cited in the area. But, according to Rocha, the officer implied there is a history of this happening along University Drive or U-S 380.
According to Rocha, the dealership offered to reimburse him for the ticket, though he claims they earlier adjusted the vehicle estimate to account for the cost of the ticket. The dealership’s general manager denies this occurred. Rocha did not purchase the vehicle.
For Rocha, the incident adds to an already heavy emotional burden. Rocha’s need for a new vehicle stems from a personal tragedy—his son, Daniel Junior, died in a car accident on August 30th at the age of 44.
“It does upset me that I’m in the middle of this feud that’s going on,” he shared.
For now, Rocha faces a citation and a court date, all while grieving the loss of his son.
