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Women’s Olympic trials wraps up exciting week of gymnastics
Gymnastics fans came from across America to watch the trials in person and see the best athletes in the country.
MINNEAPOLIS — After a fun week of gymnastics excitement, the Olympic trials are wrapping up in Minneapolis.
The city hosted thousands of gymnastics fans from across the country this week.
Sunday night the Incline Gymnastics team from Highlands Ranch Colorado waited in line nearly two hours to watch night two of the women’s trials.
“This will be our fourth night coming here and waiting in line,” a teammate says.
The trials are a ticketed event with assigned seating, so the only benefit of waiting in line for so long is to get into the Target Center a few minutes earlier than everyone else.
“We just want to be there for a few extra minutes so we can watch warmups and be around the athletes for longer,” another teammate laughs.
Two gates down from them Beth Lillstrom had the same idea.
“We’re here to see warmups every night and then we have been in our seats until they kick us out. So, we’ve been those people,” Lillstrom laughs.
Lillstrom is also from Colorado.
She started competing in gymnastics in 1985 at the age of eight.
“I competed all the way through high school, and I’ve been a fan ever since,” Lillstrom says.
She may never get a chance to see the Olympics in person, but she says the Olympic trials are the next best thing.
“I’ve been getting lots of very thoughtful, kind offers on Instagram to go to Paris and these amazing hospitality options that I cannot afford, but I can come to Minneapolis and see this for four days,” Lilltsrom laughs.
Loretta Wickins and her daughter Macy traveled all the way from Missouri.
“We’re from a tiny town called Koshkonong Missouri,” Wickins says.
“So, coming to Minneapolis is a big city for us, but it’s been fun.”
Wickins says this is her 2nd time watching a world class team trial in person.
She traveled to watch the Gymnastics World Championship trials in 1999.
“It was fun back then, but they really make it fun now. I think USA Gymnastics has done a good job trying to make it more fun and more of a spectator sport,” Wickins says.
USA Gymnastics says the Olympic Trials in Minneapolis was their biggest event ever.
It was the first time the organization has held their four main events all at the same time, in the same city.
Besides the Olympic trials the organization also hosted their annual trade show and several competitions at the Minneapolis Convention Center this week.
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More than 300 maintenance and seasonal workers working on parks, pools and playgrounds are asking for competitive wages, more safety tools and equitable health care.
MINNEAPOLIS — A union representing more than 300 Minneapolis parks maintenance workers announced they will strike starting July 4 for about a week.
Of course, all this is happening right before a busy holiday weekend. LiUNA! 363 represents more than 300 maintenance and seasonal workers working on parks, pools and playgrounds. They are asking for competitive wages, more safety tools and equitable health care.
Early Tuesday morning, union members said the Park Board told them their offer was final and the best they could do.
“Enough is enough,” said A.J. Lang, the union business manager. “Come back to the table with a fair offer that reflects the value of our work. The power to avoid this strike is in your hands, we are ready to negotiate choices. You do the right thing.”
Lang said he hopes for a conversation in the next day with the board to hopefully come to an agreement and avoid a strike.
“We’ve been more than flexible,” said Lang. “We’ve agreed to some eight of their proposals; they’ve agreed to none of ours. We bend over backwards on the job. When we bent over backwards in negotiations, nothing seems to be enough.
Lang and his colleagues said respect is a main issue that has impacted workers.
“I don’t want to strike, said park keeper Lanel Lane. “I am upset that we’re going this far. That they are disrespecting us this much to want us to strike. They’re pushing us but at the same time trying to scare each and every worker from striking. We deserve a lot better.”
In a statement, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Bard said they believe their offer is fair. They say they do not expect any closures because of the upcoming strike, and have plans in place depending on how many workers walk off.
The statement from the board said the final offer included a 10.25% wage increase over three years for multiple positions. Prior to that proposal, current average salaries and total compensation, including healthcare, pensions and other benefits for Local 363 positions include:
- Parkkeeper $61,000 ($92,362 total compensation including benefits)
- Arborist $65,000 ($97,008 total compensation)
- Horticulturist $67,000 ($99,331 total compensation)
- Crew Leader $81,000 ($115,592 total compensation)
- Foreman $92,000 ($128,368 total compensation)
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As of Tuesday morning, the river remained in major flood stage at this location, but it’s on the downswing.
HASTINGS, Minn. — On the banks of the Mississippi River in Hastings, water still covers parts of Levee Park, blocking sidewalks and roads and leaving some nearby backyards with pools of standing water.
“Well, it’s pretty incredible,” said Greg Schuster, who has lived in Hastings for 24 years. “Usually it’s because of snow melt. We just came out of a drought! Now, to get all this rain in the last two months, it’s not helping the fishing! The water is too high.”
As of Tuesday morning, the Mississippi at this location remained at major flood stage, having crested at more than 19 feet early this week.
Field crews from the U.S. Geological Survey could be spotted on a boat measuring flood levels and water volume, which will help the National Weather Service with its flood forecasting.
“It’s valuable for us to be here to know how much water is going down the river,” supervisory hydrologic technician Ben Torrison said. “The data helps communities know what’s coming.”
At its peak this week, the Mississippi at Hastings surpassed the crest from last year and approached levels not seen since 2019. Preliminary data indicates the peak might crack the Top 10 all time for this location, although it’s several feet below the all-time record set during the infamous flood of 1965.
“It’s certainly high. It’s been higher,” Torrison said. “It’s probably going to be a slow recession.”
The forecasts indicate that the river in both St. Paul and Hastings may tumble below minor flood-stage by early next week.
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Three Burnsville officers fired their weapons during the shooting that killed two fellow officers and a firefighter/paramedic on Feb. 18.
BURNSVILLE, Minn — The Dakota County Attorney has determined three Burnsville police officers were legally justified in using deadly force during the February shooting that killed two of their fellow officers and a firefighter/paramedic.
Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and Burnsville firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth were shot and killed while responding to a domestic call on Feb. 18. The gunman, Shannon Gooden, later took his own life.
Burnsville Police Sgt. Adam Medlicott, Officer Daniel Wical and Officer Javier Jimenez fired their weapons during the course of the incident, and Medlicott was injured. Minnesota law requires an investigation into any law enforcement use of deadly force, prompting the Minnesota BCA to review the situation and submit its investigation to the county attorney.
“After my review of the investigation, there is absolutely no doubt the officers were justified in using deadly force to protect themselves, other officers and first responders, and members of the public from death or great bodily harm,” Dakota Co. Attorney Kathy Keena said in a statement.
In explaining the reasoning for her determination, the county attorney’s report (NOTE: link contains graphic content) also provides new details about what happened that day.
According to the report, Burnsville officers met the woman who called 911 outside the home, who said she was concerned Gooden was abusing one of the children in the home. She informed officers that Gooden had access to guns and had begged her not to call 911.
The report states a responding officer initially attempted to call out to Gooden from an open door in the garage, but Gooden refused to follow instructions and leave the home. Officers then entered the home through the open garage service door, but could not see Gooden upstairs because it was dark in the home. Officers did see a child in an upstairs doorway and determined they should attempt to negotiate with Gooden due to the presence of the child.
Officer Ruge was among the officers who entered the home and led efforts as the department’s primary negotiator. According to the report, Gooden “repeatedly reminded the officers he was near his children and officers should not shoot,” but he also denied having any firearms.
After nearly three and a half hours of negotiations, the report said Gooden began firing at officers from the upper level of the home. Medlicott was hit and fell to the floor, using his ballistic shield to cover his head. While on the ground, he spotted Officer Elmstrand injured and bleeding. Other officers then came in to evacuate Elmstrand.
“According to Sergeant Medlicott, to provide protection for the evacuating officers, he discharged his pistol approximately five times up the stairway towards where he believed Gooden was shooting from,” the report stated. Medlicott then ran out of the home when he believed Gooden was reloading, leaving Officer Wical as one of two remaining officers in the home.
“Officer Wical believed Gooden was preparing to re-engage officers with more gunfire thereby placing his life, the lives of officers, the children and the general public at risk,” the report stated. “Officer Wical also heard officers attempting to drag Officer Elmstrand out of the house and feared if Gooden returned to the top of the stairs, the evacuating officers would be unable to protect themselves.” Wical then fired multiple shots at what he believed were Gooden’s legs.
Outside the home, Elmstand had been brought to a SWAT Bearcat, where firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth began to provide medical care and Officer Ruge appeared to say he’d been shot. As officers and medics were tending to Elmstrand and Ruge, the report states Gooden began firing at the Bearcat from an upper-floor window, striking Ruge and Finseth.
The report states Gooden was shooting out of various windows for nearly 13 minutes. Officer Javier Jimenez, a sniper with the department’s Emergency Action Group tactical team, observed flashes of gunfire and spotted Gooden through his rifle scope.
“Gooden began shooting rounds in high succession at the officers in the driveway as they attempted to take cover behind the Bearcat,” the report stated. “According to Officer Jimenez, he feared for the safety of the officers and medics positioned on the driveway, as well as citizens in the nearby residences, so he fired one round at Gooden.”
The report states Gooden then retreated into the home, and only one additional gunshot was heard; one of the children inside reported Gooden had killed himself.
“The use of deadly force by a peace officer is justified to protect the officer or another person from death or great bodily harm. It is my conclusion that given the facts and circumstances of this incident, most notably that Gooden fired first and continued firing causing the tragic loss of life of Officers Elmstrand and Ruge and injury to Sergeant Medlicott, it was objectively reasonable for Officer Jimenez, Officer Wical, and Sergeant Medlicott to believe Gooden posed a deadly threat to them, other officers and first responders present at the scene, and to members of the public when they fired their respective weapons. Accordingly, all three were legally justified in using deadly force in this extremely harrowing incident,” Keena concluded.
In a news release, Keena also paid tribute to the three fallen responders.
“All three men embodied the spirit of a public servant as they selflessly acted to protect seven children from the hands of Shannon Gooden,” Keena said.
The woman who called 911, Ashley Dyrdahl, has since been charged with illegally buying the guns that Gooden used in the shooting. She has pleaded not guilty.
More coverage of the Burnsville shooting
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