Kare11
St. Paul Public Schools unveils book vending machine
Inspiring children to read can come from parents, friends and even a vending machine.
ST PAUL, Minn. — Benjamin E. Mays Elementary has new vending machine at school — and it’s not filled with beverages, but rather, books.
It’s meant to inspire students like Ga’liyah Starr to read. Her mother, Khim McAdory, says 4-year-old Starr already loves books — even if she can’t quite read yet.
“She’s not really reading yet but she’ll point at the words,” McAdory said. “We have a lot of books at home.”
Now the pre-K student has access to even more books to take home from school. Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood brought in the book vending machine Wednesday, unveiling it in a ribbon cutting ceremony alongside Mayor Melvin Carter, who went to kindergarten at the same school.
“When I was your age, we would open the books, and not a lot of the books had people in them that looked like me,” Mayor Carter told the children.
All of the books inside the vending machine are written by local Black authors, including Dr. Artika Tyner, founder of Planting People Growing Justice, and news reporter Shayla Reaves.
“I love my students being able to see themselves reflected in books,” said Starr’s teacher, Naomi Loving. “The more opportunities we can get books in students hands, the more excited they are about it.”
Instead of paying money, students will earn tokens to use in the machine.
“Getting it out of a vending machine has this whole air of excitement to it,” Ward 2 City Council Member Rebecca Noecker said.
This is the second book vending machine within St. Paul Public Schools. The other is at Maxfield Elementary School. Those involved say this program aligns with other commitments to improve literacy rates among elementary students. Back in the fall, the district launched SPPS Reads, an initiative incorporating evidence-based, Science of Reading practices.
“It might be something different we don’t have, so it’s always a good thing, yeah, to get something different and new,” McAdory said.
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:
If you’re in the mood for fried chicken, cornbread and more, check out this restaurant in Minneapolis.
MINNEAPOLIS — If you’re looking for delicious soul food with a modern twist, go no further than Soul Bowl.
The restaurant offers fried chicken, cornbread, bowls and plant-based options drizzled in your choice of sauce. Soul Bowl recently moved locations and reopened in the V3 Sports center on Plymouth Avenue North.
Gerard Klass, chef and owner of Soul Bowl, visited KARE 11 News at Noon to share more about his menu and the new location.
To order online or see more about Soul Bowl, click here to see its website.
A woman died as a result of the accident near the resort Tuesday.
TOWER, Minn. — A woman died after a hit-and-run accident Tuesday near Fortune Bay Resort Casino, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.
St. Louis County deputies assisted the Bois Forte Tribal Police at the call on Lake Vermilion Reservation Road. In a press release, the Sheriff’s Office stated that the Bois Forte Tribal Police and FBI will be further investigating the case.
If you know anything about this hit-and-run, submit tips to the Bois Forte Tribal Police at 218-757-3237 or to the FBI at this link.
The Ground Delay went into effect shortly before 7:30 a.m. The FAA says departures to MSP from across the U.S. are being delayed 62 minutes.
MINNEAPOLIS — Federal aviation officials have issued a Ground Delay for Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) International Airport due to accumulating snow and ice.
The Ground Delay means departures to MSP from across the U.S. are being delayed an average of 62 minutes as runway crews deal with accumulating snow and ice from the winter storm system sweeping across parts of Minnesota.
The delay is in effect from 7:21-9:59 a.m. Central Standard Time, according to the FAA website. De-icing operations began at MSP at 5:30 a.m.
Those who were planning on picking up travelers from the airport are advised to contact those individual carriers or check out the arrivals and departures section on the MSP website.
KARE 11 is following this situation and will have the latest information as the morning unfolds.
