Kare11
Resident wears protective gear to council meeting to make a point
The woman walked to the podium to address the Plymouth City Council wearing a protective helmet and carrying an umbrella.
PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Sometimes, you need more than words to make a point.
And at Wednesday’s city council meeting in Plymouth, one resident wasn’t shy about using accessories to illustrate the problem she and her husband are having with a problematic hawk.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, the woman strode up to the mic wearing a protective helmet and carrying an umbrella. She described sitting out in her yard on July 10 when the hawk in question swooped down and attacked her, leaving a two-inch gash in the back of her head and concerns about an infection.
Heads up, reports of aggressive hawks in Plymouth Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/kAwAncBnCx
— Markie Kelly (@MarcTwinCities) July 25, 2024
The woman then detailed a second incident the following day, when the raptor again flew right at her head.
“It looked like a torpedo with wings,” she told the council. “And I thought, there go my eyes.”
The resident told the council that after sharing her stories with neighbors, they told her the aggressive hawk problem dates back 10 or 12 years, which motivated her to find a potential solution. But after spending “hours” on the phone with the Minnesota DNR and federal wildlife officials about dealing with the protected species, she was referred back to the local level.
While the mission was to prompt city counselors to develop a protocol for dealing with problem animals, the rattled resident showed she had a sense of humor. She invited the panel to join her for a BBQ at her Plymouth home, with the understanding they’d have to bring their own helmets and umbrellas.
Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
