Star Tribune
Second sheen is under investigation as MPCA probes possible contamination in Mississippi River
The state continues to investigate a mysterious sheen that stretched along the Mississippi River upstream of the drinking water intakes for both Minneapolis and St. Paul — and now say another area of suspiciously shiny water was spotted by Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.
Evidence of contamination in the river was first reported shortly after noon Tuesday, stretching from the Hwy. 610 bridge in Coon Rapids about two miles downstream. Maddison Zikmund, the Fridley fire chief, said initial testing was inconclusive and did not suggest the sheen was caused by a fuel spill, though “it absolutely looked like that.”
The sheen dissipated and was largely gone by nightfall, Zikmund said. But the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said it received a report of a second sheen on Wednesday morning, by the park in Coon Rapids, and is investigating whether it’s connected to the earlier event.
“The type of substance is still unknown,” MPCA spokesman Michael Rafferty wrote in an email.
Amy Barrett, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Department of Health, said test results on samples of the water would be ready on Thursday morning.
The water treatment plants for Minneapolis and St. Paul both draw river water downstream of where the sheen was reported. MPCA said that booms had been put in the river around each intake to block any possible pollution.
St. Paul Regional Water Services immediately shut down its intake for river water after the sheen was reported, a spokesperson wrote in an email. It remained shut off on Wednesday, and the system was using other water sources. System general Manager Racquel Vaske said Tuesday that the city’s drinking water customers would not be affected.
In addition to the river, the regional system has wells and a chain of lakes it can use for supply.
Star Tribune
Investigators searching for additional victims as Hastings man faces child porn charges
A 27-year-old Hastings man has been accused in federal court of producing child pornography over a roughly two-year span, and investigators are trying to identify additional potential victims.
Hunter James Geidlwas charged with four counts of either production or possession of child pornography in federal court Dec. 10. He has pleaded not guilty.
According to the charges, Geidl employed and used minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for producing explicit videos from July 2022 to March 2024. He is also accused of possessing a video file of pornographic material involving a minor in 2022.
Geidl made his initial appearance in court Friday and remains in custody, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger.
Investigators believe other minors may have been victimized and ask that if anyone believes their child has been in contact with Geidl to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.
“She was really into the Replacements. So for her to have her dad suddenly playing in the band, it would be like my dad joining the Rolling Stones.”
Slim Dunlap, right, with Paul Westerberg during a 1987 Replacements concert at First Avenue in Minneapolis. (Brian Peterson, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Dunlap played guitar on the final two Replacements studio albums, also including 1991’s “All Shook Down.” Westerberg and bassist Tommy Stinson later credited him for sparking a new spirit in the band and extending their run during their waning years.
After the break-up in 1991, Dunlap toured with Dan Baird of the Georgia Satellites, who led the first fundraising campaign on Dunlap’s behalf in the days after his stroke.
Finally, in 1993, Dunlap got his own chance to shine as a singer/songwriter.
He channeled his love for Hank Williams, Chuck Berry and vintage blues alongside the Replacements’ Stones and Faces influences on his debut album, “The Old New Me,” issued by former ‘Mats manager and Twin/Tone Records co-founder Peter Jesperson on the Medium Cool record label. A second solo album came three years later, “Times Like This,” similarly earning a cult-loved status — especially among fellow musicians.
Springsteen publicly raved about those records numerous times, including in a 2014 interview with NPR’s Ann Powers: “I hope I get a chance to cut one of his songs,” said the Boss. “Check out the two Slim Dunlap records, because they’re just beautiful rock ‘n’ roll records. I found them to be deeply touching and emotional.”
A 59-year-old utility worker died Tuesday after falling from the bucket of a boom truck at a job site north of Big Lake, according to Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office Cmdr. Ben Zawacki.
Thomas L. Stewart of Dayton fell about six to eight feet and suffered significant head injuries while working in the ditch on the north side of 241st Avenue NW, just west of 185th Street in Orrock Township.
First responders performed life-saving efforts at the scene before Stewart was transported to St. Cloud Hospital, where he was pronounced dead late Tuesday.
Stewart worked for the Minnesota-based utility company Connexus Energy. In a response to a Facebook post about the incident, a representative from Connexus thanked people for their thoughts and prayers, and clarified the utility worker was not electrocuted in the incident.
“We’re heartbroken over the passing of our friend and colleague but we are waiting for family and friends to be notified so we cannot share additional information,” Stacy Downs, communications specialist at Connexus, said Wednesday.
