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University of St. Thomas takes next step forward with plans for new baseball, softball fields
The St. Paul City Council hosted public hearings on Wednesday about the plan that would sit on the former Ford Motor Company site.
ST PAUL, Minn. — The plan to build a new baseball and softball facility for the University of St. Thomas (UST) is moving forward.
On Wednesday, the St. Paul City Council held public hearings on the proposed athletic complex.
It would be built on an old Canadian Pacific rail yard and the site of the former Ford Motor Company. It’s in the Highland Park neighborhood that Councilor Chris Tolbert represents.
“We’re grateful to have all those people working hard for the goal and today starts the next step of that process,” said Tolbert.
The meeting painted a clearer picture of the plans, that besides the baseball and softball stadiums, include a practice facility and parking lot. It’s all part of a booming new development called Highland Bridge that’s some two miles from campus.
“There’s a lot going on,” said UST’s Athletic Director Phil Esten.
Esten says the fields would take up about 13 acres. The master developer handed over its purchase agreement for that space to the city’s port authority. It will now be in charge of cleaning up the land.
Esten says that could cost about $6.4 million and once it’s remediated, UST would buy it back with plans to start building.
“It’s a complex situation,” said Esten. “And this is one of those situations where I do feel like we can provide a win, win, win scenario.”
During this project, some residents had worried about lighting, noise and congestion, but a new berm, landscaping and retaining walls addressed their concerns. Any design or cost of the complex, though, is still far off. This is a private endeavor and St. Thomas can now start fundraising for a facility fit for a now D1 school – a shift made a few years ago.
“It’s an opportunity for us to provide our student-athletes training, competition, and fan facilities for baseball and softball and in turn, amenities for the community,” said Esten.
The stadiums would also be shared with local youth ball leagues. There are also two existing little league fields adjacent to the Highland Bridge site that would not be affected by the UST sports complex.
“We are among the neighbors, we’re a neighbor ourselves,” said Esten. “It’s important when we find opportunities to develop in cases like this, we also think forward about how that can serve the neighborhood.”
The council will vote again next month on some more amendments to the plan, but Tolbert said he believes those will pass.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey questioned the legality of the new measure while issuing his veto on Wednesday.
MINNEAPOLIS — The City of Minneapolis will move ahead with new carbon fees after a contentious back and forth at City Hall concluded with the council overriding the mayor’s veto.
The new fees, which target carbon emissions from city businesses, will be implemented on July 1, 2025, according to the council.
Minneapolis already has a pollution fee system, known as the Pollution Control Annual Registration or PCAR. The fees go into the city’s Green Cost Share program, helping pay the costs companies incur bringing down their emissions.
The current PCAR system covers emissions of other air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, heavy particulates, and sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides, lead, and carbon monoxide. Companies are required to report their emissions levels to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which, in turn, charges fees of $100 per ton.
The City Council voted Oct. 2 to add carbon dioxide to the list. The resolution seeks to impose a $452 per ton fee for carbon dioxide.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey questioned the legality of the new measure while issuing his veto on Wednesday.
“I am all on board for PCAR fees—but it’s time the Council stops playing games and follows the processes in place to enact lasting change,” said Mayor Jacob Frey, in a statement to KARE.
Before his veto was overridden, Frey had told KARE that if the measure were to move forward, companies hit with the fees would likely sue the city and win.
Council Member Robin Wonsley, who co-authored the measure, took to X (formerly Twitter) to respond to Frey’s veto on Wednesday night.
Wisconsin law enforcement said Katrina Baur, and her partner, Jesse Vang, are facing charges in connection with 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s death, including obstruction.
TWO RIVERS, Wis. — About a month after 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s remains were recovered from a private property in Wisconsin, state authorities announced Thursday that charges have been filed against the boy’s mother and her partner.
Wisconsin law enforcement said Katrina Baur, and her partner, Jesse Vang, are facing charges in connection with 3-year-old Elijah Vue’s death, including obstruction.
Vue went missing in February and it wasn’t until September that his body was recovered and identified.
Wadena-Deer Creek head coach Kyle Petermeier told families in a letter that a rash of injuries has reduced the roster to the point that playing is a “safety issue.”
WADENA, Minn. — A central Minnesota high school is pulling the plug on the remainder of its varsity football season, saying continuing to play would not be “safe or realistic.”
Wadena-Deer Creek head coach Kyle Petermeier sent a letter home to families earlier in the week, explaining the decision to skip the Wolverines’ final game and subsequent district playoffs. Petermeier said injuries began piling up as the club reached midseason, and roster numbers hit a dangerous low following Wadena-Deer Creek’s game in week 7.
Heading into the final regular season game against Staples-Motley, Wadena-Deer Creek had just eight healthy players from 10th to 12th grade. At that point, the coach said, a difficult but necessary decision had to be made in the interest of safety.
“We are in a position now where we would have to trot out a majority of our team that is 14 and 15 years old, and that is not in the best interest of our kids,” coach Petermeier explained. “To us, safety is ahead of any individual game result. Football is a physical sport and putting out a team of mostly 14-15 year olds vs. 17-18 year olds is not safe or realistic for our team, and even the opposing team playing. “
Before the decision to end their season, the Wolverines were 1-6 on the year, losing games by up to 50 points.
Coach Petermeier credited this year’s varsity squad for their preparation, training and effort, and told parents he believes the future of the Wadena-Deer Creek football program is bright with big participation numbers with players at the fifth- to ninth-grade levels.
“Football is a game that requires strength in numbers, and we will do anything we can to keep these numbers high and keep kids out for football,” he promised.
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