Stunning that this was allowed to go on for so long. The Star Tribune’s Jean Hopfensperger writes about some chilling revelations from a review of documents released by St. John’s Abbey: “One priest reported 200 sexual encounters, including some with students at St. John’s University and prep school. … Another recorded the names of dozens of boys he brought to a cabin, some of whom he sexually abused. … Another abuser was paid $30,000 by St. John’s Abbey to support him as he left the clergy. … These are among findings from the first batch of personnel files from St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville made public Tuesday. The abbey was required to release its internal files on priests credibly accused of child sex abuse as part of a lawsuit settled earlier this year. It marks the first time the abbey — implicated in clergy abuse cases for two decades — has opened its confidential files.”
What kind of men would shoot protesters? The Star Tribune’s Abby Simons mined social media for information about the suspects arrested yesterday in Monday night’s shootings at the Fourth Precinct: “In the glow of a vehicle’s interior light, the YouTube video shows two masked men as they cruise down Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis one night last week. The driver, who identifies himself as ‘SaigaMarine,’ doesn’t hesitate to make his agenda clear. … ‘We are locked and loaded,’ he says, holding up a black 1911-style pistol. As he flashes the gun, he explains amid racial slurs that the men are headed to the Black Lives Matter protest outside Minneapolis’ Fourth Precinct police headquarters. Their mission, he says, is ‘a little reverse cultural enriching.’ ”
Ellison calls out Donald Trump’s rhetoric. The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: “Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) said late Monday that Donald Trump’s remarks about the 9/11 terrorist attacks could provoke violence between everyday Americans. … ‘He’s whipping up hatred to scapegoat a minority religious group, which has some very dangerous precedents,’ he said of Trump’s claims that thousands of Muslim Americans cheered the 2001 massacre in New York City. … ‘I mean, it’s the kind of behavior [that is] classic demagoguery, and you know, he’s going to get somebody hurt,’ Ellison told host Chris Hayes on MSNBC’s ‘All In.’ … ‘I don’t suppose he cares much, but it should be the kind of behavior that is denounced,’ the Minnesota congressman added.”
Thanksgiving road trip? According to MPR’s Nancy Yang, there’s never been a better time: “An estimated 46.9 million Americans are expected to travel by car, plane, bus or train at least 50 miles from home over the long holiday weekend, according to the motoring organization AAA. That would be an increase of more than 300,000 people over last year, and the most travelers since 2007. … Among the reasons given for the increase: an improving economy and the cheapest gasoline for this time of year since 2008. … The average price for a gallon of regular gas is $1.98 in the Twin Cities, according to GasBuddy.com. And that’s not even the lowest of the low — The cheapest price that has been spotted in the last 24 hours is $1.76 in Champlin, Minn. … A year ago, motorists were paying about $2.72 per gallon for regular gas.”
In other news…
Hillary Clinton to visit Minnesota in December. [WCCO]
Former state Rep. Al Juhnke has a new job: executive director of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association [West Central Tribune]
Rochester police have begun their test of body cams. [Rochester Post Bulletin]
People are awful: “Pregnant Minnesota TV meteorologist gets ‘nasty’ comments” [Inforum]
Well, he certainly didn’t work out for the Vikings: “Ex-Viking Christian Ponder to work out for Broncos” [Star Tribune]
No, you’re not getting 50% off at Target: “A Facebook coupon offering 50% off at Target retail stores is just another survey scam” [Snopes]
I have a vague
Memory of a St. John’s student going missing and eventually turning up dead in a pond or something like that. If I remember correctly the feeling was that something was going on at the Abbey but those thoughts/feelings whatever were pooh-poohed as nonsensical. Am I remembering this wrong?