November 15th 2024.
Early Thursday morning, a group of runners were shocked to discover a disturbing scene along Shepard Road in downtown St. Paul. Dozens of newly planted trees had been torn from the ground, damaged, or even thrown into the nearby Mississippi River in what can only be described as a senseless act of vandalism.
Reports show that 60 out of the 250 young trees that were planted just last month as part of a collaborative effort between the city, local high school students, and Tree Trust, had been destroyed or harmed in some way. Jared Smith, the executive director and CEO of Tree Trust, expressed his disappointment and frustration, stating that the perpetrators' actions make no sense at all.
According to Clare Cloyd, a spokesperson for St. Paul Parks and Recreation, it is unclear exactly when the damage occurred. However, the estimated cost of repairs is expected to exceed $40,000. Cloyd, who has been with the city for 10 years, admitted that she has never seen anything like this before.
The vandalism was likely carried out under the cover of darkness, as most of the streetlights along Shepard Road are currently inoperable due to copper-wire thieves damaging them last year. This made it easier for the vandals to go unnoticed.
Last month, during the MEA break, 37 students from nine St. Paul high schools joined forces with Tree Trust to plant trees between Randolph Avenue and Wabasha Street. This area had suffered significant tree loss due to the invasive emerald ash borer in recent years. The students were participating in a city workforce training program, learning about hard work, environmental stewardship, and the importance of tree canopy.
Smith expressed his disappointment and disbelief at the destruction of the trees that everyone had worked so hard to plant. He explained that the city had invested a lot in this program, and it was disheartening to see it all go to waste.
Parks officials were able to salvage around 15 of the damaged trees that were not completely destroyed or floating in the river. The city's forestry team, along with a crew from Tree Trust and some of the students who had planted the trees, were back out on Thursday to replant and restore the damaged area.
Smith also mentioned that they are working with the city to come up with a plan for the long term, to potentially replace the lost trees. It's a difficult and costly task, but everyone involved is determined to make it right.
In other news, there has been an increase in gun violence in St. Paul, with nine homicides in just two months. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward and help bring the perpetrators to justice. In a separate case, a man was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for his involvement in a drug smuggling ring that used stuffed animals to transport fentanyl pills. In a different incident, former NFL player Everson Griffen received a 60-day sentence and probation for driving under the influence in Minneapolis. And in a recent ruling, the Minnesota Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a man convicted of killing a robber outside a hotel in Eagan. Finally, an off-duty St. Paul police officer has been charged with DWI after crashing his car into a building while being twice the legal alcohol limit.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
